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 “founders”
Where the money went
The Drexel FundSouth Bend, IN
29 matching grants · $1.3M · through 2024Largest: $100,000 to GRETCHEN STEWART — fy22 founder stipend
The Chicago Community TrustChicago, ILCharity · may take applications
17 matching grants · $5.4M · through 2023Largest: $508,945 to Ann & Robert H Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago Foundation — general operating support. support for the pediatric brain tumor foundation. contribution to magoon institute for healthy communities - dotb paddle raise (no tickets or tangible be…
Largest: $209,000 to FOUNDERS FIRST COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION INC — support for founders first to expand their series of entrepreneur support programs targeting women and diverse founders to serve eight new regional markets. 202009-9223
California Healthcare FoundationOakland, CACharity · may take applications
8 matching grants · $652,250 · through 2024Largest: $65,000 to FOUNDERS AND FUNDERS OF COLOR — 2023 new york innovative founders and funders of color; capturing the stories of diverse founders and funders; 2023 california innovative founders and funders of color
Largest: $135,000 to HAITI ALLIES — sustaining founder grant in support of the underprivileged
Largest: $15,000 to Midwestern University — founder award
John D and Catherine T MacArthur Foundation (Consolidated)Chicago, IL
9 matching grants · $980,000 · through 2024Largest: $200,000 to FOUNDERS FIRST COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION INC — to support a business accelerator program in chicago that helps develop and grow the businesses of entrepreneurs who are bipoc, women, veterans, lgtbq+, or located in low- and mode…
Largest: $422,676 to UNIVERSITY OF MS FOUNDATION — the foundation contributed 75 percent of the net distributions from the s corporation stock to the university of mississippi to fund scholarships to students as instructed by found…
Largest: $30,000 to DREXEL FOUNDER'S FAMILY SCHOLARSHIP FUND — drexel founder's family scholarship fund
Maine Technology InstitutePortland, MECharity · may take applications
6 matching grants · $1.1M · through 2024Largest: $25,000 to Opolis Optics LLC — for the stokedplastic collection, opolis founder james merrill worked with the manufacturing and research labs at the university of southern maine to develop a patent-pending blend…
Largest: $1.0M to MIAMI DADE COLLEGE — guided by the philosophy of mdc founder, colonel mitchell wolfson, to create a vibrant community for all of us by educating miami dade countys current and future residents, mdc fou…
Access ModeDenver, COCharity · may take applications
7 matching grants · $146,000 · through 2024Largest: $30,000 to JTL Technologies — advancing access modes charitable mission to support the growth of technology companies in underserved communities and by overlooked founders equipping them to build scalable busin…
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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 →