The Mathenaeum Foundation concentrates on advancing public engagement with mathematics and strengthening math education. It makes relatively large, targeted grants to organizations that create public-facing math experiences (museums and cultural centers), improve math journalism and coverage, and support teacher development programs; a single community-health gift (Ronald McDonald House) appears as an outlier. Grants are significant in size and aimed at general support or specific program initiatives that increase access to and visibility of mathematics.
The Mathenaeum Foundation’s clearest pattern is support for public-facing mathematics: its largest recent grant, $222,500 to Seattle Universal Math Museum, funded the Director’s Compensation Fund, Studio Infinity programs, and general support. That emphasis shows up again in grants to institutions that bring math into view for broader audiences, from museums and cultural centers to science media and outreach programs. The foundation also backs organizations that build the field of mathematics from different angles. It gave $116,000 to Society for Science and the Public to expand mathematics coverage in Science News for eighteen months, and $100,000 to Stony Brook Foundation Inc. for Math for America’s Cohort Project program. Other gifts support the work of early-career and professional mathematicians, teacher development, and math-related public programming. Grantmaking is not limited to one type of recipient. Alongside education and communications grants, the foundation has made designated support for prison math outreach, illustration-based research programming, and a humanitarian crisis recovery fund. The result is a portfolio centered on access to mathematics, but expressed through museums, journalism, teacher pipelines, and community-facing programs.
Public engagement with mathematics is a core theme. The foundation gave $222,500 to Seattle Universal Math Museum for the Director’s Compensation Fund, Studio Infinity programs, and general support, then followed with another $30,000 for in-house programs serving the local community and $25,000 for an Executive Director Employment Fund. Mathematics journalism is another recurring interest. It awarded $116,000 to Society for Science and the Public to expand and enhance mathematics coverage in Science News for eighteen months, and later gave $60,000 and $25,000 for mathematics coverage in Science News. Teacher and fellow development also appears in the record. The foundation gave $100,000 to Stony Brook Foundation Inc. for Math for America’s Cohort Project program, and $50,000 to the University of Southern California for USC Math for America Los Angeles. It also supports math-adjacent professional programming, including $50,000 to St. Lawrence University for the Illustration Apprenticeships program of Illustration as a Mathematical Research Technique semester.
$534K
$10M
$669K
$577K
Most grants fall between $11K and $50K, with a median of $15K.
25th Percentile
$11K
Median
$15K
75th Percentile
$50K
About 0% of grants go to recipients in DC.
Top 2 recipient countries by grant volume for Mathenaeum Foundation.
| Rank | Country | Grants | Total | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | United StatesDomestic | 42 | $1.8M | 87.5% |
| 2 | United Kingdom |
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Concentrated, large-dollar grants to a small number of organizations; primarily single-year gifts that provide general support or fund specific math engagement programs rather than many small grants. The portfolio favors distinct, mission-aligned grantees rather than broad diversification; repeat funding to the same organizations is not evident in this snapshot.
Notable grantees: Seattle Universal Math Museum, Society for Science and the Public (Science News math coverage), Stony Brook Foundation / Math for America (Cohort Project), Math Cultural Center of Chicago, Ronald McDonald House Charities New York Metro
Typical grant size sits at $11,010 at the 25th percentile, $15,000 at the median, and $50,000 at the 75th percentile, with larger targeted awards above that range. The Mathenaeum Foundation uses both general support and restricted program funding, including designated grants, expenditure-responsibility grants, and support for staffing such as executive director and director compensation. The recent record shows repeated support to several recipients across multiple years, including Seattle Universal Math Museum, Society for Science and the Public, Prison Mathematics Project Inc., Mathsworlduk, Stony Brook Foundation Inc., and Girls Angle Inc., indicating ongoing relationships rather than one-off gifts. The foundation also makes program-related investments, which fits a structure that is active beyond conventional grant checks.
The foundation gives nationally, with the highest concentration of grants in Arizona by count. Recent recipients are spread across major cities including Seattle and Mercer Island, Washington; Washington, DC; Phoenix, Arizona; Chicago, Illinois; Los Angeles, California; Cambridge, Massachusetts; and New York locations such as Stony Brook, New Hyde Park, and Canton. Outside the US, its grants also reached Leeds in the UK. Recipients in Washington state appear frequently in the recent record through Seattle-area grants, while the UK accounts for a smaller but visible share of awards.
It supports organizations tied to mathematics education, public engagement, and communications. Recent grants went to a math museum, a science-news outlet for mathematics coverage, Math for America programs, prison math outreach, and an illustration-based mathematics research program.
Its typical grant size is $11,010 at the 25th percentile, $15,000 at the median, and $50,000 at the 75th percentile. The recent record also includes larger awards such as $222,500 and $116,000.
Yes. Seattle Universal Math Museum, Society for Science and the Public, Prison Mathematics Project Inc., Mathsworlduk, Stony Brook Foundation Inc., and Girls Angle Inc. each appear in multiple recent grants, showing repeated support across years.
By grant count, Arizona is the top state. Recent Arizona recipients include Prison Mathematics Project Inc. in Phoenix, and the foundation’s giving also reaches Washington, DC; Washington state; Illinois; New York; California; Massachusetts; North Carolina; Georgia; and the UK.
Recent grants show focus on public-facing mathematics museums and exhibits, mathematics journalism, K–12 math teacher development, and math cultural centers. It also supports prison math programming, illustration-focused mathematical research, and occasional humanitarian relief.
2025
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2025.
| 6 |
| $281K |
12.5% |
Recipient country reflects the grantee's headquarters per IRS 990-PF and Schedule F filings, not the program's implementation country.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| STONY BROOK FOUNDATION INC | STONY BROOK, NY | $100,000 | 2025 | This grant is designated for Math for America, restricted to Math for America's Cohort Project program |
| MATH CULTURAL CENTER OF CHICAGO | CHICAGO, IL | $91,597 | 2025 | General & Unrestricted |
| EVERY ORG | SAN FRANCISCO, CA | $72,000 | 2025 | The Prison Math Project |
| SOCIETY FOR SCIENCE AND THE PUBLIC | WASHINGTON, DC | $60,000 | 2025 | to support mathematics coverage in Science News, broadly along the lines of the Society for Science proposal to the Mathenaeum Foundation |
| ST LAWRENCE UNIVERSITY | CANTON, NY | $50,000 | 2025 | to support the Illustration Apprenticeships program of Illustration as a Mathematical Research Technique semester, with St. Lawrence University as Financial Administrator |
| STONY BROOK FOUNDATION INC | STONY BROOK, NY | $40,000 | 2025 | This grant is designated for Math for America for the general support of Math for America |
| SEATTLE UNIVERSAL MATH MUSEUM | SEATTLE, WA | $30,000 | 2025 | to support the development and operation of in-house programs to serve the local community |
| SOCIETY FOR SCIENCE AND THE PUBLIC | WASHINGTON, DC | $25,000 | 2025 | to support mathematics coverage in Science News |
| SEATTLE UNIVERSAL MATH MUSEUM | SEATTLE, WA | $25,000 | 2025 | Executive Director Employment Fund |
| GIRLS ANGLE INC | CAMBRIDGE, MA | $15,000 | 2025 | General & Unrestricted |
| MATHEMATICAL ASSOCIATION OF AMERICA INCORPORATED | WASHINGTON, DC | $15,000 | 2025 | anonymous support of Project NExT fellows |
| SEATTLE UNIVERSAL MATH MUSEUM | SEATTLE, WA | $10,000 | 2025 | General & Unrestricted |
| SEATTLE UNIVERSAL MATH MUSEUM | MERCER ISLAND, WA | $222,500 | 2024 | Director's Compensation Fund, Studio Infinity programs, and general support |
| RONALD MCDONALD HOUSE CHARITIES NEW YORK METRO INC | NEW HYDE PARK, NY | $98,731 | 2024 | General & Unrestricted |
| CENTER FOR DISASTER PHILANTHROPY INC | WASHINGTON, DC | $75,000 | 2024 | Ukraine Humanitarian Crisis Recovery Fund |
| PRISON MATHEMATICS PROJECT INC | PHOENIX, AZ | $60,000 | 2024 | public and participant outreach and communication and general operating support |
| UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA | LOS ANGELES, CA | $50,000 | 2024 | USC Math for America Los Angeles |
| IMPACTSTORY | SANFORD, NC | $50,000 | 2024 | General & Unrestricted |
| PRESIDENT & FELLOWS OF HARVARD COLLEGE | CAMBRIDGE, MA | $43,000 | 2024 | Math Dept. Chair's Fund |
| MATHSWORLDUK | LEEDS | $31,868 | 2024 | Expenditure Responsibility Grant |
| SEATTLE UNIVERSAL MATH MUSEUM | MERCER ISLAND, WA | $25,000 | 2024 | Executive Director Employment Fund |
| TALKSTEM | DALLAS, TX | $15,000 | 2024 | General & Unrestricted |
| GIRLS ANGLE INC | CAMBRIDGE, MA | $15,000 | 2024 | General & Unrestricted |
| VENICE HERITAGE FOUNDATION | VENICE, CA | $15,000 | 2024 | General & Unrestricted |
| MATHEMATICAL ASSOCIATION OF AMERICA INCORPORATED | WASHINGTON, DC | $15,000 | 2024 | anonymous sponsorship of Project NExT Fellows |
| NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF MATHEMATICIANS INCORPORATE | ATLANTA, GA | $15,000 | 2024 | General & Unrestricted |
| YOUNG PEOPLES PROJECT INC | CAMBRIDGE, MA | $10,000 | 2024 | General & Unrestricted |
| NATIONAL ORGANIZATION OF GAY AND LESBIAN SCIENTIST | PASADENA, CA | $10,000 | 2024 | Spectra, the association of LGBTQ+ mathematicians |
| OLD WESTBURY COLLEGE FOUNDATION INC | OLD WESTBURY, NY | $2,500 | 2024 | Institute for Creative Problem Solving |
| SEATTLE UNIVERSAL MATH MUSEUM | MERCER ISLAND, WA | $475 | 2024 | General & Unrestricted |
| SOCIETY FOR SCIENCE AND THE PUBLIC | WASHINGTON, DC | $116,000 | 2023 | Expand and enhance mathematics coverage in Science News for an eighteen-month period |
| MATHSWORLDUK | LEEDS | $61,839 | 2023 | Expenditure Responsibility Grant |
| PRISON MATHEMATICS PROJECT INC | PHOENIX, AZ | $25,000 | 2023 | Public and Participant Outreach and Communication |
| SEATTLE UNIVERSAL MATH MUSEUM | MERCER ISLAND, WA | $25,000 | 2023 | The recruitment and hiring of SUMM's new Executive Director |
| SEATTLE UNIVERSAL MATH MUSEUM | MERCER ISLAND, WA | $20,000 | 2023 | General & Unrestricted |
| SOCIETY FOR SCIENCE AND THE PUBLIC | WASHINGTON, DC | $15,000 | 2023 | General & Unrestricted |
| ROSS MATHEMATICS FOUNDATION | COLUMBUS, OH | $14,641 | 2023 | Ross Endowment Fund |
| GIRLS ANGLE INC | CAMBRIDGE, MA | $11,010 | 2023 | General & Unrestricted |
| MATHEMATICAL ASSOCIATION OF AMERICA INCORPORATED | WASHINGTON, DC | $8,000 | 2023 | Project NExT |
| ART OF PROBLEM SOLVING INITIATIVE INC | NEW YORK, NY | $6,561 | 2023 | General & Unrestricted |
| FANNIE AND JOHN HERTZ FOUNDATION | PLEASANTON, CA | $6,250 | 2023 | General & Unrestricted |
This grant is designated for Math for America, restricted to Math for America's Cohort Project program
MATH CULTURAL CENTER OF CHICAGO
$91,597General & Unrestricted
EVERY ORG
$72,000The Prison Math Project
to support mathematics coverage in Science News, broadly along the lines of the Society for Science proposal to the Mathenaeum Foundation
to support the Illustration Apprenticeships program of Illustration as a Mathematical Research Technique semester, with St. Lawrence University as Financial Administrator
This grant is designated for Math for America for the general support of Math for America
to support the development and operation of in-house programs to serve the local community
to support mathematics coverage in Science News
GIRLS ANGLE INC
$15,000General & Unrestricted
MATHEMATICAL ASSOCIATION OF AMERICA INCORPORATED
$15,000anonymous support of Project NExT fellows
Director's Compensation Fund, Studio Infinity programs, and general support
General & Unrestricted
Ukraine Humanitarian Crisis Recovery Fund
PRISON MATHEMATICS PROJECT INC
$60,000public and participant outreach and communication and general operating support
IMPACTSTORY
$50,000General & Unrestricted
MATHSWORLDUK
$31,868Expenditure Responsibility Grant
TALKSTEM
$15,000General & Unrestricted
GIRLS ANGLE INC
$15,000General & Unrestricted
VENICE HERITAGE FOUNDATION
$15,000General & Unrestricted
MATHEMATICAL ASSOCIATION OF AMERICA INCORPORATED
$15,000anonymous sponsorship of Project NExT Fellows
NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF MATHEMATICIANS INCORPORATE
$15,000General & Unrestricted
NATIONAL ORGANIZATION OF GAY AND LESBIAN SCIENTIST
$10,000Spectra, the association of LGBTQ+ mathematicians
OLD WESTBURY COLLEGE FOUNDATION INC
$2,500Institute for Creative Problem Solving
Expand and enhance mathematics coverage in Science News for an eighteen-month period
MATHSWORLDUK
$61,839Expenditure Responsibility Grant
PRISON MATHEMATICS PROJECT INC
$25,000Public and Participant Outreach and Communication
The recruitment and hiring of SUMM's new Executive Director
ROSS MATHEMATICS FOUNDATION
$14,641Ross Endowment Fund
GIRLS ANGLE INC
$11,010General & Unrestricted
MATHEMATICAL ASSOCIATION OF AMERICA INCORPORATED
$8,000Project NExT