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.
12 funders with a record of paying for “exploratory”
Where the money went
Largest: $100,000 to Growing Season-Illinois Inc — general operating support - exploratory
Largest: $600,000 to CALIFORNIA INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY — in support of the laboratory of dr. linda ye, which will target exploratory synthesis of exotic novel magnetic and superconducting materials and development of high-pressure materi…
Largest: $100,000 to CHATTANOOGA STATE TECHNICAL COMMUNITY COLLEGE FOUNDATION — "global scholars" program - provide unique learning and exploratory experiences not typically available to students
Largest: $425,000 to THE URBAN FOLK ART EXPLORATORY — general operating support
California Healthcare FoundationOakland, CACharity · may take applications
3 matching grants · $990,851 · through 2024Largest: $424,587 to UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA — usc health data journalism fellowship training; psychiatric advanced directives for individuals of child-bearing age: exploratory work; annual california street medicine symposium,…
Largest: $76,800 to LIFT INC — support lift's exploratory work with coaching for everyone to train coaches in financial coaching
Largest: $60,000 to ROCKEFELLER PHILANTHROPY ADVISORS INC — building on extensive exploratory research and external consultations, rockefeller philanthropy advisors proposes establishing a two-year global foresight & futures community of pr…
Largest: $99,557 to OREGON STATE UNIVERSITY FOUNDATION — to conduct exploratory research to test the possibility of rigorously evaluating if evictions increase criminal activities among evicted tenants.
Largest: $5,000 to DAEN PALMA HUSE — exploratory travel award
The Charles FundCharlottesville, VA
3 matching grants · $65,000 · through 2025Largest: $25,000 to LEWIS AND CLARK EXPLORATORY CENTER — general purposes of donee
Tides CenterSan Francisco, CACharity · may take applications
3 matching grants · $87,500 · through 2024Largest: $35,000 to CENTER FOR EXPLORATORY AND PERCEPTUAL ARTS INC — equity, human rights, and economic empowerment
Largest: $100,000 to HOPEWELL FUND — core support for over zero's exploratory research, learning and capacity building on polarization in the global south
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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 →