Grant funders / California / Scientific Research
Scientific Research Grant Funders in California
1076 foundations with a documented scientific research focus have made grants to California nonprofits in recent years, together directing $2.2B to organizations across the state. Below are the most active — every funder links to a full giving profile, and Bespoke Grants will match all 1076 against your nonprofit's specific mission, for free.
1076
Scientific research funders
$2.2B
Given to California nonprofits
7,575
Grants on record
2025
Most recent giving
Most active scientific research funders in California
| # | Funder | Based in | Total California giving | Grants | Latest |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Chan Zuckerberg Initiative Foundation | California | $221.2M | 5 | 2023 |
| 2 | Stanford Health Care | California | $204.1M | 2 | 2024 |
| 3 | Chan Zuckerberg Biohub Inc | California | $148.1M | 21 | 2024 |
| 4 | Gary and Mary West Health Endowmentinc | Delaware | $77.9M | 4 | 2022 |
| 5 | Association of Universities for Research | District of Columbia | $70.4M | 138 | 2024 |
| 6 | Gary and Mary West Charitable Trust | California | $58.0M | 2 | 2024 |
| 7 | The Scripps Research Institute | California | $57.5M | 86 | 2024 |
| 8 | Parker Institute for Cancer | California | $56.9M | 32 | 2024 |
| 9 | Dr Miriam & Sheldon G Adelson | Massachusetts | $56.8M | 34 | 2024 |
| 10 | Sean N Parker Foundation | California | $48.3M | 6 | 2018 |
| 11 | Benaroya Research Institute at Virginia Mason | Washington | $40.0M | 28 | 2022 |
| 12 | Wm Keck Foundation | California | $34.2M | 5 | 2024 |
| 13 | The Leukemia & Lymphoma Societyinc | New York | $32.8M | 88 | 2025 |
| 14 | American Cancer Society Inc | Georgia | $32.6M | 48 | 2023 |
| 15 | Valhalla Foundation | California | $29.4M | 5 | 2024 |
This list is ranked by size. Yours should be ranked by fit.
The funders above are the biggest scientific research funders in California — not necessarily the right ones for you. Bespoke Grants ranks all 1076 against your nonprofit's actual mission, service area, and budget, and shows you why each one matches. Free, no credit card.
Rank these funders for my nonprofit →Scientific Research funders in other states
Other causes funded in California
How this list is built. Bespoke Grants indexes 13M+ grants from public IRS Form 990 filings. This page shows foundations whose giving carries a documented scientific research focus and that have funded California nonprofits. Giving figures reflect each funder's total recent grants to California recipients. IRS data publishes on a 1–2 year lag; figures are current through the most recent available filings.