The Edmund Pettus Bridge over the Alabama River in Selma
Foundation Lookup

Cause Civil rightsAll States6,379 funders

Foundations that fund civil rights

6,379 private foundations with a return in the last two years gave $1.1 billion to civil rights organizations in 13,289 grants. The median grant was $10,000, and 1,674 of these foundations accept applications.

See which foundations fund work like yours Matching by cause, place and grant size

Foundations with a return in the last two years, each by its latest return (tax years 2023 to 2025), read from the IRS e-file on Nov 11, 2026. Returns reach the IRS 5 to 18 months after the year they describe.

Ranked by giving to civil rights

Top 50

Grants in each foundation’s latest return to organizations whose IRS category is civil rights.

  1. The Ford FoundationNew York, NY · tax year 2024 208 grants Accepts applications $63,820,717 to civil rights
  2. The Susan Thompson Buffett FoundationOmaha, NE · tax year 2025 64 grants Preselected only $49,247,311 to civil rights
  3. Freedom Together FoundationNew York, NY · tax year 2024 67 grants Preselected only $47,840,000 to civil rights
  4. Indian Paintbrush FoundationWashington, DC · tax year 2024 2 grants Preselected only $37,700,000 to civil rights
  5. Wellspring Philanthropic Fund IncNew York, NY · tax year 2023 102 grants Preselected only $36,403,735 to civil rights
  6. The Robert Wood Johnson FoundationPrinceton, NJ · tax year 2024 123 grants Accepts applications $28,800,578 to civil rights
  7. Pivotal Philanthropies FoundationRedmond, WA · tax year 2024 12 grants Preselected only $22,750,000 to civil rights
  8. The William & Flora Hewlett FoundationMenlo Park, CA · tax year 2024 74 grants Accepts applications $22,731,588 to civil rights
  9. Novo FoundationHurley, NY · tax year 2024 11 grants Preselected only $21,520,000 to civil rights
  10. John D and Catherine T MacArthur FoundationChicago, IL · tax year 2024 49 grants Preselected only $18,105,000 to civil rights
  11. Popplestone FoundationBoston, MA · tax year 2024 3 grants Preselected only $15,650,000 to civil rights
  12. The James Irvine FoundationSan Francisco, CA · tax year 2024 34 grants Preselected only $14,723,130 to civil rights
  13. Foundation to Promote Open SocietyNew York, NY · tax year 2024 30 grants Preselected only $13,077,187 to civil rights
  14. WK Kellogg FoundationBattle Creek, MI · tax year 2024 59 grants Accepts applications $11,938,055 to civil rights
  15. The David and Lucile Packard FoundationLos Altos, CA · tax year 2024 38 grants Accepts applications $11,658,036 to civil rights
  16. Gates FoundationSeattle, WA · tax year 2024 25 grants Accepts applications $11,583,579 to civil rights
  17. Lilly Endowment IncIndianapolis, IN · tax year 2025 17 grants Accepts applications $11,547,416 to civil rights
  18. Houston Endowment IncHouston, TX · tax year 2024 28 grants Accepts applications $10,096,500 to civil rights
  19. The California EndowmentLos Angeles, CA · tax year 2024 56 grants Preselected only $9,883,054 to civil rights
  20. Sarnat Family FoundationCarlsbad, CA · tax year 2024 1 grant Preselected only $8,325,000 to civil rights
  21. Crankstart FoundationSan Jose, CA · tax year 2024 19 grants Preselected only $8,325,000 to civil rights
  22. Munger Charitable Trust Number EightPasadena, CA · tax year 2024 7 grants Preselected only $7,361,878 to civil rights
  23. Skyline FoundationSan Francisco, CA · tax year 2024 12 grants Preselected only $6,768,333 to civil rights
  24. The Heising-Simons FoundationLos Altos, CA · tax year 2024 41 grants Preselected only $6,542,000 to civil rights
  25. Conrad N Hilton FoundationWestlake Village, CA · tax year 2024 36 grants Accepts applications $6,513,600 to civil rights
  26. Deborah Joy Simon Charitable FoundationCarmel, IN · tax year 2024 4 grants Preselected only $6,333,334 to civil rights
  27. Mary Reynolds Babcock Foundation IncorporatedWinstonsalem, NC · tax year 2024 12 grants Accepts applications $6,200,000 to civil rights
  28. Marguerite Casey FoundationSeattle, WA · tax year 2024 23 grants Preselected only $6,167,733 to civil rights
  29. Carnegie Corporation of New YorkNew York, NY · tax year 2024 20 grants Accepts applications $5,935,300 to civil rights
  30. The Schmidt Family FoundationPalo Alto, CA · tax year 2024 25 grants Accepts applications $5,875,000 to civil rights
  31. Democracy Fund IncWashington, DC · tax year 2024 33 grants Preselected only $5,777,000 to civil rights
  32. People's Support Foundation LimitedChicago, IL · tax year 2024 2 grants Preselected only $5,370,000 to civil rights
  33. The Kresge FoundationTroy, MI · tax year 2024 29 grants Accepts applications $5,315,500 to civil rights
  34. Wallace H Coulter TrustSebastian, FL · tax year 2024 16 grants Preselected only $5,158,400 to civil rights
  35. The Stephen & Renee Bisciotti FoundationBaltimore, MD · tax year 2024 1 grant Preselected only $5,000,000 to civil rights
  36. Galashiels Fund LTDSarasota, FL · tax year 2024 1 grant Preselected only $5,000,000 to civil rights
  37. The Grove FoundationLos Altos, CA · tax year 2024 22 grants Preselected only $4,975,000 to civil rights
  38. The Sherwood FoundationOmaha, NE · tax year 2025 17 grants Preselected only $4,673,129 to civil rights
  39. The Andrew W Mellon FoundationNew York, NY · tax year 2024 12 grants Accepts applications $4,594,800 to civil rights
  40. Annie E Casey Foundation IncBaltimore, MD · tax year 2024 64 grants Preselected only $4,592,674 to civil rights
  41. The California Wellness FoundationLos Angeles, CA · tax year 2024 33 grants Accepts applications $4,496,287 to civil rights
  42. Bernard and Anne Spitzer Charitable TrustNew York, NY · tax year 2024 10 grants Accepts applications $4,485,000 to civil rights
  43. The Colorado Health FoundationDenver, CO · tax year 2024 22 grants Accepts applications $4,451,836 to civil rights
  44. Marty and Dorothy Silverman FoundationNew York, NY · tax year 2024 30 grants Preselected only $4,354,964 to civil rights
  45. Laura and John Arnold FoundationHouston, TX · tax year 2024 20 grants Preselected only $4,352,961 to civil rights
  46. The Leonard & Sophie Davis FundSan Francisco, CA · tax year 2024 9 grants Preselected only $4,330,000 to civil rights
  47. Foundation for A Just SocietyNew York, NY · tax year 2024 24 grants Preselected only $4,292,103 to civil rights
  48. The John A Hartford Foundation IncNew York, NY · tax year 2025 5 grants Accepts applications $4,255,233 to civil rights
  49. The Klarman Family FoundationBoston, MA · tax year 2024 13 grants Accepts applications $4,230,162 to civil rights
  50. Weingart FoundationLos Angeles, CA · tax year 2024 38 grants Accepts applications $4,192,064 to civil rights

Open to applications

25 foundations

The return gives an application contact and does not check the preselected-only box.

  1. The Ford FoundationNew York, NY · tax year 2024 208 grants Accepts applications $63,820,717 to civil rights
  2. The Robert Wood Johnson FoundationPrinceton, NJ · tax year 2024 123 grants Accepts applications $28,800,578 to civil rights
  3. The William & Flora Hewlett FoundationMenlo Park, CA · tax year 2024 74 grants Accepts applications $22,731,588 to civil rights
  4. WK Kellogg FoundationBattle Creek, MI · tax year 2024 59 grants Accepts applications $11,938,055 to civil rights
  5. The David and Lucile Packard FoundationLos Altos, CA · tax year 2024 38 grants Accepts applications $11,658,036 to civil rights
  6. Gates FoundationSeattle, WA · tax year 2024 25 grants Accepts applications $11,583,579 to civil rights
  7. Lilly Endowment IncIndianapolis, IN · tax year 2025 17 grants Accepts applications $11,547,416 to civil rights
  8. Houston Endowment IncHouston, TX · tax year 2024 28 grants Accepts applications $10,096,500 to civil rights
  9. Conrad N Hilton FoundationWestlake Village, CA · tax year 2024 36 grants Accepts applications $6,513,600 to civil rights
  10. Mary Reynolds Babcock Foundation IncorporatedWinstonsalem, NC · tax year 2024 12 grants Accepts applications $6,200,000 to civil rights
  11. Carnegie Corporation of New YorkNew York, NY · tax year 2024 20 grants Accepts applications $5,935,300 to civil rights
  12. The Schmidt Family FoundationPalo Alto, CA · tax year 2024 25 grants Accepts applications $5,875,000 to civil rights
  13. The Kresge FoundationTroy, MI · tax year 2024 29 grants Accepts applications $5,315,500 to civil rights
  14. The Andrew W Mellon FoundationNew York, NY · tax year 2024 12 grants Accepts applications $4,594,800 to civil rights
  15. The California Wellness FoundationLos Angeles, CA · tax year 2024 33 grants Accepts applications $4,496,287 to civil rights
  16. Bernard and Anne Spitzer Charitable TrustNew York, NY · tax year 2024 10 grants Accepts applications $4,485,000 to civil rights
  17. The Colorado Health FoundationDenver, CO · tax year 2024 22 grants Accepts applications $4,451,836 to civil rights
  18. The John A Hartford Foundation IncNew York, NY · tax year 2025 5 grants Accepts applications $4,255,233 to civil rights
  19. The Klarman Family FoundationBoston, MA · tax year 2024 13 grants Accepts applications $4,230,162 to civil rights
  20. Weingart FoundationLos Angeles, CA · tax year 2024 38 grants Accepts applications $4,192,064 to civil rights
  21. John S and James L Knight FoundationMiami, FL · tax year 2024 11 grants Accepts applications $3,632,291 to civil rights
  22. California Physicians' Service FDN DBA Blue Shield of California FDNSan Francisco, CA · tax year 2025 16 grants Accepts applications $3,300,000 to civil rights
  23. The McKnight FoundationMinneapolis, MN · tax year 2024 19 grants Accepts applications $3,155,000 to civil rights
  24. Sarah Scaife Foundation IncorporatedPittsburgh, PA · tax year 2024 13 grants Accepts applications $3,075,000 to civil rights
  25. Meyer Memorial TrustPortland, OR · tax year 2024 23 grants Accepts applications $3,064,307 to civil rights

By State

Where the funders are based