Who funds American University?

Washington, District of Columbia · EIN 53-0196549 · NTEE B43 · 501(c)(3)

199 private foundations paid American University 353 grants on IRS Form 990-PF returns for tax year 2022 or later, $24.8M in all. Its IRS activity code (NTEE B43) places it in education.

All years on file, including returns before 2022.

Foundations that funded it

The 200 largest by total, of 202 on file.

Largest grants since 2022

Largest first. The purpose is what the foundation wrote on its return, for the tax year shown.

• Suc Tua Evelyn Davis Foundation · 2024 - Unrestricted general$1,275,000
• Laura and John Arnold Foundation · 2024 - To support the postsecondary equity and economics research ("peer") project and its efforts on accountability and student loan research,…$1,091,090
• The David and June Trone Family Foundation · 2024 - Trone family eminent scholar chair in neuroscience and behavior$1,011,840
• Margaret a Cargill Foundation · 2024 - Support to improve access to maternal and child health$1,000,000
• Margaret a Cargill Foundation · 2023 - Support for equitable access to reproductive, maternal, and child care$1,000,000
• The David and June Trone Family Foundation · 2023 - Trone family eminent scholar chair in neuroscience and behavior$1,000,000
• The David and June Trone Family Foundation · 2022 - Trone family eminent scholar chair in neuroscience and behavior$1,000,000
• The Andrew W Mellon Foundation · 2023 - To support the humanities truck project, an initiative using a customized truck as a mobile platform for collecting, exhibiting,…$750,000
• Lumina Foundation for Education Inc · 2023 - To support expansion and use of a toolkit for higher education to respond to rising anti-democratic attitudes and beliefs.$600,000
• Alfred P Sloan Foundation · 2024 - To develop and implement a community-oriented engagement approach on marine carbon dioxide removal (mcdr) in partnership with[c]worthy, a…$501,463
• Samueli Foundation · 2024 - General operations for peril$500,000
• Bender Foundation Inc · 2023 - Center for athletic performance$500,000
• Gates Foundation · 2023 - Postsecondary education$495,837
• The David and June Trone Family Foundation · 2024 - Trone family center for jewish life fund$480,882
• The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation · 2024 - Employing comedy as a cultural change strategy for social justice, health equity, and civic power$478,834
• The William & Flora Hewlett Foundation · 2023 - For support of the accountability research center$430,000
• The Ford Foundation · 2024 - Core support for the accountability research center to implement a series of learning exchanges on reimaging democracy$400,146
• The William & Flora Hewlett Foundation · 2024 - For support of the program on legislative negotiation$400,000
• The William & Flora Hewlett Foundation · 2023 - For support of the program on legislative negotiation$400,000
• The David and Lucile Packard Foundation · 2024 - Environment and Science$300,000
• Wyncote Foundation · 2024 - Support for current$297,500
• Endeavor Foundation Inc · 2025 - Championing and expanding college civic and democracy learning$275,000
• Suc Tua Evelyn Davis Foundation · 2023 - Unrestricted general$275,000
• John D and Catherine T Macarthur Foundation · 2024 - In support of the center for media and social impact (cmsi)$250,000
• Walton Family Foundation Inc · 2024 - To enhance and expand the engagement strategies of the "Upstream, Downriver" documentary project.$250,000

Organizations the same foundations fund

Organizations paid by many of the same foundations since 2022, by how much their lists of funders overlap.

• Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors IncNew York, NY · 33 shared funders
• University of North Carolina at Chapel HillChapel Hill, NC · 28 shared funders
• Georgetown UniversityWashington, DC · 57 shared funders
• The Aspen Institute IncWashington, DC · 36 shared funders
• New Venture FundWashington, DC · 33 shared funders
• Howard UniversityWashington, DC · 30 shared funders
• New York UniversityNew York, NY · 52 shared funders
• Northeastern UniversityBoston, MA · 39 shared funders

By tax year of the funder's return

More funders nearby

• Education grants in District of Columbia
• All foundation grants in District of Columbia

How this page is made

Each grant comes from a foundation's IRS Form 990-PF and was linked to this EIN only when this was the single organization in the IRS Business Master File with that name in that state. Grants written under a different spelling, or where several organizations share the name, are not counted here, so the real totals can be higher. Government grants and gifts from individuals do not appear on these returns.

• IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search for EIN 53-0196549
• IRS Business Master File record updated Nov 9, 2026; listed in Publication 78 (eligible for deductible contributions)

Facts on this page come from the foundation's own IRS Form 990-PF filings as published by the IRS. Grantvello does not know whether a foundation is accepting proposals right now: a past grant is not an open opportunity. Always confirm current guidelines with the funder before applying.