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The Kavli Foundation at a glance

· Private foundation

The Kavli Foundation

Its FY2024 filing reports that it funds preselected organizations and did not take unsolicited requests; check the foundation's own site before ruling it out.

$17M
Granted FY2024still arriving
107
Grants FY2024still arriving
14
States reached
$2.0M
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 2024.

Science & Tech$111MEducation$65MHealth$32MSocial Science$1.5MPhilanthropy$925kArts & Culture$614kEnvironment$216kAnimals$169kOther$0
02FY2024 · 107 grants

Where the money goes

Grants by size, and the largest recipients.

By grant size · FY2024

  • Under $10k7 grants · $28k
  • $10k–50k25 grants · $537k
  • $50k–250k54 grants · $5.3M
  • $250k+21 grants · $12M
$65,550
Median grant
14
States reached
$604M
Total assets
Largest grants
RecipientAmount
KAVLI INSTITUTE FOR PARTICLE ASTROPHYSICS AND COSMOLOGY AT STANFORD UNIVERS$2,000,000
KAVLI INSTITUTE FOR BRAIN AND MIND AT UCSD$1,000,000
KAVLI INSTITUTE FOR NANOSCIENCE AT DELFT UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY$853,800
KAVLI NEURAL SYSTEMS INSTITUTE (ROCKEFELLER UNIVERSITY)$833,333
WILLIAM MARSH RICE UNIVERSITY$632,500
NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES$600,000
BRANDEIS UNIVERSITY$550,000
KAVLI INSTITUTE FOR ASTROPHYSICS AND SPACE RESEARCH AT MIT$500,000
KAVLI INSTITUTE FOR BRAIN SCIENCE AT COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY$500,000
KAVLI INSTITUTE FOR SYSTEMS NEUROSCIENCE AT THE NORWEGIAN UNIVERSITY$500,000
KAVLI INSTITUTE FOR ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS AT PEKING UNIVERSITY$479,000
UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON FOUNDATION$450,000
WILLIAM MARSH RICE UNIVERSITY$426,863
KAVLI INSTITUTE FOR THE PHYSICS AND MATHEMATICS OF THE UNIVERSE AT THE UNIV$375,000
UNIVERSITY OF COPENHAGEN$347,440
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.

US giving: 76% of grant dollars ($160M). The need read here covers only this US portion; the 24% that went abroad ($51M) is mapped below.

show:

Dollar for dollar, its grants (FY17–24) land where the poverty rate runs at 14%, against an area that typically sits at 10%. 90% of its dollars go to grantees based in above-average-need neighborhoods. Most of its grants land in higher-need ZIPs.

area typical 10%MARINE BIOLOGICAL LABORATORY: $847k → 8%SALK INSTITUTE FOR BIOLOGICAL STUDIES: $1.7M → 11%CALIFORNIA INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY: $1.0M → 14%KAVLI INSTITUTE FOR THEORETICAL PHYSICS AT THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA SA: $1.0M → 14%CORNELL UNIVERSITY: $4.2M → 16%KAVLI NEUROSCIENCE DISCOVERY INSTITUTE AT JHU: $2.8M → 19%KAVLI INSTITUTE FOR PARTICLE ASTROPHYSICS AND COSMOLOGY AT STANFORD UNIVERS: $2.0M → 8%KAVLI NANOSCIENCE INSTITUTE AT THE CALIFORNIA INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY: $1.0M → 14%UC SANTA BARBARA FOUNDATION: $1.0M → 14%KAVLI INSTITUTE AT CORNELL FOR NANOSCALE SCIENCE: $1.7M → 16%KAVLI NEUROSCIENCE DISCOVERY INSTITUTE AT JHU: $1.9M → 19%KAVLI INSTITUTE FOR FUNDAMENTAL NEUROSCIENCE AT UCSF: $3.8M → 10%CALIFORNIA INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY: $1.0M → 14%UC SANTA BARBARA FOUNDATION: $1.0M → 14%KAVLI INSTITUTE AT CORNELL FOR NANOSCALE SCIENCE: $1.4M → 16%KAVLI NEUROSCIENCE DISCOVERY INSTITUTE AT JHU: $1.5M → 19%CALIFORNIA INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY: $1.0M → 14%UC SANTA BARBARA FOUNDATION: $900k → 14%THE BOARD OF TRUSTESS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO: $5.0M → 14%KAVLI NEUROSCIENCE DISCOVERY INSTITUTE AT JHU: $1.4M → 19%CALIFORNIA INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY: $1.0M → 14%UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO: $1.0M → 14%CALIFORNIA INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY: $750k → 14%UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO: $1.0M → 14%JOHNS HOPKINS UNIVERSITY: $9.0M → 19%JOHNS HOPKINS UNIVERSITY: $2.0M → 19%JOHNS HOPKINS UNIVERSITY: $1.7M → 19%KAVLI ENERGY NANOSCIENCE INSTITUTE AT UC BERKELEY: $2.2M → 10%UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA BERKELEY FOUNDATION: $1.7M → 10%UC SAN DIEGO FOUNDATION: $1.0M → 11%KAVLI INSTITUTE FOR BRAIN AND MIND AT UCSD: $1.0M → 11%UC SAN DIEGO FOUNDATION: $1.0M → 11%KAVLI INSTITUTE FOR BRAIN AND MIND AT UCSD: $1.0M → 11%KAVLI INSTITUTE FOR ASTROPHYSICS AND SPACE RESEARCH AT MIT: $922k → 8%NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES: $2.1M → 14%NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES: $2.1M → 14%NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES: $2.1M → 14%NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES: $2.1M → 14%NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES: $2.1M → 14%THE ROCKEFELLER UNIVERSITY: $2.1M → 17%KAVLI NEURAL SYSTEMS INSTITUTE AT ROCKEFELLER UNIVERSITY: $2.0M → 17%KAVLI NEURAL SYSTEMS INSTITUTE (ROCKEFELLER UNIVERSITY): $1.7M → 17%THE ROCKEFELLER UNIVERSITY: $1.7M → 17%THE ROCKEFELLER UNIVERSITY: $1.7M → 17%ROCKEFELLER UNIVERSITY: $833k → 17%KAVLI NEURAL SYSTEMS INSTITUTE (ROCKEFELLER UNIVERSITY): $833k → 17%THE ROCKEFELLER UNIVERSITY: $833k → 17%KAVLI NEURAL SYSTEMS INSTITUTE (ROCKEFELLER UNIVERSITY): $833k → 17%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

WA
MN
IL
WI
MI
NY
MA
OR
IN
PA
NJ
CT
RI
CA
UT
CO
MO
VA
MD
AZ
NC
DC
GA
TX

Beyond the US: 24% of all-years giving ($51M)

23 countries, by the recipient’s country on the filing.

grant dollars sentlessmore
United Kingdom$22M · 53 grants
Norway$7.3M · 31 grants
Japan$5.4M · 23 grants
China$4.4M · 18 grants
Netherlands$3.8M · 10 grants
France$1.6M · 21 grants
Germany$1.4M · 16 grants
Belgium$1.3M · 18 grants
Chile$728k · 5 grants
Canada$601k · 22 grants
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. International giving is mapped by the recipient’s country from the same 990 filings; comparable need data isn’t available at that grain.
04

Where the work is directed

The same grants placed two ways: where each recipient sits, and where its stated purpose sends the money.

About 7% of The Kavli Foundation’s grant dollars are earmarked for a different county than the recipient’s own address.

The Kavli Foundationlessmore of its giving
Placed by recipient address · 25% directed abroad (not shown)
How this is measured
Recipient view: each grant at its grantee’s ZIP, mapped to a county. Directed view: each grant at the county its stated purpose names, falling back to the recipient’s county when the purpose names no place; US grants only. A county shows only if it carries the top 95% of that view’s dollars. Purposes are read from the funder’s own 990 grant descriptions.
03Its grantees
repeat funding

Who it funds again

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

90%of every dollar goes to organizations it has funded before.
$181M · 140 repeat orgs$21M to everyone else

Grantees it renews have grown median revenue +50% since the first grant, against +44% for those funded once.

140 repeat relationships: 45 still active in FY2024, 95 since wound down; 25 grantees were first funded in FY2024 (too recent to call).

How the two cohorts compare

Re-uppedFunded once

Organizations

140
92

Total granted

$181M
$18M

Median revenue growth · since first grant

+50%
+44%

Still filing today

38%
27%

New vs renewed · share of each year

In FY2024, 81% of grant dollars renewed an existing relationship; $3.0M 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
EducationScience & TechHealthArts & CultureInternationalPhilanthropyOther
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

  • NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES
    8× · 2017–2024 · $17M · revenue +15%
  • JOHNS HOPKINS UNIVERSITY
    7× · 2017–2024 · $13M · revenue +64%
  • UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA SAN FRANCISCO FOUNDATION
    3× · 2019–2022 · $8.0M · revenue +51%

Funded once

  • TC
    THE CHANCELLORS MASTERS AND SCHOLARS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF OXFORD
    one grant, 2022 · $6.2M
  • TB
    THE BOARD OF TRUSTESS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO
    one grant, 2022 · $5.0M
  • YU
    YALE UNIVERSITY
    one grant, 2020 · $1.0M
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
The Trustees of Princeton University

Research, education and general - princeton university is a private not-for-profit, non-sectarian institution of higher learning with approximately 5,700 undergraduate and 3,300 graduate students. 2,500 students graduated in the 2024-2025…

Education
2
The George Washington University

The mission of the george washington university (gw) is to educate individuals in liberal arts, languages, sciences, learned professions, and other courses and subjects of study, and to conduct scholarly research and publish the findings…

Education
3
United States Naval Institute

Provide an independent forum for those who dare to read, think, speak, and write to advance the professional, literary, and scientific understanding of sea power and other issues critical to global security.

—
4
Neurology Associates of Stony Brook University Faculty Practice Corp

Provide clinical instruction to and supervision of medical school students, interns and residents and, incident thereto, rendering professional services.

Health
5
University of the Sciences in Philadelphia

University of the sciences prepares students to become leaders, innovators, and skilled practitioners in the sciences, the health professions, and related disciplines. we deliver excellence in teaching, research, and service through a safe…

—
6
University of New Haven

The University of New Haven is a student-centered comprehensive university with an emphasis on excellence in liberal arts and professional education. Our mission is to prepare our students to lead purposeful and fulfilling lives in a…

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 American Universities Inc

Founded in 1900, aau is composed of 71 distinguished institutions in the united states and canada that continually advance society through education, research, and discovery. our u.s. member universities earn the majority of competitively…

Education
9
Lehigh University

The university's goal in the coming decade is to advance learning through the integration of teaching, research and service to others. the core of this goal is to prepare graduates to engage with the world and lead lives of meaning. to do…

Education
10
Stony Brook Internists University Faculty Practice Corporation

Provide clinical instruction to and supervision of medical school students, interns and residents and, incident thereto, rendering professional services.

Health
11
Stony Brook Surgical Associates University Faculty Practice Corporation

Provide clinical instruction to and supervision of medical school students, interns and residents and, incident thereto, rendering professional services.

Health
12
The Scripps Research Institute

The scripps research institute ("tsri") performs high impact basic biomedical research, improves the human condition by fostering translation of its discoveries into useful products and engages in the highest quality graduate scientific…

Health
How this is measured
The grantee most central to the portfolio’s shape is Uc Santa Barbara Foundation; the most unlike its peers is Sculpted Light in the Brain Association. Resemblance is measured on each organization’s own IRS 990 mission text; it reflects how work is described, not its quality or impact.
05the grantee network

97 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. 97 of the 267 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.

1
Load-bearing (≥25% of a budget)
10
Early backer (in before they grew)
95/97
Grantees still filing
80/97
Grew since first funded

Where the money sits, by cause and then by grantee

KAVLI NEUROSCIENCE DISCOVERY INSTITUTE AT JHU: $7,986,667 · OtherKAVLI NEUROSCIENCE DISCOVERY INSTITUTE AT JHUTHE CHANCELLORS MASTERS AND SCHOLARS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF OXFORD: $6,225,691 · OtherTHE CHANCELLORS MASTERS AND SCHOLARS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF OX…THE BOARD OF TRUSTESS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO: $5,000,000 · OtherKAVLI INSTITUTE FOR NANOSCALE DISCOVERY AT OXFORD (KAVLI INSD): $4,559,741 · OtherKAVLI INSTITUTE FOR FUNDAMENTAL NEUROSCIENCE AT UCSF: $4,548,000 · OtherTHE CHANCELLOR MASTERS AND SCHOLARS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CAMBRIDGE: $4,384,460 · OtherKAVLI INSTITUTE AT CORNELL FOR NANOSCALE SCIENCE: $4,239,628 · OtherTHE UNIVERSITY OF TOKYO: $3,750,000 · Other+130 more: $70,659,248 · Other+130 moreJOHNS HOPKINS UNIVERSITY: $13,250,653 · EducationJOHNS HOPKINS UNIVERSITYUNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA SAN FRANCISCO FOUNDATION: $7,990,000 · EducationUNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA SAN FRANCIS…THE ROCKEFELLER UNIVERSITY: $7,083,335 · EducationTHE ROCKEFELLER UNIVERSITYCALIFORNIA INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY: $5,454,334 · EducationCALIFORNIA INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGYUC SAN DIEGO FOUNDATION: $4,794,395 · EducationUC SAN DIEGO FOUNDATIONCornell University: $4,324,597 · EducationCornell UniversityUC SANTA BARBARA FOUNDATION: $3,858,913 · EducationUC SANTA BARBARA FOUNDATIONUNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA BERKELEY FOUNDATION: $3,774,567 · EducationUNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA BERKELEY FO…University of Chicago: $3,490,000 · EducationTHE TRUSTEES OF COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY IN THE CITY OF NEW YORK: $2,937,807 · EducationMassachusetts Institute of Technology: $2,519,131 · Education+21 more: $8,627,382 · Education+21 moreNATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES: $16,505,490 · Science & TechNATIONAL ACADE…The Salk Institute for Biological Studies: $4,105,000 · Science & TechThe Salk Insti…AMERICAN ASSOCIATION FOR THE ADVANCEMENT OF SCIENCE: $1,569,784 · Science & TechAMERICAN ASSOC…MARINE BIOLOGICAL LABORATORY: $1,221,126 · Science & Tech+16 more: $2,858,511 · Science & Tech+16 moreSOCIETY FOR NEUROSCIENCE: $555,000 · HealthThe Broad Institute Inc: $350,000 · HealthOpen Notebook Inc: $218,800 · HealthCEDARS-SINAI MEDICAL CENTER: $95,000 · HealthASSOCIATION OF SCIENCE-TECHNOLOGY CENTERS INC: $862,000 · Arts & CultureTHE FRANKLIN INSTITUTE: $91,948 · Arts & CultureTHE ADLER PLANETARIUM: $75,000 · Arts & CultureNEW VENTURE FUND: $625,000 · EnvironmentMULTIPLIER: $105,000 · EnvironmentMATERIALS RESEARCH SOCIETY: $459,000 · Community Improvement
Other$111,353,435Education$68,105,114Science & Tech$26,259,911Health$1,218,800Arts & Culture$1,028,948Environment$730,000Community Improvement$459,000

Showing the 200 largest grantees by grant value.

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 budgetNATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES: $16,505,490 over 8y, 1.0% of budgetJOHNS HOPKINS UNIVERSITY: $13,250,653 over 7y, 0.1% of budgetUNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA SAN FRANCISCO FOUNDATION: $7,990,000 over 3y, 1.0% of budgetTHE ROCKEFELLER UNIVERSITY: $7,083,335 over 4y, 0.7% of budgetCALIFORNIA INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY: $5,454,334 over 6y, 0.1% of budgetUC SAN DIEGO FOUNDATION: $4,794,395 over 4y, 1.3% of budgetCornell University: $4,324,597 over 2y, 0.1% of budgetThe Salk Institute for Biological Studies: $4,105,000 over 6y, 1.6% of budgetUC SANTA BARBARA FOUNDATION: $3,858,913 over 6y, 4.4% of budgetUNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA BERKELEY FOUNDATION: $3,774,567 over 8y, 0.8% of budgetUniversity of Chicago: $3,490,000 over 4y, 0.0% of budgetTHE TRUSTEES OF COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY IN THE CITY OF NEW YORK: $2,937,807 over 6y, 0.0% of budgetMassachusetts Institute of Technology: $2,519,131 over 7y, 0.0% of budgetWilliam Marsh Rice University: $1,835,670 over 3y, 0.1% of budgetAMERICAN ASSOCIATION FOR THE ADVANCEMENT OF SCIENCE: $1,569,784 over 6y, 1.2% of budgetMARINE BIOLOGICAL LABORATORY: $1,221,126 over 3y, 2.0% of budgetBERKELEY LAB FOUNDATION: $950,000 over 6y, 6.1% of budgetPresident and Fellows of Harvard College: $896,625 over 7y, 0.0% of budgetASSOCIATION OF SCIENCE-TECHNOLOGY CENTERS INC: $862,000 over 5y, 6.3% of budgetSTONY BROOK FOUNDATION INC: $802,850 over 7y, 0.3% of budgetRESEARCHAMERICA: $637,000 over 6y, 6.5% of budgetNEW VENTURE FUND: $625,000 over 5y, 0.0% of budgetBRANDEIS UNIVERSITY: $562,000 over 2y, 0.1% of budgetSOCIETY FOR NEUROSCIENCE: $555,000 over 5y, 0.6% of budgetTHE BOARD OF TRUSTEES OF THE LELAND STANFORD JUNIOR UNIVERSITY: $553,750 over 6y, 0.0% of budgetTHE AMERICAN SOCIETY FOR CELL BIOLOGY: $545,000 over 5y, 3.3% of budgetUNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON FOUNDATION: $460,000 over 2y, 0.3% of budgetMATERIALS RESEARCH SOCIETY: $459,000 over 8y, 0.8% of budgetSOCIETY FOR SCIENCE & THE PUBLIC: $399,000 over 3y, 0.9% of budgetAMERICAN PHYSICAL SOCIETY: $386,000 over 8y, 0.2% of budgetTHE UC DAVIS FOUNDATION: $355,000 over 5y, 0.2% of budgetNew York University: $354,000 over 6y, 0.0% of budgetWORLD SCIENCE FOUNDATION: $352,500 over 3y, 2.4% of budgetThe Broad Institute Inc: $350,000 over 2y, 0.1% of budgetINSTITUTE FOR LEARNING INNOVATION: $340,320 over 4y, 12% of budgetAMERICAN CHEMICAL SOCIETY: $316,000 over 8y, 0.0% of budgetAMERICAN GEOPHYSICAL UNION: $250,463 over 3y, 0.3% of budgetHOPEWELL FUND: $250,000 over 1y, 0.2% of budgetTHE CONVERSATION US INC: $250,000 over 1y, 6.3% of budgetSCIENCECOUNTS INC: $229,195 over 5y, 27% of budgetUCLA FOUNDATION: $221,102 over 5y, 0.0% of budgetOpen Notebook Inc: $218,800 over 3y, 19% of budgetUNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN FOUNDATION: $199,865 over 2y, 0.0% of budgetASSOCIATION OF UNIVERSITIES FOR RESEARCH IN ASTRONOMY INC: $185,000 over 2y, 0.0% of budgetUNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA FOUNDATION: $180,000 over 2y, 0.0% of budgetCOUNCIL FOR THE ADVANCEMENT OF SCIENCE WRITING INC: $168,300 over 4y, 13% of budgetUNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA: $155,000 over 1y, 0.0% of budgetNATIONAL SCIENCE TEACHING ASSOCIATION: $150,000 over 3y, 0.3% 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 NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES ↗
  • Who funds JOHNS HOPKINS UNIVERSITY ↗
  • Who funds UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA SAN FRANCISCO FOUNDATION ↗
  • Who funds THE ROCKEFELLER UNIVERSITY ↗
  • Who funds CALIFORNIA INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY ↗
  • Who funds UC SAN DIEGO FOUNDATION ↗
  • Who funds Cornell University ↗
  • Who funds The Salk Institute for Biological Studies ↗
  • Who funds UC SANTA BARBARA FOUNDATION ↗
  • Who funds UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA BERKELEY FOUNDATION ↗
  • Who funds University of Chicago ↗
  • Who funds THE TRUSTEES OF COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY IN THE CITY OF NEW YORK ↗
  • Who funds Massachusetts Institute of Technology ↗
  • Who funds William Marsh Rice University ↗
  • Who funds AMERICAN ASSOCIATION FOR THE ADVANCEMENT OF SCIENCE ↗

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.

Gordon E and Betty I …The Simons Foundation…Rita Allen Foundation…Alfred P Sloan Founda…Silicon Valley Commun…The Heising-Simons Fo…Johns Hopkins Univers…The Trustees of Colum…The David and Lucile …Research Corporation …The Brinson FoundationGates Foundation
Gordon E and Betty I Moore FoundationCA46.8× affinity22 shared granteesties to 11 of 11Hover any node to trace its alignments.Compare side by side →

Open a dossier: Gordon E and Betty I Moore Foundation · The Simons Foundation Inc · Rita Allen Foundation Inc · Alfred P Sloan Foundation · Silicon Valley Community Foundation · The Heising-Simons Foundation · Johns Hopkins University · The Trustees of Columbia University in the City of New York · The David and Lucile Packard Foundation · Research Corporation dba Research Corporation for Science Advancement · The Brinson Foundation · Gates 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 The Kavli Foundation funds: left to right is the share of its income from government, bottom to top the share from The Kavli Foundation. Bigger dots raise more.

2024
’20’21’22’23’24’25
no gov · 40%1%5%11%20%funder's share of their income ↑0%25%50%75%100%share of the org’s income from government →median 12%
  • Massachusetts Institute of Technology: 35% of income from government
  • Compass Science Communication Inc: 29% of income from government
  • Marine Biological Laboratory: 20% of income from government
  • The Broad Institute Inc: 19% of income from government
  • Trustees of Tufts College: 13% of income from government
  • Trustees of Boston University: 12% of income from government
  • Johns Hopkins University: 12% of income from government
  • Brandeis University: 9% of income from government
  • Institute for Advanced Study - Louis Bamberger & Mrs Felix Fuld Foundation: 7% of income from government
  • President and Fellows of Harvard College: 7% of income from government
  • The American Society for Cell Biology: 4% of income from government
  • American Physical Society: 1% of income from government
  • Addgene Inc: 0% of income from government
no gov moneyreceives it· size = income
4get no government money at all
6report 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 267 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-PF 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 Kavli’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