The Shelby Cullom Davis Charitable Fund concentrates on supporting independent K–12 schools (especially boarding and college-preparatory schools), scholarship programs tied to United World Colleges and study-abroad opportunities, and capital or land-conservation projects in the Northeast. Their grants frequently fund endowments, scholarship pipelines, campus construction, and signature outdoor/park projects, with additional targeted gifts to higher-education institutes, cultural organizations, and a small set of health/research initiatives. Geographic emphasis is clear in New Mexico (UWC and Santa Fe), New York (Hudson Valley and NYC parks), Oklahoma (UWC scholars via University of Oklahoma), California, and Maine.
Shelby Cullom Davis Charitable Fund Inc has built a grantmaking profile around United World Colleges and Davis Scholars, with very large commitments repeated to the same education pipeline over multiple years. The biggest recent gifts include $31 million and $26 million to Armand Hammer United World College of the American in Montezuma, New Mexico, both designated for the UWC Forever Fund and the Davis Scholars program fund. Another major thread is scholarship support through university partners: the fund gave $13.13 million to the University of Oklahoma Foundation and $5.52 million to Macalester College for Davis UWC scholar programs. That education focus sits alongside support for independent schools, especially New Mexico and New England institutions. Santa Fe Preparatory School received $9.219 million in 2025 and $8 million in 2024 for Davis New Mexico Scholars, plus another $4.65 million for Davis Scholars, Davis Gap Fund, and general support. Sonoma Academy also appears with multiple grants, including $5.58 million for general and unrestricted support and $5.35 million for a performing arts center. The fund’s pattern is not limited to schools; it also backs major parks, hospitals, and selected research and cultural institutions.
A central cause area is scholarship access through the Davis/UWC pipeline. The fund made repeated awards to Armand Hammer United World College of the American for the UWC Forever Fund and the Davis Scholars program fund, and it supported university-based Davis UWC Scholar programs at the University of Oklahoma Foundation and Macalester College. Independent schools are another clear theme. Santa Fe Preparatory School received funding for the Davis New Mexico Scholars program and for Davis Scholars, Davis Gap Fund, and general support. Sonoma Academy was supported for general and unrestricted purposes and for a performing arts center. The fund also backs public-space and community projects. Hudson Highlands Fjord Trail Inc received support for Phase One Construction, while Central Park Conservancy Inc was funded for the Re-envisioned Harlem Meer pool and rink. Health and research appear in targeted grants as well, including New York-Presbyterian Fund for pediatric and newborn care and Brigham & Women’s Hospital for an Alzheimer Prevention Program.
$394.8M
$3.1B
$487.1M
$128.2M
Most grants fall between $75K and $743K, with a median of $200K.
25th Percentile
$75K
Median
$200K
75th Percentile
$743K
About 0% of grants go to recipients in NY.
Top 3 recipient countries by grant volume for Shelby Cullom Davis Charitable Fund.
| Rank | Country | Grants | Total | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | United StatesDomestic | 341 | $392.8M | 97.7% |
| 2 | Peru | 7 | $3.2M |
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Concentrated, high-dollar philanthropy with repeated multi-year gifts to a core set of grantees. The foundation favors large capital and endowment-style grants (scholarship funds, construction, land acquisition) over many small awards, while occasionally funding new or mission-aligned organizations that fit their geographic and thematic priorities.
Notable grantees: Armand Hammer United World College of the American West, Santa Fe Preparatory School, Hudson Highlands Fjord Trail (and Scenic Hudson/Central Park Conservancy cluster), College of the Atlantic, University of Oklahoma Foundation (Davis UWC Scholars Program)
Typical grants cluster at a high level: p25 is $75,000, median is $200,000, and p75 is $742,500. The recent list shows a small number of very large program and capital commitments alongside smaller operating and unrestricted awards, especially for schools and cultural institutions. Recipients recur across years, most visibly in the UWC, school, and park portfolios. The fund is a regular funder and also funds individuals, with the scholarship line serving as a repeated mechanism rather than a one-off program.
Grantmaking is national, but the heaviest concentration by recipient location is in New York. Recent grants reach New York City, Poughkeepsie, Garrison, Brooklyn, and Southampton, alongside repeated awards in New Mexico, California, and Minnesota. The recipient-country mix is overwhelmingly U.S.-based, with 341 grants in the United States, 7 in Peru, and 1 in the United Kingdom. Delaware is the headquarters state, but no grants in the recent list go to Delaware recipients.
Its recent grants center on Davis UWC and scholarship programs, independent K–12 schools, major park and land-conservation projects, and selected health and research initiatives. The recent list also includes support for cultural institutions and capital projects such as school buildings and hospital construction.
Yes. The same recipients appear in multiple years, including Armand Hammer United World College of the American, the University of Oklahoma Foundation, Santa Fe Preparatory School, Central Park Conservancy Inc, Sonoma Academy, and The Brigham & Womens Hospital Inc.
The grant-size distribution is substantial: p25 is $75,000, median is $200,000, and p75 is $742,500. The recent-grants list also shows several multi-million-dollar awards, especially for scholarship funds, capital projects, and long-term program support.
By recipient count, New York leads. Recent awards also go to New Mexico, California, Minnesota, Massachusetts, Oklahoma, Ohio, Florida, and several other U.S. states, with a small number of grants outside the United States, including Peru and the United Kingdom.
2025
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2025.
2.0% |
| 3 | United Kingdom | 1 | $2M | 0.3% |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ARMAND HAMMER UNITED WORLD COLLEGE OF THE AMERICAN | MONTEZUMA, NM | $26,000,000 | 2025 | UWC Forever fund and Davis Scholars Program |
| UNIVERSITY OF OKLAHOMA FOUNDATION INC | NORMAN, OK | $13,130,000 | 2025 | Davis UWC Scholars Program 2024 |
| SANTA FE PREPARATORY SCHOOL | SANTA FE, NM | $9,219,000 | 2025 | Davis New Mexico Scholars fund |
| PRESIDENT & TRUSTEES OF COLBY COLLEGE | WATERVILLE, ME | $6,000,000 | 2025 | Davis Institute for Artificial Intelligence |
| SONOMA ACADEMY | SANTA ROSA, CA | $5,580,000 | 2025 | General & Unrestricted |
| MACALESTER COLLEGE | SAINT PAUL, MN | $5,520,556 | 2025 | Davis UWC Scholars Program Fund 2024 |
| THE BRIGHAM & WOMENS HOSPITAL INC | BOSTON, MA | $5,000,000 | 2025 | Alzheimer Prevention Program |
| CONEY ISLAND PREP BUILDERS INC | BROOKLYN, NY | $3,500,000 | 2025 | Pride Promise Scholarship fund for deposit into the account held at fidelity and school's general operations fund |
| HUDSON VALLEY SHAKESPEARE FESTIVAL INC | GARRISON, NY | $3,500,000 | 2025 | General & Unrestricted |
| LANDPATHS | SANTA ROSA, CA | $2,500,000 | 2025 | General & Unrestricted |
| PETALUMA RIVER PARK FOUNDATION INC | PETALUMA, CA | $2,500,000 | 2025 | General & Unrestricted |
| THE COLLEGE OF IDAHO INC | CALDWELL, ID | $2,210,000 | 2025 | Davis UWC Scholars Program Fund 2024 |
| UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO | CHICAGO, IL | $2,000,000 | 2025 | General & Unrestricted |
| UNIVERSITY OF ST ANDREWS AMERICAN FOUNDATION INC | ST ANDREWS | $2,000,000 | 2025 | General & Unrestricted |
| AMERICAN FRIENDS OF THE OCEAN CLEANUP FOUNDATION | PASADENA, CA | $2,000,000 | 2025 | General & Unrestricted |
| SCENIC HUDSON INC | POUGHKEEPSIE, NY | $1,200,000 | 2025 | General & Unrestricted |
| MAINE SEACOAST MISSION | NORTHEAST HARBOR, ME | $1,101,131 | 2025 | Davis Maine Scholarship Fund |
| SCHOOL OF LEADERSHIP-AFGHANISTAN INC | BOSTON, MA | $1,000,000 | 2025 | Sola-X & General Education Funds |
| UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA | CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA | $1,000,000 | 2025 | Davis First-Generation Scholarship fund |
| NATURE CONSERVANCY | SACRAMENTO, CA | $1,000,000 | 2025 | The Point Reyes Project |
| INSTITUTE FOR SHIPBOARD EDUCATION | DALLAS, TX | $1,000,000 | 2025 | scholarship Fund |
| LAND TRUST ALLIANCE INCORPORATED | WASHINGTON, DC | $1,000,000 | 2025 | General & Unrestricted |
| CHAUTAUQUA FOUNDATION INC | CHAUTAUQUA, NY | $1,000,000 | 2025 | General & Unrestricted |
| HOLDERNESS SCHOOL | PLYMOUTH, NH | $1,000,000 | 2025 | construction of academic building; building of Mittersill performance center; trail, field, and ski and snowboarding venue initiatives |
| BROOKS SCHOOL | NORTH ANDOVER, MA | $849,805 | 2025 | First Gen Scholarship Fund |
| SCENIC HUDSON INC | POUGHKEEPSIE, NY | $800,000 | 2025 | the Westchester Riverwalk and Regenerative Agriculture and other projects funds |
| TAFT SCHOOL CORPORATION | WATERTOWN, CT | $775,000 | 2025 | Davis International Scholars Program |
| RIVERKEEPER INC | OSSINING, NY | $750,000 | 2025 | activities and projects in Westchester county, General & Unrestricted |
| FUTURE GENERATIONS UNIVERSITY CORPORATION | FRANKLIN, WV | $750,000 | 2025 | Institutional Support fund, field-based residentials financial aid fund, and field-based learning fund |
| ROCKEFELLER FAMILY FUND INC | NEW YORK, NY | $750,000 | 2025 | Democracy & Power Innovation Fund |
| ROCKEFELLER FAMILY FUND INC | NEW YORK, NY | $750,000 | 2025 | RFFs civic engagement and climate work fund |
| TRUSTEES OF PHILLIPS ACADEMY | ANDOVER, MA | $740,000 | 2025 | Davis International Scholars Program |
| EMMA WILLARD SCHOOL | TROY, NY | $710,000 | 2025 | Davis International Scholars Program |
| GINA GIBNEY DANCE INC | NEW YORK, NY | $666,666 | 2025 | Dance Company fund |
| TRUSTEES OF THE LAWRENCEVILLE SCHOOL | LAWRENCEVILLE, NJ | $570,000 | 2025 | Davis International Scholars Program |
| PENINSULA OPEN SPACE TRUST | PALO ALTO, CA | $500,000 | 2025 | San Gregorio Ranch Campaign and POST Annual Fund |
| JACOBS PILLOW DANCE FESTIVAL INC | BECKET, MA | $500,000 | 2025 | General & Unrestricted |
| STANFORD UNIVERSITY | STANFORD, CA | $500,000 | 2025 | PILLAR program spearheaded by Dr. Jeff Goldberg and medical scholarship fund for underrepresented minorities |
| MILTON ACADEMY | MILTON, MA | $500,000 | 2025 | Davis International Scholars Program |
| PENINSULA OPEN SPACE TRUST | PALO ALTO, CA | $500,000 | 2025 | San Gregorio Ranch Campaign |
| ST BERNARDS SCHOOL INC | NEW YORK, NY | $500,000 | 2025 | General & Unrestricted |
| TRUSTEES OF WESTMINSTER SCHOOL INC | SIMSBURY, CT | $495,000 | 2025 | Davis International Scholars Program |
| RIVERFEST FPS INC | BRIARCLIFF, NY | $400,000 | 2025 | General & Unrestricted |
| CATLIN GABEL SCHOOL | PORTLAND, OR | $350,000 | 2025 | Financial Assistance and school's capital campaign funds |
| BROWN HOPE | PORTLAND, OR | $350,000 | 2025 | General & Unrestricted |
| PRESIDENT & FELLOWS OF MIDDLEBURY COLLEGE | MIDDLEBURY, VT | $300,000 | 2025 | Afghani students at Middlebury Fund |
| ENERGY INNOVATION REFORM PROJECT | FAIRFAX, VA | $300,000 | 2025 | General & Unrestricted |
| BRIARCLIFF NURSERY SCHOOL | OSSINING, NY | $300,000 | 2025 | Building and grounds maintenance, repairs and beautification, bathroom installation, and BNS endowment Fund |
| OHSU FOUNDATION | PORTLAND, OR | $250,000 | 2025 | The Northwest Native American Center of Excellence Fund |
| FILMNORTH | SAINT PAUL, MN | $250,000 | 2025 | General & Unrestricted |
ARMAND HAMMER UNITED WORLD COLLEGE OF THE AMERICAN
$26,000,000UWC Forever fund and Davis Scholars Program
UNIVERSITY OF OKLAHOMA FOUNDATION INC
$13,130,000Davis UWC Scholars Program 2024
SANTA FE PREPARATORY SCHOOL
$9,219,000Davis New Mexico Scholars fund
PRESIDENT & TRUSTEES OF COLBY COLLEGE
$6,000,000Davis Institute for Artificial Intelligence
SONOMA ACADEMY
$5,580,000General & Unrestricted
MACALESTER COLLEGE
$5,520,556Davis UWC Scholars Program Fund 2024
THE BRIGHAM & WOMENS HOSPITAL INC
$5,000,000Alzheimer Prevention Program
CONEY ISLAND PREP BUILDERS INC
$3,500,000Pride Promise Scholarship fund for deposit into the account held at fidelity and school's general operations fund
HUDSON VALLEY SHAKESPEARE FESTIVAL INC
$3,500,000General & Unrestricted
LANDPATHS
$2,500,000General & Unrestricted
PETALUMA RIVER PARK FOUNDATION INC
$2,500,000General & Unrestricted
THE COLLEGE OF IDAHO INC
$2,210,000Davis UWC Scholars Program Fund 2024
UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO
$2,000,000General & Unrestricted
UNIVERSITY OF ST ANDREWS AMERICAN FOUNDATION INC
$2,000,000General & Unrestricted
AMERICAN FRIENDS OF THE OCEAN CLEANUP FOUNDATION
$2,000,000General & Unrestricted
SCENIC HUDSON INC
$1,200,000General & Unrestricted
MAINE SEACOAST MISSION
$1,101,131Davis Maine Scholarship Fund
SCHOOL OF LEADERSHIP-AFGHANISTAN INC
$1,000,000Sola-X & General Education Funds
UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA
$1,000,000Davis First-Generation Scholarship fund
NATURE CONSERVANCY
$1,000,000The Point Reyes Project
INSTITUTE FOR SHIPBOARD EDUCATION
$1,000,000scholarship Fund
LAND TRUST ALLIANCE INCORPORATED
$1,000,000General & Unrestricted
CHAUTAUQUA FOUNDATION INC
$1,000,000General & Unrestricted
HOLDERNESS SCHOOL
$1,000,000construction of academic building; building of Mittersill performance center; trail, field, and ski and snowboarding venue initiatives
BROOKS SCHOOL
$849,805First Gen Scholarship Fund
SCENIC HUDSON INC
$800,000the Westchester Riverwalk and Regenerative Agriculture and other projects funds
TAFT SCHOOL CORPORATION
$775,000Davis International Scholars Program
RIVERKEEPER INC
$750,000activities and projects in Westchester county, General & Unrestricted
FUTURE GENERATIONS UNIVERSITY CORPORATION
$750,000Institutional Support fund, field-based residentials financial aid fund, and field-based learning fund
ROCKEFELLER FAMILY FUND INC
$750,000Democracy & Power Innovation Fund
ROCKEFELLER FAMILY FUND INC
$750,000RFFs civic engagement and climate work fund
TRUSTEES OF PHILLIPS ACADEMY
$740,000Davis International Scholars Program
EMMA WILLARD SCHOOL
$710,000Davis International Scholars Program
GINA GIBNEY DANCE INC
$666,666Dance Company fund
TRUSTEES OF THE LAWRENCEVILLE SCHOOL
$570,000Davis International Scholars Program
PENINSULA OPEN SPACE TRUST
$500,000San Gregorio Ranch Campaign and POST Annual Fund
JACOBS PILLOW DANCE FESTIVAL INC
$500,000General & Unrestricted
STANFORD UNIVERSITY
$500,000PILLAR program spearheaded by Dr. Jeff Goldberg and medical scholarship fund for underrepresented minorities
MILTON ACADEMY
$500,000Davis International Scholars Program
PENINSULA OPEN SPACE TRUST
$500,000San Gregorio Ranch Campaign
ST BERNARDS SCHOOL INC
$500,000General & Unrestricted
TRUSTEES OF WESTMINSTER SCHOOL INC
$495,000Davis International Scholars Program
RIVERFEST FPS INC
$400,000General & Unrestricted
CATLIN GABEL SCHOOL
$350,000Financial Assistance and school's capital campaign funds
BROWN HOPE
$350,000General & Unrestricted
PRESIDENT & FELLOWS OF MIDDLEBURY COLLEGE
$300,000Afghani students at Middlebury Fund
ENERGY INNOVATION REFORM PROJECT
$300,000General & Unrestricted
BRIARCLIFF NURSERY SCHOOL
$300,000Building and grounds maintenance, repairs and beautification, bathroom installation, and BNS endowment Fund
OHSU FOUNDATION
$250,000The Northwest Native American Center of Excellence Fund
FILMNORTH
$250,000General & Unrestricted