Mark & Anla Cheng Kingdon Foundation
At a glance
This funder does not accept unsolicited applications. The foundation chooses the organisations it funds itself.
Key takeaways
- This foundation funds higher education, arts and culture, and social services, so nonprofits working in these fields are the best fit.
- It does not accept unsolicited requests and operates by invitation only, so a cold application is unlikely to succeed; this points to a relationship-led rather than open, competitive process.
- Typical grants run from $400 to $205,000, with about 8 in 10 of its 202 grants falling in that range and a median of about $16,500, so a modest request is realistic, even though its largest grant reached $3,100,000.
- Seventy-four per cent of its grant dollars went to organisations it had also funded previously, suggesting it tends to keep supporting existing grantees rather than add many new ones each year.
- No geographic focus is stated in the filings.
Overview
Mark & Anla Cheng Kingdon Foundation is a US private foundation based in New York, NY.
What they fund
Profile derived from the foundation's IRS Form 990-PF filings (TY2024, TY2023, TY2022) and web pages about the foundation (international.ucla.edu), with every statement checked against those sources. Sources read on 7 October 2026.
Priority Areas
The foundation focuses on higher education, arts and culture, and social services. Its filed grants go to universities and educational institutions, cultural venues and museums, social-service organisations, as well as civic, environmental and health organisations. In describing the Kingdons’ signature giving, Anla Cheng highlights endowed professorships and an educational project designed to increase tolerance and develop young people’s critical thinking. The profile also describes the couple’s support for educational programmes delivered through museums, think tanks and multimedia venues. Its giving therefore combines institutional support with education and cultural programming, while the filed grant record shows a broad range of organisational recipients.
Themes
- Higher education
- Arts and culture
- Social services
Geographic Focus
No geographic focus is stated; the filings show grants mainly in New York.
How to apply
The foundation states that it does not accept unsolicited requests.
Application success factors
- Repeat giving: In its TY2024 filing, 74% of its grant dollars to organisations went to organisations it had also funded in its TY2022 or TY2023 filing.
- Grant size: Across its TY2022, TY2023 and TY2024 filings, half of its 202 grants to organisations were about $16,500 or less.
Where grants go
From grants to organisations in the foundation’s filings for tax years 2022–2024.
Grant dollars by state
- The largest single recipient received 25% of grant dollars to organisations.
- In tax year 2024, 74% of grant dollars went to organisations Mark & Anla Cheng Kingdon Foundation had funded in earlier filings.
- No grants were paid directly to organisations outside the US.
- 12% of grant dollars went to intermediaries that regrant to other organisations.
Grants
How much do they typically give?
Share of 87 grants in tax year 2024 by size
Median $25,000 (tax year 2024)
The largest grants to organisations in the foundation’s latest filing:
- Columbia University · General$2,525,0002024 tax year
- Harlem Children's Zone · General$1,300,0002024 tax year
- Congregation Emanuel · General$1,163,2502024 tax year
- United Jewish Appeal Federation · General$1,000,0002024 tax year
- Harvard Business School · General$600,0002024 tax year
- Nyc Police Foundation · General$560,0002024 tax year
- China Institute · General$374,9852024 tax year
- New York City Center · General$260,0002024 tax year
Grants to organisations listed in the foundation’s Form 990-PF filings. Grants to individuals are not shown.
Officers and directors
- Anla Cheng Kingdon — Secretary
- Mark Kingdon — Chairman
From the latest Form 990-PF filing
3 years of tax filings
| Year | Total expenses | Grants paid | Assets | Filing document |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 tax year | $7,662,134 | $6,335,807 | $208,955,146 | Filing for 2022 tax year |
| 2023 tax year | $11,059,688 | $10,012,070 | $232,214,250 | Filing for 2023 tax year |
| 2024 tax year | $12,001,244 | $10,802,264 | $272,875,440 | Filing for 2024 tax year |
Figures from the foundation’s IRS Form 990-PF filings. Assets are at fair market value at year end. The document icon links to each year’s filing on ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer.
Sources
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At a glance
Applying to Mark & Anla Cheng Kingdon Foundation?
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Contact
- New York, NY
Applying to Mark & Anla Cheng Kingdon Foundation?
Hinchilla drafts your answers around this funder's priorities, using your organisation's own documents.
No credit card required
Contact
- New York, NY