Funding search
Find who already funds work like yours. Private foundations don’t post open calls, so nobody can search them. We read IRS filings instead — 9.6 million grants from 174,053 foundations and grantmaking charities, searchable by what the money was actually for.
Foundation based inAny state AL AK AZ AR CA CO CT DE DC FL GA HI ID IL IN IA KS KY LA ME MD MA MI MN MS MO MT NE NV NH NJ NM NY NC ND OH OK OR PA RI SC SD TN TX UT VT VA WA WV WI WY PR VI Gave to recipients inAny state AL AK AZ AR CA CO CT DE DC FL GA HI ID IL IN IA KS KY LA ME MD MA MI MN MS MO MT NE NV NH NJ NM NY NC ND OH OK OR PA RI SC SD TN TX UT VT VA WA WV WI WY PR VI Funder typeBoth Private foundations Charities & associations Grants of at leastAny size $10k $50k $100k Active sinceAny year 2023 or later 2024 or later
12 funders with a record of paying for “astronomy”
Where the money went Gordon E and Betty I Moore Foundation → Regents of the University of California: $6.3M across 6 grants, latest 2024 The Heising-Simons Foundation → California Association for Research in Astronomy: $2.3M across 6 grants, latest 2023 The Kavli Foundation → Kavli Institute for Astrophysics and Space Research at Mit: $1.3M across 2 grants, latest 2023 Cincinnati Observatory Foundation → Cincinnati Observatory Center: $520K across 3 grants, latest 2024 Alfred P Sloan Foundation → Vanderbilt University: $499K across 3 grants, latest 2024 Amateur Radio Digital Communications → Deep Space Exploration Society: $300K across 1 grant, latest 2022 The Brinson Foundation → University of Chicago Department of Astronomy and Astrophysics Edward H Lev: $262K across 2 grants, latest 2024 The Velaj Foundation → Stamford Museum and Nature Center: $150K across 4 grants, latest 2025 The Kenneth T and Eileen L Norris → Carnegie Observatories of the Carnegie Institution for Science: $125K across 4 grants, latest 2024 Research Corporation Dba Research → Northwestern University: $100K across 1 grant, latest 2022 Cornell University → University of Alaska: $93K across 1 grant, latest 2022 Jesse & Margaret Goldbaum Foundation → Tierra Astronomical Institute: $24K across 4 grants, latest 2025 Gordon E and Betty I Moore Foundation → President and Fellows of Harvard College: $4.4M across 3 grants, latest 2024 The Kavli Foundation → Kavli Institute for Astronomy and Astrophysics at Peking University: $958K across 2 grants, latest 2024 The Heising-Simons Foundation → Regents of the University of California at San Diego: $653K across 4 grants, latest 2024 Alfred P Sloan Foundation → National Radio Astronomy Observatory: $412K across 2 grants, latest 2023 The Brinson Foundation → Carnegie Institution for Science Carnegie Observatories Instrumentation Pro: $235K across 2 grants, latest 2024 Research Corporation Dba Research → Amherst College: $100K across 1 grant, latest 2022 Cornell University → Blue Marble Space: $46K across 2 grants, latest 2023 Amateur Radio Digital Communications → Fondation Open Collective Europe (On Behalf of Dimension Parabole F4klo): $22K across 1 grant, latest 2025 Gordon E and Betty I Moore Foundation → Smithsonian Institution: $2.0M across 1 grant, latest 2024 The Kavli Foundation → Peking University: $479K across 1 grant, latest 2022 The Heising-Simons Foundation → Society for Science & the Public: $450K across 3 grants, latest 2024 Alfred P Sloan Foundation → Ohio State University: $360K across 1 grant, latest 2022 The Brinson Foundation → Wesleyan University: $230K across 2 grants, latest 2024 Cornell University → Smithsonian Institution: $45K across 2 grants, latest 2023 Research Corporation Dba Research → University of California San Diego: $25K across 1 grant, latest 2023 Amateur Radio Digital Communications → Von Braun Astronomical Society: $14K across 1 grant, latest 2022 Gordon E and Betty I Moore Foundation → Regents of the University of California: $1.6M across 1 grant, latest 2020 Gordon E and Betty I Moore Foundation → California Association for Research in Astronomy: $1.4M across 1 grant, latest 2022 Gordon E and Betty I Moore Foundation → Northwestern University: $497K across 2 grants, latest 2024 The Heising-Simons Foundation → Regents of the University of California Santa Cruz: $370K across 3 grants, latest 2024 Gordon E and Betty I Moore Foundation → Las Cumbres Observatory Global Telescope Network Inc: $363K across 1 grant, latest 2022 Gordon E and Betty I Moore Foundation → Numfocus Inc: $300K across 1 grant, latest 2020 Alfred P Sloan Foundation → The Ohio State University: $300K across 2 grants, latest 2024 The Heising-Simons Foundation → Associated Universities Inc: $293K across 4 grants, latest 2024 Gordon E and Betty I Moore Foundation → Seti Institute: $203K across 1 grant, latest 2022 The Heising-Simons Foundation → Board of Regents Nevada System of Higher Education: $200K across 3 grants, latest 2024 The Brinson Foundation → University of California Davis: $118K across 1 grant, latest 2022 The Brinson Foundation → University of California Davis Department of Physics and Astronomy: $118K across 2 grants, latest 2023 The Brinson Foundation → Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy National Solar Observ: $118K across 2 grants, latest 2023 The Brinson Foundation → University of Chicago Department of Astronomy and Astrophysics: $117K across 1 grant, latest 2023 The Brinson Foundation → Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy - National Solar Obse: $115K across 1 grant, latest 2022 The Brinson Foundation → President and Fellows of Harvard College: $115K across 1 grant, latest 2022 The Brinson Foundation → Carnegie Institution for Science: $115K across 1 grant, latest 2022 The Heising-Simons Foundation → University of Hawaii: $114K across 1 grant, latest 2024 The Brinson Foundation → University of Chicago: $103K across 1 grant, latest 2022 The Heising-Simons Foundation → Vanderbilt University: $80K across 1 grant, latest 2024 The Brinson Foundation → Northwestern University: $78K across 2 grants, latest 2023 The Heising-Simons Foundation → Association of Universities for Research Astronomy Inc: $73K across 1 grant, latest 2022 The Brinson Foundation → Cornell University: $53K across 1 grant, latest 2024 Gordon E and Betty I Moore Foundation → Seti Institute: $51K across 1 grant, latest 2020 The Brinson Foundation → Northwestern University Center for Interdisciplinary Exploration: $40K across 1 grant, latest 2024 Cornell University → Seti Institute: $31K across 1 grant, latest 2022 Cornell University → State of Colorado School of Mines: $29K across 1 grant, latest 2022 Cornell University → Planetary Science Institute: $28K across 1 grant, latest 2022 Research Corporation Dba Research → University of Pittsburgh: $25K across 1 grant, latest 2023 Cornell University → Regents of the University of Idaho: $23K across 1 grant, latest 2023 Gordon E and Betty I Moore Foundation → Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy: $20K across 3 grants, latest 2024 Research Corporation Dba Research → University of Washington: $5K across 1 grant, latest 2022 The Brinson Foundation → California Institute of Technology: $3K across 1 grant, latest 2022 Gordon E and Betty I Moore Foundation: $17M on this topic. Open the funder. Gordon E and Betty I Moore Fo… $17M The Heising-Simons Foundation: $4.5M on this topic. Open the funder. The Heising-Simons Foundation $4.5M The Kavli Foundation: $2.7M on this topic. Open the funder. The Kavli Foundation $2.7M The Brinson Foundation: $1.8M on this topic. Open the funder. The Brinson Foundation $1.8M Alfred P Sloan Foundation: $1.6M on this topic. Open the funder. Alfred P Sloan Foundation $1.6M Cincinnati Observatory Foundation: $520K on this topic. Open the funder. Cincinnati Observatory Founda… $520K Amateur Radio Digital Communications: $336K on this topic. Open the funder. Amateur Radio Digital Communi… $336K Cornell University: $294K on this topic. Open the funder. Cornell University $294K Research Corporation Dba Research: $255K on this topic. Open the funder. Research Corporation Dba Rese… $255K The Velaj Foundation: $150K on this topic. Open the funder. The Velaj Foundation $150K The Kenneth T and Eileen L Norris: $125K on this topic. Open the funder. The Kenneth T and Eileen L No… $125K Jesse & Margaret Goldbaum Foundation: $24K on this topic. Open the funder. Jesse & Margaret Goldbaum Fou… $24K Regents of the University of California: received $6.3M on this topic Regents of the University of Ca… $6.3M President and Fellows of Harvard College: received $4.6M on this topic President and Fellows of Harvar… $4.6M California Association for Research in Astronomy: received $3.7M on this topic California Association for Rese… $3.7M Smithsonian Institution: received $2.0M on this topic Smithsonian Institution $2.0M Regents of the University of California: received $1.6M on this topic Regents of the University of Ca… $1.6M Kavli Institute for Astrophysics and Space Research at Mit: received $1.3M on this topic Kavli Institute for Astrophysic… $1.3M Kavli Institute for Astronomy and Astrophysics at Peking University: received $958K on this topic Kavli Institute for Astronomy a… $958K Northwestern University: received $675K on this topic Northwestern University $675K Regents of the University of California at San Diego: received $653K on this topic Regents of the University of Ca… $653K Vanderbilt University: received $579K on this topic Vanderbilt University $579K Cincinnati Observatory Center: received $520K on this topic Cincinnati Observatory Center $520K Peking University: received $479K on this topic Peking University $479K Society for Science & the Public: received $450K on this topic Society for Science & the Public $450K National Radio Astronomy Observatory: received $412K on this topic National Radio Astronomy Observ… $412K Regents of the University of California Santa Cruz: received $370K on this topic Regents of the University of Ca… $370K Las Cumbres Observatory Global Telescope Network Inc: received $363K on this topic Las Cumbres Observatory Global… $363K Ohio State University: received $360K on this topic Ohio State University $360K Numfocus Inc: received $300K on this topic Numfocus Inc $300K The Ohio State University: received $300K on this topic The Ohio State University $300K Deep Space Exploration Society: received $300K on this topic Deep Space Exploration Society $300K Associated Universities Inc: received $293K on this topic Associated Universities Inc $293K University of Chicago Department of Astronomy and Astrophysics Edward H Lev: received $262K on this topic University of Chicago Departmen… $262K Carnegie Institution for Science Carnegie Observatories Instrumentation Pro: received $235K on this topic Carnegie Institution for Scienc… $235K Wesleyan University: received $230K on this topic Wesleyan University $230K Seti Institute: received $203K on this topic Seti Institute $203K Board of Regents Nevada System of Higher Education: received $200K on this topic Board of Regents Nevada System… $200K Stamford Museum and Nature Center: received $150K on this topic Stamford Museum and Nature Cent… $150K Carnegie Observatories of the Carnegie Institution for Science: received $125K on this topic Carnegie Observatories of the C… $125K University of California Davis: received $118K on this topic University of California Davis $118K University of California Davis Department of Physics and Astronomy: received $118K on this topic University of California Davis… $118K Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy National Solar Observ: received $118K on this topic Association of Universities for… $118K University of Chicago Department of Astronomy and Astrophysics: received $117K on this topic University of Chicago Departmen… $117K Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy - National Solar Obse: received $115K on this topic Association of Universities for… $115K Carnegie Institution for Science: received $115K on this topic Carnegie Institution for Science $115K University of Hawaii: received $114K on this topic University of Hawaii $114K University of Chicago: received $103K on this topic University of Chicago $103K Amherst College: received $100K on this topic Amherst College $100K University of Alaska: received $93K on this topic University of Alaska $93K Seti Institute: received $82K on this topic Seti Institute $82K Association of Universities for Research Astronomy Inc: received $73K on this topic Association of Universities for… $73K Cornell University: received $53K on this topic Cornell University $53K Blue Marble Space: received $46K on this topic Blue Marble Space $46K Smithsonian Institution: received $45K on this topic Smithsonian Institution $45K Northwestern University Center for Interdisciplinary Exploration: received $40K on this topic Northwestern University Center… $40K State of Colorado School of Mines: received $29K on this topic State of Colorado School of Min… $29K Planetary Science Institute: received $28K on this topic Planetary Science Institute $28K University of California San Diego: received $25K on this topic University of California San Di… $25K University of Pittsburgh: received $25K on this topic University of Pittsburgh $25K Tierra Astronomical Institute: received $24K on this topic Tierra Astronomical Institute $24K Regents of the University of Idaho: received $23K on this topic Regents of the University of Id… $23K Fondation Open Collective Europe (On Behalf of Dimension Parabole F4klo): received $22K on this topic Fondation Open Collective Europ… $22K Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy: received $20K on this topic Association of Universities for… $20K Von Braun Astronomical Society: received $14K on this topic Von Braun Astronomical Society $14K University of Washington: received $5K on this topic University of Washington $5K California Institute of Technology: received $3K on this topic California Institute of Technol… $3K 12 funders, 55 recipients, grants matching “astronomy” only. Ribbon width is proportional to the total given; each funder has its own colour (smaller funders in gray). Hover a name to isolate its flows, click a funder to open it. Drag to move around; zoom with the buttons, a double-click, or the wheel after clicking the map. Largest: $1.8M to REGENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA — in support of the renovation and refurbishment of lick observatory to bolster and expand the capacity to serve the bay area public with astronomy-based programming while maintainin…
Full grant history → IRS filings ↗
Largest: $115,000 to ASSOCIATION OF UNIVERSITIES FOR RESEARCH IN ASTRONOMY - NATIONAL SOLAR OBSE — brinson prize fellowship - multi- messenger solar astronomy research
Full grant history → IRS filings ↗
Largest: $116,121 to REGENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA AT SAN DIEGO — for graduate fellowships in astronomy and astrophysics
Full grant history → IRS filings ↗
Largest: $92,875 to University of Alaska — research-astronomy & astrophysics
Full grant history → IRS filings ↗
Largest: $208,863 to NATIONAL RADIO ASTRONOMY OBSERVATORY — to create a graduate education pathway for urm students from 14 minority-serving institution undergraduate astronomy, computer science, and data science programsto a relevant stem …
Full grant history → IRS filings ↗
Largest: $479,000 to KAVLI INSTITUTE FOR ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS AT PEKING UNIVERSITY — kavli institute for astronomy and astrophysics at peking university 2019-2023
Full grant history → IRS filings ↗
Largest: $25,000 to University of Pittsburgh — contour-a: cross-organizational network for tools to optimize undergraduate research in astronomy
Full grant history → IRS filings ↗
Largest: $6,000 to Tierra Astronomical Institute — to provide the fundamental tools and resources for public education and research in astronomy
Full grant history → IRS filings ↗
Largest: $60,000 to STAMFORD MUSEUM AND NATURE CENTER — astronomy center
Full grant history → IRS filings ↗
Largest: $35,000 to CARNEGIE OBSERVATORIES OF THE CARNEGIE INSTITUTION FOR SCIENCE — carnegie observatories: astronomy lecture series
Full grant history → IRS filings ↗
Largest: $299,959 to DEEP SPACE EXPLORATION SOCIETY — restoring and operating a 60-foot dish antenna for radio astronomy and amateur radio experimenting
Full grant history → IRS filings ↗
Largest: $189,605 to CINCINNATI OBSERVATORY CENTER — historic preservation of cincinnati observatory and stem education in the field of astronomy.
Full grant history → IRS filings ↗
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Source: IRS Form 990-PF Part XV and Form 990 Schedule I, tax years 2019–2025. These are grants already paid, a record of what an organization funds rather than an open call. Private foundations rarely accept unsolicited applications and the route in is usually a program officer; grantmaking charities and associations more often run real application cycles, so check their website. How this data is built, and its limits →
