The NASDAQ Educational Foundation prioritizes building inclusive entrepreneurial and financial ecosystems, with a clear emphasis on capital access, investment literacy, and startup support for women and Black/Brown entrepreneurs. They fund accelerators, research and advocacy projects that change investor identity and engagement, and educational programs at HBCUs and universities; occasional disaster/humanitarian giving appears as an outlier. Grants are programmatic and capacity-focused rather than purely operating support, aimed at increasing representation in investing and entrepreneurship.
A $568,000 grant to Commonwealth for its “Transforming Investor Identity” work signals how Nasdaq Educational Foundation Inc uses grantmaking: to shape who participates in investing, not just who receives services. The foundation backs projects that expand financial literacy, investor engagement, and entrepreneurship support for under-resourced communities, with a strong emphasis on Black and Brown founders, women entrepreneurs, and HBCU-linked education. Its portfolio includes research and advocacy, accelerator support, and training programs that aim to broaden access to capital and build skills around investing and business growth. Recent grants show a mix of national partnerships and place-based support. The foundation gave $401,000 to Build Commonwealth for a research project on investor identity, $361,440 to Black and Brown Founders for the THRIVE campaign, and $150,000 to Consumer Action for an investment literacy and engagement program for women and BIPOC consumers. It also funded Black Girl Ventures, Babson College, and Shared Interest for entrepreneurship and investing-related work tied to women, HBCU students, and diverse founders. An occasional humanitarian grant appears in the record as well, including support for Ukraine through the International Committee of the Red Cross.
Financial literacy and investing education are central to the foundation’s work. It gave $150,000 to Consumer Action for an investment literacy and engagement program for women and BIPOC consumers, and $65,000 to 3rd Decade Inc for a financial education and mentoring program. Entrepreneurship support is another recurring theme. The foundation awarded $100,000 to Wayne State Univ Research & Technology Park in the City of Detroit for the TechTown Start Studio accelerator for diverse founders, and $75,000 to Project Vida for microenterprise technical assistance in El Paso County, TX. It also funds ecosystem-level work that changes who sees themselves as an investor. That includes $105,000 to Black Innovation Alliance for a bias ecosystem building advocacy initiative and $103,000 to Babson College for closing the financial knowledge gap for students at HBCUs.
Typical grants cluster in the mid-five-figure to low-six-figure range, with p25 at $50,000, a median of $75,000, and p75 at $143,742. The foundation is a regular funder, not a DAF, and it does not fund individuals or make program-related investments. The record shows both one-time grants and repeated support for the same theme across years, including multiple grants tied to investor identity, financial literacy, and women entrepreneurs. It uses a mix of open and curated programs; the Quarterly Grant Program accepts unsolicited applications, while the New Investor Initiative and partner-led initiatives are invitation-based.
$4.6M
$32.5M
$4.6M
$3.4M
Most grants fall between $50K and $144K, with a median of $75K.
25th Percentile
$50K
Median
$75K
75th Percentile
$144K
About 0% of grants go to recipients in NY.
Top 2 recipient countries by grant volume for Nasdaq Educational Foundation.
| Rank | Country | Grants | Total | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | United StatesDomestic | 42 | $4.3M | 97.7% |
| 2 | Switzerland | 1 | $250K |
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A concentrated portfolio of medium-to-large grants (most six-figure) to a relatively small set of mission-aligned organizations and initiatives. They favor repeat thematic investments in ecosystem and capacity building for underrepresented entrepreneurs rather than many small gifts; most awards are single-cycle program grants with a mix of nonprofit intermediaries, advocacy bodies, and higher-education partners.
Notable grantees: COMMONWEALTH / BUILD COMMONWEALTH, Black and Brown Founders, Black Girl Ventures, Consumer Action, Babson College
Grantmaking is national, with most awards landing in the United States and one grant going to Geneva, Switzerland. New York appears most often among recipient locations, including grants to Legal Aid Society in New York City and Shared Interest in New York. Other repeated recipient hubs include Chicago, Boston, Washington, DC, and California cities such as San Francisco, Oakland, and Richmond. The foundation gives 0% of grants to recipients in its HQ state of Maryland.
It funds 501(c)(3) nonprofits and fiscally sponsored entities working on financial literacy, investing education, and entrepreneurship support. Recent grants include consumer education, HBCU-related investing programs, accelerator support for diverse founders, and ecosystem-building work focused on investor identity and bias.
Yes, through its Quarterly Grant Program. That open cycle is for nonprofits and fiscally sponsored entities in the United States working to broaden financial literacy and investing in under-resourced communities and to support diverse entrepreneurs. Other initiatives in the portfolio are curated or partner-led.
The typical award size is in the mid-five-figure to low-six-figure range: p25 is $50,000, the median is $75,000, and p75 is $143,742. Recent grants also show larger strategic awards, such as $568,000 and $401,000 for investor-identity work.
Financial literacy and investing education, entrepreneurship support, and ecosystem-building around capital access appear most often. Named examples include a financial literacy program for women and BIPOC consumers, a techtown accelerator for diverse founders, and a bias-focused advocacy initiative tied to investor identity.
Giving is national, with most grants going to U.S. recipients. New York is the top state by grant count, and recipient cities recur in places such as New York City, Chicago, Boston, Washington, DC, Oakland, and Detroit. One recent grant also went to Geneva.
2025
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2025.
2.3% |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| OPPORTUNITY INTERNATIONAL INC | CHICAGO, IL | $150,000 | 2025 | WOMEN AS AGENTS OF CHANGE |
| SOCIAL GOOD FUND INC | RICHMOND, CA | $117,000 | 2025 | HBCUVC CAPITAL ACCESS COMMUNITIES |
| WAYNE STATE UNIV RESEARCH & TECHNOLOGY PARK IN THE CITY OF DETROIT | DETROIT, MI | $100,000 | 2025 | TECHTOWN START STUDIO ACCELERATOR FOR DIVERSE FOUNDERS |
| LEGAL AID SOCIETY | NEW YORK, NY | $100,000 | 2025 | LEGAL ASSISTANCE TO SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS IN UNDER-RESOURCED COMMUNITIES OF NEW YORK CITY |
| MERCY CORPS | PORTLAND, OR | $100,000 | 2025 | NASDAQ FOUNDATION AND MICROMENTOR - EMPOWERING WOMEN ENTREPRENEURS IN MEXICO 2024 |
| FUTURE FOUNDERS FOUNDATION | CHICAGO, IL | $75,000 | 2025 | FUTURE FOUNDERS 18- TO 30-YEAR-OLD ENTREPRENEURSHIP PROGRAMS |
| PROJECT VIDA | EL PASO, TX | $75,000 | 2025 | EMPOWERING UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES: PROJECT VIDA'S MICROENTERPRISE TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAM IN EL PASO COUNTY, TX |
| 3RD DECADE INC | TUCSON, AZ | $65,000 | 2025 | 3RD DECADE'S FINANCIAL EDUCATION AND MENTORING PROGRAM |
| GREEN AMERICA | WASHINGTON, DC | $60,000 | 2025 | RESPONSIBLE FINANCE PROGRAM EXPANSION: ELIMINATING BARRIERS FOR NEW SAVERS AND INVESTORS |
| NEIGHBOORHOOD ALLIES INC | PITTSBURGH, PA | $60,000 | 2025 | BUILDING WEALTH BY CREATING INVESTMENT OPPORTUNITIES FOR BLACK WOMEN |
| MUJERES LATINAS EN ACCION | CHICAGO, IL | $50,000 | 2025 | EMPRESARIAS DEL FUTURO (ENTREPRENEURS OF THE FUTURE) |
| PENNY FORWARD INC | MINNEAPOLIS, MN | $50,000 | 2025 | PENNY FORWARD INTRODUCTION TO INVESTING |
| SOCIAL GOOD FUND INC | RICHMOND, CA | $20,000 | 2025 | FUTURE ENTREPRENEUR PROGRAM |
| BUILD COMMONWEALTH | BOSTON, MA | $401,000 | 2024 | TRANSFORMING INVESTOR IDENTITY RESEARCH PROJECT |
| PHILANTHROPIC VENTURES FOUNDATION | OAKLAND, CA | $250,000 | 2024 | WE ARE ENOUGH-3.3.3 CHALLENGE |
| GLOBAL ENTREPRENEURSHIP NETWORK | ARLINGTON, VA | $125,000 | 2024 | EQUITABLE ACCESS PROGRAM |
| BLACK INNOVATION ALLIANCE | ATLANTA, GA | $105,000 | 2024 | BIAS ECOSYSTEM BUILDING ADVOCACY INITIATIVE |
| BABSON COLLEGE | BABSON PARK, MA | $103,000 | 2024 | CLOSING THE FINANCIAL KNOWLEDGE GAP FOR STUDENTS AT HBCU'S |
| DEFY VENTURES | LOS ANGELES, CA | $75,000 | 2024 | PATHWAYS TO ENTREPRENEURSHIP FOR FORMERLY INCARCERATED PEOPLE |
| SOCIAL ENTREPRENEURS OF NEW ORLEANS (PROPELLER) | NEW ORLEANS, LA | $75,000 | 2024 | PROPELLER INCLUSIVE CAPITAL ACCESS PROGRAM |
| THE ROSIE NETWORK | RAMONA, CA | $70,000 | 2024 | SERVICE2CEO PROGRAM-ROSIE CHAPTERS |
| MUJERES LATINAS EN ACCION | CHICAGO, IL | $50,000 | 2024 | EMPRESARIAS DEL FUTURO (ENTREPRENEURS OF THE FUTURE) |
| OPPORTUNITY INTERNATIONAL | CHICAGO, IL | $50,000 | 2024 | WOMEN AS AGENTS OF CHANGE |
| SOCIAL GOOD FUND IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE SAN FRANCISCO DISABILITY BUSINESS | RICHMONS, CA | $20,000 | 2024 | FUTURE ENTREPRENEUR TRAINING PROGRAM |
| DIGITALUNDIVIDED | NEW YORK, NY | $15,000 | 2024 | INVEST HER POWER SERIES |
| THE GO PROJECT | NEW YORK, NY | $10,000 | 2024 | GO FAMILIES FINANCIAL LITERACY WORKSHOP SERIES |
| COMMONWEALTH | BOSTON, MA | $568,000 | 2023 | TRANSFORMING INVESTOR IDENTITY |
| BLACK AND BROWN FOUNDERS | SAN FRANCISCO, CA | $361,440 | 2023 | THRIVE CAMPAIGN |
| INTERNATIONAL COMMITTEE OF THE RED CROSS (ICRC) | GENEVA | $250,000 | 2023 | DONATION: UKRAINE SUPPORT |
| WOMEN'S BUSINESS CENTER OF UTAH | SALT LAKE CITY, UT | $150,000 | 2023 | TO SUPPORT EDUCATIONAL PURPOSE |
| CONSUMER ACTION | WASHINGTON, DC | $150,000 | 2023 | INVESTMENT LITERACY AND ENGAGEMENT PROGRAM FOR WOMEN AND BIPOC CONSUMERS |
| BLACK GIRL VENTURES | ALEXANDRIA, VA | $149,990 | 2023 | COMMUNITY OR NOTHING: BUILDING ECOSYSTEMS FOR AND OF BLACK AND BROWN WOMAN-IDENTIFYING ENTREPRENEURS |
| HISPANIC ACCESS FOUNDATION | WASHINGTON, DC | $100,000 | 2023 | PREPARE YOURSELF FOR A BETTER FUTURE (PREPRATE PARA UN FUTURO MEJOR): FINANCIAL AND INVESTMENT TRAINING FOR U.S. LATINOS |
| SHARED INTEREST | NEW YORK, NY | $100,000 | 2023 | EXPANDING OPPORTUNITIES FOR HBCU STUDENTS IN ESG, SRI, AND IMPACT INVESTING |
| CENTRAL EUROPEAN UNIVERSITY | NEW YORK, NY | $99,991 | 2023 | THE ENERGEIA PROJECT: TRANSFORMING FEMALE ENTREPRENEURSHIP IN CENTRAL AND EASTERN EUROPE |
| CHANGE LABS | TUBA CITY, AZ | $50,000 | 2023 | NATIVE AMERICAN KINSHIP LENDING PROGRAM |
| SAVVY LADIES | NEW YORK, NY | $50,000 | 2023 | THE SAVVY LADIES FREE FINANCIAL HELPLINE APP: BUILDING WEALTH FOR WOMEN VIA FINANCIAL EDUCATION |
| CLIMB USA | MADISON, WI | $50,000 | 2023 | LAUNCHPAD PROGRAM |
| TIDES CENTER FISCAL SPONSOR FOR VC INCLUDE | SAN FRANCISCO, CA | $50,000 | 2023 | EMERGING MANAGER TRAINING FOR WOMEN AND BIPOC LED-FUNDS |
| DIGITALUNDIVIDED | NEWARK, NJ | $30,000 | 2023 | INVESTHER POWER SERIES |
| BOSTON PUBLIC LIBRARY | BOSTON, MA | $25,000 | 2023 | ENTREPRENEUR-IN-RESIDENCE PROGRAM |
| NTL COALITION OF 100 BLACK WOMEN | SAN FRANCISCO, CA | $25,000 | 2023 | SISTER-NOMIC |
| SAN FRANCISCO DISABILITY BUSINESS ALLIANCE | RICHOND, CA | $10,000 | 2023 | TO SUPPORT EDUCATIONAL PURPOSE |
OPPORTUNITY INTERNATIONAL INC
$150,000WOMEN AS AGENTS OF CHANGE
SOCIAL GOOD FUND INC
$117,000HBCUVC CAPITAL ACCESS COMMUNITIES
WAYNE STATE UNIV RESEARCH & TECHNOLOGY PARK IN THE CITY OF DETROIT
$100,000TECHTOWN START STUDIO ACCELERATOR FOR DIVERSE FOUNDERS
LEGAL AID SOCIETY
$100,000LEGAL ASSISTANCE TO SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS IN UNDER-RESOURCED COMMUNITIES OF NEW YORK CITY
MERCY CORPS
$100,000NASDAQ FOUNDATION AND MICROMENTOR - EMPOWERING WOMEN ENTREPRENEURS IN MEXICO 2024
FUTURE FOUNDERS FOUNDATION
$75,000FUTURE FOUNDERS 18- TO 30-YEAR-OLD ENTREPRENEURSHIP PROGRAMS
PROJECT VIDA
$75,000EMPOWERING UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES: PROJECT VIDA'S MICROENTERPRISE TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAM IN EL PASO COUNTY, TX
3RD DECADE INC
$65,0003RD DECADE'S FINANCIAL EDUCATION AND MENTORING PROGRAM
GREEN AMERICA
$60,000RESPONSIBLE FINANCE PROGRAM EXPANSION: ELIMINATING BARRIERS FOR NEW SAVERS AND INVESTORS
NEIGHBOORHOOD ALLIES INC
$60,000BUILDING WEALTH BY CREATING INVESTMENT OPPORTUNITIES FOR BLACK WOMEN
MUJERES LATINAS EN ACCION
$50,000EMPRESARIAS DEL FUTURO (ENTREPRENEURS OF THE FUTURE)
PENNY FORWARD INC
$50,000PENNY FORWARD INTRODUCTION TO INVESTING
SOCIAL GOOD FUND INC
$20,000FUTURE ENTREPRENEUR PROGRAM
BUILD COMMONWEALTH
$401,000TRANSFORMING INVESTOR IDENTITY RESEARCH PROJECT
PHILANTHROPIC VENTURES FOUNDATION
$250,000WE ARE ENOUGH-3.3.3 CHALLENGE
GLOBAL ENTREPRENEURSHIP NETWORK
$125,000EQUITABLE ACCESS PROGRAM
BLACK INNOVATION ALLIANCE
$105,000BIAS ECOSYSTEM BUILDING ADVOCACY INITIATIVE
BABSON COLLEGE
$103,000CLOSING THE FINANCIAL KNOWLEDGE GAP FOR STUDENTS AT HBCU'S
DEFY VENTURES
$75,000PATHWAYS TO ENTREPRENEURSHIP FOR FORMERLY INCARCERATED PEOPLE
SOCIAL ENTREPRENEURS OF NEW ORLEANS (PROPELLER)
$75,000PROPELLER INCLUSIVE CAPITAL ACCESS PROGRAM
THE ROSIE NETWORK
$70,000SERVICE2CEO PROGRAM-ROSIE CHAPTERS
MUJERES LATINAS EN ACCION
$50,000EMPRESARIAS DEL FUTURO (ENTREPRENEURS OF THE FUTURE)
OPPORTUNITY INTERNATIONAL
$50,000WOMEN AS AGENTS OF CHANGE
SOCIAL GOOD FUND IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE SAN FRANCISCO DISABILITY BUSINESS
$20,000FUTURE ENTREPRENEUR TRAINING PROGRAM
DIGITALUNDIVIDED
$15,000INVEST HER POWER SERIES
THE GO PROJECT
$10,000GO FAMILIES FINANCIAL LITERACY WORKSHOP SERIES
COMMONWEALTH
$568,000TRANSFORMING INVESTOR IDENTITY
BLACK AND BROWN FOUNDERS
$361,440THRIVE CAMPAIGN
INTERNATIONAL COMMITTEE OF THE RED CROSS (ICRC)
$250,000DONATION: UKRAINE SUPPORT
WOMEN'S BUSINESS CENTER OF UTAH
$150,000TO SUPPORT EDUCATIONAL PURPOSE
CONSUMER ACTION
$150,000INVESTMENT LITERACY AND ENGAGEMENT PROGRAM FOR WOMEN AND BIPOC CONSUMERS
BLACK GIRL VENTURES
$149,990COMMUNITY OR NOTHING: BUILDING ECOSYSTEMS FOR AND OF BLACK AND BROWN WOMAN-IDENTIFYING ENTREPRENEURS
HISPANIC ACCESS FOUNDATION
$100,000PREPARE YOURSELF FOR A BETTER FUTURE (PREPRATE PARA UN FUTURO MEJOR): FINANCIAL AND INVESTMENT TRAINING FOR U.S. LATINOS
SHARED INTEREST
$100,000EXPANDING OPPORTUNITIES FOR HBCU STUDENTS IN ESG, SRI, AND IMPACT INVESTING
CENTRAL EUROPEAN UNIVERSITY
$99,991THE ENERGEIA PROJECT: TRANSFORMING FEMALE ENTREPRENEURSHIP IN CENTRAL AND EASTERN EUROPE
CHANGE LABS
$50,000NATIVE AMERICAN KINSHIP LENDING PROGRAM
SAVVY LADIES
$50,000THE SAVVY LADIES FREE FINANCIAL HELPLINE APP: BUILDING WEALTH FOR WOMEN VIA FINANCIAL EDUCATION
CLIMB USA
$50,000LAUNCHPAD PROGRAM
TIDES CENTER FISCAL SPONSOR FOR VC INCLUDE
$50,000EMERGING MANAGER TRAINING FOR WOMEN AND BIPOC LED-FUNDS
DIGITALUNDIVIDED
$30,000INVESTHER POWER SERIES
BOSTON PUBLIC LIBRARY
$25,000ENTREPRENEUR-IN-RESIDENCE PROGRAM
NTL COALITION OF 100 BLACK WOMEN
$25,000SISTER-NOMIC
SAN FRANCISCO DISABILITY BUSINESS ALLIANCE
$10,000TO SUPPORT EDUCATIONAL PURPOSE