The Bloomberg Family Foundation
At a glance
This funder does not accept unsolicited applications. The foundation chooses the organisations it funds itself.
Key takeaways
- The foundation states that it does not accept unsolicited requests, so a small nonprofit should not send a cold application and should look for an invitation or an existing connection instead.
- Its stated themes are arts, education, the environment, government innovation and public health, and it names a priority around the world, so check whether your work fits one of those themes.
- Organisations whose work is advocacy or political activity should not apply, as the foundation does not fund these.
- About 8 in 10 of its 815 grants to organisations fall between $140,000 and $7,600,000, with a median of $1,000,000, though its largest grant was about $350,000,000, so treat that band as typical rather than a limit.
- Since 89% of its grant dollars went to organisations it had funded before, a first approach is best built on a clear link to its themes and an existing relationship.
Overview
The Bloomberg Family 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 its website, with every statement checked against those sources. Sources read on 12 October 2026.
Priority Areas
Bloomberg Philanthropies, which encompasses the foundation alongside Mike Bloomberg’s corporate and personal philanthropy, identifies the arts, education, the environment, government innovation and public health as its five key areas. Its education work supports the growth of high-quality charter and autonomous schools and strong local education leaders. Its environment work spans clean energy, pollution in cities and ocean ecosystems, while supporting emerging initiatives and leaders. The foundation’s grant record shows support for universities and research, K–12 and career education, climate and clean-energy organisations, public-health bodies and local-government work. It also provides technical assistance and advisory services to charities and municipalities. Its approach combines grants with specialist expertise and partnerships aimed at improving public outcomes.
Themes
- Arts
- Education
- Environment
- Government innovation
- Public health
Geographic Focus
Priority: Around the world.
What They Don't Fund
- Advocacy and political activities
How to apply
The foundation states that it does not accept unsolicited requests.
Application success factors
- Repeat giving: In its TY2024 filing, 89% 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 815 grants to organisations were $1,000,000 or less.
What the foundation says:
- It supports the growth of high-quality charter and autonomous schools and backs strong local education leaders.
Where grants go
From grants to organisations in the foundation’s filings for tax years 2022–2024.
Grant dollars by state
6 other states: 7%
Outside the US or with no state on the filing: 13%
- The largest single recipient received 21% of grant dollars to organisations.
- In tax year 2024, 89% of grant dollars went to organisations The Bloomberg Family Foundation had funded in earlier filings.
- 8% of grant dollars went directly to organisations outside the US (United Kingdom, Switzerland, India, Philippines).
- 18% of grant dollars went to intermediaries that regrant to other organisations.
Grants
How much do they typically give?
Share of 203 grants in tax year 2024 by size
Median $1.5M (tax year 2024)
The largest grants to organisations in the foundation’s latest filing:
- Johns Hopkins University · To support research, scholarship and facilities$186,794,4632024 tax year
- Museum of Science · To support capital projects$78,780,0002024 tax year
- Charter School Growth Fund · To improve outcomes for k-12 students in the u.s.$55,520,0002024 tax year
- Resources Legacy Fund · To support clean energy$26,500,0002024 tax year
- Vital Strategies · To combat the opioid crisis in the u.s.$25,254,0002024 tax year
- Resolve to Save Lives · To support cardiovascular health$23,250,0002024 tax year
- President And Fellows Of Harvard College · To support the bloomberg center for cities$20,000,0002024 tax year
- C40 Cities Climate Leadership Group · To support clean energy$20,000,0002024 tax year
Grants to organisations listed in the foundation’s Form 990-PF filings. Grants to individuals are not shown.
Officers and directors
- Walter Isaacson — Director
- Tenley Albright — Director
- Samuel J Palmisano — Director
- Sam Nunn — Director
- Ruth Porat — Director
- Robert A Iger — Director
- Reverand Joseph M Mcshane — Director
- Patricia E Harris — CEO, CAO & Director
- Michael G Mullen — Director
- Mellody Hobson — Director
- Maya Lin — Director
- Martin Sorrell — Director
- Mark Carney — Director
- Manuel A Diaz — Director
- Kenneth I Chenault — Director
- John J Mack — Director
- James G Niven — Director
- Henry Merritt Paulson JR — Director
- Georgina Bloomberg — Director
- Geoffrey Canada — Director
and 5 more
From the latest Form 990-PF filing
3 years of tax filings
| Year | Total expenses | Grants paid | Assets | Filing document |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 tax year | $1,273,232,535 | $977,319,604 | $11,529,721,546 | Filing for 2022 tax year |
| 2023 tax year | $1,431,675,458 | $1,005,927,588 | $11,808,358,665 | Filing for 2023 tax year |
| 2024 tax year | $1,509,929,162 | $1,016,737,000 | $12,117,236,821 | 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
Registers and filings
Other sources
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At a glance
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Applying to The Bloomberg Family Foundation?
Hinchilla drafts your answers around this funder's priorities, using your organisation's own documents.
No credit card required