Average grant size at major education foundations
The typical grant from the 20 largest education foundations is about $100K. Across all 4,198 education funders on file, the typical grant is about $5K. LILLY ENDOWMENT INC gives the most in this field.
Every figure comes from the foundations’ own IRS filings. The largest funders in a field usually give far more per grant than the field as a whole, because they make fewer, larger awards to organizations and projects big enough to absorb that much money at once. Check before you ask. Open any foundation to see who it has funded, where and for how much.
The 20 largest education funders
| Foundation | State | Typical grant | Grants a year | Total giving |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| LILLY ENDOWMENT INC | IN | $100K | 2,285 | $3864M |
| THE ROBERT WOOD JOHNSON FOUNDATION | NJ | $40K | 3,093 | $623M |
| The David and Lucile Packard Foundation | CA | $150K | 1,029 | $350M |
| WK Kellogg Foundation | MI | $100K | 1,819 | $304M |
| CONRAD N HILTON FOUNDATION | CA | $76K | 1,339 | $288M |
| O'DONNELL FOUNDATION | TX | $1.0M | 33 | $187M |
| CARNEGIE CORPORATION OF NEW YORK | NY | $225K | 591 | $174M |
| MOTHER CABRINI HEALTH FOUNDATION INC | NY | $200K | 601 | $173M |
| FIDELITY FOUNDATION | MA | $400 | 4,430 | $156M |
| JOHN S AND JAMES L KNIGHT FOUNDATION | FL | $85K | 513 | $148M |
| THE RALPH C WILSON JR FOUNDATION | MI | $100K | 413 | $141M |
| RICHARD KING MELLON FOUNDATION | PA | $220K | 296 | $117M |
| ARIE AND IDA CROWN MEMORIAL | IL | $55K | 897 | $115M |
| THE SAROFIM FOUNDATION | TX | $250K | 90 | $105M |
| The Rees-Jones Foundation | TX | $75K | 177 | $104M |
| HAROLD ALFOND FOUNDATION | ME | $250K | 45 | $103M |
| THE COLORADO HEALTH FOUNDATION | CO | $80K | 684 | $102M |
| ALFRED P SLOAN FOUNDATION | NY | $100K | 522 | $89M |
| THE HEINZ ENDOWMENTS | PA | $70K | 550 | $85M |
| The Klarman Family Foundation | MA | $100K | 260 | $82M |
See every education funder that accepts applications, largest first, on foundations that fund education.
Ask for the right amount
Reviewers notice a request that is far above what a foundation usually gives. Every foundation page here shows its typical grant beside its giving history. Ask for an amount that funder is used to approving and the proposal starts from a number it recognizes. Quillify then drafts that proposal from your own documents.
Find the funders who give at your size.
Browsing and keyword search are free, and there is no card required.