The Arthur Vining Davis Foundation #2 concentrates its giving on public educational media, private higher education, and health care (notably palliative care), favoring national institutions and signature programs over neighborhood-level projects. Grants are often sizable general operating awards or multi-grant relationships to well-known organizations, indicating a preference for established nonprofits that produce educational content or advance professional practice in medicine and higher education.
A $600,000 general operating grant to Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in 2024 is one of the clearest signals of how Arthur Vining Davis Foundation #2 funds: it backs established institutions with large, program-specific awards or operating support rather than small local grants. Across the recent grants list, the foundation returns to three main lanes: public educational media, private higher education, and palliative care. It also supports interfaith leadership and environmental solutions, with grants tied to national organizations and partnership-based initiatives. The pattern is institutional and repeat-oriented. Fred Rogers Productions received two $300,000 awards in the recent record, one as general operating support and one under public educational media, while Weta and Wgbh Educational Foundation also appear as repeated recipients. In higher education, the foundation supports private colleges and university-based centers, including Dickson College, University of Michigan, and UC Berkeley. In health care, it has funded palliative care capacity through Mount Sinai and the Center to Advance Palliative Care. The foundation’s grantmaking shows a preference for organizations that produce educational content, strengthen liberal arts education, or improve care for serious illness and end of life.
Public educational media is a major line of giving. Arthur Vining Davis Foundation #2 gave $500,000 to Weta in 2025 for public educational media, and $400,000 to Wgbh Educational Foundation in 2025 for the same purpose. It also supported Prx Incorporated with $307,343 in 2024 and The Groundtruth Project with $250,000 in 2023. In private higher education, the foundation funds liberal arts and undergraduate-focused institutions. Examples include $275,296 to Dickson College in 2023 and $262,776 to University of Michigan in 2023. It also gave $314,868 to Uc Berkley Geater Good Science Center in 2025 under private higher education. Interfaith leadership is another distinct area. The Pew Charitable Trusts received $300,000 in 2023, while Interfaith America received $200,000 in 2023 and Hillel International received $200,000 in 2025. These grants align with programming that supports religious literacy and cooperation across traditions.
$4.7M
$117.1M
$8.3M
$5.9M
Most grants fall between $10K and $200K, with a median of $50K.
25th Percentile
$10K
Median
$50K
75th Percentile
$200K
About 7% of grants go to recipients in NY.
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Concentrated, mid-to-large grants to a relatively small set of repeat national grantees; emphasis on general operating and program support rather than many small grants. Funding is relationship-driven (multiple grants to the same organizations) and focused on scale and institutional impact rather than local geographic targeting.
Notable grantees: WETA, WGBH Educational Foundation, Fred Rogers Productions, Center to Advance Palliative Care, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai
Typical grant size runs from $10,000 at the 25th percentile to a $50,000 median and $200,000 at the 75th percentile. The recent record also shows larger awards reaching $600,000, so the foundation uses a mix of mid-sized and major institutional grants. Recipients appear across multiple years, including Weta, Wgbh Educational Foundation, Fred Rogers Productions, and Rita and Alex Hillman Foundation, which points to recurring relationships rather than one-off gifts. The foundation is a regular funder, and several of its active programs are invitation-only, while private higher education is open-submission.
Arthur Vining Davis Foundation #2 gives nationally, with all recent recipient-country records in the United States. By state, Texas receives the most grants overall, while Pennsylvania accounts for 9% of grants. Recent awards cluster in major education and media hubs such as New York, Boston, Washington, DC, and Arlington, alongside Pennsylvania recipients in Pittsburgh, Carlisle, and Allentown. The geographic pattern fits its institutional focus more than local place-based giving.
The foundation most often supports public educational media, private higher education, palliative care, and interfaith leadership. Recent grants include Weta and Wgbh Educational Foundation for public media, Dickson College and University of Michigan for higher education, and Mount Sinai and the Center to Advance Palliative Care for serious-illness care.
Yes for private higher education, which is listed as open-submission. The active program list marks public educational media, palliative care, environmental solutions, and interfaith leadership as not accepting unsolicited proposals.
Its grant-size distribution is $10,000 at the 25th percentile, $50,000 at the median, and $200,000 at the 75th percentile. Recent awards also include larger grants such as $600,000 to Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai.
Several recipients recur across years, including Weta, Wgbh Educational Foundation, Fred Rogers Productions, Rita and Alex Hillman Foundation, and Braver Angels. That pattern suggests ongoing relationships rather than single awards.
Its giving is national, with all recipient-country records in the United States. Texas is the top state by grant count, and Pennsylvania receives 9% of grants. Recent recipient cities include New York, Boston, Arlington, Pittsburgh, Carlisle, and Allentown.
2025
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2025.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| WETA | ARLINGTON, VA | $500,000 | 2025 | PUBLIC EDUCATIONAL MEDIA |
| WGBH EDUCATIONAL FOUNDATION | BRIGHTON, MA | $400,000 | 2025 | PUBLIC EDUCATIONAL MEDIA |
| UC BERKLEY GEATER GOOD SCIENCE CENTER | BERKELEY, CA | $314,868 | 2025 | PRIVATE HIGHER EDUCATION |
| FRED ROGERS PRODUCTIONS | PITTBURGH, PA | $300,000 | 2025 | PUBLIC EDUCATIONAL MEDIA |
| ICAHN SCHOOL OF MEDICINE AT MT SINAI CT | NEW YORK, NY | $300,000 | 2025 | PALLIATIVE CARE |
| RITA AND ALEX HILLMAN FOUNDATION | NEW YORK, NY | $250,000 | 2025 | PALLIATIVE CARE |
| BRAVER ANGELS | NEW YORK, NY | $200,000 | 2025 | PRIVATE HIGHER EDUCATION |
| HILLEL INTERNATIONAL | WASHINGTON, DC | $200,000 | 2025 | INTERFAITH LEADERSHIP AND |
| INTERVARSITY CHRISTIAN FELLOWSHIPUSA | MADISON, WI | $184,000 | 2025 | INTERFAITH LEADERSHIP AND |
| HETERODOX ACADEMY | NEW YORK, NY | $180,000 | 2025 | PRIVATE HIGHER EDUCATION |
| AMERICAN COUNCIL OF LEARNED SOCIETIES | NEW YORK, NY | $177,500 | 2025 | PRIVATE HIGHER EDUCATION |
| NEIGHBORLY FAITH | RALEIGH, NC | $175,000 | 2025 | INTERFAITH LEADERSHIP AND |
| CONSTRUCTIVE DIALOGUE INSTITUTE | NEW YORK, NY | $151,610 | 2025 | PRIVATE HIGHER EDUCATION |
| NEXTBOOK INC - TABLET MAGAZINE | NEW YORK, NY | $150,000 | 2025 | INTERFAITH LEADERSHIP AND |
| COUNCIL OF INDEPENDENT COLLEGES | WASHINGTON, DC | $150,000 | 2025 | PRIVATE HIGHER EDUCATION |
| CAMPUS COMPACT | BOSTON, MA | $146,000 | 2025 | PRIVATE HIGHER EDUCATION |
| OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY FOUNDATION | COLUMBUS, OH | $120,000 | 2025 | INTERFAITH LEADERSHIP AND |
| BRIGHAM AND WOMENS HOSPITAL | BOSTON, MA | $108,887 | 2025 | PALLIATIVE CARE |
| COALITION TO TRANSFORM ADVANCED CARE | WASHINGTON, DC | $25,000 | 2025 | PALLIATIVE CARE |
| ITHAKA HARBORS | NEW YORK, NY | $25,000 | 2025 | PRIVATE HIGHER EDUCATION |
| HOSPICE FOUNDATION OF AMERICA | WASHINGTON, DC | $16,474 | 2025 | PALLIATIVE CARE |
| GRANTMAKERS IN AGING | ARLINGTON, VA | $15,000 | 2025 | PALLIATIVE CARE |
| LITERACY ALLIANCE OF NORTHEAST FLORIDA | JACKSONVILLE, FL | $10,000 | 2025 | SPECIAL PROJECTS |
| WORLD AFFAIRS COUNCIL OF JACKSONVILLE | JACKSONVILLE, FL | $10,000 | 2025 | SPECIAL PROJECTS |
| KIPP JACKSONVILLE | JACKSONVILLE, FL | $10,000 | 2025 | SPECIAL PROJECTS |
| COMMUNITIES IN SCHOOLS OF JACKSONVILLE | JACKSONVILLE, FL | $10,000 | 2025 | SPECIAL PROJECTS |
| WOODWELL CLIMATE RESEARCH CENTER | FALMOUTH, MA | $8,000 | 2025 | SPECIAL PROJECTS |
| NORTHERN STAR COUNCIL BOY SCOUNTS OF AMERICA | IRVING, TX | $6,000 | 2025 | SPECIAL PROJECTS |
| MINNESOTA INDIAN WOMEN'S RESOURCE CENTER | MINNEAPOLIS, MN | $5,000 | 2025 | SPECIAL PROJECTS |
| SEATTLE AQUARIUM | SEATTLE, WA | $5,000 | 2025 | SPECIAL PROJECTS |
| HUMANITIES TEXAS | AUSTIN, TX | $4,000 | 2025 | SPECIAL PROJECTS |
| NORTH TEXAS FOOD BANK | PLANO, TX | $4,000 | 2025 | GENERAL OPERATING |
| TEXAS SCOTTISH RITE HOSPITAL FOR CHILDRE | DALLAS, TX | $4,000 | 2025 | SPECIAL PROJECTS |
| NEW MEXICO HUMANITIES COUNCIL | ALBUQUERQUE, NM | $4,000 | 2025 | SPECIAL PROJECTS |
| NORTH TEXAS PUBLIC BROADCASTING | DALLAS, TX | $4,000 | 2025 | SPECIAL PROJECTS |
| INTERNATIONAL RESCUE COMMITTEE | NEW YORK, NY | $4,000 | 2025 | SPECIAL PROJECTS |
| FOOD BANK OF THE SOUTHERN TIER | ELMIRA, NY | $3,000 | 2025 | SPECIAL PROJECTS |
| MAINE CENTER FOR PUBLIC INTEREST REPORTI | HALLOWELL, ME | $3,000 | 2025 | SPECIAL PROJECTS |
| GLOBAL HEALTH MINISTRIES | MINNEAPOLIS, MN | $3,000 | 2025 | SPECIAL PROJECTS |
| UNIVERSITY OF VERMONT FOUNDATION | BURLINGTON, VT | $3,000 | 2025 | SPECIAL PROJECTS |
| CAMBRIDGE SCHOOL OF WESTON | WESTON, MA | $3,000 | 2025 | SPECIAL PROJECTS |
| BILLION OYSTER PROJECT | NEW YORK, NY | $3,000 | 2025 | SPECIAL PROJECTS |
| MAINE COMMUNITY FOUNDATION | ELLSWORTH, ME | $3,000 | 2025 | SPECIAL PROJECTS |
| MINNESOTA PUBLIC RADIO | SAINT PAUL, MN | $3,000 | 2025 | SPECIAL PROJECTS |
| CORNELL UNIVERISTY LAB OF ORNITHOLOGY | ITHACA, NY | $2,000 | 2025 | SPECIAL PROJECTS |
| DICKINSON COLLEGE | CARLISLE, PA | $2,000 | 2025 | PRIVATE HIGHER EDUCATION |
| THE FINGER LAKES LAND TRUST | ITHACA, NY | $2,000 | 2025 | SPECIAL PROJECTS |
| NORTH ANOKA COUNTY EMERGENCY FOODSHELF | CEDAR, MN | $1,000 | 2025 | SPECIAL PROJECTS |
| JEFFERSON LAND TRUST | PORT TOWNSEND, WA | $1,000 | 2025 | GENERAL OPERATING |
| BAINBRIDGE ISLAND LAND TRUST | BAINBRIDGE ISLAND, WA | $1,000 | 2025 | SPECIAL PROJECTS |
UC BERKLEY GEATER GOOD SCIENCE CENTER
$314,868PRIVATE HIGHER EDUCATION
FRED ROGERS PRODUCTIONS
$300,000PUBLIC EDUCATIONAL MEDIA
RITA AND ALEX HILLMAN FOUNDATION
PALLIATIVE CARE
HILLEL INTERNATIONAL
$200,000INTERFAITH LEADERSHIP AND
INTERVARSITY CHRISTIAN FELLOWSHIPUSA
$184,000INTERFAITH LEADERSHIP AND
COUNCIL OF INDEPENDENT COLLEGES
$150,000PRIVATE HIGHER EDUCATION
OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY FOUNDATION
$120,000INTERFAITH LEADERSHIP AND
BRIGHAM AND WOMENS HOSPITAL
$108,887PALLIATIVE CARE
HOSPICE FOUNDATION OF AMERICA
$16,474PALLIATIVE CARE
WORLD AFFAIRS COUNCIL OF JACKSONVILLE
$10,000SPECIAL PROJECTS
NORTHERN STAR COUNCIL BOY SCOUNTS OF AMERICA
$6,000SPECIAL PROJECTS
SEATTLE AQUARIUM
$5,000SPECIAL PROJECTS
HUMANITIES TEXAS
$4,000SPECIAL PROJECTS
NEW MEXICO HUMANITIES COUNCIL
$4,000SPECIAL PROJECTS
FOOD BANK OF THE SOUTHERN TIER
$3,000SPECIAL PROJECTS
UNIVERSITY OF VERMONT FOUNDATION
$3,000SPECIAL PROJECTS
CAMBRIDGE SCHOOL OF WESTON
$3,000SPECIAL PROJECTS
DICKINSON COLLEGE
$2,000PRIVATE HIGHER EDUCATION
NORTH ANOKA COUNTY EMERGENCY FOODSHELF
$1,000SPECIAL PROJECTS
JEFFERSON LAND TRUST
$1,000GENERAL OPERATING