Top US Foundations by Assets and Grants
The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation remains the largest US foundation by assets, reporting over 50 billion dollars in total assets as of the most recent Form 990 filings. It distributed more than 6 billion dollars in grants in recent years, focusing on global health, education, and poverty alleviation. The foundation is headquartered in Seattle and operates with a professional staff of thousands, funding programs across more than 100 countries Forbes.
The Ford Foundation holds a prominent position among US foundations with total assets exceeding 16 billion dollars and annual grant payouts typically above 600 million dollars. It focuses on social justice, human rights, and democratic participation, with major offices in New York and Detroit. The foundation has been a leading funder of civil rights, education equity, and arts programs for decades SEC.
Major Private and Community Foundations in the United States
The Lilly Endowment, based in Indianapolis, is one of the largest private foundations in the US with assets surpassing 30 billion dollars. Its grantmaking focuses on community development, education, and religion, primarily within the United States. In recent years, it has directed billions toward higher education institutions, economic development in Indiana, and religious leadership programs Forbes.
The Charles Koch Foundation and the David H. Koch Foundation are among the most influential private foundations in the US, with combined assets in the tens of billions. Their grantmaking spans criminal justice reform, education, free speech, and scientific research. Both foundations have been major donors to universities, think tanks, and policy organizations across the country SEC.
How to Research and Verify US Foundations
The IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search tool allows users to look up any US foundation by name and retrieve its EIN, filing history, and Form 990 data. This database provides official financial figures including total revenue, expenses, and grants paid, updated annually IRS.
ProPublica's Nonprofit Explorer offers searchable access to millions of tax filings, including detailed grant lists and executive compensation for major US foundations. Users can compare financial trends over time and download raw data for research and analysis ProPublica.