Grantmakers › District of Columbia
American Association for the Advancement
Washington, DC · EIN 53-0196568. Reported 166 grants totalling $8,540,262 to 112 organizations across tax years 2021-2024, on Form 990 Schedule I.
Does this grantmaker accept applications?
Its tax return does not say, and we will not guess. Private foundations file Form 990-PF, which asks outright whether they fund only organizations they select themselves -- 78% say yes, and that one answer is what lets the rest of this site tell you which foundations are worth approaching. Grantmaking charities like this one file a regular Form 990 instead, and the IRS never puts the question to them. Anyone claiming to know the answer from the filing is inventing it.
Three things in the filing do bear on it:
- What kind of organization it is. For American Association for the Advancement, the IRS classifies it under science & technology rather than as a grantmaker (NTEE U030) -- it is an operating charity that also makes grants.
- How spread out its giving is. 112 distinct organizations, with 11% of the dollars going to the largest single recipient. That is genuinely spread out -- the mark of a funder making many independent decisions rather than underwriting one institution.
- How much its list changes. 43% of one year's grantees are funded again the next, across 3 year-to-year transitions. That is below the 57% median for grantmaking charities, and well below the 67% private foundations manage. A list that turns over this much is one a newcomer can realistically join.
How big are its grants?
The median reported grant is $30,000. Half of what it reported fell between $15,000 and $55,000; the smallest was $7,000 and the largest $900,000. If you are asking for materially more than the top of that range, you are asking the wrong organization.
Every organization it funded
This is the complete list from its filings, largest first. Recipients are grouped by the EIN the filer reported, not by name, so an organization that was typed differently in two years appears once rather than twice.
| Organization | Location | Total received | Grants | Years funded | Last |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| National Institute of Health | Bethesda, MD | $900,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| American Institutes for Research in the Behavioral Sciences | Arlington, VA | $826,705 | 3 | 3 | 2024 |
| University of Vermont and State Agricultural College | Burlington, VT | $408,595 | 2 | 2 | 2024 |
| University of Washington | Seattle, WA | $274,116 | 3 | 3 | 2024 |
| University of Connecticut | Storrs, CT | $253,065 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| University of Texas at Austin | Austin, TX | $205,553 | 3 | 3 | 2024 |
| Regents Univ of California | Los Angeles, CA | $186,869 | 2 | 2 | 2023 |
| President-Board of Trustees Santa Clara College | Santa Clara, CA | $181,841 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Massachusetts Institute of Technology | Cambridge, MA | $179,110 | 4 | 4 | 2024 |
| Quality Education for Minorities Network | Washington, DC | $179,035 | 2 | 2 | 2024 |
| American Association of Physics Teachers Inc | College Park, MD | $155,743 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Institute for Learning Innovation | Beaverton, OR | $141,329 | 2 | 2 | 2022 |
| University of Maryland Baltimore Foundation Inc | Baltimore, MD | $138,731 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Indiana University | Bloomington, IN | $128,997 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| J Paul Getty Trust | Los Angeles, CA | $123,975 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Johns Hopkins University | Baltimore, MD | $120,000 | 3 | 3 | 2024 |
| The Board of Trustees of the Leland Stanford Junior University | Stanford, CA | $120,000 | 2 | 2 | 2023 |
| Texas A&m Engineering Experiment Station | College Station, TX | $117,845 | 2 | 2 | 2022 |
| University of Mississippi Medical Center Research Development Founda | Jackson, MS | $116,692 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| The University of the Virgin Islands | St Thomas, VI | $115,528 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| University of the Virgin Islands | St Thomas | $112,775 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| East Tennessee State Univ | Johnson City, TN | $110,634 | 2 | 2 | 2022 |
| Penn State University | University Park, PA | $110,000 | 3 | 3 | 2023 |
| Queens College Foundation Inc | Flushing, NY | $106,940 | 2 | 2 | 2022 |
| New Jersey Inst of Technology | Newark, NJ | $103,832 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| New Jersey Institute of Technology Foundation | Newark, NJ | $97,323 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill | Chapel Hill, NC | $90,000 | 2 | 2 | 2024 |
| Ark Media LLC | Brooklyn, NY | $87,202 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Academy for Jewish Religion | Yonkers, NY | $86,250 | 3 | 3 | 2024 |
| George Fox University | Newberg, OR | $86,250 | 3 | 3 | 2024 |
| University of Minnesota | Minneapolis, MN | $85,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Boston College Trustees | Chestnut Hill, MA | $75,000 | 2 | 2 | 2022 |
| Eastern University | St Davids, PA | $75,000 | 2 | 2 | 2022 |
| Trinity International University | Lincolnshire, IL | $75,000 | 2 | 2 | 2022 |
| University of Dubuque | Dubuque, IA | $75,000 | 2 | 2 | 2022 |
| University of Alabama | Birmingham, AL | $69,448 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Saint Meinrad Arch Abbey | St Meinrad, IN | $65,888 | 2 | 2 | 2022 |
| Curators of Univ of Mo | Columbia, MO | $65,000 | 2 | 2 | 2022 |
| Science for Georgia Inc | Atlanta, GA | $65,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Regents of the University of Colorado | Denver, CO | $62,500 | 2 | 2 | 2022 |
| California Institute of Technology | Pasadena, CA | $60,000 | 2 | 2 | 2024 |
| J David Gladstone Institutes | San Francisco, CA | $60,000 | 2 | 2 | 2024 |
| Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory | Berkeley, CA | $60,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Methodist Theological School in Ohio | Delaware, OH | $60,000 | 2 | 2 | 2022 |
| Regents of the Univ of Ca Davis | Davis, CA | $60,000 | 2 | 2 | 2023 |
| Regents of the University of California at Berkeley | Riverside, CA | $60,000 | 2 | 2 | 2024 |
| University of Oregon | Eugene, OR | $60,000 | 2 | 2 | 2024 |
| Northwestern University | Evanston, IL | $55,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Trustees of Purdue University | West Lafayette, IN | $55,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| University of Utah | Salt Lake City, UT | $55,000 | 2 | 2 | 2023 |
| Virginia Commonwealth University | Richmond, VA | $55,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Georgetown University | Washington, DC | $50,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| San Diego Community College | San Diego, CA | $50,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Texas A&m University | Kingsville, TX | $43,198 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Azusa Pacific University | Azusa, CA | $37,500 | 2 | 2 | 2022 |
| Chicago Theological Seminary Board of Directors | Chicago, IL | $37,500 | 2 | 2 | 2022 |
| New Brunswick Theological Seminary | New Brunswick, NJ | $37,500 | 2 | 2 | 2022 |
| Pentecostal Theological Seminary a Church of God Ministry | Cleveland, TN | $37,500 | 2 | 2 | 2022 |
| Wesley Theological Seminary of the Methodist Church | Washington, DC | $37,500 | 2 | 2 | 2022 |
| Hood Theological Seminary | Salisbury, NC | $33,750 | 2 | 2 | 2024 |
| Saint Johns University | Collegeville, MN | $33,750 | 2 | 2 | 2024 |
| University of Mary Washington | Fredericksburg, VA | $30,543 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| George Mason University | Fairfax, VA | $30,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Oregon State University | Corvallis, OR | $30,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Regents of the University of California at Irvine | Irvine, CA | $30,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Salk Institute for Biological Studies | La Jolla, CA | $30,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Scripps Research Institute | La Jolla, CA | $30,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| The Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois | Urbana, IL | $30,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Univ of North Carolina at Chapel Hill | Chapel Hill, NC | $30,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Usgs National Center MS270 | Reston, VA | $30,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Utah State University | Logan, UT | $30,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Brandeis University | Waltham, MA | $27,500 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Princeton University | Princeton, NJ | $27,500 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Iliff School of Theology | Denver, CO | $26,250 | 2 | 2 | 2024 |
| Knox Theological Seminary | Fort Lauderdale, FL | $26,250 | 2 | 2 | 2024 |
| Medecins Sans Frontieres USA Inc | New York, NY | $25,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| University of Colorado Foundation | Denver, CO | $25,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Baylor University | Waco, TX | $22,500 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Fuller Theological Seminary | Pasadena, CA | $22,500 | 2 | 2 | 2024 |
| Garrett Evangelical Theological Seminary | Evanston, IL | $22,500 | 2 | 2 | 2024 |
| Holy Apostles College & Seminary | Cromwell, CT | $22,500 | 2 | 2 | 2024 |
| Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary | Wake Forest, NC | $22,500 | 2 | 2 | 2022 |
| Wartburg Theological Seminary | Dubuque, IA | $22,500 | 2 | 2 | 2022 |
| University of Maine System Inc | Bangor, ME | $20,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Indigenous Pathways Inc | Brunswick, ME | $15,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| St Johns Seminary in California Jackie Rotter | Camarillo, CA | $15,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| The Administrators of the Tulane Educational Fund | New Orleans, LA | $13,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Abbey Foundation of Oregon | St Benedict, OR | $11,250 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Andrews University | Berrien Sprgs, MI | $11,250 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Austin Presbyterian Theologial Seminary | Austin, TX | $11,250 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| California Lutheran University | Thousand Oaks, CA | $11,250 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Central Baptist Theological Seminary | Overland Park, KS | $11,250 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Columbia Theological Seminary | Decatur, GA | $11,250 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Drew University | Madison, NJ | $11,250 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Ecumenical Theological Seminary | Detroit, MI | $11,250 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Graduate Theological Union | Berkeley, CA | $11,250 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Hebrew College | Newton, MA | $11,250 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Lexington Theological Seminary | Lexington, KY | $11,250 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago Foundation | Chicago, IL | $11,250 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Nazarene Theological Seminary | Kansas City, MO | $11,250 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Palm Beach Atlantic University Inc | West Palm Bch, FL | $11,250 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Starr King School for the Ministry | Oakland, CA | $11,250 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| The John Leland Center for Theological Studies | Arlington, VA | $11,250 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| United Theological Seminary of the Twin Cities | Saint Paul, MN | $11,250 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| University of Chicago | Chicago, IL | $11,250 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Valentine Museum | Richmond, VA | $11,250 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Dramatic Results | Signal Hill, CA | $10,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Dumpster Project | Austin, TX | $10,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Science for the Church | Chico, CA | $10,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| University of Georgia | Athens, GA | $10,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Howard University | Washington, DC | $7,500 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Story Collider | New York, NY | $7,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
45 of 112 (40%) received money in more than one year over the 4 years we hold. Remember the $5,000 floor: an organization funded every year at $3,000 shows up here as never funded at all.
What the money was for
Taken verbatim from the purpose column of its filings, largest first. This is the closest thing to a statement of what it funds, in its own words.
- American Institutes for Research
SUPPORT STEM RESOURCE AND EVALUATION - University of Connecticut
SUPPORT POLICY FELLOWSHIPS AND STEMM - University of Vermont
INCREASE ACCESS OF LGBTQ IN STEMM - Santa Clara University
SUPPORT POLICY FELLOWSHIPS - American Assoc of Physics Teachers
SUPPORT STEM EQUITY ACHIEVEMENT - University of Washington
SUPPORT STEM RESEARCH AND EVALUATION
What kind of organizations it funds
By each recipient's own IRS classification, for the 61 of 112 recipients we could match to a registered organization. These are assigned categories, not our guesses -- Schedule I reports the recipient's EIN, so this is a lookup rather than a name match.
Giving by year
| Tax year | Grants reported | Total | Median grant |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 52 | $1,617,945 | $26,250 |
| 2022 | 39 | $1,388,994 | $28,388 |
| 2023 | 23 | $2,832,275 | $60,000 |
| 2024 | 52 | $2,701,048 | $27,500 |
Tax years, not calendar years, and the most recent year is usually incomplete -- Form 990 arrives about a year after the year it covers, so a low final year means late paperwork rather than a grantmaker winding down.
Where its money goes
16% of its giving went to organizations in Maryland. Community foundations and federated funds are usually the most geographically bounded funders there are -- being outside the footprint is normally disqualifying in a way that a weak programme fit is not.
Down to the city
Find more funders like American Association for the Advancement
We read newly filed IRS returns and email you the grantmakers whose giving matches your state and cause, as they are published. Free.
No spam, unsubscribe in one click. We never sell or share your address.
Funders that support the same organizations
These grantmakers and private foundations gave to organizations this one also funded. Shared grantees are the strongest signal available that two funders have overlapping priorities -- and a funder already backing your peers is a far warmer prospect than one that merely lists your cause.
How to approach this grantmaker
- Look for a published programme first. Unlike most private foundations, organizations of this kind often do run open, deadlined grant cycles with written guidelines. Its own website is the authority on that; this page is the authority on who it has actually paid.
- Check you are its size. The median reported grant is $30,000 -- and because grants under $5,000 need not be reported, it very likely writes smaller cheques than this page can see.
- Check you are in its geography. Its giving concentrates in Maryland.
- Read the recipient list for organizations like yours. If nothing on it resembles your work, that is a real answer and a cheap one to get.
Related guides
Where these numbers come from
Everything above is taken from American Association for the Advancement's own Form 990 Schedule I filings, which the IRS publishes in bulk. We used 4 returns (tax years 2021-2024). Nothing here is scraped, inferred or estimated.
On its most recent return it told the IRS it made grants to 52 section 501(c)(3) organizations and 0 other organizations. That is the filer's own count for one year; the totals above cover every year we hold.
Address of record on the latest return: 1200 New York Avenue Nw, Washington, DC, 20005.
EIN 53-0196568 · See the original filings on ProPublica · How we build this
Is something here wrong about your organization? Email hello@funderscope.com and we will correct it.