Who funds National Public Radio?
137 private foundations reported grants to National Public Radio in Washington, District of Columbia totaling $9.9 million across 140 grants in tax years 2023 to 2025. The largest funder was The Schmidt Family Foundation, with $1.8 million.
From the funders' IRS Form 990-PF filings.
- Foundation funders137
- Grants reported140
- Total received$9.9 million
- Funders taking applications31
Foundations that fund National Public Radio
| Foundation | Purpose given | Grants | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Schmidt Family Foundation | Capacity building | 1 | $1.8 million |
| Walton Family Foundation Inc | To support general operations. | 2 | $1.3 million |
| The William & Flora Hewlett Foundation | For general operating support | 1 | $600,000 |
| Carnegie Corporation of New York | For general support | 1 | $583,300 |
| John D and Catherine T Macarthur Foundation | In support of npr's race and identity beat and podcasts: code switch and throughline | 1 | $500,000 |
| Posner Foundation of Pittsburgh | Unrestricted/ general use | 1 | $500,000 |
| George D Smith Fund Inc | Organization's charitable purposes | 1 | $400,000 |
| Alfred P Sloan Foundation | To support nprs coverage of economics via two podcasts, planet money and the indicator; online short videos; a weekly newsletter; and educational outreach | 1 | $325,000 |
| Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation | Support for general operations and to continue the midwest newsroom, as well as its ongoing reporting. 202204-12181 | 1 | $300,000 |
| Annie E Casey Foundation Inc | Support public media journalists covering children, young people and families | 1 | $270,000 |
| The Joyce Foundation | Journalism | 1 | $250,000 |
| The Melville Charitable Trust Inc | General operating grant | 1 | $250,000 |
| John Templeton Foundation | For general support | 1 | $250,000 |
| The Deborah Groening-Rother Foundation | To further organization's charitable purpose. | 1 | $250,000 |
| The Lemelson Foundation | For general operating support | 1 | $250,000 |
| Public Welfare Foundation Inc | Support for support for npr's coverage of criminal justice | 1 | $200,000 |
| William T Grant Foundation Inc | In support of nprs coverage of children, youth and families | 1 | $150,000 |
| Manitou Fund | Tiny desk program ($100,000) and democracy program ($50,000) | 1 | $150,000 |
| The George Gund Foundation | Midwest news coverage. | 2 | $125,000 |
| David & Candace Weir Foundation | General charitable needs | 1 | $100,000 |
| Donald A Pels Charitable Trust Utd | General operating support | 1 | $100,000 |
| Dorinda Miles Smith Foundation Inc | To support the mission of the organization to create a more informed public by producing, acquiring, and distributing noncommercial programming. | 1 | $100,000 |
| BCMR Gledhill Foundation | Nonrestricted gift | 1 | $60,000 |
| Paul S Nadler Family Charitable Trust | General | 1 | $54,000 |
| Earthward Bound Foundation | Journalism | 1 | $50,000 |
| Farvue Foundation Inc | General support | 1 | $50,000 |
| Andreas Foundation | Grant is for recipeints general fund | 1 | $50,000 |
| Ann B & Thomas L Friedman Family Found | All contributions made for the intent established by the various charities | 1 | $50,000 |
| Patricia & Emanuel Papper Foundation Inc | Support contribution | 1 | $50,000 |
| The Rock Foundation | Charitable | 1 | $50,000 |
| Fthree Foundation | General support | 1 | $50,000 |
| The Argus Fund | General charitable purpose | 1 | $40,000 |
| Wallace Genetic Foundation II Inc | General support | 1 | $35,000 |
| The Neall Family Charitable Foundation | General charitable purposes | 1 | $30,000 |
| Cogan Family Foundation | General Purpose | 1 | $25,000 |
| Calvin K Kazanjian Economics Foundation Inc | NPR's 2026 planet money summer school | 1 | $25,000 |
| The Brodsky Family Foundation | To further donee's exempt purpose | 1 | $25,000 |
| Leo Rosner Foundation Inc | Relief for community stations | 1 | $25,000 |
| The Millstream Fund Inc | General support | 1 | $25,000 |
| Amazonsmile Foundation | General support | 1 | $20,332 |
| Jeannette and H Peter Kriendler Char Trust | Organization's general | 1 | $20,000 |
| The Davidson Family Foundation | Community service | 1 | $20,000 |
| The Wildflower Foundation Inc | Charitable purrpose | 1 | $19,000 |
| Naida S Wharton Foundation | For charitable use | 1 | $15,000 |
| Gupta Family Foundation | Create more informed public | 1 | $15,000 |
| Gwydion Fund for Wild Nature | General | 1 | $15,000 |
| Hekemian Foundation | Unrestricted grant to support the organization's exempt purpose. | 1 | $13,334 |
| Hugh R Lamle Foundation | Unrestricted | 1 | $12,500 |
| Walter Henry Freygang Foundation | General support | 1 | $11,450 |
| Ernst & Elfriede Frank Foundation Inc | General charitable | 1 | $10,000 |
| Lakshmi Foundation | General support | 1 | $10,000 |
| Mary W Harriman Foundation | General support | 1 | $10,000 |
| Ting Tsung & Wei Fong Chao Foundation | General operating support | 1 | $10,000 |
| Cooper E Etal Ttees C-S Fam Fdn-Agy | General operating | 1 | $10,000 |
| MRB Foundation Inc | General | 1 | $10,000 |
| Tao Jones Charitable Foundation Inc | General support | 1 | $10,000 |
| The Kristina & William Catto Foundation | General mission | 1 | $10,000 |
| John G & Jean R Gosnell Foundation | General operating support | 1 | $10,000 |
| Francis and Rosalind Cuss Foundation Inc | Unrestricted | 1 | $10,000 |
| Karen Sachs Besson Foundation Inc | General | 1 | $10,000 |
| Jpmorgan Chase Foundation | Matching contribution (general operating support) | 1 | $8,745 |
| Clara B Winthrop Charitable Trust | Operating fund | 1 | $7,200 |
| Allen Family Charitable Trust | To extend financial aid or assistance | 1 | $7,000 |
| Wild Foundation | Generaloperations | 1 | $6,000 |
| Janci Foundation | General assistance | 1 | $5,000 |
| The Robert I Wishnick Foundation DBA the William Wishnick Foundation | General | 1 | $5,000 |
| The Cowles Charitable Trust | Education | 1 | $5,000 |
| Lipstein Family Foundation | General grant | 1 | $5,000 |
| The Sidney & Kathryn Taurel Foundation Inc | Operating support | 1 | $5,000 |
| Rackham Foundation Limited | General support | 1 | $5,000 |
| Richard D Hannan Family Foundation Fifth | Project/program support | 1 | $5,000 |
| Lloyd A Fry Foundation | For general operating support | 1 | $5,000 |
| Hieronymus Foundation Inc | General operations | 1 | $5,000 |
| The Resnik Family Foundation | General Operating Support | 1 | $5,000 |
| Ron and Joyce Nelson Family Foundation | Promote charity | 1 | $5,000 |
| Lucille Ellis Simon Foundation | Charitable | 1 | $5,000 |
| Bull's Head Foundation Inc | General | 1 | $4,000 |
| GPK Foundation | Unrestricted | 1 | $4,000 |
| Robert Earll McConnell Fnd - Cash | Support of daily operations | 1 | $4,000 |
| Kanter Kallman Foundation | Educational | 1 | $3,000 |
| Frederick Bliss Foundation Inc | General fund | 1 | $3,000 |
| Butters Family Foundation Inc | Charitable | 1 | $3,000 |
| Ferguson Young Foundation | General operating support for the organization's media activities. | 1 | $3,000 |
| SFC Inc | Charitible | 1 | $3,000 |
| The GB Knecht Foundation | General fundgeneral fund | 1 | $3,000 |
| Janet Upjohn Stearns Charitable Trust | General support | 1 | $2,500 |
| Kirby Family Foundation Inc | Community support | 1 | $2,500 |
| The Philip J & Carol J Lyons Foundation | General | 1 | $2,500 |
| Austin Foundation Inc | Support environmental programs | 1 | $2,500 |
| Kenneth R Siger Foundation | Support national public radio | 1 | $2,500 |
| William J Burns Foundation Inc | Support for public broadcasting programs | 1 | $2,000 |
| Wrocklage Family Charitable Foundation | Unrestricted | 1 | $2,000 |
| The Pat and Fred Bass Family Foundation | General | 1 | $2,000 |
| Etc Family Foundation | For general operating support | 1 | $2,000 |
| The J Paul Getty Trust | Employee - arts and educational program | 1 | $2,000 |
| The Pfizer Foundation Inc | Matching gifts | 1 | $1,676 |
| Frank Pace Jr Foundation Inc | Public media | 1 | $1,500 |
| Brillo-Sonnino Family Foundation | Non-Profit News | 1 | $1,500 |
| The Brian D Stevens Foundation | General Support | 1 | $1,500 |
| The Littman Family Foundation Inc | General support | 1 | $1,250 |
Using this list
A foundation that already gives to National Public Radio gives in its field and region, so the list doubles as a prospect list for similar organizations in Washington. Open a foundation to see its application rules, typical grant and every other grant it paid.
Questions people ask
Who funds National Public Radio?
The Schmidt Family Foundation, Walton Family Foundation Inc, The William & Flora Hewlett Foundation, Carnegie Corporation of New York and John D and Catherine T Macarthur Foundation, and 132 more, according to their IRS Form 990-PF filings.
How much does National Public Radio get from foundations?
$9.9 million in 140 reported grants from 137 private foundations in tax years 2023 to 2025. Government grants and gifts from individuals are not included.
Which of these funders accept applications?
The Schmidt Family Foundation, The William & Flora Hewlett Foundation, Carnegie Corporation of New York, Posner Foundation of Pittsburgh and Alfred P Sloan Foundation say in their filings that they accept applications.