About Carnegie Mellon University
Have a transformative impact on society through continual innovation in education, research, creativity, and entrepreneurship.
Focus Areas
higher educationresearchart & creativityartificial intelligencepublic policyhealthnational securityentrepreneurship
Who They Fund
universities/collegesresearch institutionseducational program implementers/subcontracted partners
Funding Style
program-restricted/project-specific supportsubcontracting/contract-based funding
About Carnegie Mellon University
Carnegie Mellon University’s grantmaking is built around education and research subcontracting, with large awards flowing to universities and research institutions rather than individuals. The biggest recent grant in the file is $6.1 million to the University of Pittsburgh, followed by $4.9 million to the same institution in the next year, showing a recurring pattern of substantial project support. Recent awards also reach major research universities such as the University of California Berkeley, Penn State University, the University of Washington, and the University of Pennsylvania. The recipient mix is closely tied to higher education and research, and the university’s listed focus areas extend into art and creativity, artificial intelligence, public policy, health, national security, and entrepreneurship. Its active Manufacturing Futures Institute request for proposals adds a current research channel centered on manufacturing, including human-centered manufacturing, data and AI, digital twin, and automation. The overall picture is of a funder using project-specific support to move research collaborations and academic work forward across a wide set of disciplines.
What Carnegie Mellon University Funds
In higher education and research, Carnegie Mellon University makes repeated subcontract awards to major universities. The University of California Berkeley received $2,083,176 in 2023 and $1,039,451 in 2024 for education/research subcontract work, while the University of Pennsylvania received $1,063,729 in 2024 for the same category. That pattern points to sustained project delivery rather than a one-off relationship. The foundation also supports applied research with industry and nonprofit-style partners: Synchron Inc received $1,038,648 in 2024, and Delta Risk LLC received $760,263 in 2024 for education/research subcontracting. The active Manufacturing Futures Institute request for proposals adds another clear theme, inviting research aligned with agile, intelligent, efficient, resilient, and sustainable manufacturing.
How Carnegie Mellon University Gives
Typical awards fall in a mid-sized project range, with p25 at $23,820, a median of $68,401, and p75 at $177,986. The recent grant list shows that Carnegie Mellon University also makes far larger subcontract awards alongside smaller ones, which is consistent with a program-restricted, contract-based funding model. Recipients appear across multiple years; the University of Pittsburgh, University of California Berkeley, University of Washington, and others recur in 2023 and 2024. The funder is classified as a regular funder and does not fund individuals or make program-related investments. An active request for proposals indicates at least one unsolicited route through the Manufacturing Futures Institute.
Financial Snapshot
Annual Giving
$35.2M
Total Assets
$6.8B
Total Revenue
$1.9B
Total Expenses
$1.6B
Typical Grant Size
Most grants fall between $24K and $178K, with a median of $68K.
25th Percentile
$24K
Median
$68K
75th Percentile
$178K
Geographic Reach
National41 states funded
About 34% of grants go to recipients in PA.
Funding intensity
LowHigh
Headquarters
Leadership
FARNAM JAHANIAN
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