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MacArthur Foundation Grants: What They Fund

At a glance

  • Focus areas: Criminal justice reform, climate solutions, journalism and media, Chicago-based community and civic priorities, and large-scale “Big Bets” initiatives.
  • Typical grant size: Mostly $50,000–$850,000, with some Big Bets-related grants of $1 million–$10 million (macfound.org; IRS Form 990-PF, July 2026)
  • Geographic scope: National (US), with a dedicated local program for Chicago, plus select international climate and justice work.
  • Accepts unsolicited applications? Mostly no — by invitation or periodic open competition; historically fewer than 1% of unsolicited proposals are approved (macfound.org, July 2026)
  • Deadlines/rounds: No standing annual deadline — tied to specific open competitions (e.g., Big Bets rounds) as they’re announced; check macfound.org/grants for current opportunities (July 2026)
  • EIN: 23-7093598 (IRS Form 990-PF, July 2026)
  • Annual giving: ~$356.1 million in grants (2024, 1,086 awards) (IRS Form 990-PF, July 2026)
  • Official source: macfound.org

What MacArthur Foundation funds

MacArthur concentrates its grantmaking in a focused set of program areas:

  • Justice reform — reducing jail and prison populations, addressing racial disparities in the criminal justice system, and supporting policy and advocacy work through initiatives like its Safety and Justice Challenge.
  • Climate solutions — reducing greenhouse gas emissions and supporting the clean energy transition, both domestically and internationally.
  • Journalism and media — supporting local and nonprofit journalism as a check on power and a foundation for informed communities.
  • Chicago Commitment — place-based funding for civic engagement, community development, arts, and youth opportunity specifically in MacArthur’s home city.
  • Big Bets — large-scale, multi-year initiatives targeting a small number of ambitious, high-impact problems.
  • Fellows Program — the well-known “MacArthur Fellowship,” awarded to individuals rather than organizations, entirely by nomination — there is no application process for this program.

What MacArthur generally does not fund: scholarships or tuition assistance for undergraduate, graduate, or postgraduate study; annual fundraising drives, institutional benefits, or honorary functions; individual requests outside the Fellows program; and organizations outside its active focus areas (macfound.org, July 2026).

How much you can apply for

MacArthur’s grantmaking model favors fewer, larger, strategically targeted grants over broad open competitions. Grant size varies significantly across its program areas, and Big Bets initiatives in particular are structured as large-scale, multi-year investments. The majority of grants fall between $50,000 and $850,000, while Big Bets and Safety and Justice Challenge-style initiatives have included individual grants in the $1 million–$10 million range and cumulative program commitments exceeding $400 million (macfound.org; IRS Form 990-PF, July 2026).

Who can apply (eligibility)

Eligible organizations are generally 501(c)(3) nonprofits (and international equivalents for global climate and justice work) operating directly within one of MacArthur’s active program strategies — justice reform, climate, journalism, or Chicago-based community work. Because most funding is directed by MacArthur’s internal strategy rather than an open pool, eligibility in practice depends on alignment with a currently active initiative and, often, an existing relationship with foundation staff (macfound.org, July 2026).

Do they accept unsolicited applications?

Mostly no. Most MacArthur funding is directed through invitation or competitive initiatives designed by the foundation, rather than an open, ongoing call for proposals — the foundation has historically approved fewer than 1% of the unsolicited proposals it receives (macfound.org, July 2026). That said, MacArthur has a track record of running periodic open, competitive challenges (such as its Big Bets-style competitions) that are genuinely open to eligible applicants for a defined window — so it’s worth checking macfound.org for any currently active open competition before assuming there’s no path in.

How to apply, step by step

  1. Check macfound.org for any open competitions. MacArthur periodically runs defined, time-limited open challenges tied to specific initiatives — its Big Bets strategies (criminal justice, climate solutions, local news, and its Nigeria program) are the most likely current entry points (macfound.org/programs/bigbets, July 2026).
  2. Review MacArthur’s published program strategies to see whether your work aligns closely with an active priority (justice reform, climate, journalism, or Chicago Commitment).
  3. Build visibility in your field — MacArthur program officers, like those at similarly structured foundations, often identify grantees through sector research, convenings, and referrals.
  4. If an open competition is running, follow its specific process closely — these typically involve a detailed application, program-specific grant guidelines, and staff review (macfound.org, July 2026).
  5. If invited outside a formal competition, expect a staged process from initial conversation to full proposal and board review.
  6. If there’s no current path in, keep moving. Use CharityIQ’s free Grant Finder to find funders open to applications right now.

What strong applications look like

Because MacArthur invests in a relatively small number of large, strategic bets, competitive applications tend to demonstrate systemic thinking: a clear theory of change connecting the organization’s work to broad, field-level impact (not just individual program outcomes), rigorous evidence of what’s worked so far, and a credible plan for scale. For open competitions specifically, clarity and boldness of vision matter — MacArthur has historically rewarded ambitious, well-evidenced ideas over incremental asks. Grounded, cited writing — where every outcome and evidence claim is sourced and verifiable — reflects the caliber of rigor MacArthur’s review panels expect from finalists.

Recent grants

Recent examples: $411 million committed across 525 grants to 171 organizations through the Safety and Justice Challenge (cumulative commitment, winding down in 2025); $1 million to the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law (2025); and $307,500 to the San Francisco Sheriff’s Office (2025) (macfound.org; Inside Philanthropy analysis of 990-PF data, July 2026). When researching MacArthur’s recent giving, look for grants to criminal justice reform organizations and coalitions, climate policy and clean energy nonprofits, local and nonprofit journalism outlets, and Chicago-based community organizations. ProPublica’s Nonprofit Explorer and Candid’s grant database are reliable sources for verified recipient names and amounts drawn from MacArthur’s IRS 990-PF filings.

Official source and last updated

Primary source: macfound.org. Financial detail (EIN, annual giving, grant-level data): IRS Form 990-PF, cross-checked against Candid and ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer. Last updated: July 21, 2026.

MacArthur’s mostly invitation- and competition-based model means many eligible nonprofits won’t find a direct path in. These funders work in adjacent spaces:

Or skip the manual comparison — CharityIQ’s free Grant Finder matches your nonprofit to funders you’re actually eligible for, based on your mission, geography, and budget.

Find funders you’re actually eligible for — free. Try the Grant Finder. And when you’re ready to write a competitive, evidence-backed proposal, see how CharityIQ’s grant writing tools keep every claim grounded and cited.