About American University
The foundation primarily channels funding through American University as pass‑through/subaward dollars to colleges, universities, research hospitals and policy organizations, emphasizing academic research, international education and public affairs. Grantees are largely higher‑education institutions and specialized nonprofits supporting research, civic/security programming, journalism on transnational crime, and arts/health projects. Funding patterns suggest strategic support for collaborative research and program implementation rather than direct community service grants.
Focus Areas
University research partnerships and subawards (STEM, social science, and arts research conducted at major research universities)International education and youth exchange programs (e.g., IEARN and similar global learning initiatives)Civic engagement, democratic governance and national security policy (e.g., Partnership for a Secure America and policy centers)Investigative journalism and research on transnational crime (e.g., Insight Crime)Higher education capacity-building and workforce development at public urban universities (e.g., UDC, Morgan State)
Who They Fund
About American University
American University’s grantmaking is shaped by a steady stream of subawards to universities and research organizations, with large awards going to Georgetown University, Rochester Institute of Technology, and Johns Hopkins University. The pattern points to a funder that uses its resources to support collaborative academic work, policy research, and specialized program delivery rather than direct service grants. Recent awards also reach public universities and research hospitals, including Ohio State University, Louisiana State University, and the General Hospital Corporation. The foundation’s recent record shows broad disciplinary reach within higher education. Its grants include support for STEM and social science research, international education, civic and national security policy work, investigative journalism on transnational crime, and arts- or health-related projects. That mix aligns with an institution that channels funding through academic partnerships and subawards, often to colleges, universities, and affiliated nonprofit entities. A recurring feature is the emphasis on institutional capacity. Morgan State University, the University of Arkansas System, and the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign appear among the recent recipients, alongside Yale University and Boston University. Together, these grants suggest a funder invested in research infrastructure, cross-campus collaboration, and programs that connect scholarship with public-facing practice.
What American University Funds
In research partnerships, American University funded multiple university-based projects, including $491,122 to Rochester Institute of Technology for a subaward and $358,395 to Johns Hopkins University for a subaward. Those awards sit within a broader pattern of support for academic institutions working on specialized research. For international education and youth exchange, the foundation gave $165,542 to Iearn Inc in 2023 and another $159,258 in 2024. That repeated support indicates sustained backing for global learning initiatives. Civic engagement and national security policy also appear in the recent grants. Insight Crime Incorporated received $151,333 in 2023 for a sub-award, while Georgetown University received $681,887 in 2025 for a subaward tied to a university setting. The foundation also backs higher education capacity-building at public universities, including $182,329 to Morgan State University and $222,233 to the University of Arkansas System, both as subawards.
Financial Snapshot
Annual Giving
$5M
Total Assets
$2.5B
Total Revenue
$937.1M
Total Expenses
$918.4M
Typical Grant Size
Most grants fall between $24K and $100K, with a median of $48K.
25th Percentile
$24K
Median
$48K
75th Percentile
$100K
Geographic Reach
National28 states funded
Funding intensity
LowHigh
Headquarters
Leadership
JONATHAN ALGER
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