The AAUP Foundation is organized to fund, through its grantmaking process, the charitable and educational purposes of the AAUP, including supporting principles of academic freedom and the quality of higher education in a free and democratic society. By promoting and protecting academic freedom, the Foundation’s activities further the charitable purpose of advancing education and defending human and civil rights secured by law as interpreted by the First Amendment.
Aaup Foundation’s recent grantmaking is defined by support for academic freedom, tenure and governance, and legal defense in higher education. Its largest recent grant, $114,230 in 2023, went to the American Association of University Professors in Washington, DC for committee work tied to academic freedom, tenure and governance, investigations, legal defense, and related reporting. The foundation repeated that support in 2024 with a $63,077 grant to the same recipient for the same purpose, showing an ongoing commitment to the AAUP’s internal committees and legal-response work. Other awards show the same pattern of backing faculty advocacy and first-response capacity. In 2023, Trinity College in Hartford received $18,000 for faculty first responders, and in 2025 Western Michigan University Aaup in Kalamazoo received $13,673 for litigation. The foundation also uses named funds for academic freedom projects, direct assistance to faculty, publications, workshops, and related legal work. Across those awards, the grantmaking centers on higher-education institutions, faculty advocates, and AAUP-linked bodies working on academic freedom and due process.
In academic-freedom work, the foundation backed Trinity College in Hartford with an $18,000 grant for faculty first responders, showing support for rapid-response capacity around campus issues. Legal defense is another clear thread: Western Michigan University Aaup in Kalamazoo received $13,673 for litigation, aligning with the foundation’s use of grants for lawsuits and legal strategy in higher education. The foundation also funds committee and governance work through the American Association of University Professors in Washington, DC. Those grants supported academic freedom, tenure and governance, investigations, legal defense, and related report and committee meetings. Beyond that, its active funds include support for research, publications, conferences, workshops, and direct assistance to faculty members, along with a travel fund for academic activities.
Typical grants sit in a mid-five-figure range, with p25 at $40,538, a median of $63,077, and p75 at $88,654. The recent record shows repeated support to the same recipient over multiple years: the American Association of University Professors received grants in 2023, 2024, and 2025 for committee-related work. The foundation is a public charity, and its active grant programs include unsolicited applications for several funds, including the Quarterly Grants program, the Academic Freedom Fund, the Legal Defense Fund, the Moses and Dorothy Passer Legal Defense Fund, and the Konheim Travel Fund.
$22K
$1.4M
$741K
$38K
Most grants fall between $41K and $89K, with a median of $63K.
25th Percentile
$41K
Median
$63K
75th Percentile
$89K
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Grantmaking is regional and heavily concentrated in the District of Columbia, which accounts for 67% of grants given to recipients in the HQ state. Recent recipients also include Hartford, Connecticut, and Kalamazoo, Michigan. By count, Connecticut is the top state for grants, even though the foundation’s headquarters are in Washington, DC. All recent grants in the data went to U.S. recipients.
Its grantmaking supports academic freedom and the quality of higher education, including legal defense, faculty support, research and publications, and training or conferences. The foundation’s named funds also cover direct assistance to faculty members, committee and governance work, and special travel support for academic activities.
Yes. Several active programs are marked as accepting unsolicited applications, including the AAUP Foundation Quarterly Grants program, the Academic Freedom Fund, the Moses and Dorothy Passer Legal Defense Fund, the Legal Defense Fund, and the Konheim Travel Fund.
Typical grants are in the mid-five-figure range. The reported p25 is $40,538, the median is $63,077, and the p75 is $88,654.
Yes. The data show a regional scope, with 67% of grants given to recipients in the District of Columbia. Connecticut is the top state by grant count, and recent recipients also appear in Michigan.
Yes. The American Association of University Professors received grants in 2023, 2024, and 2025 for committee-related academic freedom and legal defense work, indicating recurring support rather than one-time awards.
2025
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2025.
Current and upcoming funding from Aaup Foundation that your nonprofit may be able to apply for.
Who can apply: Supports cases involving legal issues of national significance in higher education; see application process and operating guidelines for criteria and submission requirements.
Deadline: Applicants should consult the Legal Defense Fund Application Process and Operating Guidelines; contact and timing determined per the guidelines.
Who can apply: Supports legal cases that promote the important role of science and scientific research in society; see fund guidelines for additional information.
Deadline: Not specified on the program page; applicants should consult the fund guidelines. General Foundation quarterly deadlines may be relevant.
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Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| WESTERN MICHIGAN UNIVERSITY AAUP | KALAMAZOO, MI | $13,673 | 2025 | LITIGATION GRANT |
| AMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF UNIVERSITY PROFESSORS | WASHINGTON, DC | $8,250 | 2025 | SUPPORT COMMITTEE ON ACADEMIC FREEDOM, TENURE AND GOVERNANCE, INVESTIGATIONS, LEGAL DEFENSE, AND RELATED REPORT & COMMITTEE MEETINGS. |
| AMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF UNIVERSITY PROFESSORS | WASHINGTON, DC | $63,077 | 2024 | SUPPORT COMMITTEE ON ACADEMIC FREEDOM, TENURE AND GOVERNANCE, INVESTIGATIONS, LEGAL DEFENSE, AND RELATED REPORT & COMMITTEE MEETINGS. |
| AMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF UNIVERSITY PROFESSORS | WASHINGTON, DC | $114,230 | 2023 | SUPPORT COMMITTEE ON ACADEMIC FREEDOM, TENURE AND GOVERNANCE, INVESTIGATIONS, LEGAL DEFENSE, AND RELATED REPORT & COMMITTEE MEETINGS. |
| TRINITY COLLEGE | HARTFORD, CT | $18,000 | 2023 | GRANT FACULTY FIRST RESPONDERS |
WESTERN MICHIGAN UNIVERSITY AAUP
$13,673LITIGATION GRANT
AMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF UNIVERSITY PROFESSORS
$8,250SUPPORT COMMITTEE ON ACADEMIC FREEDOM, TENURE AND GOVERNANCE, INVESTIGATIONS, LEGAL DEFENSE, AND RELATED REPORT & COMMITTEE MEETINGS.
AMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF UNIVERSITY PROFESSORS
$63,077SUPPORT COMMITTEE ON ACADEMIC FREEDOM, TENURE AND GOVERNANCE, INVESTIGATIONS, LEGAL DEFENSE, AND RELATED REPORT & COMMITTEE MEETINGS.
AMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF UNIVERSITY PROFESSORS
$114,230SUPPORT COMMITTEE ON ACADEMIC FREEDOM, TENURE AND GOVERNANCE, INVESTIGATIONS, LEGAL DEFENSE, AND RELATED REPORT & COMMITTEE MEETINGS.
TRINITY COLLEGE
$18,000GRANT FACULTY FIRST RESPONDERS
