The Anders Foundation favors cultural and educational institutions, with a strong tilt toward museums, arts/media projects, and both K–12 and higher-education affiliated programs. They support high-profile national cultural organizations (e.g., the Smithsonian) alongside regional West Coast nonprofits in conservation, environmental education, and music. Grants range from multi-year or repeat funding for flagship cultural partners to one-off gifts for schools and specialty programs.
The Anders Foundation C/o Valerie E Anders shows a clear preference for recurring support to major cultural institutions, especially the Smithsonian, which appears multiple times across 2023, 2024, and 2025. That pattern sits alongside grants to museums, documentary and film groups, schools, and education-oriented nonprofits, giving the foundation a profile that mixes national cultural giving with regional arts and learning support. Its recent awards also include the Zoological Society of San Diego, Seattle Documentary Association, and Nature Bridge, indicating an interest in both public-facing cultural programming and environmental education. The foundation’s larger recent gifts often land in the mid-five-figure range, while smaller awards extend to school programs, museums, and specialty arts organizations. In addition to national institutions in Washington, DC, it backs organizations in California, Washington, New Jersey, Maryland, and Florida. The recipient mix suggests a funder that supports established institutions as well as targeted projects, rather than concentrating solely on one program type. Repeat grants to the Smithsonian and the Seattle Documentary Association point to ongoing relationships, while one-time gifts appear for music, museum, and school-affiliated initiatives.
Cultural institutions are a visible part of the foundation’s giving. It awarded $61,000 and $50,000 to the Smithsonian Institution in 2024, then continued with a $15,000 grant in 2023 and a $2,500 grant in 2025, showing sustained support for a national museum partner. Education-related grants also appear across different levels. In 2025, the foundation gave $50,000 to Montclair Kimberley Academy, and in 2024 it made separate grants to Montclair Kimberly Academy of $5,000 and $2,500. That same year it granted $31,200 to Cal State Fullerton Philantropic Foundation. Environmental and outdoor education is another thread. The foundation gave $25,000 to Zoological Society of San Diego in 2025 and $12,200 to Nature Bridge in 2025. Arts and film show up as well through $25,000 and $11,000 grants to Seattle Documentary Association in 2025 and 2024.
Typical awards are concentrated in the middle range: p25 is $1,425, the median grant is $5,000, and p75 is $11,375. That spread fits a pattern of many modest gifts with a smaller number of larger commitments. Recent grants also show repeat giving rather than only one-off awards, including multiple years of support to the Smithsonian Institution, Seattle Documentary Association, and Zoological Society of San Diego. The foundation does not fund individuals and does not make program-related investments. The available data shows grantmaking in 2023 through 2025, with no application process described.
$387K
$3.8M
$183K
$175K
Most grants fall between $1K and $11K, with a median of $5K.
25th Percentile
$1K
Median
$5K
75th Percentile
$11K
About 33% of grants go to recipients in CA.
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Concentrated, mid-to-large grants focused on a mix of flagship national cultural institutions and selected regional nonprofits; includes repeat funding to core cultural grantees but also occasional one-time grants to schools and specialty programs.
Notable grantees: Smithsonian Institution, Montclair Kimberley Academy, Seattle Documentary Association, Zoological Society of San Diego, NatureBridge
The foundation gives nationally, and every listed grant in the recent sample goes to a U.S. recipient. California appears most often by recipient location, with grants to San Diego, Fullerton, Glendale, and the Yosemite area; Washington follows with Seattle, Port Angeles, and Eastsound. Washington, DC is also a recurring destination through Smithsonian-related grants. Outside the West Coast and DC, recent recipients include Montclair, New Jersey; Annapolis, Maryland; and Orlando, Florida. Recipients in the foundation’s HQ state, Washington, account for 33% of grants.
Its recent grants favor cultural and educational institutions: museums, documentary and film organizations, schools, military academy-related philanthropy, and conservation or outdoor education groups. Named recipients include the Smithsonian Institution, Seattle Documentary Association, Montclair Kimberley Academy, and Nature Bridge.
The grant-size distribution centers on smaller-to-mid-sized awards. The 25th percentile is $1,425, the median is $5,000, and the 75th percentile is $11,375.
Yes. The recent record shows multi-year support for several recipients, including the Smithsonian Institution in 2023, 2024, and 2025; Seattle Documentary Association in 2023, 2024, and 2025; and Zoological Society of San Diego in 2024 and 2025.
The foundation gives nationally, with California as the top state by grant count. Washington state also receives a large share, accounting for 33% of grants, and Washington, DC is another repeated destination in the recent grants list.
No. The foundation does not fund individuals and does not make program-related investments.
2025
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2025.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| MONTCLAIR KIMBERLEY ACADEMY | MONTCLAIR, NJ | $50,000 | 2025 | N/A |
| CAL STATE FULLERTON PHILANTROPIC FOUNDATION | FULLERTON, CA | $31,200 | 2025 | N/A |
| ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF SAN DIEGO | SAN DIEGO, CA | $25,000 | 2025 | N/A |
| SEATTLE DOCUMENTARY ASSOCIATION | SEATTLE, WA | $25,000 | 2025 | N/A |
| NATURE BRIDGE | SAN FRANSISCO, CA | $12,200 | 2025 | N/A |
| US NAVAL ACADMEY FOUNDATION INC | ANNAPOLIS, MD | $5,000 | 2025 | N/A |
| SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION | WASHINGTON, DC | $2,500 | 2025 | N/A |
| SMITHSONIAN NATIONAL AIR AND SPACE MUSEUM | WASHINGTON, DC | $2,500 | 2025 | N/A |
| YOSEMITE FOUNDATION | SAN FRANSISCO, CA | $2,000 | 2025 | N/A |
| HELEN WOODWARD ANIMAL CENTER | RANCHO SANTA FE, CA | $500 | 2025 | N/A |
| ART OF ELAN | SAN DIEGO, CA | $500 | 2025 | N/A |
| SCRIPPS INSTITUTION OF OCEANOGRAPHY | LA JOLLA, CA | $500 | 2025 | N/A |
| AMERICAN RED CROSS | WASHINGTON, DC | $200 | 2025 | N/A |
| NATIONAL PARKS CONSERVATION ASSOCIATION | WASHINGTON, DC | $100 | 2025 | N/A |
| SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION | WASHINGTON, DC | $61,000 | 2024 | N/A |
| SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION | WASHINGTON, DC | $50,000 | 2024 | 20560 |
| OLYMPIC STRINGS WORKSHOP | PORT ANGELES, WA | $15,000 | 2024 | N/A |
| US NAVAL ACADEMY FOUNDATION INC | ANNAPOLIS, MD | $12,500 | 2024 | N/A |
| SEATTLE DOCUMENTARY ASSOCIATION | SEATTLE, WA | $11,000 | 2024 | N/A |
| ORCAS ISLAND CHAMBER MUSIC FESTIVAL | EASTSOUND, WA | $5,000 | 2024 | N/A |
| THE SAN DIEGO AIR & SPACE MUSEUM | SAN DIEGO, CA | $5,000 | 2024 | N/A |
| OLYMPIC STRINGS | PORT ANGELES, WA | $5,000 | 2024 | N/A |
| MUSEUM OF NEON ARTS | GLENDALE, CA | $5,000 | 2024 | N/A |
| MONTCLAIR KIMBERLY ACADEMY | MONTCLAIR, NJ | $2,500 | 2024 | N/A |
| MAGNUSSON KLEMENCIC ASSOCIATES FOUNDATION | SEATTLE, WA | $2,000 | 2024 | N/A |
| SAIL ORCAS - A SAILING EDUCATION FOUNDATION | EASTSOUND, WA | $2,000 | 2024 | N/A |
| ASTRONAUT SCHOLARSHIP FOUNDATION | ORLANDO, FL | $1,500 | 2024 | N/A |
| ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF SAN DIEGO | SAN DIEGO, CA | $1,200 | 2024 | N/A |
| PLANES OF FAME AIR MUSEUM | CHINO, CA | $1,000 | 2024 | N/A |
| CABRILLO NATIONAL MONUMENT FOUNDATION | SAN DIEGO, CA | $1,000 | 2024 | N/A |
| AMERICAN RED CROSS AND ITS CONSTITUENT CHAPTERS AND BRANCHES | WASHINGTON, DC | $1,000 | 2024 | N/A |
| SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION | WASHINGTON, DC | $15,000 | 2023 | N/A |
| USNA FOUNDATION | ANNAPOLIS, MD | $13,500 | 2023 | N/A |
| LEADERSHIP OF GREATER WASHINGTON | WASHINGTON, DC | $10,000 | 2023 | N/A |
| MONTCLAIR KIMBERLY ACADEMY | MONTCLAIR, NJ | $5,000 | 2023 | N/A |
| SEATTLE DOCUMENTARY ASSOCIATION | SEATTLE, WA | $2,500 | 2023 | N/A |
| ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF SAN DIEGO | SAN DIEGO, CA | $1,200 | 2023 | N/A |
| NEW BEGINNINGS | SEATTLE, WA | $1,000 | 2023 | N/A |
MONTCLAIR KIMBERLEY ACADEMY
$50,000N/A
CAL STATE FULLERTON PHILANTROPIC FOUNDATION
$31,200N/A
ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF SAN DIEGO
$25,000N/A
SEATTLE DOCUMENTARY ASSOCIATION
$25,000N/A
NATURE BRIDGE
$12,200N/A
US NAVAL ACADMEY FOUNDATION INC
$5,000N/A
SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION
N/A
SMITHSONIAN NATIONAL AIR AND SPACE MUSEUM
$2,500N/A
YOSEMITE FOUNDATION
$2,000N/A
HELEN WOODWARD ANIMAL CENTER
$500N/A
ART OF ELAN
$500N/A
SCRIPPS INSTITUTION OF OCEANOGRAPHY
$500N/A
AMERICAN RED CROSS
$200N/A
NATIONAL PARKS CONSERVATION ASSOCIATION
$100N/A
SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION
$61,000N/A
SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION
$50,00020560
OLYMPIC STRINGS WORKSHOP
$15,000N/A
US NAVAL ACADEMY FOUNDATION INC
$12,500N/A
SEATTLE DOCUMENTARY ASSOCIATION
$11,000N/A
ORCAS ISLAND CHAMBER MUSIC FESTIVAL
$5,000N/A
THE SAN DIEGO AIR & SPACE MUSEUM
$5,000N/A
OLYMPIC STRINGS
$5,000N/A
MUSEUM OF NEON ARTS
$5,000N/A
MONTCLAIR KIMBERLY ACADEMY
$2,500N/A
MAGNUSSON KLEMENCIC ASSOCIATES FOUNDATION
$2,000N/A
SAIL ORCAS - A SAILING EDUCATION FOUNDATION
$2,000N/A
ASTRONAUT SCHOLARSHIP FOUNDATION
$1,500N/A
ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF SAN DIEGO
$1,200N/A
PLANES OF FAME AIR MUSEUM
$1,000N/A
CABRILLO NATIONAL MONUMENT FOUNDATION
$1,000N/A
AMERICAN RED CROSS AND ITS CONSTITUENT CHAPTERS AND BRANCHES
$1,000N/A
SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION
$15,000N/A
USNA FOUNDATION
$13,500N/A
LEADERSHIP OF GREATER WASHINGTON
$10,000N/A
MONTCLAIR KIMBERLY ACADEMY
$5,000N/A
SEATTLE DOCUMENTARY ASSOCIATION
$2,500N/A
ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF SAN DIEGO
$1,200N/A
NEW BEGINNINGS
$1,000N/A