The Extension Foundation primarily channels federal subawards to public land‑grant and research universities to support extension, agriculture, and community‑engaged research activities. Grants are programmatic subcontracts rather than general operating support, typically routed to state universities (including 1890s HBCU partners) across the country. The foundation’s giving pattern emphasizes applied research, cooperative extension, and capacity building for outreach programs rather than direct service delivery to individuals.
Distributed but targeted: many mid‑sized federal subaward grants, often repeated to the same institutions (most top grantees received two awards), concentrated on public/state universities and cooperative extension partners rather than many small nonprofits.
Extension Foundation C/o Bryan Cave LLP’s recent grantmaking is built around federal subawards to universities, especially land-grant and research institutions carrying out extension, agriculture, and community-engaged work. In 2025, its largest listed grant went to Washington State University for $507,481, a scale that reflects how the foundation channels funds through institutional partners rather than small direct awards. Other large subawards in the recent list reached West Virginia University at $187,315 and Ohio State University at $186,273, showing a strong university-centered model. The foundation’s pattern is closely tied to applied research and outreach infrastructure. Its recipients include state universities across a wide national network, along with 1890s University partners such as 1890s Universities Foundation. The grant descriptions consistently reference federal award subgrants, indicating restricted funding routed for specific programmatic purposes. That structure aligns with support for cooperative extension, agricultural outreach, and capacity-building efforts delivered through higher education systems. The overall portfolio also includes repeated awards to some institutions across more than one year, which suggests ongoing administration of multi-site federal programs rather than isolated philanthropy.
A core area of support is cooperative extension and agricultural outreach. The foundation gave $154,632 to University of Georgia for a federal award subgrant, and also awarded $90,326 to University of Missouri for the same type of support, pointing to university-based extension work as a recurring vehicle. Another consistent theme is applied agricultural and natural resources research. Examples include $158,729 to University of Florida and $102,114 to Auburn University, both listed as federal award subgrants tied to university partners. The foundation also supports 1890s HBCU-related capacity building and federal program administration. A $132,489 grant to 1890s Universities Foundation fits that pattern, while awards to Mississippi State University, North Carolina State University, and Clemson University show the breadth of the university network involved in these programs.
$4M
$4.1M
$11.7M
$10.7M
Most grants fall between $18K and $58K, with a median of $23K.
25th Percentile
$18K
Median
$23K
75th Percentile
$58K
About 5% of grants go to recipients in GA.
Sign up for a free Kindora account to access AI-generated insights into this funder's giving patterns, decision-makers, and fit signals.
Get Started FreeFree Kindora accounts unlock side-by-side comparisons with foundations that share this funder's focus areas and giving profile.
Get Started FreeSign up free to see how well your nonprofit fits this funder, get an AI-generated pitch, and unlock similar foundations.
Notable grantees: Washington State University, Mississippi State University, 1890s Universities Foundation, Cornell University, University of California
Typical grant size clusters in the mid-five figures: the 25th percentile is $18,096, the median is $23,322, and the 75th percentile is $57,688. The recent list also shows a wide spread above that range, with several six-figure subawards and one award above $500,000. This is recurring grantmaking rather than one-off support. Washington State University appears in both 2024 and 2025, West Virginia University appears in both years, and University of Delaware and Mississippi State University also recur. The foundation is a public charity and funds individuals, but the recent grant pattern is overwhelmingly structured as federal pass-through subawards to institutions. The listed grant descriptions point to compliance-driven, restricted funding rather than open-ended support.
The foundation gives nationally, and every listed recent grant goes to a U.S. recipient. Georgia is the top state by grant count, and the recent list includes University of Georgia in Athens, one of the institutions that reflects that pattern. Other frequently appearing recipient cities include Shelton, WA; Morgantown, WV; Newark, DE; Columbus, OH; and Minneapolis, MN. Grants also reach recipients in Missouri, Florida, Maryland, and North Carolina, showing a broad institutional spread across the country.
It primarily funds public land-grant and research universities through federal subawards. Recent recipients include Washington State University, West Virginia University, Ohio State University, and University of Minnesota, with grant descriptions that identify the awards as federal subgrants.
The 25th percentile grant is $18,096, the median is $23,322, and the 75th percentile is $57,688. Recent awards also include larger subawards such as $507,481 to Washington State University.
Yes. Washington State University appears in both 2024 and 2025, West Virginia University appears in both years, and University of Delaware and Mississippi State University also receive more than one recent award.
The grants center on cooperative extension, agricultural outreach, applied agricultural and natural resources research, 1890s HBCU extension partnerships, and university-based community engagement such as STEM, rural development, and workforce training.
Georgia is the top state by grant count. The recent list includes a grant to University of Georgia in Athens, and the foundation’s recipient footprint is national, with all listed grants going to U.S. organizations.
2025
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2025.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| WASHINGTON STATE UNIVERSITY | SHELTON, WA | $507,481 | 2025 | FEDERAL AWARD SUBGRA |
| WEST VIRGINIA UNIVERSITY | MORGANTOWN, WV | $187,315 | 2025 | FEDERAL AWARD SUBGRA |
| OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY | COLUMBUS, OH | $186,273 | 2025 | FEDERAL AWARD SUBGRA |
| UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA | MINNEAPOLIS, MN | $184,999 | 2025 | FEDERAL AWARD SUBGRA |
| UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA | GAINESVILLE, FL | $158,729 | 2025 | FEDERAL AWARD SUBGRA |
| VIRGINIA POLYTECHNIC INSTITUTE | SLACKSBURG, VA | $139,862 | 2025 | FEDERAL AWARD SUBGRA |
| UNIVERSITY OF TENNESSEE | KNOXVILLE, TN | $133,956 | 2025 | FEDERAL AWARD SUBGRA |
| UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND | COLLEGE PARK, MD | $133,710 | 2025 | FEDERAL AWARD SUBGRA |
| MISSISSIPPI STATE UNIVERSITY | MISSISSIPPI STATE, MS | $122,271 | 2025 | FEDERAL AWARD SUBGRA |
| CLEMSON UNIVERSITY | CLEMSON, SC | $118,073 | 2025 | FEDERAL AWARD SUBGRA |
| UNIVERSITY OF DELAWARE | NEWARK, DE | $115,139 | 2025 | FEDERAL AWARD SUBGRA |
| UNIVERSITY OF KENTUCKY | LEXINGTON, KY | $109,014 | 2025 | FEDERAL AWARD SUBGRA |
| CORNELL UNIVERSITY | ITHACA, NY | $104,546 | 2025 | FEDERAL AWARD SUBGRA |
| UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS | URBANA, IL | $103,011 | 2025 | FEDERAL AWARD SUBGRA |
| AUBURN UNIVERSITY | AUBURN UNIVERSITY, AL | $102,114 | 2025 | FEDERAL AWARD SUBGRA |
| PURDUE UNIVERSITY | WEST LAFAYETTE, IN | $100,315 | 2025 | FEDERAL AWARD SUBGRA |
| NORTH CAROLINA STATE UNIVERSITY | RALEIGH, NC | $93,091 | 2025 | FEDERAL AWARD SUBGRA |
| PENNSYLVANIA STATE UNIVERSITY | STATE COLLEGE, PA | $91,331 | 2025 | FEDERAL AWARD SUBGRA |
| UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI | COLUMBIA, MO | $90,326 | 2025 | FEDERAL AWARD SUBGRA |
| UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA | DAVIS, CA | $88,489 | 2025 | FEDERAL AWARD SUBGRA |
| UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA | TUCSON, AZ | $87,212 | 2025 | FEDERAL AWARD SUBGRA |
| NEW MEXICO STATE UNIVERSITY | LAS CRUCES, NM | $74,552 | 2025 | FEDERAL AWARD SUBGRA |
| UTAH STATE UNIVERSITY | KAYSVILLE, UT | $73,775 | 2025 | FEDERAL AWARD SUBGRA |
| UNIVERSITY OF IDAHO | MOSCOW, ID | $71,779 | 2025 | FEDERAL AWARD SUBGRA |
| LINCOLN UNIVERSITY | JEFFERSON CITY, MO | $69,714 | 2025 | FEDERAL AWARD SUBAWA |
| UNIVERSITY OF RHODE ISLAND | KINGSTON, RI | $69,553 | 2025 | FEDERAL AWARD SUBGRA |
| COLORADO STATE UNIVERSITY | FORT COLLINS, CO | $59,487 | 2025 | FEDERAL AWARD SUBGRA |
| TEXAS A&M AGRILIFE | COLLEGE STATION, TX | $59,439 | 2025 | FEDERAL AWARD SUBGRA |
| IOWA STATE UNIVERSITY | AMES, IA | $54,464 | 2025 | FEDERAL AWARD SUBGRA |
| KANSAS STATE UNIVERSITY | MANHATTAN, KS | $52,462 | 2025 | FEDERAL AWARD SUBGRA |
| UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS | LITTLE ROCK, AR | $51,500 | 2025 | FEDERAL AWARD SUBGRA |
| UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA-LINCOLN | LINCOLN, NE | $48,691 | 2025 | FEDERAL AWARD SUBGRA |
| UNIVERSITY OF VERMONT | BURLINGTON, VT | $46,857 | 2025 | FEDERAL AWARD SUBGRA |
| UNIVERSITY OF GEORGIA | ATHENS, GA | $45,710 | 2025 | FEDERAL AWARD SUBGRA |
| RUTGERS THE STATE UNIVERSITY | PISCATAWAY, NJ | $44,865 | 2025 | FEDERAL AWARD SUBGRA |
| SOUTHERN UNVERSITY | BATON ROUGE, LA | $38,270 | 2025 | — |
| UNIVERSITY OF WYOMING | LARAMIE, WY | $22,586 | 2025 | FEDERAL AWARD SUBGRA |
| OKLAHOMA STATE UNIVERSITY | STILLWATER, OK | $22,415 | 2025 | FEDERAL AWARD SUBGRA |
| NORTH DAKOTA STATE UNIVERSITY | FARGO, ND | $19,629 | 2025 | FEDERAL AWARD SUBGRA |
| MONTANA STATE UNIVERSITY | BOZEMAN, MT | $18,830 | 2025 | FEDERAL AWARD SUBGRA |
| UNIVERSITY OF MAINE | ORONO, ME | $18,395 | 2025 | FEDERAL AWARD SUBGRA |
| THE UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROLINA | ATLANTA, GA | $18,136 | 2025 | FEDERAL AWARD SUBAWA |
| MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY | EAST LANSING, MI | $18,009 | 2025 | FEDERAL AWARD SUBGRA |
| UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN | MADISON, WI | $17,795 | 2025 | FEDERAL AWARD SUBGRA |
| UNIVERSITY OF NEVADA | RENO, NV | $12,682 | 2025 | FEDERAL AWARD SUBGRA |
| UNIVERSITY OF HAWAII | HONOLULU, HI | $10,197 | 2025 | FEDERAL AWARD SUBGRA |
| UNIVERSITY OF MASSACHUSETTS | AMHERST, MA | $9,360 | 2025 | FEDERAL AWARD SUBGRA |
| UNIVERSITY OF NEW HAMPSHIRE | DURHAM, NH | $8,599 | 2025 | FEDERAL AWARD SUBGRA |
| UNIVERSITY OF GUAM | MANGILAO, GU | $6,716 | 2025 | FEDERAL AWARD SUBGRA |
| SOUTH DAKOTA STATE UNIVERSITY | BROOKINGS, SD | $5,711 | 2025 | FEDERAL AWARD SUBGRA |
WASHINGTON STATE UNIVERSITY
$507,481FEDERAL AWARD SUBGRA
WEST VIRGINIA UNIVERSITY
$187,315FEDERAL AWARD SUBGRA
OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY
$186,273FEDERAL AWARD SUBGRA
UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA
$184,999FEDERAL AWARD SUBGRA
UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA
$158,729FEDERAL AWARD SUBGRA
VIRGINIA POLYTECHNIC INSTITUTE
$139,862FEDERAL AWARD SUBGRA
FEDERAL AWARD SUBGRA
UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND
$133,710FEDERAL AWARD SUBGRA
MISSISSIPPI STATE UNIVERSITY
$122,271FEDERAL AWARD SUBGRA
CLEMSON UNIVERSITY
$118,073FEDERAL AWARD SUBGRA
UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS
$103,011FEDERAL AWARD SUBGRA
AUBURN UNIVERSITY
$102,114FEDERAL AWARD SUBGRA
PURDUE UNIVERSITY
$100,315FEDERAL AWARD SUBGRA
NORTH CAROLINA STATE UNIVERSITY
$93,091FEDERAL AWARD SUBGRA
PENNSYLVANIA STATE UNIVERSITY
$91,331FEDERAL AWARD SUBGRA
UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI
$90,326FEDERAL AWARD SUBGRA
UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA
$88,489FEDERAL AWARD SUBGRA
UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA
$87,212FEDERAL AWARD SUBGRA
NEW MEXICO STATE UNIVERSITY
$74,552FEDERAL AWARD SUBGRA
UTAH STATE UNIVERSITY
$73,775FEDERAL AWARD SUBGRA
UNIVERSITY OF IDAHO
$71,779FEDERAL AWARD SUBGRA
LINCOLN UNIVERSITY
$69,714FEDERAL AWARD SUBAWA
UNIVERSITY OF RHODE ISLAND
$69,553FEDERAL AWARD SUBGRA
COLORADO STATE UNIVERSITY
$59,487FEDERAL AWARD SUBGRA
TEXAS A&M AGRILIFE
$59,439FEDERAL AWARD SUBGRA
IOWA STATE UNIVERSITY
$54,464FEDERAL AWARD SUBGRA
KANSAS STATE UNIVERSITY
$52,462FEDERAL AWARD SUBGRA
UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS
$51,500FEDERAL AWARD SUBGRA
UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA-LINCOLN
$48,691FEDERAL AWARD SUBGRA
UNIVERSITY OF VERMONT
$46,857FEDERAL AWARD SUBGRA
UNIVERSITY OF GEORGIA
$45,710FEDERAL AWARD SUBGRA
RUTGERS THE STATE UNIVERSITY
$44,865FEDERAL AWARD SUBGRA
SOUTHERN UNVERSITY
$38,270UNIVERSITY OF WYOMING
$22,586FEDERAL AWARD SUBGRA
OKLAHOMA STATE UNIVERSITY
$22,415FEDERAL AWARD SUBGRA
NORTH DAKOTA STATE UNIVERSITY
$19,629FEDERAL AWARD SUBGRA
MONTANA STATE UNIVERSITY
$18,830FEDERAL AWARD SUBGRA
UNIVERSITY OF MAINE
$18,395FEDERAL AWARD SUBGRA
THE UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROLINA
$18,136FEDERAL AWARD SUBAWA
MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY
$18,009FEDERAL AWARD SUBGRA
UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN
$17,795FEDERAL AWARD SUBGRA
UNIVERSITY OF NEVADA
$12,682FEDERAL AWARD SUBGRA
UNIVERSITY OF HAWAII
$10,197FEDERAL AWARD SUBGRA
UNIVERSITY OF MASSACHUSETTS
$9,360FEDERAL AWARD SUBGRA
UNIVERSITY OF NEW HAMPSHIRE
$8,599FEDERAL AWARD SUBGRA
UNIVERSITY OF GUAM
$6,716FEDERAL AWARD SUBGRA
SOUTH DAKOTA STATE UNIVERSITY
$5,711FEDERAL AWARD SUBGRA