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 “underground”
Where the money went
Largest: $338,961 to UNIVERSITY OF KENTUCKY — autonomous underground mining systems to improve safety - intelligent coal mining
Largest: $86,765 to UNDERGROUND RAILROAD HISTORY PROJECT — to research and preserve the local and national history of the underground railroad movement, its international connections, and its legacy for today's social justic issues, thereb…
Largest: $2.4M to UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA BERKELEY FOUNDATION — to transform the student population and create a more welcoming and inclusive campus; for the institute for governmental studies project to conduct polling and host events on democ…
Servant FoundationOverland Park, KSCharity · may take applications
6 matching grants · $96,274 · through 2024Largest: $27,950 to KC Underground Church — religious ministry
The Chicago Community TrustChicago, ILCharity · may take applications
6 matching grants · $135,000 · through 2023Largest: $40,000 to Florida Harm Reduction Collective Inc — general operating support for flhrc, general operating support for underground recovery jax, general operating support for fiscal sponsee out of harms reach
Largest: $3,000 to UNDERGROUND UTILITY CONTRACTORS OF — program support
Saginaw Community FoundationSaginaw, MICharity · may take applications
5 matching grants · $106,770 · through 2024Largest: $24,085 to UNDERGROUND RAILROAD — programs/support
Lilly EndowmentIndianapolis, IN
3 matching grants · $4.9M · through 2025Largest: $2.5M to NATIONAL UNDERGROUND RR FREEDOM CTR — religion & cultural inst initiative
Baltimore Children and Youth FundBaltimore, MDCharity · may take applications
4 matching grants · $267,500 · through 2024Largest: $150,000 to BALTIMORE UNDERGROUND SCIENCE SPACE — grassroots fund
The Greater Cincinnati FoundationCincinnati, OHCharity · may take applications
3 matching grants · $3.5M · through 2024Largest: $1.4M to NATIONAL UNDERGROUND RAILROAD FREEDOM CENTER INC — programatic support
Give Back FoundationMadison, WICharity · may take applications
4 matching grants · $92,903 · through 2025Largest: $34,097 to OPERATION UNDERGROUND RAILROAD INC — program support
Wayfarer FoundationHighland Park, IL
3 matching grants · $1.5M · through 2024Largest: $500,000 to NATIONAL UNDERGROUND RAILROAD FREEDOM CENTER INC — general operating support
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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 →