TED 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 and works by invitation only, so a small charity should not send an approach unless it has first been invited.
- If its work touches climate action or education, its stated themes, it is still worth knowing that the filing does not explain how invitations are made.
- Its grants have typically fallen between $50,000 and $400,000, and the median grant was $400,000, but it paid only $53,000 in the latest filing, so any eventual request should be sized with that small total in mind.
- None of its grant dollars in the latest filing went to organisations it had also funded in the earlier one, so past support is no guarantee of more.
- No geographic focus is stated, so its grants in Ukraine, France and Cyprus should not be read as a rule about who may apply.
Overview
TED 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 (TY2023, TY2022) and its website, with every statement checked against those sources. Sources read on 7 October 2026.
Priority Areas
TED Foundation’s stated goal is to foster the spread of great ideas, offering thinkers, visionaries and teachers a platform so people around the globe can better understand major issues and help create a better future. Its work uses TED conferences to bring together researchers, academics and educators, while its initiatives include climate solutions and education: Countdown champions underinvested ideas for a zero-carbon world, and TED-Ed amplifies teachers’ and students’ ideas through free or low-cost resources. The Audacious Project brings collaborative research and philanthropy to bold ideas for social change at scale. The approach is global and idea-led, combining public communication with practical efforts to advance ideas.
Themes
- Climate action
- Education
Geographic Focus
No geographic focus is stated; the filings show grants mainly in Ukraine, France and Cyprus.
How to apply
The foundation states that it does not accept unsolicited requests.
Application success factors
- Repeat giving: In its TY2023 filing, none of its grant dollars to organisations went to organisations it had also funded in its TY2022 filing.
- Grant size: Across its TY2022 and TY2023 filings, half of its 7 grants to organisations were $400,000 or less.
What the foundation says:
- For The Audacious Project, TED’s curatorial team seeks daring ideas with measurable potential to improve global quality of life and investigates whether recipients’ innovative ideas could produce seismic impact.
- The Audacious Project selects bold, bright ideas and works with change-makers to make their initiatives more audacious.
Where grants go
From grants to organisations in the foundation’s filings for tax years 2022–2023.
Grant dollars by state
Outside the US or with no state on the filing: 95%
- The largest single recipient received 19% of grant dollars to organisations.
- In tax year 2023, 0% of grant dollars went to organisations TED Foundation had funded in earlier filings.
- 95% of grant dollars went directly to organisations outside the US (Ukraine, France, Cyprus).
Grants
The largest grants to organisations in the foundation’s latest filing:
- Greening of Detroit · General support$53,0002023 tax year
Grants to organisations listed in the foundation’s Form 990-PF filings. Grants to individuals are not shown.
Officers and directors
- Christopher Anderson — President
- Nishat Ruiter — Secretary
- Thomas Valentino — CFO
From the latest Form 990-PF filing
2 years of tax filings
| Year | Total expenses | Grants paid | Assets | Filing document |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 tax year | $97,807,166 | $2,050,000 | $50,084,102 | Filing for 2022 tax year |
| 2023 tax year | $98,276,782 | $53,000 | $56,734,031 | Filing for 2023 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
Applying to TED Foundation?
Hinchilla drafts your answers around this funder's priorities, using your organisation's own documents.
No credit card required
Contact
- tedx@ted.com
- inkind@ted.com
- New York, NY
- ted.com
Applying to TED Foundation?
Hinchilla drafts your answers around this funder's priorities, using your organisation's own documents.
No credit card required
Contact
- tedx@ted.com
- inkind@ted.com
- New York, NY
- ted.com