Skip to content
George Mason University Foundation Inc at a glanceMostly funded, not a grantmaker: see who funds it →

· Public charity

George Mason University Foundation Inc

The george mason university foundation, inc.

$62M
Granted FY2025still arriving
10
Grants FY2025still arriving
2
States reached
$26M
Largest
01What it fundsRead
02The needRead
03Its granteesRead
04Its fieldRead
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 2025.

Education$341MArts & Culture$241MPublic Benefit$308kSocial Science$195kHealth$73kCrime & Legal$58kEnvironment$40kReligion$16k
02FY2025 · 10 grants

Where the money goes

Grants by size, and the largest recipients.

By grant size · FY2025

  • Under $10k1 grant · $8k
  • $10k–50k2 grants · $62k
  • $50k–250k1 grant · $63k
  • $250k+6 grants · $61M
$2,037,833
Median grant
2
States reached
$554M
Total assets
Largest grants
RecipientAmount
MERCATUS CENTER$26,447,882
GEORGE MASON UNIVERSITY$17,823,391
GEORGE MASON UNIVERSITY$10,910,178
GEORGE MASON UNIVERSITY$3,453,909
GEORGE MASON UNIVERSITY$2,037,833
GEORGE MASON UNIVERSITY$805,663
OFFICE OF THE ATTORNEY GENERAL FOR THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA$63,217
NORTHERN VIRGINIA COMMUNITY COLLEGE$37,825
OSHER LIFELONG LEARNING INSTITUTE$23,879
GMU HILLEL INC$8,036
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:

Dollar for dollar, its grants (FY17–25) land where the poverty rate runs at 6%, against an area that typically sits at 8%. 0% of its dollars go to grantees based in above-average-need neighborhoods. Its grants skew toward lower-need ZIPs.

area typical 8%MERCATUS CENTER: $32.4M → 7%MERCATUS CENTER: $28.9M → 7%MERCATUS CENTER: $28.8M → 7%GEORGE MASON UNIVERSITY: $73.5M → 6%Mercatus Center Inc: $27.3M → 7%GEORGE MASON UNIVERSITY: $20.5M → 6%MERCATUS CENTER: $26.4M → 7%GEORGE MASON UNIVERSITY: $17.8M → 6%MERCATUS CENTER: $24.6M → 7%George Mason University: $15.6M → 6%Mercatus Center Inc: $24.6M → 7%George Mason University: $13.4M → 6%Mercatus Center Inc: $24.4M → 7%George Mason University: $11.6M → 6%MERCATUS CENTER: $23.1M → 7%GEORGE MASON UNIVERSITY: $11.4M → 6%GEORGE MASON UNIVERSITY: $11.1M → 6%George Mason University: $11.1M → 6%GEORGE MASON UNIVERSITY: $10.9M → 6%GEORGE MASON UNIVERSITY: $10.7M → 6%GEORGE MASON UNIVERSITY: $10.5M → 6%GEORGE MASON UNIVERSITY: $10.3M → 6%George Mason University: $8.8M → 6%GEORGE MASON UNIVERSITY: $8.5M → 6%George Mason University: $8.3M → 6%GEORGE MASON UNIVERSITY: $8.3M → 6%GEORGE MASON UNIVERSITY: $8.2M → 6%GEORGE MASON UNIVERSITY: $8.1M → 6%George Mason University: $8.1M → 6%George Mason University: $7.2M → 6%GEORGE MASON UNIVERSITY: $5.6M → 6%George Mason University: $4.4M → 6%GEORGE MASON UNIVERSITY: $3.5M → 6%GEORGE MASON UNIVERSITY: $3.5M → 6%GEORGE MASON UNIVERSITY: $3.5M → 6%GEORGE MASON UNIVERSITY: $3.1M → 6%GEORGE MASON UNIVERSITY: $2.4M → 6%GEORGE MASON UNIVERSITY: $2.4M → 6%GEORGE MASON UNIVERSITY: $2.1M → 6%GEORGE MASON UNIVERSITY: $2.0M → 6%George Mason University: $2.0M → 6%GEORGE MASON UNIVERSITY: $1.8M → 6%GEORGE MASON UNIVERSITY: $1.8M → 6%George Mason University: $1.4M → 6%George Mason University: $1.3M → 6%GEORGE MASON UNIVERSITY: $937k → 6%GEORGE MASON UNIVERSITY: $912k → 6%GEORGE MASON UNIVERSITY: $821k → 6%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.
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.
03Its grantees
repeat funding

Who it funds again

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

100%of every dollar goes to organizations it has funded before.
$583M · 8 repeat orgs$88k to everyone else

8 repeat relationships: 6 still active in FY2025, 2 since wound down.

How the two cohorts compare

Re-uppedFunded once

Organizations

8
4

Total granted

$583M
$88k

Median revenue growth · since first grant

+11%
+60%

Still filing today

38%
100%

New vs renewed · share of each year

In FY2025, 100% of grant dollars renewed an existing relationship; $0 went to new ones.

50%100%’17’18’19’20’21’22’23’24’25
RenewedFirst-time

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

’17’18’19’20’21’22’23’24’25
EducationArts & CultureSocial ScienceEnvironmentOther
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

  • OL
    OSHER LIFELONG LEARNING INSTITUTE at GEORGE MASON UNIVERSITY
    3× · 2023–2025 · $195k · revenue +5%
  • IF
    Institute for Humane Studies
    2× · 2019–2020 · $146k · revenue +11%
  • GM
    George Mason University Hillel
    2× · 2023–2025 · $16k · revenue +28%

Funded once

  • OG
    OIL & GAS ACTION NETWORK
    one grant, 2024 · $40k · revenue 0%
  • NV
    Northern Virginia Community College Educational Foundation Incgraduated
    one grant, 2023 · $17k · revenue +62%
  • OD
    OLD DOMINION UNIVERSITY EDUCATIONAL FOUNDATIONgraduated
    one grant, 2022 · $17k · revenue +60%
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
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
2
Virginia Commonwealth University Intellectual Property Foundation

The foundation determines the patentability and obtains patents on virginia commonwealth university (vcu) inventions and markets and licenses such inventions to commerical entities. the foundation's activities promote research efforts at…

Health
3
Vcu Investment Management Company

To provide investment and investment management and related services to the rector and the board of visitors of virginia commonwealth university (vcu), and/or to the private and independent foundations and other entities affiliated with…

Education
4
University of Virginia Law School Foundation

The university of virginia law school foundation's primary purpose is to receive, manage and expend funds for the benefit of the university of virginia school of law.

Education
5
Jefferson Scholars Foundation

The jefferson scholars foundation (foundation) provides academic merit-based scholarship, fellowship and professorship support to students and faculty at the university of virginia (uva).

Philanthropy
6
Va Foundation for Independent Colleges

To secure financial support that enables college-bound students to access and graduate from outstanding virginia independent higher education institutions.

Education
7
Virginia Commonwealth University Foundat

To support the educational, scientific and charitable activities of virginia commonwealth university and related organizations.

Education
8
Osher Lifelong Learning Institute At the University of Virginia

Aware that an active mind is as necessary as social relationships and physical exercise to a full life, the osher lifelong learning institute at the university of virginia offers educational opportunities and intellectual enrichment to…

Education
9
The University of Virginia Medical School Foundation

The university of virginia medical alumni association and medical school foundation is dedicated to enhancing the experience of students, housestaff, alumni and faculty of the uva school of medicine by creating opportunities for mentoring,…

Education
10
The College Foundation of the University of Virginia

To further the purposes and aspirations of the college and graduate school of arts & sciences at the university of virginia, by advising and supporting the dean, raising funds and promoting excellence and jeffersonian distinction.

Philanthropy
11
University of Virginia Alumni Association

The mission of the alumni association is to build the strongest bond among alumni and between alumni and the university by serving all alumni and students; being the center for engaging and connecting the global uva community; acting as a…

Education
12
Medical College of Va Foundation

To support and foster vcu health and vcu health sciences through philanthropy, stewardship, innovation, communication, and collaboration.

Education
How this is measured
The grantee most central to the portfolio’s shape is University of Virginia Foundation; the most unlike its peers is George Mason University Hillel. 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

9 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. 9 of the 13 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.

0
Load-bearing (≥25% of a budget)
1
Early backer (in before they grew)
8/9
Grantees still filing
6/9
Grew since first funded

Where the money sits, by cause and then by grantee

GEORGE MASON UNIVERSITY: $340,961,603 · OtherGEORGE MASON UNIVERSITY+6 more: $859,329 · OtherCENTER FOR MEDIA AND PUBLIC AFFAIRS: $240,562,984 · Arts & CultureCENTER FOR MEDIA AND PUBLIC AFFAIRSOSHER LIFELONG LEARNING INSTITUTE at GEORGE MASON UNIVERSITY: $195,429 · Social ScienceVIRGINIA TECH FOUNDATION INC: $30,000 · EducationOLD DOMINION UNIVERSITY EDUCATIONAL FOUNDATION: $17,071 · EducationUNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA FOUNDATION: $13,440 · EducationOIL & GAS ACTION NETWORK: $40,000 · Environment
Other$341,820,932Arts & Culture$240,562,984Social Science$195,429Education$60,511Environment$40,000

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 budgetOSHER LIFELONG LEARNING INSTITUTE at GEORGE MASON UNIVERSITY: $195,429 over 3y, 16% of budgetInstitute for Humane Studies: $146,242 over 2y, 0.4% of budgetOIL & GAS ACTION NETWORK: $40,000 over 1y, 1.5% of budgetVIRGINIA TECH FOUNDATION INC: $30,000 over 1y, 0.0% of budgetNorthern Virginia Community College Educational Foundation Inc: $17,167 over 1y, 0.4% of budgetOLD DOMINION UNIVERSITY EDUCATIONAL FOUNDATION: $17,071 over 1y, 0.1% of budgetGeorge Mason University Hillel: $15,939 over 2y, 1.7% of budgetUNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA FOUNDATION: $13,440 over 1y, 0.0% 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.

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.

National Philanthropi…Donor Advised Charita…Fidelity Investments …Amazonsmile Foundation
National Philanthropic TrustPA7.9× affinity4 shared granteesties to 3 of 3Hover any node to trace its alignments.Compare side by side →

Open a dossier: National Philanthropic Trust · Donor Advised Charitable Giving Inc · Fidelity Investments Charitable Gift Fund · Amazonsmile Foundation

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 George Mason University Foundation Inc funds: left to right is the share of its income from government, bottom to top the share from George Mason University Foundation Inc. Bigger dots raise more.

2024
’20’21’22’23’24’25
no gov · 00%1%5%11%20%funder's share of their income ↑0%1%3%4%5%share of the org’s income from government →
    no gov moneyreceives it· size = income
    0get no government money at all
    2report government grants on their 990 we could not trace to a source (not plotted)
    0rely on government for over half their income
    ⤢ axis zoomed · 0–5%
    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 13 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 2025, released 2025. Filings run roughly 12 to 24 months behind; figures are dated accordingly.

    Source object · view filing

    Play a game based on George Mason University’s filings →

    More from the funding graph

    The unnamed billions
    grants reported with no recipient in the public record
    The regranting layer
    51% of grant dollars land in the regranting layer
    The DAF merry-go-round
    $9.7B circulates between donor-advised funds
    The endowment market
    who holds foundation money, and what just moved
    The camps
    funders cluster by geography, not ideology
    By state
    where grant money is based, and what stays home