Synchrony Foundation
At a glance
This funder does not accept unsolicited applications. The foundation chooses the organisations it funds itself.
Key takeaways
- Synchrony Foundation does not accept unsolicited requests and works by invitation only, so a cold proposal is unlikely to be considered.
- If your work fits its stated focus of Education as an Equalizer, covering higher education, skills training and financial literacy, look for a way to be invited rather than sending an unprompted application.
- About 8 in 10 of its grants fall between $100 and $13,500 and the median was about $935, so a modest request is the realistic size, and its largest grant, about $2,400,000, went to Blackbaud Giving Fund, so that band is typical rather than a ceiling.
- The filing shows 60% of its grant dollars to organisations went to groups it had also funded in an earlier filing, which suggests existing relationships carry real weight.
- No geographic focus is stated, and its grants have mainly gone to Connecticut, New York, Georgia, Florida, South Carolina and the United States, but that describes past giving and does not limit who may apply.
Overview
Synchrony Foundation is a US private foundation based in Stamford, CT.
What they fund
Profile derived from the foundation's IRS Form 990-PF filings (TY2023, TY2022) and web pages about the foundation (synchrony.com), with every statement checked against those sources. Sources read on 7 October 2026.
Priority Areas
The foundation’s stated philanthropic focus is Education as an Equalizer: expanding access to higher education, skills training and financial literacy to unlock economic opportunity for underserved communities. Its president describes this initiative as central to its philanthropic efforts and links it to pathways for underrepresented groups to access education and careers in high-demand fields. Its grant record also shows support for charitable organisations’ general operations and programmes, including youth development through community service, financial literacy education for students, scholarships and emergency relief. Recipients include education and advice-service organisations, and the filings record employee matching gifts.
Themes
- Higher education
- Skills training
- Financial literacy
Geographic Focus
No geographic focus is stated; the filings show grants mainly in Connecticut, New York, Georgia, Florida, South Carolina and the United States.
How to apply
The foundation states that it does not accept unsolicited requests.
Application success factors
- Repeat giving: In its TY2023 filing, 60% 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 2,487 grants to organisations were about $935 or less.
Where grants go
From grants to organisations in the foundation’s filings for tax years 2022–2023.
Grant dollars by state
6 other states: 21%
Outside the US or with no state on the filing: 17%
- The largest single recipient received 7% of grant dollars to organisations.
- In tax year 2023, 60% of grant dollars went to organisations Synchrony Foundation had funded in earlier filings.
- No grants were paid directly to organisations outside the US.
- 25% of grant dollars went to intermediaries that regrant to other organisations.
Grants
How much do they typically give?
Share of 392 grants in tax year 2023 by size
Median $7,000 (tax year 2023)
The largest grants to organisations in the foundation’s latest filing:
- Blackbaud Giving Fund · Employee matching gifts$2,388,3252023 tax year
- Operation HOPE · Funding supports general operations and programming.$1,050,0002023 tax year
- District Arts & Education · Funding supports general operations and programming.$1,010,0002023 tax year
- National Foundation for Credit Counseling · Funding supports general operations and programming.$750,0002023 tax year
- Emergency Assistance Foundation · Funding supports general operations and programming.$662,0002023 tax year
- Domus Kids · Funding supports general operations and programming.$579,5002023 tax year
- Girls Who Code · Funding supports general operations and programming.$562,3002023 tax year
- buildOn · Funding supports general operations and programming.$516,8312023 tax year
Grants to organisations listed in the foundation’s Form 990-PF filings. Grants to individuals are not shown.
Officers and directors
- Michael Matthews — Director
- Carol Juel — Director
- Paul Werner — Assistant Secretary
- Jonathan Mothner — Secretary / Director
- David Castro — Vice President / Director
- Brian Wenzel — Vice President / CFO / Treasurer / Director
- Chris Coffey — Vice President - Treasury
- Doug Steare — Vice President - Tax
- Denise Yap — President
- Brian Doubles — CEO / Director
From the latest Form 990-PF filing
2 years of tax filings
| Year | Total expenses | Grants paid | Assets | Filing document |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 tax year | $18,962,519 | $17,848,209 | $100,111,912 | Filing for 2022 tax year |
| 2023 tax year | $18,711,547 | $18,038,860 | $88,394,943 | 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
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At a glance
Applying to Synchrony Foundation?
Hinchilla drafts your answers around this funder's priorities, using your organisation's own documents.
No credit card required
Contact
- Stamford, CT
Applying to Synchrony Foundation?
Hinchilla drafts your answers around this funder's priorities, using your organisation's own documents.
No credit card required
Contact
- Stamford, CT