MacArthur Foundation
 | |
| Founded | 1970 |
|---|---|
| Type | 501(c)(3) organization |
| Tax ID no. | 23-7093598 |
| Location |
|
President | John Palfrey |
Key people | John D. MacArthur (co-founder) Catherine T. MacArthur (co-founder) |
| Endowment | $9.2 billion (2024) |
| Website | www |
focus. It should be removed.The John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation is an American private foundation that makes grants and impact investments to support non-profit organizations in approximately 119 countries around the world. As of 2025, the MacArthur Foundation has an endowment of $9 billion and provides hundreds of millions of dollars annually in grants and impact investments. Based in Chicago, Illinois, it is one of the 20 largest private foundations in the United States. The foundation has awarded over eight billion dollars in grants to over 10,000 organizations and individuals since its first round of giving in 1978.
The foundation is based in Chicago, with offices in India and Nigeria. They previously also had offices in Russia and Mexico.
The foundation's stated purpose is to support "creative people, effective institutions, and influential networks building a more just, verdant, and peaceful world". MacArthur's grant-making priorities include mitigating climate change, reducing prison populations, decreasing nuclear threats, supporting nonprofit journalism, and funding local needs in its hometown of Chicago. According to the OECD, the foundation’s annual private philanthropic development investments averaged $92.8 million from 2017 to 2024, ranging from a low of $36 million in 2023 to a peak of $138 million in 2021.
The MacArthur Fellows Program, commonly referred to as the "genius" award, annually gives $800,000 no-strings-attached grants to around two dozen creative individuals in diverse fields "who have shown extraordinary originality and dedication in their creative pursuits". The foundation's 100&Change competition awards a $100 million grant every three years to a single proposal.