Top U.S. Foundations

Which are the largest U.S. grantmaking foundations? Foundation Center attempts to keep track of such things.

Here’s the most current audited financial data in the organization’s database as of Sept. 11, 2008:

1. Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation (Washington): $38,921,022,000

2. The Ford Foundation (New York): $13,798,807,066

3. J. Paul Getty Trust (Calif.): $10,133,371,844

4. The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (New Jersey): $10,102,937,905

5. The William and Flora Hewlett Foundation (Calif.): $9,284,917,000

6. W. K. Kellogg Foundation (Mich.): $8,402,996,155

7. Lilly Endowment Inc. (Ind.): $7,734,860,156

8. The David and Lucile Packard Foundation (Calif.) $6,594,540,283

9. The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation (New York): $6,539,865,000

10. Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation (Calif.): $6,409,252,816

Source: Foundation Center