The Ayco Charitable Foundation concentrates its philanthropy on higher education and community-serving intermediaries while also sustaining a clear pattern of denominational church support. Grants are frequently routed through donor-advised/charitable funds and community foundations, and the foundation also makes direct multi-grant investments in universities, regional environmental protection, and military/veteran-related causes. Its portfolio mixes large, targeted gifts (including multi-year or repeat grants) with substantial contributions to intermediary vehicles that enable flexible, distributed giving.
A defining feature of The Ayco Charitable Foundation is its large, repeated support for intermediary vehicles that move money onward to many charities. In 2024, it made a $13,703,600 grant to Goldman Sachs Philanthropy Fund in New York and, in the same year, another $4,571,139 grant to Morgan Stanley Global Impact Funding Trust Inc in Indianapolis. That pattern sits alongside direct gifts to universities, religious bodies, and community-serving organizations, showing a portfolio that combines flexible pass-through grantmaking with targeted institutional support. Education is one of the clearest throughlines: Montana Technological University Foundation received $8,090,000 in 2024, while Virginia Tech Foundation Inc received $2,624,500 in 2023 and $1,772,000 in 2024. The foundation also supports denominational and congregational religious work, including Living Word Lutheran Church and the General Council of the United Methodist Church, and it has made sizable grants to arts, environmental, and veteran-related organizations. The overall picture is of a funder that uses both intermediary and direct channels to sustain a broad mix of higher education, faith-based, and community purposes.
Education is a major part of the foundation’s portfolio. Montana Technological University Foundation received $8,090,000 in 2024, and Virginia Tech Foundation Inc received $2,624,500 in 2023 and $1,772,000 in 2024, pointing to sustained support for universities. Religious support is also visible in grants such as $3,410,803 to Living Word Lutheran Church and $1,935,604 to the General Council of the United Methodist Church, which shows attention to denominational institutions and congregations. The foundation also funds environmental work: Chesapeake Bay Foundation Inc received $1,754,300 in 2024 for watershed-related conservation. Arts and culture appear as well, with $1,320,500 to Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts Inc in New York. Across these areas, the grants are aimed at established organizations rather than individuals.
Typical grants cluster in the mid-five-figure range, with a p25 of $10,000, median of $15,000, and p75 of $35,500. At the same time, the recent-grants list shows that the foundation also makes very large transfers to intermediary vehicles and universities, producing a wide spread between routine gifts and major commitments. Repeat recipients appear across years, including Virginia Tech Foundation Inc, Duke University, Carnegie Mellon University, Fidelity Investments Charitable Gift Fund, and the General Council of the United Methodist Church. The foundation is a regular funder, not a donor-advised fund, and it does not fund individuals or make program-related investments.
$1.3B
$0
$111.1M
$1.3B
Most grants fall between $10K and $36K, with a median of $15K.
25th Percentile
$10K
Median
$15K
75th Percentile
$36K
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Concentrated at the top: relatively few, large grants account for most dollars. The foundation uses intermediaries heavily (donor-advised/charitable funds and community foundations) while also making repeat or multi-grant commitments to select universities, religious bodies, environmental NGOs, and veteran/first-responder groups.
Notable grantees: Goldman Sachs Philanthropy Fund, Montana Technological University Foundation, General Council of the United Methodist Church, Chesapeake Bay Foundation, Cornell University
Grantmaking is national, and all listed recipient-country data are in the United States. New York stands out as the top state by grant count, with 14% of grants going to recipients in the HQ state. The recent grants list shows concentration in several hubs, including New York, NY; Blacksburg, VA; Durham, NC; Pittsburgh, PA; and Boston, MA. Grants also reach Indianapolis, IN; Louisville, KY; and Annapolis, MD, indicating broad U.S. distribution rather than a single-region focus.
The foundation supports universities and technical schools, donor-advised and charitable funds, denominational religious organizations, watershed conservation groups, and veteran or first-responder charities. Recent grants include Montana Technological University Foundation, Goldman Sachs Philanthropy Fund, Living Word Lutheran Church, Chesapeake Bay Foundation Inc, and Special Operation Care Fund Inc.
The typical grant size is $10,000 at the 25th percentile, $15,000 at the median, and $35,500 at the 75th percentile. The recent grants list also shows much larger awards, including several multi-million-dollar grants.
Yes. Several recipients appear in multiple years, including Virginia Tech Foundation Inc, Duke University, Carnegie Mellon University, Fidelity Investments Charitable Gift Fund, and the General Council of the United Methodist Church. That suggests recurring relationships rather than one-time support only.
No. The geographic scope is national, and the recipient-country distribution is entirely U.S.-based. Recent grants reached New York, NY; Blacksburg, VA; Durham, NC; Pittsburgh, PA; Boston, MA; Indianapolis, IN; and Annapolis, MD.
No. The foundation does not fund individuals, and its recent grants are made to organizations such as universities, churches, community foundations, and charitable funds.
KAREY DYE
2026
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2026.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| GS DONOR ADVISED PHILANTHROPY FUND | NEW YORK, NY | $1,162,195,533 | 2026 | MERGER |
| GS DONOR ADVISED PHILANTHROPY FUND FOR WEALTH MANA | NEW YORK, NY | $9,558,646 | 2026 | COMMUNITY & HUMAN SERVICES |
| NATIONAL PHILANTHROPIC TR | JENKINTOWN, PA | $8,324,538 | 2026 | COMMUNITY & HUMAN SERVICES |
| MONTANA TECHNOLOGICAL UNIVERSITY FOUNDATION | BUTTE, MT | $8,240,000 | 2026 | COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES |
| UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROLINA AT ASHEVILLE FOUNDATI | ASHEVILLE, NC | $4,269,140 | 2026 | COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES |
| UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA SAN FRANCISCO FOUNDATION | SAN FRANCISCO, CA | $1,501,000 | 2026 | COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES |
| ILLINOIS WESLEYAN UNIVERSITY | BLOOMINGTON, IL | $1,010,000 | 2026 | COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES |
| ORANGE COUNTY SHERIFFS ADVISORY COUNCIL | SANTA ANA, CA | $1,000,000 | 2026 | PUBLIC SERVICE |
| MARIETTA COLLEGE | MARIETTA, OH | $1,000,000 | 2026 | SPECIAL EDUCATION FUNDING |
| THE GEORGE AND BARBARA BUSH FOUNDATION | COLLEGE STA, TX | $1,000,000 | 2026 | PUBLIC SERVICE |
| PRINCETON UNIVERSITY | PRINCETON, NJ | $972,416 | 2026 | COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES |
| PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH USA | LOUISVILLE, KY | $875,220 | 2026 | RELIGIOUS INSTITUTIONS |
| GENERAL COUNCIL ON FINANCE & ADMINS OF THE UNITED | NASHVILLE, TN | $855,253 | 2026 | RELIGIOUS INSTITUTIONS |
| BAY CHAMBER CONCERTS | CAMDEN, ME | $850,000 | 2026 | ARTS AND CULTURE |
| UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT AUSTIN | AUSTIN, TX | $826,025 | 2026 | CHARITABLE PROJECT |
| CORNELL UNIVERSITY | ITHACA, NY | $814,899 | 2026 | COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES |
| AMERICAN NATIONAL RED CROSS | WASHINGTON, DC | $782,601 | 2026 | HUMANITARIAN |
| JOHNS HOPKINS UNIVERSITY | BALTIMORE, MD | $760,150 | 2026 | COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES |
| FRIENDS OF THE HIGH LINE INC | NEW YORK, NY | $682,000 | 2026 | COMMUNITY & HUMAN SERVICES |
| SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTE | WASHINGTON, DC | $678,150 | 2026 | ARTS AND CULTURE |
| UNIVERSITY OF MIAMI | CORAL GABLES, FL | $646,150 | 2026 | SPECIAL EDUCATION FUNDING |
| U C SAN DIEGO FOUNDATION | LA JOLLA, CA | $630,802 | 2026 | SPECIAL EDUCATION FUNDING |
| LOS ANGELES PHILHARMONIC ASSOCIATION | LOS ANGELES, CA | $600,250 | 2026 | ARTS AND CULTURE |
| BOYCE THOMPSON INSTITUTE FOR PLANT RESEARCH INC | ITHACA, NY | $542,099 | 2026 | ENVIRONMENT & ANIMAL PROTECTION |
| DOMINICAN UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA | SAN RAFAEL, CA | $530,000 | 2026 | COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES |
| NEW YORK HISTORICAL SOCIETY | NEW YORK, NY | $525,000 | 2026 | ARTS AND CULTURE |
| HOWARD UNIVERSITY | WASHINGTON, DC | $506,500 | 2026 | SPECIAL EDUCATION FUNDING |
| ASSOCIATION OF GRADUATES OF THE UNITED STATES MILI | WEST POINT, NY | $505,000 | 2026 | COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES |
| WILLIAM & MARY FOUNDATION | WILLIAMSBURG, VA | $502,300 | 2026 | COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES |
| UNITED STATES CATHOLIC CONFERENCE | WASHINGTON, DC | $501,858 | 2026 | RELIGIOUS INSTITUTIONS |
| USTA FOUNDATION INCORPORATED | PURCHASE, NY | $500,000 | 2026 | COMMUNITY & HUMAN SERVICES |
| THE STUDIO MUSEUM IN HARLEM | NEW YORK, NY | $500,000 | 2026 | ARTS AND CULTURE |
| FISHER HOUSE OF BOSTON INC | SOUTH WALPOLE, MA | $500,000 | 2026 | COMMUNITY & HUMAN SERVICES |
| TOWN OF NORMAL CHILDRENS DISCOVERY MUSEUM FOUNDATI | NORMAL, IL | $500,000 | 2026 | COMMUNITY & HUMAN SERVICES |
| PROTESTANT EPISCOPAL CHURCH IN THE UNITED STATES O | NEW YORK, NY | $472,748 | 2026 | RELIGIOUS INSTITUTIONS |
| PGA FOUNDATION INC | FRISCO, TX | $460,000 | 2026 | COMMUNITY & HUMAN SERVICES |
| AROGYA | SPRING HOUSE, PA | $450,000 | 2026 | COMMUNITY & HUMAN SERVICES |
| GEORGE STREET PLAYHOUSE INC | NEW BRUNSWICK, NJ | $450,000 | 2026 | ARTS AND CULTURE |
| BOWDOIN COLLEGE | BRUNSWICK, ME | $430,250 | 2026 | COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES |
| BOSTON COLLEGE TRUSTEES | CHESTNUT HILL, MA | $420,500 | 2026 | COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES |
| TRUSTEES OF DARTMOUTH COLLEGE | HANOVER, NH | $411,050 | 2026 | COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES |
| PURDUE RESEARCH FOUNDATION | WEST LAFAYETTE, IN | $407,700 | 2026 | COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES |
| WASHINGTON & LEE UNIVERSITY | LEXINGTON, VA | $402,500 | 2026 | COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES |
| NEW YORK SOCIETY FOR THE RELIEF OF RUPTURED & CRIP | NEW YORK, NY | $400,000 | 2026 | MEDICAL |
| THE BARACK OBAMA FOUNDATION | CHICAGO, IL | $400,000 | 2026 | COMMUNITY & HUMAN SERVICES |
| BREAKTHROUGH T1D | NEW YORK, NY | $399,650 | 2026 | MEDICAL |
| HOME SWEET HOME MINISTRIES INC | BLOOMINGTON, IL | $375,000 | 2026 | COMMUNITY & HUMAN SERVICES |
| PRESIDENT AND FELLOWS OF HARVARD COLLEGE | CAMBRIDGE, MA | $374,794 | 2026 | COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES |
| AMERICAN HEART ASSOCIATION INC | DALLAS, TX | $374,350 | 2026 | MEDICAL |
| JEWISH NATIONAL FUND -KEREN KAYEMETH LEISRAEL- INC | ROCKVILLE CTR, NY | $369,740 | 2026 | HUMANITARIAN |
COMMUNITY & HUMAN SERVICES
COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES
COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES
MARIETTA COLLEGE
$1,000,000SPECIAL EDUCATION FUNDING
PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH USA
$875,220RELIGIOUS INSTITUTIONS
GENERAL COUNCIL ON FINANCE & ADMINS OF THE UNITED
$855,253RELIGIOUS INSTITUTIONS
UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT AUSTIN
$826,025CHARITABLE PROJECT
ENVIRONMENT & ANIMAL PROTECTION
NEW YORK HISTORICAL SOCIETY
$525,000ARTS AND CULTURE
COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES
UNITED STATES CATHOLIC CONFERENCE
$501,858RELIGIOUS INSTITUTIONS
TOWN OF NORMAL CHILDRENS DISCOVERY MUSEUM FOUNDATI
$500,000COMMUNITY & HUMAN SERVICES
PROTESTANT EPISCOPAL CHURCH IN THE UNITED STATES O
$472,748RELIGIOUS INSTITUTIONS