Learn more about grants for higher education by browsing our curated list of top higher ed funders below. And make sure to check out IP’s three more specialized higher education-related guides: College Readiness, Humanities Research, and STEM Education. Members can also research funding opportunities using the search tool for GrantFinder. Become a member.

Funding Trends

Foundation grants for higher education (sometimes referred to post-secondary or tertiary education) represents the largest share of education-linked funding in the United States. Philanthropic support derives from individual donors, as well as institutional donors, while alumni play a particularly outsized role. 

Higher education faces deep and prolonged challenges. State funding for public two- and four-year colleges plummeted over the course of the past 20 years, while average tuition at public four-year colleges has skyrocketed. In 2019, the national student loan debt ballooned to a staggering $1.6 trillion.

Many higher education institutions have also radically shifted their approach toward a business model in which most faculty is temporary rather than tenure track, ultimately affecting the quality of instruction and support for students of color.

As temporary faculty face discrimination and increasing economic instability, a brain drain has come into play with hundreds of academics fleeing toward industry positions after much public and private investment in their doctoral training. Institutions have also faced several racial and sexual abuse claims, which many boards struggle to address. At the same time, some employers have started to question the value of a higher education that is not meeting local, regional and national workforce needs. 

Higher education funders — both individuals and institutions — often find themselves unwittingly contributing to the sector’s ills by providing massive gifts to research initiatives and other big-ticket capital projects, while failing to meaningfully address the affordability crisis. Recent data suggest the proportion of gifts directed toward institutional-level student financial aid has remained relatively flat over the last 15 years, topping out at nearly 13% in 2018.

Many institutional grantmakers prioritized boosting access for low-income and BIPOC students, but impact was muted as long as tuition continued to outpace inflation. Furthermore, little support exists for transfer students into four-year colleges, an oversight that misses an opportunity to address college access. 

Higher education grants invest in university infrastructure improvements; investments in college classroom learning; and overall improvements to curriculum, and student and faculty support. Calls for racial justice have also amplified across a space where a disproportionate amount of funding has flowed to elite institutions serving a fraction of the country’s student population. Mega-donors like MacKenzie Scott, Netflix founder Reed Hastings and wife Patty Quillin, and the Pritzker Family made historic gifts to historically black colleges and universities, community colleges and trade schools that primarily serve economically disadvantaged and racially diverse students.

We expect foundation leaders to keep their promise of accelerating efforts to boost student access, success and career readiness in the years ahead. Experts tell IP that university advancement officers are also well-positioned to partner with local fraternal, religious and professional organizations on creating scholarships for financially insecure and historically underrepresented students. Officers are equally encouraged to collaborate with funders on initiatives that build STEM skills, address the mental health crisis, facilitate public/private partnerships, and advance climate change research. 

The larger question facing higher education considers to what extent does the engine funding this giving space — affluent alumni mega-donors — redirect support for financial aid and historically undercapitalized institutions, or revert to a pre-crisis posture. Even a slight modification in mega-donor giving patterns could have a profound impact on universities’ efforts to boost affordability and accessibility at scale.

 
 

Foundations for Higher Education Grants

3M FOUNDATION

3M’s grantmaking supports education, community development and the environment. 3M also funds human services and arts programs across its priority communities.

ADTALEM GLOBAL EDUCATION FOUNDATION

Adtalem’s higher education grantmaking works to increase access to higher education for underserved populations, and strengthen the transition from high school to college. This giving is also tied to workforce development giving.

AEGON TRANSAMERICA FOUNDATION

This foundation has an open application process and its philanthropy has historically included modest support for institutions of higher education in the areas where it has a corporate presence. However, its current education giving priorities are less clear.

ALL WITHIN MY HANDS

All Within My Hands was founded by the members of the heavy metal band Metallica. The organization supports community colleges, scholarships, foodbanks and disaster relief in the U.S. To a lesser extent it supports local organizations in the cities and towns abroad where Metallica performs.

ALWALEED PHILANTHROPIES

Alwaleed’s Bringing Cultures Together focus area promotes “intercultural and interfaith dialogue and understanding through academia and creative learning.”

AMB FOUNDATION

Since it doesn’t name specific strategies in the higher education space, AMB prefers a broad approach to its awards here, which are often focused on Indigenous higher education and, broadly, on a wide scope of universities.

AMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF UNIVERSITY WOMEN

AAUW’s American Fellowships program is its oldest grantmaking vehicle, dating back to 1888. It goes to support women who are “completing dissertations, planning research leave from accredited institutions, or preparing research for publication” at institutions in the United States.

AMERICAN FEDERATION FOR AGING RESEARCH

In addition to grants for faculty-level researchers, AFAR also offers scholarship and fellowship opportunities for medical students and graduate students in aging research.

AMERICAN MEDICAL ASSOCIATION FOUNDATION

AMA’s higher education grantmaking offers modest tuition assistance to students approaching their final year of medical school.

AMERICAN PSYCHOLOGICAL FOUNDATION

APF offers scholarships for students of psychology, neuropsychology, child psychology, behavioral psychology, pyschopharmacology, and public policy.

AMETEK FOUNDATION

Ametek maintains a broad approach to its higher education grantmaking.

FRED C. AND KATHERINE B. ANDERSEN FOUNDATION

The Andersen Foundation funds higher education institutions across the United States.

PAUL M. ANGELL FOUNDATION

The Angell Family Foundation’s higher education interests include early intervention programs for low-income, disadvantaged, minority youth. It prioritizes “college access, persistence, and graduation” for 2- and 4-year institutions, as well as “exploration of career interests/pathways.”

ANNENBERG FOUNDATION

The Annenberg’s have lent their name to the Annenberg School for Communications and Journalism at USC, and University of Pennsylvania’s Annenberg School for Communication and Annenberg Public Policy Center. This foundation’s higher education spending tends to concentrate in SoCal, but sometimes extends elsewhere though it advances media learning.

ARGOSY FOUNDATION

The Argosy Foundation supports a broad range of education efforts across the United States, which include projects related to innovative learning programs, capacity building, staff development, and infrastructure.

LAURA AND JOHN ARNOLD FOUNDATION

This funder does not have a program specific to higher education, but postsecondary researchers engaging in “transformative” work can find support in many of Arnold’s program areas.

AURORA HUMANITARIAN INITIATIVE

The Aurora Humanitarian Initiative supports projects related to humanitarian relief, human rights, and higher education across the globe.

SIDLEY AUSTIN FOUNDATION

The Sidley Austin Foundation broadly supports higher education institutions across the United States.

AVON FOUNDATION FOR WOMEN

This funder offers a college and vocational school scholarship program open to its representatives and their families.

BAIRD FOUNDATION

The Baird Foundation supports higher education institutions across the country.

BELFER FAMILY FOUNDATION

The Belfers give to higher education outfits with which it has a personal connection.

BNSF RAILWAY FOUNDATION

BNSF funds both colleges and universities, and considers supporting exceptional vocational and non-college schools on occasion.

WILLIAM K. BOWES, JR. FOUNDATION

While the Bowes Foundation does not provide detailed information on its grantmaking priorities, it has a stated interest in “access to college” and “higher education.”

BRADLEY FOUNDATION

The Lynde and Harry Bradley Foundation is a conservative juggernaut providing research grants and graduate-level Bradley Fellowships, both of which are designed to support like-minded academics.

BROAD FOUNDATION

The Broad Foundation does not have a higher ed grantmaking program, but it does support higher ed grant seekers working in science, medical research, and K-12 education. For the most part, unsolicited proposals are not accepted.

BROWN FOUNDATION

The Brown Foundation supports higher education institutions around the country, but does not name particular higher education grantmaking strategies.

SUSAN THOMPSON BUFFETT FOUNDATION

The Susan Thompson Buffett Foundation prioritizes Nebraskan high school students.

CAPITAL GROUPS COMPANIES CHARITABLE FOUNDATION

The Capital Groups Companies Charitable Foundation invests in colleges, universities, and post-secondary organizations across the United States.

CAPITAL ONE FOUNDATION

The Capital One Foundation’s higher education grants tend to focus on ensuring that college students succeed and workforce development initiatives. 

CARNEGIE CORPORATION OF NEW YORK

As one of the largest foundations in the United States, Carnegie's grants provide plenty of support for education nonprofits, colleges, and K-12 schools.

CATERPILLAR FOUNDATION

The Caterpillar Foundation supports organizations alleviating the root causes of poverty.

CELANESE FOUNDATION

The Celanese Foundation supports higher education institutions around the country.

CENTER FOR ARAB AMERICAN PHILANTHROPY

The Center for Arab American Philanthropy makes grants to support the Arab American community nationwide. Its grantmaking supports racial justice, higher education, community development, disaster relief, and women and girls, and it also serves to raise the profile of the Arab community in the United States.

CHANEL FOUNDATION

Chanel’s grantmaking for higher education focuses on granting access to education and vocational training in order to improve women’s economic development outcomes.

CHARLES EVANS HUGHES MEMORIAL FOUNDATION

The Charles Evans Hughes Memorial invests in higher education grantmaking across the United States, predominately in the northeastern region.

CHINO CIENEGA FOUNATION

Most of its support in this area goes to grants for higher education and to international organizations working to secure equal opportunity in education.

CITI FOUNDATION

Citi's higher education funding focuses on teaching students and their families how to save for college, getting students into college, and helping them stay in college to complete their degrees.

COCA-COLA

The Coca-Cola Foundation's three main priorities are women's empowerment, environmental conservation, and healthy living. In addition to directly funding universities around the world, Coca-Cola also awards millions in scholarships each year.

JACK KENT COOKE FOUNDATION

The Cooke Foundation works with institutions of higher education and national organizations to increase college access for talented young men and women with financial need.

COUNCIL ON FOREIGN RELATIONS

The Council on Foreign Relations supports higher education and international relations scholars via research and writing fellowships.

WALLACE H. COULTER FOUNDATION

Coulter tends to award higher education grants to large-scale partners with strong departments in biomedical engineering. It also gives to a select group of colleges, universities, and professional societies. 

DALIO FOUNDATION

Dalio funds higher ed initiatives including medical and environmental research, scholarships, and arts programs, but the foundation has no website or clear grantmaking guidelines.

DANPAUL FOUNDATION

This funder broadly gives in this space, mostly scholarships.

HILDA AND PRESTON DAVIS FOUNDATION

This funder does not outline specific goals for its higher education funding, but tax filings suggest that its priorities include science programs and religious education.

ARTHUR VINING DAVIS FOUNDATIONS

This funder gives grants to private liberal arts and science colleges and affiliated organizations, with special funding earmarked for traditionally black, Native American, and Appalachian colleges. Grants are awarded for undergraduate programs only.

LEONARD AND SOPHIE DAVIS FUND

While the Davises supported their alma mater, City College, during their lives, higher education funding has recently shifted West.

SHELBY CULLOM DAVIS CHARITABLE FUND

The Shelby Cullom Davis Charitable Fund supports higher education institutions across the country including large universities and local community colleges.

DE BEAUMONT FOUNDATION

The de Beaumont Foundation is primarily a public health funder, but also funds the intersection between health, disease prevention and research, as well as between a variety of fields, such as higher education.

DELOITTE FOUNDATION

Deloitte Foundation's philanthropy is business oriented. It has given many grants related to the study of tax and finance. It also has a generous employee matching funds program and supports organizations and events as well as doctoral scholarships and fellowships.

DOMINION FOUNDATION

The Dominion Foundation supports postsecondary ed from multiple angles, but only in regions where it has a corporate presence. In addition to its higher education program, it offers a handful of higher ed grants through its Environmental Stewardship program. 

DONLEY FOUNDATION

Grants are fewer here for this funder, but focus on colleges and universities, as well as access to vocational education.

WILLIAM H. DONNER FOUNDATION

Grants here broadly support higher education, typically private institutions.

DORSEY & WHITNEY FOUNDATION

Dorsey & Whitney’s higher education grants tend to support large public and private universities.

CAMILLE AND HENRY DREYFUS FOUNDATION

Dreyfus’s higher education funding works to support learning and research at chemical science and engineering programs at colleges and universities in the U.S.

DRUCKENMILLER FOUNDATION

Druckenmiller has supported institutions with connections to the family, and to support students striving to enroll and succeed in college. But the foundation tends to make a small number of targeted, large-scale gifts, and has no website or clear application process.

DUKE ENDOWMENT

The Duke Endowment’s higher education grantmaking is its largest area of giving.

JESSIE BALL DUPONT FOUNDATION

Eligibility from the duPont Foundation is limited to organizations (including 42 liberal arts colleges) that received funding from Jessie Ball duPont during her lifetime.

DORIS DUKE CHARITABLE FOUNDATION

Funding from Doris Duke is available through the foundation's Arts, Environment, Medical Research, and Child Well-Being programs, as well as through its African Health Initiative.

ECMC FOUNDATION

ECMC has unique giving in the higher education space that overlaps with improving college access.

EINHORN COLLABORATIVE

The Einhorn Collaborative seeks organizations with the ability to make meaningful and measurable progress over time.

EMERSON CHARITABLE TRUST

The Emerson Charitable Trust supports a variety of higher education institutions across the country. It does not name specific areas of study or programs to which it gives funding priority.

ENTERGY CHARITABLE FOUNDATION

The Entergy Foundation invests in higher education organizations and schools in areas where the company maintains a business presence.

SHERMAN FAIRCHILD FOUNDATION

Post-secondary grants from Fairchild have gone to a wide variety of initiatives, including general operating support, fundraising campaigns and special projects, but the foundation doesn't have a website or clear funding priorities.

FORD FOUNDATION

Since its recent restructuring, Ford will funnel its higher education funding through the Pathways for Youth Success sub-area of its Youth Opportunity and Learning program.

CHARLES A. FRUEAUFF FOUNDATION

CAFF’s Education program primarily supports higher education through direct grants to private four-year colleges and universities to fund general operations, special projects, and scholarships. It also gives grants for technology and software updates, as well as infrastructure assistance.

GATES FOUNDATION

College readiness and retention make up the Gates Foundation's higher education focus. There are small grants available for first-time grantees, as well as mega-grants for national, game-changing programs.

GE FOUNDATION

The GE Foundation's higher education grantmaking supports academic research, conferences, program support, scholarships and a matching gifts program.

GENERAL MILLS FOUNDATION

While General Mills doesn’t have a higher ed program, it gives regularly to this focus area, especially in Minnesota.

GEORGE FAMILY FOUNDATION

While the George Family Foundation does not name higher education as a funding priority, a significant portion of its funding goes to institutions of higher education via its leadership, spirituality and youth funding initiatives.

GEORGIA-PACIFIC FOUNDATION

This funder is committed to communities where it has corporate locations, but that's a huge swath of the country; unique in that all giving is for general operating support. 

GETTY FOUNDATION

While institutions of higher education and university-based museums receive funding grants through Getty’s visual arts funding program, the Getty Foundation also supports higher education and humanities research through its internship and fellowship programs.

ROSALINDE AND ARTHUR GILBERT FOUNDATION

Higher education receives support from Gilbert’s college access program, which names post-secondary success and the “elimination of systematic barriers” to college completion as areas of priority. Grants support advisement and academic and financial support.

GLENN FOUNDATION FOR MEDICAL RESEARCH

A significant portion of the Glenn Foundation’s research funding is directed at elite medical research universities.

GOLDMAN SACHS FOUNDATION

Goldman gives to higher ed through its 10,000 Small Businesses and 10,000 Women programs (both designed to provide access and training to budding entrepreneurs). Goldman also provides need-based higher ed scholarship grants.

HORACE W. GOLDSMITH FOUNDATION

Goldsmith broadly gives to a mix of private and public universities and colleges.

GRAINGER

W.W. Grainger, Inc. and the Grainger Foundation have given big to universities with connections to the family, and offer funding at a lower level through community college scholarships and employee-endorsed community grants.

LAUREN CATUZZI GRANDCOLAS FOUNDATION

The Lauren Catuzzi Grandcolas Foundation’s higher education grants typically focus on women’s scholarships.  

GRANTHAM FOUNDATION

The Grantham Foundation for the Protection of the Environment is one of the principle philanthropic vehicles of British investor Jeremy Grantham and his wife Hannelore. It focuses exclusively on environment and climate change grantmaking.

GREEN FAMILY FOUNDATION

This funder’s higher education grants tend to be broad and occur nationally.

GROVE FOUNDATION

Grants for higher education are broad and national here.

EVELYN AND WALTER HAAS, JR. FUND

Haas’s College Success program aims to “level the playing field in higher education” in California by supporting college access and affordability for low- and middle-income families and students of color.

HASBRO CHILDREN’S FUND

The Hasbro Children’s Fund does not name higher education as an area of grantmaking interest, but tax filings indicate a commitment to supporting a broad range of public and private colleges and universities in the U.S.

HASTINGS FUND

The Hastings Fund focuses exclusively on education and prioritizes quality education for underprivileged and minority students. It also gives to HBCUs.

HEARST FOUNDATIONS

Hearst's deep pockets and open application process bode well for established college and university grant seekers, especially through its Education and Health programs. Hearst also has two signature programs that include college scholarships—one for undergraduate journalism majors, and another for high school student government leaders.

HECKSCHER FOUNDATION FOR CHILDREN

Heckscher primarily serves New York City but offers support throughout the nation. Its College Access Program includes SAT prep, peer advising, helping with financial aid, and college liaison support. 

HELIOS EDUCATION FOUNDATION

Helios supports college access and postsecondary success for students in Arizona and Florida. 

HEWLETT FOUNDATION

Higher education fundraisers should focus on Hewlett’s Education, Environment, and Global Development and Population programs. It accepts unsolicited LOIs on a program-by-program basis.

CONRAD N. HILTON FOUNDATION

The multi-billion-dollar foundation has a global footprint, and even without a targeted higher ed program, its wide-ranging interests provide many opportunities for universities to earn high-level funding. Unfortunately, unsolicited applications are off the table.

ARMIN AND ESTHER HIRSCH FOUNDATION

The Armin and Esther Hirsch Foundation supports colleges and universities across the country.

WILLIAM H. HURT FOUNDATION

The William H. Hurt Foundation seeks higher education institutions and organizations located in areas in which foundation staff and board members reside.

HUTCHINS FAMILY FOUNDATION

The Hutchins Foundation’s Education grantmaking aims to “revitalize undergraduate residential life and learning” and “promote excellence in high school math and science.”

HENRY M. JACKSON FOUNDATION

The Jackson Foundation’s International Affairs Education program seeks to "advance education, scholarship, and public understanding of historical developments and current issues.” It supports organizations that focus on advancing foreign policy research and analysis, and work to connect policy makers to the latest academic scholarship

LEBRON JAMES FAMILY FOUNDATION

The Lebron James Family Foundation supports K-12 and higher education in James’s hometown of Akron, Ohio.

JEWISH COMMUNAL FUND

The New York-based Jewish Communal Fund supports Jewish religious, cultural, educational and human service-oriented organizations prioritizing the New York City area. The fund also supports higher education and public health in New York and beyond.

ROBERT WOOD JOHNSON FOUNDATION

The RWFJ Foundation has long given grants supporting healthcare, especially nursing programs. But it has also supported other university programs and research initiatives.

JPMORGAN CHASE

JPMorgan Chase's commitment to higher ed almost always has a market-oriented bent, whether through industry-related research, skills training programs, or university centers focusing on economics or small businesses. 

KATE SPADE AND COMPANY FOUNDATION

The Kate Spade and Company Foundation largely concentrates higher education grantmaking in the Northeastern United States. 

EWING MARION KAUFFMAN FOUNDATION

Kauffman’s higher ed funding supports universities and academics around the country with institutional grants and individual awards, especially for research related to the field of entrepreneurship. Most of its other funding is focused on Kansas City.

ANNA-MARIA AND STEPHEN KELLEN FOUNDATION

The Anna-Maria and Stephen Kellen Foundation awards grants to higher education institutions located across the country; however, it prioritizes those located on the East Coast.

J.C. KELLOGG FOUNDATION

The J. C. Kellogg Foundation prefers to take a broad approach to funding higher education. In doing so, the foundation supports a variety of higher education initiatives or priorities across the United States. 

KLINGENSTEIN THIRD GENERATION FOUNDATION

In addition to fellowships for researchers, KTGF also offers Medical Student Fellowships to introduce students interested in pursuing a career in youth psychiatry to principles of “children’s mental health research, treatment and advocacy.”

KMPG FOUNDATION

The charitable arm of the accounting firm, KPMG Foundation's business-oriented higher education support focuses on business education through funding for select organizations, scholarships, diversity initiatives, academic conferences, and a matching gifts program.

KNIGHT FOUNDATION

Higher education funding from Knight is available in the arts, community initiatives, journalism, and innovation in media. Grants are open to a wide range of applicants, but some have geographic restrictions.

ROBERT P. AND ARLENE R. KOGOD FAMILY FOUNDATION

The Robert P. and Arlene R. Kogod Family Foundation supports Jewish causes, arts and culture, education, youth and health in the Washington, DC area and beyond.

KOHLBERG FOUNDATION

Kohlberg prefers a broad approach toward its higher education investments, which suggests it may entertain a variety of projects.

KRESGE FOUNDATION

Kresge's Education Program focuses on helping first-generation, low-income students enroll in college and complete their degrees from two- and four-year institutions. The foundation also provides grants to Title III and Title V schools.

CHARLES LAFITTE FOUNDATION

This foundation’s higher education grants are broad and tend to focus on Duke University.

LEAR FAMILY FOUNDATION

The Lear Family Foundation makes a handful of broad grants to higher education outfits each year.

PATRICK P. LEE FOUNDATION

The Patrick P. Lee Foundation’s higher education funding aims to reduce the burden of college costs on students from middle-income households.

LEFKOFSKY FAMILY FOUNDATION

The Lefkofsky Foundation does not name specific goals for its higher education funding, permitting for broad grantmaking in this area.

PHILIP AND JANICE LEVIN FOUNDATION

The Philip and Janice Levin Foundation’s largest area of giving is arts and culture. Other grantmaking interests include higher education, health, civic engagement and Jewish causes.

LIBERTY MUTUAL FOUNDATION

Liberty Mutual’s higher education funding focuses on programs that help first-generation and underrepresented students succeed academically and complete college degrees.

LILLY ENDOWMENT

While the Lilly Endowment is well known for its support of campus business programs and nonprofits focused on increasing higher ed access for minorities, its Christianity-oriented religion grantmaking focus is also a major source of funding for higher education organizations.

LILLY FOUNDATION

The Lilly Foundation does not name higher education as a grantmaking area of interest, but several colleges and universities have received funding in recent years.

LUMINA FOUNDATION

Lumina gives higher ed grants through its Goal 2025 program, which seeks to "increase the proportion of Americans with high-quality degrees, certificates and other credentials to 60 percent by the year 2025." 

MACARTHUR FOUNDATION

MacArthur does not operate a higher-education program, but does award grants to colleges and universities through its major programs. The foundation recently restructured, shutting down and phasing out many programs.

ANDREW W. MELLON FOUNDATION

Mellon’s grants for higher education are extensive — and competitive.

METLIFE FOUNDATION

The MetLife Foundation's relatively limited higher education funding focuses primarily on scholarships, college readiness and success programs, and increasing financial inclusion for low- and middle-income communities. It also gives annual awards to individual researchers focused on Alzheimer's disease. 

AMBROSE MONELL FOUNDATION

Monell supports education programs throughout the US that focus on students from kindergarten through college; however, the vast majority of education grants support higher education, specifically those schools with medical students.

MORGAN STANLEY FOUNDATION

This foundation has funded a variety of private universities, as well as HBCUs.

CHARLES STEWART MOTT FOUNDATION

Mott focuses on higher education through its Success Beyond High School subprogram, but postsecondary institutions can also secure funding through its programs in the environment, civil society, and the area of Flint, Michigan. Some programs include both a domestic and international focus.

NATIONWIDE FOUNDATION

The Nationwide Foundation awards grants to higher education institutions located within and around its geographic priority region.  

YOUNES & SORAYA NAZARIAN FAMILY FOUNDATION

The foundation's Los Angeles grantmaking supports educational causes, as well as policy, the arts, and more. The Nazarians are strong supporters of Jewish causes, which informs the work the family does both in L.A. and Israel.

NEXT GENERATION LEARNING CHALLENGES

The NGLC network, backed largely by the Gates Foundation, gives higher ed grants to support new teaching models and innovative uses of technology. 

HENRY E. NILES FOUNDATION

It funds educational organizations that aid physically disadvantaged students, as well as groups that aim to advance literacy and access to quality education for underserved communities.

JANE AND DANIEL OCH FAMILY FOUNDATION

The Jane and Daniel Och Family Foundation supports public health, disease research, Jewish causes, arts and culture, education and work and opportunity with a strong focus on the greater New York City area.

OPEN SOCIETY FOUNDATIONS

OSF gives to Higher Education at both the national and international levels and accounts for one of the foundation’s largest areas of funding.

ORGANIZATION FOR AUTISM RESEARCH

OAR supports autistic students pursuing postsecondary education via its postsecondary scholarships.

BERNARD OSHER FOUNDATION

Osher supports projects to help older adults complete unfinished degrees, change careers or advance in their existing ones, or take classes for the joy of learning. It also offers funding for scholarships, fellowships, integrative medicine, and arts and education. 

PANDA CARES

Panda Cares’ supports higher education via the Panda Cares Scholars Program, which provides scholarships to high performing students involved in campus leadership and/or community service.

PERELMAN FAMILY FOUNDATION

The Perelman Family Foundation and the Perelman Family Charitable Trust represent the philanthropy of the billionaire Ronald O. Perelman. Giving encompasses higher education, health, diseases, Jewish causes, arts and culture and mental health.

PERSHING SQUARE FOUNDATION

Much of PSF's higher education philanthropy supports scholarship programs, but it has also funded endowed professorships and cancer research.

PEW CHARITABLE TRUSTS

Pew does not outline specific goals for its higher education giving and supports a broad range of institutions of higher education. The trusts also conduct extensive research on access and affordability of higher education in the U.S.

T. ROWE PRICE FOUNDATION

The T. Rowe Price Foundation supports universities and community colleges across the United States. It also invests in arts and culture and human services.

TINA & STEVE PRICE CHARITABLE FOUNDATION

The Tina & Steven Price Charitable Foundation strongly supports the Jewish community in New York City. Other interests include higher education and health.

MARTIN R. PRINCE CHARITABLE FOUNDATION

Higher education is this funder’s largest area of giving, with universities, medical schools and health-related career development programs receiving numerous grants over the past several years.

RAIKES FOUNDATION

The Raikes Foundation’s higher education grants broadly work to provide all students with access to a quality education in the United States. It also focuses on youth homelessness believing success isn’t possible without a holistic approach to the individual.

RESNICK FOUNDATION

This funder’s grants for higher education concentrate in California and sometimes intersect with sustainability and conservation research.

ROBBINS FAMILY FOUNDATION

The Robbins Family Foundation’s giving for higher education giving has tapered off somewhat in recent years but continues to be an area of interest, according to recent tax filings.

ROSENKRANZ FOUNDATION

The foundation’s higher education grantmaking supports several education initiatives, primarily at Yale University, the founder’s alma mater.

SANDLER FOUNDATION

The Sandler Foundation supports higher education institutions across the United States. 

SARAH SCAIFE FOUNDATION

Much of this foundation's money goes to conservative think tanks and policy institutes and anti-immigrant projects. Grantmaking in higher education also considers these issues, including by supporting centers based on campuses. 

SC JOHNSON GIVING

SC Johnson supports colleges, universities and higher education institutions around the United States.

VAN SLOUN FOUNDATION

The Van Sloun Foundation invests in small to mid-sized colleges and large universities.

GEORGE SNOW SCHOLARSHIP FUND

The George Snow Scholarship Fund awards over $1 million in scholarships for undergraduate study to students in Southern Florida each year.

W. EUGENE SMITH FUND

This fund invests in college student photojournalism and visual arts.

DIANA DAVIS SPENCER FOUNDATION

The Diana Davis Spencer Foundation awards grants to higher education institutions across the United States. Spencer does not award a large number of higher education grants each year.

SPRINT FOUNDATION

Sprint offers higher education grants to both small and larger academic institutions across the United States. 

STARR FOUNDATION

Starr's grants enable colleges and universities to provide their students with need-based scholarships. The foundation also awards higher ed grants for foreign exchange student programs, medical research, the arts, and policy work. 

JUDY AND MICHAEL STEINHARDT FOUNDATION

The Judy and Michael Steinhardt Foundation is the philanthropic vehicle of American billionaire hedge fund manager Michael Steinhardt. The foundation strongly supports the Jewish community and other causes in New York City. Its grantmaking focuses on Jewish Causes, Education, Health, Arts & Culture, and the New York City Community.

SURDNA FOUNDATION

The Surdna Foundation's higher ed grantmaking has varied widely but has tended to include a focus on social justice and support for underserved communities. 

LAZLO N. TAUBER FOUNDATION

The Tauber Family Foundation does not name higher education as a grantmaking area of interest, but taxes reveal past support for several universities in the U.S. and Israel.

TAWANI FOUNDATION

In higher education, the foundation aims to support institutions that provide high quality learning in a broad range of disciplines.

TEAGLE FOUNDATION

Teagle exclusively funds education, particularly the overlap between higher ed and the humanities.

TERRA FOUNDATION FOR AMERICAN ART

The Terra Foundation names support for the field of American art scholarship as one of its main grantmaking goals. The foundation makes grants to colleges and universities and awards scholarships and fellowships to individuals studying or researching historical American art.

TEXTRON CHARITABLE TRUST

Textron supports higher education via its Workforce Development and Education initiative, prioritizing programs that prepare students for careers in technology, manufacturing and engineering.

TINKER FOUNDATION

The Tinker Foundation supports higher education via its field research grants, field research collaborative and visiting professors funding programs, which focus on Latin America.

TOMKAT FOUNDATION

While TomKat Foundation does not name higher education as a funding priority, taxes reveal an interest in supporting established and elite universities, especially those with an focus on the environment and farming.

TOSA FOUNDATION

The foundation's higher ed funding primarily prioritizes a small number of longtime partners, and most of its grantees were originally invited to apply.

TOW FOUNDATION

The Tow Foundation’s higher education funding aims to “advance the pursuit of knowledge and produce the next generation of scholars and leaders.”

T. ROWE PRICE FOUNDATION

Higher education funding also stems from the T. Rowe Price Foundation’s Youth Empowerment initiative and focuses on the person development and academic success of college students “through multi-faceted, multi-year programs.”

UPS FOUNDATION

UPS Foundation backs expanding access to higher education largely through grants to preselected organizations, but you can also be nominated for support by a UPS employee who volunteers with your organization.

VERIZON FOUNDATION

The Verizon Foundation takes a broad approach towards its higher education grantmaking preferring to support a variety of colleges and universities across the United States.

WALMART

Walmart gives to higher education at the local, state, and national levels through support for job training, research initiatives, scholarship funds, and scholarships for Walmart Associates' dependents and children. 

WALTON FAMILY FOUNDATION

Postsecondary institutions have received funding from the Walton Foundation for work in its programs in K-12 Education, Environment, and the foundation's "Home Region" of northwest Arkansas and the Arkansas and Mississippi Delta.

ELIE WIESEL FOUNDATION FOR HUMANITY

This funder provides education funding for “programs and projects that foster dialogue, especially in innovative ways,” especially with Jewish identity.

WYSS FOUNDATION

Wyss’s discovery grantmaking also supports a broad range of scholarships and fellowships in diverse disciplines at colleges and universities in the U.S. and abroad.

Additional Resources

The Council for Advancement and Support of Education (CASE) is a global nonprofit association dedicated to educational advancement—alumni relations, communications, development, marketing and advancement services. 

The American Council on Education is a membership organization that mobilizes the higher education community to shape effective public policy and foster innovative, high-quality practice. 

The National Scholarship Providers Association is to advance the collective impact of scholarship providers and the scholarships they award.

Notable Regional Funders