The Adobe Foundation concentrates its giving on large, institutional partners in arts & culture, higher education (notably public and HBCU campuses), global human rights advocacy, and mental health research/advocacy. Grants are often sizable and either support signature Adobe-aligned creative programs (e.g., Adobe Creative Residency, Catalyst) or provide general operating support to universities and major nonprofits. The foundation favors established institutions and initiatives that align with creativity, social justice, and wellbeing.
Adobe Foundation’s recent giving shows a clear preference for large, institutional grants tied to creativity, human rights, and wellbeing. One of its most visible patterns is sustained support for museums and arts organizations, including back-to-back Adobe Creative Residency funding at the Victoria and Albert Museum in London and an expansion grant for the Museum of Modern Art’s Catalyst Program in New York. The foundation also commits seven-figure support to public universities and HBCU-linked foundations, such as Bowie State University Foundation, Winston-Salem State University Foundation Incorpor, and The Tower Foundation of San Jose State University. Beyond education and the arts, it funds major advocacy organizations working on human rights and mental health, with recurring support for Human Rights Watch Inc, Equal Justice Initiative, and Nami National. The grant record also includes targeted support for refugee relief and community initiatives, such as the International Rescue Committee and The London Community Foundation. Across these awards, Adobe Foundation favors established institutions with scale, often pairing unrestricted support with program-specific commitments that align with its creativity-centered identity.
In arts and culture, Adobe Foundation backed the Victoria and Albert Museum with $2,105,186 in 2025 for the Adobe Creative Residency Program, extending a partnership that also included a $2,108,701 project grant in 2024. It also gave $2,000,000 to the Museum of Modern Art for the expansion of MoMA’s Catalyst Program. In higher education, the foundation made $2,000,000 grants to Bowie State University Foundation and Winston-salem State University Foundation Incorpor, both listed as general and unrestricted support. For mental health, it awarded Nami National $1,500,000 in 2025 to encourage creative expression and mental well-being among youth and young adults. In human rights advocacy, Adobe Foundation provided $2,000,000 to Human Rights Watch Inc in 2025 as general and unrestricted support.
Adobe Foundation’s typical grant size is large: the 25th percentile is $200,000, the median is $500,000, and the 75th percentile is $1,000,000. The recent record is dominated by seven-figure awards, including repeated grants to the same organizations across multiple years, which points to ongoing relationships rather than one-off gifts. The foundation is classified as a regular funder and also funds individuals. Its grants frequently appear as general, unrestricted, or operating support, often alongside program-specific awards such as cohort participation or project funding.
$69.3M
$18.2M
$16.9M
$28.8M
Most grants fall between $200K and $1M, with a median of $500K.
25th Percentile
$200K
Median
$500K
75th Percentile
$1M
About 0% of grants go to recipients in CA.
Top 10 recipient countries by grant volume for Adobe Foundation.
| Rank | Country | Grants | Total | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | United StatesDomestic | 98 | $61.7M | 68.5% |
| 2 | United Kingdom | 13 | $7M |
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.
Concentrated, high-dollar grants to a small number of national and international institutional grantees (many multi‑hundred-thousand to multi‑million dollar awards), with some repeat funding; a mix of programmatic investments tied to Adobe’s creative mission and unrestricted general support to universities and large nonprofits.
Notable grantees: Victoria and Albert Museum, Human Rights Watch, NAMI National, Museum of Modern Art (MoMA), Winston-Salem State University Foundation
Grant recipients are mostly in the United States, which accounts for 98 grants, or 68.5% of the total recipient-country distribution. Outside the US, the most visible recipient locations are the UK, India, and several European and international sites. Named recipient cities include New York, San Jose, Bowie, Winston Salem, London, Oakland, Mountain View, San Francisco, Boston, Arlington, Montgomery, and Longmont. California is the top state by grant count, while Delaware receives 0% of grants.
The foundation gives large grants to established institutions in arts and culture, higher education, human rights advocacy, and mental health. Recent recipients include museums, public university foundations, national advocacy groups, and organizations serving youth and young adults.
Typical grant size is substantial: the 25th percentile is $200,000, the median is $500,000, and the 75th percentile is $1,000,000. Recent awards also include multiple grants at $2,000,000 and above.
Yes. Several organizations appear in more than one year, including Victoria and Albert Museum, Human Rights Watch Inc, Nami National, Bowie State University Foundation, The Tower Foundation of San Jose State University, and Equal Justice Initiative.
Most grants go to recipients in the United States, with 98 grants, or 68.5% of the recipient-country distribution. The list also shows grants to the UK, India, Germany, Jamaica, France, Romania, Canada, and Eswatini.
A large share of grants are listed as general and unrestricted or general operating support. The foundation also funds specific projects and cohort participation, such as the Adobe Creative Residency Program, MoMA’s Catalyst Program, and EAI cohort activities.
2025
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2025.
| 3 | India | 10 | $430K | 7.0% |
| 4 | Germany | 5 | $790K | 3.5% |
| 5 | France | 3 | $520K | 2.1% |
| 6 | Japan | 3 | $271K | 2.1% |
| 7 | Romania | 3 | $60K | 2.1% |
| 8 | Switzerland | 2 | $200K | 1.4% |
| 9 | Ireland | 2 | $40K | 1.4% |
| 10 | Canada | 2 | $40K | 1.4% |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| VICTORIA AND ALBERT MUSEUM | LONDON | $2,105,186 | 2025 | Adobe Creative Residency Program |
| WINSTON-SALEM STATE UNIVERSITY FOUNDATION INCORPOR | WINSTON SALEM, NC | $2,000,000 | 2025 | General & Unrestricted |
| HUMAN RIGHTS WATCH INC | NEW YORK, NY | $2,000,000 | 2025 | General & Unrestricted |
| BOWIE STATE UNIVERSITY FOUNDATION | BOWIE, MD | $2,000,000 | 2025 | General & Unrestricted |
| THE TOWER FOUNDATION OF SAN JOSE STATE UNIVERSITY | SAN JOSE, CA | $2,000,000 | 2025 | General & Unrestricted |
| NAMI NATIONAL | ARLINGTON, VA | $1,500,000 | 2025 | Encouraging creative expression and mental well-being among youth and young adults |
| OUTRIGHT ACTION INTERNATIONAL | NEW YORK, NY | $1,000,000 | 2025 | General & Unrestricted |
| FIRST NATIONS DEVELOPMENT INSTITUTE | LONGMONT, CO | $1,000,000 | 2025 | General & Unrestricted |
| EQUAL JUSTICE INITIATIVE | MONTGOMERY, AL | $1,000,000 | 2025 | General & Unrestricted |
| ASIAN LAW CAUCUS | SAN FRANCISCO, CA | $1,000,000 | 2025 | General & Unrestricted |
| EQUALITY NOW INC | NEW YORK, NY | $1,000,000 | 2025 | General & Unrestricted |
| DISABILITY RIGHTS FUND INC | BOSTON, MA | $1,000,000 | 2025 | General & Unrestricted |
| THE LONDON COMMUNITY FOUNDATION | LONDON | $1,000,000 | 2025 | Adobe Hometown Commitment |
| THURGOOD MARSHALL COLLEGE FUND INC | WASHINGTON, DC | $1,000,000 | 2025 | General & Unrestricted |
| KHAN ACADEMY INC | MOUNTAIN VIEW, CA | $995,000 | 2025 | Support, Build, and Promote Creative Thinking Skills through Creative Classroom Activities |
| MEXICAN AMERICAN LEGAL DEFENSE AND EDUCATIONAL FUN | LOS ANGELES, CA | $750,000 | 2025 | General & Unrestricted |
| UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA | LOS ANGELES, CA | $750,000 | 2025 | USC Annenberg Inclusion Initiative Power Index |
| HISPANIC HERITAGE FOUNDATION | WASHINGTON, DC | $500,000 | 2025 | General & Unrestricted |
| EASTER SEALS SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA INC | IRVINE, CA | $500,000 | 2025 | Easterseals Disability Film Challenge |
| BRAVEN INCORPORATED | CHICAGO, IL | $500,000 | 2025 | General & Unrestricted |
| THE SAN JOSE PUBLIC LIBRARY FOUNDATION | SAN JOSE, CA | $500,000 | 2025 | General operating support for SJ Aspires |
| UNITED SERVICE ORGANIZATIONS INC | WASHINGTON, DC | $500,000 | 2025 | General & Unrestricted |
| VETSINTECH | SAN FRANCISCO, CA | $500,000 | 2025 | General & Unrestricted |
| JUSTICE FOR MIGRANT WOMEN | FREMONT, OH | $500,000 | 2025 | The Latinx House, to create an Editors Fellowship to support intermediate bilingual editors and a proof of concept grant for advanced filmmakers |
| WORLD CENTRAL KITCHEN INCORPORATED | WASHINGTON, DC | $500,000 | 2025 | General & Unrestricted |
| HOMEFIRST SERVICES OF SANTA CLARA COUNTY | MILPITAS, CA | $400,000 | 2025 | General & Unrestricted |
| DIRECT RELIEF | SANTA BARBARA, CA | $250,000 | 2025 | General & Unrestricted |
| CODE ORG | SEATTLE, WA | $250,000 | 2025 | The TeachAI Initiative |
| AMERICAN NATIONAL RED CROSS | SAN FRANCISCO, CA | $250,000 | 2025 | General & Unrestricted |
| ASSOCIACAO CULTURAL CICCILLO MATARAZZO - ACCIM | SAO PAULO | $250,000 | 2025 | Museum of Image and Sound (MIS), in support of expanding its reach and accessibility |
| SCREENSKILLS LIMITED | LONDON | $250,000 | 2025 | Increasing inclusion/representation in the film and TV industry |
| INDEPENDENT ADMINISTRATIVE INSTITUTION NATIONAL OF | CHIYODAKU | $243,449 | 2025 | Adobe x NMA Japan program |
| SAN JOSE MUSEUM OF ART ASSOCIATION | SAN JOSE, CA | $150,000 | 2025 | General & Unrestricted |
| DIRECT RELIEF | SANTA BARBARA, CA | $100,000 | 2025 | General and Unrestricted, in response to the Israel/Hamas conflict |
| MINNESOTA STREET PROJECT FOUNDATION | SAN FRANCISCO, CA | $100,000 | 2025 | Five Key Initiatives: 1) subsidize operational costs; 2) provide studio space for DEI goals; 3) maintaining facility spaces; 4) provide more studio spaces for artists; and 5) create new shared facility spaces in a new building |
| CITY OF SAN JOSE | SAN JOSE, CA | $100,000 | 2025 | The Blue Zones Project's San Jose Readiness Assessment |
| ASMP FOUNDATION | DALLAS, TX | $50,000 | 2025 | General & Unrestricted |
| COMMITTEE TO PROTECT JOURNALISTS INC | NEW YORK, NY | $50,000 | 2025 | General & Unrestricted |
| HUMAN RIGHTS CAMPAIGN FOUNDATION | WASHINGTON, DC | $10,000 | 2025 | General support, and in support of HRC's hosting of a convening of leading nonprofits working on racial and social justice issues |
| INDEPENDENT ADMINISTRATIVE INSTITUTION NATIONAL OF | CHIYODAKU | $7,574 | 2025 | Adobe x NMA Museum |
| PHILANTHROPY NORTHWEST | SEATTLE, WA | $6,016 | 2025 | to cover EAI Cohort expenses |
| SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION | WASHINGTON, DC | $2,500 | 2025 | General operating support for the National Museum of the Indian American |
| VICTORIA AND ALBERT MUSEUM | LONDON | $2,108,701 | 2024 | Adobe Creative Residency project |
| MUSEUM OF MODERN ART | NEW YORK, NY | $2,000,000 | 2024 | Expansion of MoMA's Catalyst Program |
| NAMI NATIONAL | ARLINGTON, VA | $1,500,000 | 2024 | research project and general operating support |
| EQUAL JUSTICE INITIATIVE | MONTGOMERY, AL | $1,000,000 | 2024 | General & Unrestricted |
| THE JED FOUNDATION | NEW YORK, NY | $1,000,000 | 2024 | General & Unrestricted |
| OUTRIGHT ACTION INTERNATIONAL | NEW YORK, NY | $1,000,000 | 2024 | General & Unrestricted |
| DESTINATION HOME SV | MOUNTAIN VIEW, CA | $1,000,000 | 2024 | General operating support to end homelessness in Santa Clara County |
| BOWIE STATE UNIVERSITY FOUNDATION | BOWIE, MD | $1,000,000 | 2024 | to support the work of BSUF |
VICTORIA AND ALBERT MUSEUM
$2,105,186Adobe Creative Residency Program
WINSTON-SALEM STATE UNIVERSITY FOUNDATION INCORPOR
$2,000,000General & Unrestricted
HUMAN RIGHTS WATCH INC
$2,000,000General & Unrestricted
BOWIE STATE UNIVERSITY FOUNDATION
$2,000,000General & Unrestricted
THE TOWER FOUNDATION OF SAN JOSE STATE UNIVERSITY
$2,000,000General & Unrestricted
NAMI NATIONAL
$1,500,000Encouraging creative expression and mental well-being among youth and young adults
OUTRIGHT ACTION INTERNATIONAL
$1,000,000General & Unrestricted
FIRST NATIONS DEVELOPMENT INSTITUTE
$1,000,000General & Unrestricted
EQUAL JUSTICE INITIATIVE
$1,000,000General & Unrestricted
ASIAN LAW CAUCUS
$1,000,000General & Unrestricted
EQUALITY NOW INC
$1,000,000General & Unrestricted
DISABILITY RIGHTS FUND INC
$1,000,000General & Unrestricted
THE LONDON COMMUNITY FOUNDATION
$1,000,000Adobe Hometown Commitment
THURGOOD MARSHALL COLLEGE FUND INC
$1,000,000General & Unrestricted
KHAN ACADEMY INC
$995,000Support, Build, and Promote Creative Thinking Skills through Creative Classroom Activities
MEXICAN AMERICAN LEGAL DEFENSE AND EDUCATIONAL FUN
$750,000General & Unrestricted
UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
$750,000USC Annenberg Inclusion Initiative Power Index
HISPANIC HERITAGE FOUNDATION
$500,000General & Unrestricted
EASTER SEALS SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA INC
$500,000Easterseals Disability Film Challenge
BRAVEN INCORPORATED
$500,000General & Unrestricted
THE SAN JOSE PUBLIC LIBRARY FOUNDATION
$500,000General operating support for SJ Aspires
UNITED SERVICE ORGANIZATIONS INC
$500,000General & Unrestricted
VETSINTECH
$500,000General & Unrestricted
JUSTICE FOR MIGRANT WOMEN
$500,000The Latinx House, to create an Editors Fellowship to support intermediate bilingual editors and a proof of concept grant for advanced filmmakers
WORLD CENTRAL KITCHEN INCORPORATED
$500,000General & Unrestricted
HOMEFIRST SERVICES OF SANTA CLARA COUNTY
$400,000General & Unrestricted
DIRECT RELIEF
$250,000General & Unrestricted
CODE ORG
$250,000The TeachAI Initiative
AMERICAN NATIONAL RED CROSS
$250,000General & Unrestricted
ASSOCIACAO CULTURAL CICCILLO MATARAZZO - ACCIM
$250,000Museum of Image and Sound (MIS), in support of expanding its reach and accessibility
SCREENSKILLS LIMITED
$250,000Increasing inclusion/representation in the film and TV industry
INDEPENDENT ADMINISTRATIVE INSTITUTION NATIONAL OF
$243,449Adobe x NMA Japan program
SAN JOSE MUSEUM OF ART ASSOCIATION
$150,000General & Unrestricted
DIRECT RELIEF
$100,000General and Unrestricted, in response to the Israel/Hamas conflict
MINNESOTA STREET PROJECT FOUNDATION
$100,000Five Key Initiatives: 1) subsidize operational costs; 2) provide studio space for DEI goals; 3) maintaining facility spaces; 4) provide more studio spaces for artists; and 5) create new shared facility spaces in a new building
CITY OF SAN JOSE
$100,000The Blue Zones Project's San Jose Readiness Assessment
ASMP FOUNDATION
$50,000General & Unrestricted
COMMITTEE TO PROTECT JOURNALISTS INC
$50,000General & Unrestricted
HUMAN RIGHTS CAMPAIGN FOUNDATION
$10,000General support, and in support of HRC's hosting of a convening of leading nonprofits working on racial and social justice issues
INDEPENDENT ADMINISTRATIVE INSTITUTION NATIONAL OF
$7,574Adobe x NMA Museum
PHILANTHROPY NORTHWEST
$6,016to cover EAI Cohort expenses
SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION
$2,500General operating support for the National Museum of the Indian American
VICTORIA AND ALBERT MUSEUM
$2,108,701Adobe Creative Residency project
MUSEUM OF MODERN ART
$2,000,000Expansion of MoMA's Catalyst Program
NAMI NATIONAL
$1,500,000research project and general operating support
EQUAL JUSTICE INITIATIVE
$1,000,000General & Unrestricted
THE JED FOUNDATION
$1,000,000General & Unrestricted
OUTRIGHT ACTION INTERNATIONAL
$1,000,000General & Unrestricted
DESTINATION HOME SV
$1,000,000General operating support to end homelessness in Santa Clara County
BOWIE STATE UNIVERSITY FOUNDATION
$1,000,000to support the work of BSUF