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· Public charity

Foundation for Food and Agriculture Research

FOUNDATION FOR FOOD AND AGRICULTURE RESEARCH connects funders, researchers and farmers through public-private partnerships to support audacious research addressing the biggest food and agriculture challenges.

$35M
Granted FY2024still arriving
28
Grants FY2024still arriving
21
States reached
$3.7M
Largest
01What it funds
01100% classified

What it funded, over time

Every grant placed by its stated purpose and the recipient’s mission, by year, FY2017 to 2024.

Science & Tech$151MEducation$87MFood & Nutrition$48MEnvironment$46MPhilanthropy$14MHealth$6.2MSocial Science$2.1MHuman Services$645kOther$0
02FY2024 · 28 grants

Where the money goes

Grants by size, and the largest recipients.

How this is measured
The 28 grants below total $25,700,536, the rows itemized in this filing. The $34,756,756 headline is the total grant expense on the return; the other $9,056,220 is giving the schedule does not break out (grants under the $5,000 itemization floor, grants to individuals, grants on other schedules). Every figure below describes the itemized rows only.

By grant size · FY2024

  • $10k–50k1 grant · $38k
  • $50k–250k6 grants · $942k
  • $250k+21 grants · $25M
$449,989
Median grant
21
States reached
$295M
Total assets
Largest grants
RecipientAmount
NORTH CAROLINA STATE UNIVERSITY$3,746,812
UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN MADISON$2,500,000
MASSACHUSETTS INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY$2,500,000
KANSAS STATE UNIVERSITY$2,223,474
SWINE HEALTH INFORMATION CENTER$2,000,000
TEXAS A&M AGRILIFE RESEARCH$1,709,281
AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH SERVICE (USDA)$1,500,000
UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA DIVISION OF AGRICULTURE & NATURAL RESOURCES$1,344,764
TWO BLADES FOUNDATION$1,000,000
UNIVERSITY OF KANSAS$881,526
TECHNOLOGY MATTERS$749,999
RICH EARTH INSTITUTE$669,739
UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA$450,000
CONNECTICUT AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION RESEARCH FOUNDATION INC$449,989
UNIVERSITY OF HAWAII$449,942
02The need
03

Does the money reach high-need areas?

Each grant placed by the hardship in its grantee’s ZIP, against the area’s typical level.

show:

Its human-services grants (FY22–22, $645k) land where the poverty rate runs at 24%, against an area that typically sits at 10%. 100% of those dollars go to grantees based in above-average-need neighborhoods. Most of its grants land in higher-need ZIPs.

area typical 10%MISSISSIPPI STATE UNIVERSITY: $645k → 24%0%20%40%50%more need →
grant to an above-average-need area below average· circle size = grant amount
How this is measured
Matched: human-services grants are those whose grantee’s IRS cause code is Human Services. Placed by people below the poverty line in the grantee’s ZIP, averaged from the tracts in that ZIP.

Which US states its grants reach

AK
ME
VT
NH
WA
MT
ND
MN
IL
WI
MI
NY
MA
OR
WY
SD
IA
IN
OH
PA
NJ
CT
RI
CA
UT
CO
NE
MO
KY
VA
MD
DE
AZ
NM
KS
AR
TN
NC
SC
DC
HI
OK
MS
AL
GA
TX
FL

Grants abroad, by region: $4.0M on the FY2024 return

Schedule F, as filed: 2 regions. The IRS asks for region and purpose, not the recipient, so no country or grantee can be named here.

Europe (including Iceland and Greenland)$3.3M · 81% · 2 grants

Stated purpose: DRUG DISCOVERY APPROACH TO IDENTIFY NEW BIOLOGICAL NITRIFICATION INHIBITORS · THIS PROGRAM IS MEANT TO ADVANCE THE SUSTAINABILITY OF THE CEA SECTOR, MAKING IT POTENTIALLY NET POSITIVE IN TERMS OF ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS AND GHG EMISSIONS. THE CEA SECTOR, WHICH SPAN MULTIPLE PRODUCTION SYSTEMS FROM GREENHOUSES TO VERTICAL FARMS, IS THOUGHT OF AS A MORE SUSTAINABLE FORM OF AGRICULTURE THAT MAKES NUTRITIOUS, REGIONALLY PRODUCED FOOD AVAILABLE YEAR-ROUND. AS PRODUCTION FACILITIES, CEA CLAIMS TO USE LESS LAND, WATER, FERTILIZER, AND PESTICIDES, WITH THE DRAWBACK OF HIGHER ENERGY USE ATTRIBUTED TO LIGHTING AND TEMPERATURE REGULATION. THESE CLAIMS ARE BASED ON INTERNAL PRODUCTION ANALYSES, E.G., LESS WATER IS ACTUALLY USED WITHIN THE PRODUCTION SYSTEMS AND MORE HIGH-QUALITY PRODUCE CAN BE GROWN IN A GIVEN AREA. WHAT THEY MISS IS THAT IN THE CONTEXT OF A REGIONAL SYSTEM, THERE ARE TRADE-OFFS ASSOCIATED WITH DIFFERENT SOURCES OF WATER, ENERGY, AND LAND THAT COULD INCREASE.

East Asia and the Pacific$748k · 19% · 1 grant

Stated purpose: FAST-TRACK ON-FARM IMPACT FROM THE COOL SOIL INITIATIVE TO ENHANCE THE CLIMATE RESILIENCE OF AUSTRALIA'S GRAIN PRODUCERS

How this is measured
US grants placed by each grantee’s ZIP, which can differ from where services are delivered. Need from public data (U.S. Census/ACS, CDC PLACES, Eviction Lab, USDA), shown as context about the area, never attributed to the funder’s giving. Grants abroad on Schedule F are filed by region, purpose and amount with no recipient name, so they are shown by region and cannot be placed on the country map or matched to a grantee.
03Its grantees
repeat funding

Who it funds again

Organizations funded in more than one year, against those funded once.

73%of every dollar goes to organizations it has funded before.
$253M · 67 repeat orgs$96M to everyone else

Grantees it renews have grown median revenue +62% since the first grant, against +38% for those funded once.

67 repeat relationships: 16 still active in FY2024, 51 since wound down; 9 grantees were first funded in FY2024 (too recent to call).

How the two cohorts compare

Re-uppedFunded once

Organizations

67
81

Total granted

$253M
$91M

Median revenue growth · since first grant

+62%
+38%

Still filing today

42%
53%

New vs renewed · share of each year

In FY2024, 78% of grant dollars renewed an existing relationship; $5.0M went to new ones.

50%100%’17’18’19’20’21’22’23’24
RenewedFirst-time

Where new relationships form · theme of each grantee’s first grant

’17’18’19’20’21’22’23’24
EducationEnvironmentFood & NutritionScience & TechPhilanthropyHealthOther
How this is measured
First-time means a grantee’s first year in the filing window; renewed means funded in an earlier year too. The renewed share climbs naturally as a portfolio matures, so the signal is a year that bucks it (a wave of new grantees). The earliest year is left-censored: relationships that predate the data read as new. Theme is the grantee’s IRS cause.

Backed again, and grew

  • KS
    KANSAS STATE UNIVERSITY FOUNDATION
    6× · 2019–2024 · $24M · revenue +42%
  • ARIZONA STATE UNIVERSITY FOUNDATION FOR A NEW AMERICAN UNIVERSITY
    4× · 2017–2022 · $3.8M · revenue +196%
  • TO
    THE ORGANIC CENTER INC
    2× · 2021–2023 · $3.0M · revenue +75%

Funded once

  • ES
    ECOSYSTEM SERVICES MARKET CONSORTIUMgraduated
    one grant, 2023 · $10M · revenue +60%
  • ES
    ECOSYSTEM SERVICES MARKET CONSORTIUM LLC
    one grant, 2019 · $10M
  • TE
    THE ERIC AND WENDY SCHMIDT FUND FOR STRATEGIC INNOVATION
    one grant, 2023 · $10M · revenue +14%
How this is measured

Repeat means funded in two or more distinct years. Growth and survival are read from each grantee’s own subsequent IRS filings.

04Its field

Closest unfunded matches

The nonprofits that most resemble its grantees but are not funded by it, scored along the direction from the rest of the field toward the portfolio. A resemblance in what they say they do, not a recommendation.

1
Foundation for Food and Agriculture Research

Foundation for food and agriculture research connects funders, researchers and farmers through public-private partnerships to support audacious research addressing the biggest food and agriculture challenges.

Food & Nutrition
2
Michigan Biotechnology Institute

Bridging the gap between early-stage innovation and commercial application. partnering to de-risk, develop and scale-up discoveries into commercially-viable technology packages.

Education
3
Agricultural Research Foundation

Our mission is to encourage facilitate support and engage in scientific investigation and research experimentation and to advance educational and training activities related to agriculture and natural resources throughout the state of…

—
4
University of Virginia Investment Management Company

The university of virginia investment management company (uvimco) is organized to invest funds on behalf of the rector and visitors of the university of virginia (the university or uva) and university-associated organizations (uaos).

Education
5
University Corporate Research Park I Inc

To hold title and perform related functions in connection with a research park and innovation center in support of michigan state university research foundation.

—
6
Furman University

The primary mission of furman as a liberal arts institution is to provide a distinctive education in fine arts, humanities, social sciences, mathematics and the sciences, as well as selected professional disciplines.

Education
7
University Corporation for Atmospheric Research

See schedule ouniversity corporation for atmospheric research (ucar), on behalf of, and in cooperation with its member university members, is engaged in the management of long-term atmospheric and related research and educational…

Science & Tech
8
Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy Inc

Aura provides innovative, open resources to enable discovery and excellence in research, to unify the astrophysics communities, and to promote public understanding of our universe and the benefits of scientific exploration.

Science & Tech
9
Institute of Food Technologists

As an organization, the institute of food technologists is focusing its work in four main areas, or "roles and goals." each is wide-reaching and helps to advance our mission.steward for the profession and its community - provide learning,…

—
10
University of Minnesota Foundation Investment Advisors

To provide the highest level of stewardship for university donors through professional management and oversight of the university of minnesota foundation's assets by creating a focused investment environment with clarity of purpose,…

Education
11
The University of TexasTexas a&M Investment Management Company

To generate superior long-term investment returns to support The University of Texas and Texas A&M University systems as they provide world-class teaching, push the boundaries of discovery, and achieve excellence in patient healthcare for…

Education
12
Usf Research Foundation Inc

To promote, encourage and enhance research activities at the university of south florida.

Education
How this is measured
The grantee most central to the portfolio’s shape is University of Kentucky Research Foundation; the most unlike its peers is The Eric and Wendy Schmidt Fund for Strategic Innovation. Resemblance is measured on each organization’s own IRS 990 mission text; it reflects how work is described, not its quality or impact.
04the grantee network

81 grantees tracked through their own filings, 2017–2025.

Each grant beside the grantee’s revenue from every source, year by year.

How this is measured

Counted here: distinct organizations funded across 2017 to 2025, not grant rows in a single year, so this will not match the grant count on the cover. 81 of the 163 grantees resolved in that span have returns of their own we could reconcile.

Each grantee is resolved to its own IRS returns. Association, dated; never a causal claim.

8
Load-bearing (≥25% of a budget)
13
Early backer (in before they grew)
80/81
Grantees still filing
59/81
Grew since first funded

Where the money sits, by cause and then by grantee

THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS: $25,244,136 · OtherTHE BOARD OF TRUSTEES OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOISUNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA DAVIS: $18,754,533 · OtherUNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA DAVISNC STATE UNIVERSITY: $12,497,896 · OtherNC STATE UNIVERSITYCOLORADO STATE UNIVERSITY: $11,373,332 · OtherCOLORADO STATE UNIVERSITYAGRICULTURAL RESEARCH SERVICE (USDA): $11,048,905 · OtherECOSYSTEM SERVICES MARKET CONSORTIUM LLC: $10,300,000 · OtherTHE OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY: $9,619,235 · OtherIOWA STATE UNIVERSITY: $8,257,052 · Other+93 more: $104,997,455 · Other+93 moreKANSAS STATE UNIVERSITY FOUNDATION: $24,284,306 · EducationKANSAS STATE UNIVERS…NOBLE RESEARCH INSTITUTE LLC: $11,386,644 · EducationNOBLE RESEARCH INSTI…ARIZONA STATE UNIVERSITY FOUNDATION FOR A NEW AMERICAN UNIVERSITY: $3,845,039 · EducationARIZONA STATE UNIVER…Massachusetts Institute of Technology: $2,525,000 · Education+24 more: $22,653,025 · Education+24 moreECOSYSTEM SERVICES MARKET CONSORTIUM: $10,300,000 · EnvironmentSOIL HEALTH INSTITUTE: $9,942,278 · EnvironmentTHE ORGANIC CENTER INC: $3,000,000 · EnvironmentLAND CORE: $1,449,611 · Environment+6 more: $1,787,215 · EnvironmentTHE ERIC AND WENDY SCHMIDT FUND FOR STRATEGIC INNOVATION: $10,000,000 · PhilanthropyRF CATALYTIC CAPITAL INC: $7,500,000 · PhilanthropyWolfe's Neck Farm Foundation: $5,000,000 · PhilanthropyKIRCHNER IMPACT FOUNDATION INC: $2,285,000 · PhilanthropyCOMMUNITY FOUNDATION OF GREATER FLINT: $1,000,002 · Philanthropy+1 more: $338,613 · PhilanthropyDairy Science Institute Inc: $10,000,000 · Food & NutritionNative American Agriculture Fund: $2,500,000 · Food & NutritionRodale Institute: $1,447,296 · Food & NutritionFeeding America: $1,099,740 · Food & NutritionFOODSHOT GLOBAL INC: $885,000 · Food & NutritionUS FARMING AND RANCHING FOUNDATION: $813,200 · Food & NutritionAMERICAN FARMLAND TRUST: $748,837 · Food & Nutrition+2 more: $451,667 · Food & NutritionDONALD DANFORTH PLANT SCIENCE CENTER: $1,126,779 · Science & TechTWO BLADES FOUNDATION: $1,000,000 · Science & TechUniversity of Kansas Center for Research Inc: $881,526 · Science & TechCOLD SPRING HARBOR LABORATORY: $750,000 · Science & TechTECHNOLOGY MATTERS: $749,999 · Science & TechSTROUD WATER RESEARCH CENTER: $316,000 · Science & TechBOYCE THOMPSON INSTITUTE FOR PLANT RESEARCH INC: $189,794 · Science & TechSWINE HEALTH INFORMATION CENTER INC: $4,150,000 · HealthTHE SCRIPPS RESEARCH INSTITUTE: $450,000 · Health
Other$212,092,544Education$64,694,014Environment$26,479,104Philanthropy$26,123,615Food & Nutrition$17,945,740Science & Tech$5,014,098Health$4,600,000

Each grantee by its size and the funder’s share of it; top left is load-bearing

25%50%75%100%$1.0M$10M$100Mgrantee revenue →↑ funder's share of their budgetKANSAS STATE UNIVERSITY FOUNDATION: $24,284,306 over 6y, 11% of budgetNOBLE RESEARCH INSTITUTE LLC: $11,386,644 over 3y, 19% of budgetTHE ERIC AND WENDY SCHMIDT FUND FOR STRATEGIC INNOVATION: $10,000,000 over 1y, 2.8% of budgetDairy Science Institute Inc: $10,000,000 over 1y, 40% of budgetSOIL HEALTH INSTITUTE: $9,942,278 over 2y, 9.4% of budgetRF CATALYTIC CAPITAL INC: $7,500,000 over 2y, 3.2% of budgetSWINE HEALTH INFORMATION CENTER INC: $4,150,000 over 3y, 58% of budgetTHE NATURE CONSERVANCY: $3,902,028 over 3y, 0.3% of budgetARIZONA STATE UNIVERSITY FOUNDATION FOR A NEW AMERICAN UNIVERSITY: $3,845,039 over 4y, 0.8% of budgetNATIONAL PORK PRODUCERS COUNCIL: $2,701,916 over 2y, 9.5% of budgetMassachusetts Institute of Technology: $2,525,000 over 2y, 0.0% of budgetX PRIZE FOUNDATION INC: $2,487,500 over 2y, 5.5% of budgetPRACTICAL FARMERS OF IOWA: $2,381,421 over 1y, 21% of budgetKIRCHNER IMPACT FOUNDATION INC: $2,285,000 over 2y, 25% of budgetUNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA FOUNDATION: $2,146,097 over 3y, 0.7% of budgetCornell University: $2,076,354 over 2y, 0.0% of budgetCASE WESTERN RESERVE UNIVERSITY: $2,036,410 over 3y, 0.1% of budgetUniversity of Georgia Research Foundation Inc: $1,955,298 over 2y, 0.6% of budgetPitzer College: $1,798,114 over 1y, 1.8% of budgetThe Research Foundation for The State University of New York: $1,532,819 over 2y, 0.1% of budgetRodale Institute: $1,447,296 over 2y, 8.0% of budgetThe Rich Earth Institute Inc: $1,330,257 over 2y, 100% of budgetAUBURN UNIVERSITY FOUNDATION: $1,209,870 over 3y, 0.7% of budgetUNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND COLLEGE PARK FOUNDATION INC: $1,203,549 over 3y, 0.7% of budgetDONALD DANFORTH PLANT SCIENCE CENTER: $1,126,779 over 2y, 0.5% of budgetFeeding America: $1,099,740 over 2y, 0.0% of budgetSUSTAINABLE FOOD CENTER: $1,092,755 over 3y, 39% of budgetUNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN FOUNDATION: $1,002,366 over 2y, 0.1% of budgetCOMMUNITY FOUNDATION OF GREATER FLINT: $1,000,002 over 1y, 9.3% of budgetTWO BLADES FOUNDATION: $1,000,000 over 1y, 10% of budgetTuskegee University: $1,000,000 over 1y, 0.6% of budgetFOUNDATION FOR AGRONOMIC RESEARCH INC: $1,000,000 over 1y, 68% of budgetMontana State University Foundation Inc: $996,948 over 1y, 2.4% of budgetThe Land Institute: $966,273 over 1y, 11% of budgetUNIVERSITY OF DELAWARE: $900,000 over 2y, 0.0% of budgetFOODSHOT GLOBAL INC: $885,000 over 3y, 87% of budgetUniversity of Kansas Center for Research Inc: $881,526 over 1y, 0.4% of budgetUNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON FOUNDATION: $877,007 over 1y, 0.7% of budgetUS FARMING AND RANCHING FOUNDATION: $813,200 over 1y, 20% of budgetAMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF VETERINARY MEDICAL COLLEGES: $794,824 over 6y, 3.0% of budgetRochester Institute of Technology: $779,980 over 1y, 0.1% of budgetCOLD SPRING HARBOR LABORATORY: $750,000 over 1y, 0.4% of budgetTECHNOLOGY MATTERS: $749,999 over 1y, 18% of budgetAMERICAN FARMLAND TRUST: $748,837 over 1y, 2.4% of budgetWORLD WILDLIFE FUND INC: $715,000 over 2y, 0.3% of budgetMississippi State University Foundation Inc: $645,391 over 1y, 0.8% of budgetSAVANNA INSTITUTE: $642,086 over 1y, 3.4% of budgetPOINT REYES BIRD OBSERVATORY: $616,178 over 1y, 4.6% of budget
Grantee by grantee: a decade per organization, before and after funding

A decade per grantee: revenue shaded, grants as bars, all rows on one timeline.

  • Who funds KANSAS STATE UNIVERSITY FOUNDATION ↗
  • Who funds NOBLE RESEARCH INSTITUTE LLC ↗
  • Who funds ECOSYSTEM SERVICES MARKET CONSORTIUM ↗
  • Who funds THE ERIC AND WENDY SCHMIDT FUND FOR STRATEGIC INNOVATION ↗
  • Who funds Dairy Science Institute Inc ↗
  • Who funds SOIL HEALTH INSTITUTE ↗
  • Who funds RF CATALYTIC CAPITAL INC ↗
  • Who funds Wolfe's Neck Farm Foundation ↗
  • Who funds SWINE HEALTH INFORMATION CENTER INC ↗
  • Who funds THE NATURE CONSERVANCY ↗
  • Who funds ARIZONA STATE UNIVERSITY FOUNDATION FOR A NEW AMERICAN UNIVERSITY ↗
  • Who funds THE ORGANIC CENTER INC ↗
  • Who funds NATIONAL PORK PRODUCERS COUNCIL ↗
  • Who funds Massachusetts Institute of Technology ↗
  • Who funds Native American Agriculture Fund ↗
  • Who funds X PRIZE FOUNDATION INC ↗
  • Who funds PRACTICAL FARMERS OF IOWA ↗
  • Who funds KIRCHNER IMPACT FOUNDATION INC ↗
  • Who funds AGLAUNCH INITIATIVE ↗
  • Who funds UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA FOUNDATION ↗

Co-funders

Grantmakers whose grantees overlap with this funder’s far more than size alone predicts. Closer means stronger alignment; arcs show where they also fund each other. Here they form a tightly interlocked group: most of these funders back each other's grantees too.

The Nature ConservancyVA23.9× affinity12 shared granteesties to 11 of 11Hover any node to trace its alignments.Compare side by side →

Open a dossier: The Nature Conservancy · National Fish and Wildlife Foundation · American Chemical Society · Patagoniaorg · Cornell University · Gates Foundation · Environmental Defense Fund Incorporated · Extension Foundation · United States Golf Association · University of Delaware · West Virginia University Research Corporation · Community Foundation for San Benito County

How this is measured
Affinity is a Gamma-Poisson posterior co-funding rate, re-centered on the typical rate, so thin evidence shrinks toward no signal. Overlap is association, not proof of shared intent.

How much its grantees rely on government

Each dot is one organization Foundation for Food and Agriculture Research funds: left to right is the share of its income from government, bottom to top the share from Foundation for Food and Agriculture Research. Bigger dots raise more.

2024
’20’21’22’23’24’25
no gov · 60%6%25%56%100%funder's share of their income ↑0%25%50%75%100%share of the org’s income from government →median 30%
  • Massachusetts Institute of Technology: 35% of income from government
  • University of Delaware: 30% of income from government
  • University of Central Florida Research Foundation Inc: 10% of income from government
no gov moneyreceives it· size = income
6get no government money at all
10report government grants on their 990 we could not trace to a source (not plotted)
0rely on government for over half their income
typical government reliance, FY20–25
How this is measured
Government income is each org’s traced federal awards (USASpending grants and contracts) plus state payments (open checkbooks) as a share of its total revenue (IRS Form 990); the self-reported government-grant line (990 line 1e) is carried for cross-check: a grantee that reports government grants we could not trace to a source is left off the chart rather than shown as receiving none. An association, not a claim that a grant caused the public funding. Coverage is precision-first, a floor rather than a census; state records exist for 9 states, so a grantee outside them shows no state figure (dimmed) rather than a false zero. Federal award amounts are obligations, which can span years, so a single-year share is indicative. 990 filings lag 12 to 24 months.

On method. Every financial figure here is read from IRS e-file XML, the funder’s own 990/990-PF, and from the multi-year returns of the 163 grantees we resolved, each linked to its source. Grantee outcomes are each organization’s own program-service reporting (Form 990, Part III), read as association with funding, never as caused by it. Low-confidence name matches are suppressed rather than guessed. How we build these →

How this is measured
Each figure carries one of six labels. Filed is what the funder reported on its return. Official is another government record about an organization, such as a federal award or a charity register, joined by name where no shared identifier exists. Resolved is an identity we worked out where the filing named a recipient without an EIN, kept only above a measured confidence threshold. Computed is arithmetic over those, like themes, portfolio clusters and co-funder strength. Context is a statistic about a place rather than about an organization, which is what the need overlay is: it describes the area a grantee’s address sits in, not where its work lands. Inferred is drawn by a model from text, like the partnerships read out of public news and organization websites. Each is labeled where it appears.

Generated from the IRS Form 990 e-file return for fiscal year 2024, released 2024. Filings run roughly 12 to 24 months behind; figures are dated accordingly.

Source object · view filing

Play a game based on Foundation for Food and Agriculture Research’s filings →

More from the funding graph