About American Institute of Physics
The mission of AIP (American Institute of Physics) is to advance, promote, and serve the physical sciences for the benefit of humanity.
Focus Areas
physical sciencesphysicsastronomyscience policyscience educationSTEM excellencestudent programshistory of scienceresearch and statistics
Who They Fund
undergraduate students in physics & astronomystudents at Predominantly Black Institutions (PBIs)women and girls pursuing STEM (Girls of WiSTEM, Spelman students)early-career scientists and trainees (interns, summer programs)
About American Institute of Physics
American Institute of Physics Inc uses grantmaking to support the physics community through publications, research, policy analysis, and programs tied to the physical sciences. A prominent recent grant went to the University of Maryland Foundation for $1,000,000, signaling the scale of its support for university-based physics work. The foundation also backs programs that build the physics pipeline at underrepresented institutions, including $200,000 to Morgan State University Foundation for recruitment, retention, and research in physics. Its recent awards show a strong interest in the structures around physics participation: cohort mentoring, undergraduate internships, teaching culture, federal policy, and public communication about science. Grants also reach professional societies and higher-education partners that serve physicists, astronomers, educators, and trainees. Across the recent grants list, the foundation appears to favor institution-level support rather than individual awards, with funding directed to colleges, universities, and science organizations that can carry out multi-part programs for students, faculty, and the wider physics field.
What American Institute of Physics Funds
In physics pipeline building, the foundation gave $200,000 to Spelman College for the TUT EXCEL program supporting the Spelman Physics and Engineering Learning Community. It also awarded $200,000 to Chicago State Uni for a PBI-centered physics program focused on cohort building and a multilevel mentoring network. STEM education and mentoring are a recurring theme: Georgia State University Research Foundation received $200,000 for cohort mentoring in physics and astronomy plus an undergraduate internship program. The foundation also supports hands-on enrichment, as shown by $200,000 to Albion College for Belonging, Resilience, Retention, and Identity through Robotics. Beyond student support, it funds professional and policy work, including $87,373 to American Physical Society for federal legislation, science trust, and the Earle Plyler Prize for Molecular Spectroscopy & Dynamics.
How American Institute of Physics Gives
Typical awards cluster around mid-five figures to low six figures, with a p25 of $11,250, median of $39,600, and p75 of $86,474. The grant list shows repeat support to the same organizations across multiple years, including several awards in 2024 and 2025 to the same professional societies and universities, which suggests ongoing relationships rather than one-off gifts. The foundation makes program-related investments and funds institutions, not individuals. Its giving is organized around projects, programs, and named initiatives rather than open-ended support. Application procedures are not stated in the data provided.
Financial Snapshot
Annual Giving
$1.6M
Total Assets
$300.8M
Total Revenue
$92.4M
Total Expenses
$92.6M
Typical Grant Size
Most grants fall between $11K and $86K, with a median of $40K.
25th Percentile
$11K
Median
$40K
75th Percentile
$86K
Geographic Reach
National15 states funded
Funding intensity
LowHigh
Headquarters
Leadership
MICHAEL MOLONEY
Accepts unsolicited proposals
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