Indian Paintbrush 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 cold application is unlikely to be considered; your first step is to find out whether your organisation is already known to it before you write anything.
- Its recorded grants lean towards education, which is the area where your work is most likely to fit, although the filings do not state a funding priority.
- Half of its grants to organisations are $200,000 or less, and its median grant is $200,000, so a request near that figure fits its usual pattern better than a very small ask; its largest grant was about $60,000,000, so that figure is not a ceiling.
- In its most recent filing, 53% of its grant dollars to organisations went to groups it had also funded in earlier filings, which suggests that existing relationships count for a good deal.
- No geographic focus is stated, so your location does not on its own rule you out, although its grants have mainly gone to Indiana, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts and California.
Overview
Indian Paintbrush Foundation is a US private foundation based in Washington, DC.
What they fund
Profile derived from the foundation's IRS Form 990-PF filings (TY2024, TY2023, TY2022) and web pages about the foundation (insidephilanthropy.com), with every statement checked against those sources. Sources read on 12 October 2026.
Priority Areas
The foundation's recorded grants chiefly provide educational support by value, while general support accounts for the largest number of grant entries; a smaller part is classified as medical support. Recipients include universities and other educational institutions, alongside health organisations and a broad range of charitable organisations. Reporting also describes direct awards to universities, hospitals and medical research organisations. The foundation's filing states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organisations and does not accept unsolicited requests, indicating a selective approach rather than an open application route. The materials reviewed do not state substantive funding priorities, eligibility rules or preferred grant areas. Its direct grant record, rather than published guidance, is therefore the basis for describing its giving.
Themes
From its grants, not stated by the foundation:
- Education
Geographic Focus
No geographic focus is stated; the filings show grants mainly in Indiana, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts and California.
How to apply
The foundation states that it does not accept unsolicited requests.
Application success factors
- Repeat giving: In its TY2024 filing, 53% 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 49 grants to organisations were $200,000 or less.
Where grants go
From grants to organisations in the foundation’s filings for tax years 2022–2024.
Grant dollars by state
5 other states: <1%
- The largest single recipient received 50% of grant dollars to organisations.
- In tax year 2024, 53% of grant dollars went to organisations Indian Paintbrush Foundation had funded in earlier filings.
- No grants were paid directly to organisations outside the US.
- 35% of grant dollars went to intermediaries that regrant to other organisations.
Grants
How much do they typically give?
Share of 19 grants in tax year 2024 by size
Median $350k (tax year 2024)
The largest grants to organisations in the foundation’s latest filing:
- DePauw University · Educational support$46,000,0002024 tax year
- Foundation to Combat Antisemitism · General support$37,500,0002024 tax year
- University of Southern California · Educational support$5,000,0002024 tax year
- University of California Santa Barbara · Educational support$5,000,0002024 tax year
- College Year in Athens · Educational support$2,800,0002024 tax year
- Community Foundation of Jackson Hole · General support$2,500,0002024 tax year
- University of California San Francisco Foundation · Educational support$1,500,0002024 tax year
- ST Johns Health Foundation · Medical support$1,000,0002024 tax year
Grants to organisations listed in the foundation’s Form 990-PF filings. Grants to individuals are not shown.
Officers and directors
- Queenie H Chung — Vice President
- Teresa L C Baldwin — Secretary / Treasurer
- Joseph O Bunting III — Vice President
- Steven M Rales — Chairman / Director / President
From the latest Form 990-PF filing
3 years of tax filings
| Year | Total expenses | Grants paid | Assets | Filing document |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 tax year | $84,865,214 | $80,805,000 | $2,200,768,640 | Filing for 2022 tax year |
| 2023 tax year | $121,802,197 | $108,579,732 | $2,111,626,309 | Filing for 2023 tax year |
| 2024 tax year | $114,831,748 | $102,925,000 | $1,942,801,649 | 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 Indian Paintbrush Foundation?
Hinchilla drafts your answers around this funder's priorities, using your organisation's own documents.
No credit card required
Contact
- Washington, DC
Applying to Indian Paintbrush Foundation?
Hinchilla drafts your answers around this funder's priorities, using your organisation's own documents.
No credit card required
Contact
- Washington, DC