Grantmaking Foundations NAICS 813211

Nov 4, 2025 - Capital Grantmaking Resources Remain Scarce

• There are very few resources available for capital grantmaking, the kind of philanthropy that funds construction, renovation, and equipment purchases for nonprofits, according to Havaca Ganguly, executive director of the Middendorf Foundation. Capital grantmaking is often considered a foundational pillar of philanthropic giving, according to Ganguly. Nonprofits that successfully manage large building or renovation projects often have specialized board members, staff with relevant expertise, or access to external support through funding or services donated free of charge. These would include project managers who represent the nonprofit’s interests during construction, architects, and developers.
• Billionaires have publicly donated or pledged to give about $185 billion since 2015, according to Altrata, according to the Wall Street Journal. Top causes include education and medical research. Billionaires gave $90 billion to those two in the past 10 years. One of the most popular recipients outside of education and medical research is the Central Park Conservancy in New York, which received donations from 89 billionaires worth about $100 million. Johns Hopkins University received $7.5 billion from close to 30 billionaires, but most of it came from Michael Bloomberg, who gave more than $5 billion.

• Charitable giving increased in 2024, according to the Growing Power of Giving: An Outlook report from Foundation Source CEO Joe Mrak. Grantmaking organizations like foundations and donor-advised funds experienced the strongest growth as wealthy donors continued to invest in the future of the non-profit sector. Foundation giving was up to 19% of overall giving, crossing into the $100 billion threshold for the second consecutive year.
• Grantmaking foundation industry employment increased slightly and average wages for nonsupervisory employees decreased slightly during the first seven months of 2025, according to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics. Grantmaking foundation industry sales are forecast to grow at a 5.85% compounded annual rate from 2024 to 2028, faster than the growth of the overall economy, according to Inforum and the Interindustry Economic Research Fund, Inc. Foundations generate revenue from endowment returns and donations.