The 50 Largest Nonprofit Foundations in the World by Endowment

Image says the 40 largest nonprofit foundations by endowment and shows cities, two scientists and the world.

Why This List Exists

Understanding where philanthropic capital is concentrated helps nonprofit leaders, funders, researchers, and professionals better understand how long-term social investment takes shape.

This page brings together two things in one place. A curated list of the 50 largest nonprofit foundations in the world by endowment, and the public data sources that make that transparency possible.

Whether you are researching the sector, exploring potential partners, or building a career in philanthropy, this list offers a clear view of the institutions shaping global charitable investment.

Across education, healthcare, science, climate action, and social progress, philanthropy plays a meaningful role in addressing complex challenges. Large endowments allow foundations to commit to long-term initiatives, support ambitious research, and sustain programs through economic cycles.

This list highlights where philanthropic capital is most concentrated and which organizations have the scale to support transformational work over time.

 

What an Endowment Represents

A foundation’s endowment reflects its long-term financial capacity. Endowments are invested to generate annual returns that support grants, programs, operations, and future growth. Larger endowments generally enable:

• Multi-year funding commitments
• Greater financial stability during economic downturns
• Long-term investment in research and systems change
• Consistent program funding across generations

Endowment size does not measure impact alone, yet it provides insight into financial sustainability and philanthropic reach.

Highly endowed foundations often serve as:

• Funders of major nonprofit initiatives
• Anchors for research, health, and education systems
• Employers of specialized nonprofit professionals
• Partners to governments, universities, and NGOs

For nonprofit professionals, these institutions frequently offer roles in:

• Program strategy and evaluation
• Grantmaking and partnerships
• Finance, compliance, and governance
• Research, policy, and global development

They also influence standards, practices, and funding priorities across the sector.

Methodology 

How This List Was Compiled

This ranking is based on publicly available financial disclosures and regulatory filings, including audited annual financial statements, foundation annual reports, IRS Form 990 filings, and official publications.

Endowment values are shown in U.S. dollars, converted where needed using historical exchange rates and rounded for clarity.

Data reflects the most recent publicly reported figures available between 2015 and 2025.

Top 50 Nonprofit Foundations by Endowment

(Endowments shown in USD, rounded)

1. Novo Nordisk Foundation (Denmark)
Endowment: $167B
Focus: Biomedical research, life sciences, global health innovation
Headquarters: Hellerup, Denmark
Website: https://novonordiskfonden.dk/en/

2. Tata Trusts (India)
Endowment: $100B+
Focus: Health, education, livelihoods, water, sanitation, culture
Headquarters: Mumbai, India
Website: https://www.tatatrusts.org/

3. Gates Foundation (USA)
Endowment: $70.2B
Focus: Global health, poverty alleviation, education
Headquarters: Seattle, Washington, USA
Website: https://www.gatesfoundation.org/

4. Wellcome Trust (United Kingdom)
Endowment: $42.8B
Focus: Biomedical research and health through science
Headquarters: London, United Kingdom
Website: https://wellcome.org/

5. Stichting INGKA Foundation (Netherlands)
Endowment: $37.3B
Focus: Poverty alleviation, refugees, global development
Headquarters: Leiden, Netherlands
Website: https://www.ingkafoundation.org/

6. Mastercard Foundation (Canada)
Endowment: $31.5B
Focus: Education, financial inclusion, youth employment
Headquarters: Toronto, Canada
Website: https://mastercardfdn.org/

7. Fundación “la Caixa” (Spain)
Endowment: $28.1B
Focus: Social programs, education, science, culture
Headquarters: Palma de Mallorca, Spain
Website: https://fundacionlacaixa.org/

8. Howard Hughes Medical Institute (USA)
Endowment: $27.1B
Focus: Biomedical research and science education
Headquarters: Chevy Chase, Maryland, USA
Website: https://www.hhmi.org/

9. RAG-Stiftung (Germany)
Endowment: $24B
Focus: Social, environmental regeneration and education
Headquarters: Essen, Germany
Website: https://www.rag-stiftung.de/en/

10. Azim Premji Foundation (India)
Endowment: $21B
Focus: Education and equity
Headquarters: Bangalore, India
Website: https://azimpremjifoundation.org/

11. Open Society Foundations (USA)
Endowment: $19.6B
Focus: Democracy, human rights, social justice
Headquarters: New York, New York, USA
Website: https://www.opensocietyfoundations.org/

12. Lilly Endowment (USA)
Endowment: $15.1B
Focus: Community development, education, religion
Headquarters: Indianapolis, Indiana, USA
Website: https://www.lillyendowment.org/

13. Ford Foundation (USA)
Endowment: $13.7B
Focus: Reducing inequality, human rights, civic engagement
Headquarters: New York, New York, USA
Website: https://www.fordfoundation.org/

14. Silicon Valley Community Foundation (USA)
Endowment: $13.6B
Focus: Community philanthropy and racial equity
Headquarters: San Jose, California, USA
Website: https://www.siliconvalleycf.org/

15. William and Flora Hewlett Foundation (USA)
Endowment: $13.3B
Focus: Education, environment, global development, arts
Headquarters: Menlo Park, California, USA
Website: https://hewlett.org/

16. Garfield Weston Foundation (United Kingdom)
Endowment: $13.2B
Focus: Arts, education, community, environment, youth
Headquarters: London, United Kingdom
Website: https://www.garfieldweston.org/

17. Church Commissioners for England (United Kingdom)
Endowment: $12.4B
Focus: Church of England clergy, pensions, education, mission
Headquarters: London, United Kingdom
Website: https://www.churchofengland.org/about/leadership-and-governance/church-commissioners

18. Stavros Niarchos Foundation (Greece)
Endowment: $12B
Focus: Arts, education, health, sports, social welfare
Headquarters: Athens, Greece
Website: https://www.snf.org/

19. Kamehameha Schools (USA)
Endowment: $11.5B
Focus: Education and Native Hawaiian culture
Headquarters: Honolulu, Hawaii, USA
Website: https://www.ksbe.edu/

20. Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (USA)
Endowment: $11.4B
Focus: Health and health equity
Headquarters: Princeton, New Jersey, USA
Website: https://www.rwjf.org/

21. J. Paul Getty Trust (USA)
Endowment: $10.4B
Focus: Arts, conservation, humanities
Headquarters: Los Angeles, California, USA
Website: https://www.getty.edu/

22. Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Foundation (UAE)
Endowment: $10.1B
Focus: Education and knowledge economy
Headquarters: Dubai, United Arab Emirates
Website: https://www.mbrf.ae/

23. Fondazione Cariplo (Italy)
Endowment: $9.6B
Focus: Culture, environment, research, social services
Headquarters: Milan, Italy
Website: https://www.fondazionecariplo.it/

24. Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation (USA)
Endowment: $9.5B
Focus: Environment, science, patient care
Headquarters: Palo Alto, California, USA
Website: https://www.moore.org/

25. Margaret A. Cargill Philanthropies (USA)
Endowment: $9.2B
Focus: Humanitarian aid, education, culture
Headquarters: Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA
Website: https://www.macphilanthropies.org/

26. Li Ka Shing Foundation (Hong Kong)
Endowment: $8.3B
Focus: Education, healthcare, disaster relief
Headquarters: Hong Kong
Website: https://www.lksf.org/

27. Helmsley Charitable Trust (USA)
Endowment: $8.3B
Focus: Healthcare and rural community support
Headquarters: New York, New York, USA
Website: https://helmsleytrust.org/

28. W. K. Kellogg Foundation Trust (USA)
Endowment: $8.2B
Focus: Children, families, communities, racial equity
Headquarters: Battle Creek, Michigan, USA
Website: https://www.wkkf.org/

29. Jacobs Foundation (Switzerland)
Endowment: $7.6B
Focus: Child and youth development
Headquarters: Zurich, Switzerland
Website: https://jacobsfoundation.org/

30. Michael & Susan Dell Foundation (USA)
Endowment: $7.5B
Focus: Education, health, economic stability
Headquarters: Austin, Texas, USA
Website: https://www.msdf.org/

31. Else Kröner-Fresenius-Stiftung (Germany)
Endowment: $7B
Focus: Medical research and healthcare
Headquarters: Bad Homburg, Germany
Website: https://www.ekfs.de/

32. David and Lucile Packard Foundation (USA)
Endowment: $6.3B
Focus: Conservation, science, children’s health
Headquarters: Los Altos, California, USA
Website: https://www.packard.org/

33. Rockefeller Foundation (USA)
Endowment: $6.3B
Focus: Climate, health, resilience, innovation
Headquarters: New York, New York, USA
Website: https://www.rockefellerfoundation.org/

34. Andrew W. Mellon Foundation (USA)
Endowment: $6.2B
Focus: Arts, humanities, higher education
Headquarters: New York, New York, USA
Website: https://mellon.org/

35. MacArthur Foundation (USA)
Endowment: $6B
Focus: Climate, justice reform, human rights
Headquarters: Chicago, Illinois, USA
Website: https://www.macfound.org/

36. Robert Bosch Stiftung (Germany)
Endowment: $6B
Focus: Health, education, international relations
Headquarters: Stuttgart, Germany
Website: https://www.bosch-stiftung.de/

37. Children’s Investment Fund Foundation (UK)
Endowment: $5.9B
Focus: Child health, education, climate, poverty
Headquarters: London, United Kingdom
Website: https://ci-ff.org/

38. Conrad N. Hilton Foundation (USA)
Endowment: $5.9B
Focus: Water access, homelessness, foster youth
Headquarters: Agoura Hills, California, USA
Website: https://www.hiltonfoundation.org/

39. Nemours Foundation (USA)
Endowment: $4.6B
Focus: Pediatric healthcare and children’s health
Headquarters: Jacksonville, Florida, USA
Website: https://www.nemours.org/

40. Bloomberg Philanthropies (USA)
Endowment: $4.2B
Focus: Public health, environment, education, arts
Headquarters: New York, New York, USA
Website: https://www.bloomberg.org/

41. Carnegie Corporation of New York (USA)
Endowment: $4.1B
Focus: Education, democracy, peace and security
Headquarters: New York, New York, USA
Website: https://www.carnegie.org/

42. Mother Cabrini Health Foundation (USA)
Endowment: $4B
Focus: Health equity and community care
Headquarters: New York, New York, USA
Website: https://www.mothercabrinihealth.org/

43. Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation (Portugal)
Endowment: $4B
Focus: Arts, education, science, social innovation
Headquarters: Lisbon, Portugal
Website: https://gulbenkian.pt/en/

44. Volkswagen Stiftung (Germany)
Endowment: $4B
Focus: Research and scientific innovation
Headquarters: Hannover, Germany
Website: https://www.volkswagenstiftung.de/

45. Tulsa Community Foundation (USA)
Endowment: $3.8B
Focus: Community development and education
Headquarters: Tulsa, Oklahoma, USA
Website: https://www.tulsacf.org/

46. The Kresge Foundation (USA)
Endowment: $3.6B
Focus: Arts, education, health, climate
Headquarters: Troy, Michigan, USA
Website: https://kresge.org/

47. Knut and Alice Wallenberg Foundation (Sweden)
Endowment: $3.6B
Focus: Scientific research and technology
Headquarters: Stockholm, Sweden
Website: https://www.wallenberg.com/kaw/en/

48. California Health Care Foundation (USA)
Endowment: $3.6B
Focus: Health policy and equity in California
Headquarters: Oakland, California, USA
Website: https://www.chcf.org/

49. The Duke Endowment (USA)
Endowment: $3.4B
Focus: Health, higher education, child welfare, churches
Headquarters: Charlotte, North Carolina, USA
Website: https://www.dukeendowment.org/

50. Realdania (Denmark)
Endowment: $3.2B
Focus: Built environment and sustainable communities
Headquarters: Copenhagen, Denmark
Website: https://www.realdania.org/

 

Global Distribution of the Largest Foundations

These foundations span North America, Europe, Asia, and the Middle East, reflecting the global nature of modern philanthropy.

The largest concentrations are found in:

• The United States
• Western Europe
• India
• Scandinavia

This geographic diversity mirrors where private wealth, institutional philanthropy, and long-term charitable investment have historically been most concentrated.

 

How to Use This List

This list can be helpful if you are:

• Researching philanthropic trends
• Identifying potential funding partners
• Exploring nonprofit career paths
• Benchmarking foundation scale
• Studying global philanthropic influence

It offers a starting point for understanding the institutions that shape much of today’s philanthropic activity.

Data and Transparency

Where This Data Comes From

All endowment figures on this page are drawn from publicly available financial disclosures and regulatory filings.

This includes audited foundation financial statements, annual reports, IRS Form 990 filings, and publicly published sector research. Figures reflect the most recent public data available between 2015 and 2025 and are shown in U.S. dollars using historical exchange rates where applicable.

For readers who would like to explore the underlying data directly, the following public resources are helpful.

ProPublica’s Nonprofit Explorer
https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/

IRS Exempt Organizations Business Master File
https://www.irs.gov/charities-non-profits/exempt-organizations-business-master-file-extract-eo-bmf

Additional research and context are drawn from foundation annual reports, Candid, Bridgespan, Inside Philanthropy, Giving USA, and official government and foundation registries.

Additional Data Sources

This list is compiled from publicly available, independently reported financial disclosures, including:

Annual Financial Statements and Audited Reports

These are the official financial disclosures published by foundations themselves:

IRS Form 990 Filings and Regulatory Disclosures

These are primary sources for U.S. tax-exempt organization filings:

Nonprofit Annual Reports and Official Foundation Sites

In addition to individual foundation websites, these resources compile nonprofit data:

Reputable Philanthropic and Sector Publications

These offer research, analysis, and contextual reporting:

Currency Conversion / Historical Exchange Reference

Since endowments are often reported in home currencies and converted to USD:

Sector Data and Statistics Platforms

These serve as repositories of broader nonprofit sector data:

Primary references include foundation annual reports, audited financial statements, IRS filings, and published summaries from 2015 through 2025, including but not limited to the citations you provided.

Important Notes

Endowment size reflects financial scale, not quality of impact, effectiveness, or mission alignment. Many smaller organizations and foundations create extraordinary social value without large endowments.

This list is intended for informational and research purposes.

Final Thoughts for the Nonprofit Community

Large endowments offer stability, long-term vision, and the ability to invest in solutions that take decades to mature. At the same time, meaningful impact is created across organizations of every size.

Philanthropy takes many forms, from local community organizations to the world’s most highly endowed foundations. Each plays a role in addressing social challenges and supporting communities.

At Foundation List, we support nonprofit organizations and professionals across the full spectrum of the sector. Whether you are researching trends, exploring partnerships, or looking for your next opportunity, we are here to support your work and your impact.

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