Knight Foundation
At a glance
This funder does not accept unsolicited applications. The foundation chooses the organisations it funds itself.
Key takeaways
- The filing says the foundation makes contributions only to preselected charitable organisations and does not accept unsolicited requests, so a cold application is unlikely to be considered.
- Most of its 33 grants to organisations fall between $1,000,000 and $70,000,000, with a median of $5,000,000; that band is typical rather than a limit, and the largest grant was about $180,000,000, so a request far below that range would sit well outside its usual grant size.
- In its latest filing, 96% of grant dollars to organisations went to organisations it had also funded in an earlier filing, so giving is heavily repeat and relationship-led.
- The filing shows grants mainly in Oregon and California but states no geographic focus, and it gives no application steps or timetable, so any approach should be planned without a known deadline.
Overview
Knight Foundation is a US private foundation based in Beaverton, OR.
What they fund
Profile based on the foundation's IRS Form 990-PF filings (TY2024, TY2023, TY2022) only: no website or other web source for the foundation was found. Every statement is checked against the filings. Sources read on 12 October 2026.
Priority Areas
Its grants support university-based scientific impact, graduate scholarships, cancer and cardiology programmes, and brain-resilience work. It also provides general operating support to early-childhood and other nonprofit organisations, alongside designated support for foreign-policy and creative-writing programmes. Recipients include universities, medical foundations and other charitable organisations. The giving approach combines large, programme-specific institutional gifts with repeat general operating support. The grant record shows an Oregon concentration and additional giving in California. Its awards span higher education, health care, science and nonprofit operations rather than a single type of recipient.
Geographic Focus
No geographic focus is stated; the filings show grants mainly in Oregon and California.
How to apply
The filing says contributions go only to preselected charitable organisations and that unsolicited requests are not accepted; it gives no public application steps.
Application success factors
- Repeat giving: In its TY2024 filing, 96% 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 33 grants to organisations were $5,000,000 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 61% of grant dollars to organisations.
- In tax year 2024, 96% of grant dollars went to organisations Knight Foundation had funded in earlier filings.
- <1% of grant dollars went directly to organisations outside the US (Ireland).
- 2% of grant dollars went to intermediaries that regrant to other organisations.
Grants
How much do they typically give?
Share of 9 grants in tax year 2024 by size
Median $7.5M (tax year 2024)
The largest grants to organisations in the foundation’s latest filing:
- University of Oregon Foundation · This gift has been designated for the campus for accelerating scientific impact (the "casi program") as well as general operating and program support.$182,000,0002024 tax year
- Sei Inc · This gift has been designated for general operating support.$10,000,0002024 tax year
- Albina Head Start · This gift has been designated for general operating support.$10,000,0002024 tax year
- 1803 Fund · This gift has been designated for general operating support.$8,500,0002024 tax year
- Providence Saint Vincent Medical Foundation · This gift has been designated to the cardiology program.$7,500,0002024 tax year
- Blue Meridian Partners · This gift has been designated for general operating support.$5,213,0002024 tax year
- Brookings Institution · This gift has been designated for the foreign policy program.$2,000,0002024 tax year
- Fanconi Anemia Research Fund · This gift has been designated for general operating 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
- Travis A Knight — Vice President / Secretary / Director
- Lisa Mckillips — Assistant Secretary / Assistant Treasurer
- Penelope P Knight — Director / Vice President
- Philip H Knight — President / Treasurer
From the latest Form 990-PF filing
3 years of tax filings
| Year | Total expenses | Grants paid | Assets | Filing document |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 tax year | $252,585,656 | $212,500,000 | $3,823,959,557 | Filing for 2022 tax year |
| 2023 tax year | $244,066,344 | $191,354,333 | $5,010,349,527 | Filing for 2023 tax year |
| 2024 tax year | $277,515,298 | $226,548,000 | $5,436,572,717 | 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 Knight Foundation?
Hinchilla drafts your answers around this funder's priorities, using your organisation's own documents.
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Contact
- Beaverton, OR
Applying to Knight Foundation?
Hinchilla drafts your answers around this funder's priorities, using your organisation's own documents.
No credit card required
Contact
- Beaverton, OR