OVERVIEW: The MacArthur Foundation supports projects and programs across its funding initiatives in the areas of climate change, nuclear risk, criminal justice, journalism and media and the city of Chicago. MacArthur’s grantmaking in public interest media is one of its longest-running and most widely-recognized areas of work. The climate change program focuses on curbing greenhouse gas emissions. Within its global security grantmaking program, nuclear security remains a key focus. It funds criminal justice reform efforts through the Safety and Justice Challenge, which aims to reduce the national incarceration rate. The foundation funds locally in Chicago in the areas of strong organizations, civic partnerships, vital communities, and influential leaders. Finally, MacArthur has a vital program that supports efforts to end corruption in Nigeria.
IP TAKE: MacArthur has undergone major restructuring recently, phasing out work in different areas, but funding for some of its previous programs—such as journalism and media, and the Chicago initiative—have survived as part of MacArthur’s “enduring commitments.” MacArthur funding is highly competitive, and many grants are by invitation only. MacArthur is not a particularly accessible funder. While it will sometimes read unsolicited proposals, it will rarely respond to them. The foundation is responsive, but keep in mind that its size makes it more bureaucratic, so be patient. It may take several times applying to get a grant here.
Grantseekers at either extreme of the political spectrum may not have much luck here; this is a mainstream funder.
PROFILE: With assets of over $6 billion, the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation is one of the biggest and best-known philanthropic organizations in the United States. Its mission and activities are broad and far-reaching, and have the objective of “building a more just, verdant, and peaceful world,” and also runs the famous MacArthur Fellows Program, commonly known as the “Genius Grant.” In addition to its awards, fellowships, and partnerships, MacArthur conducts some through its “Big Bets,” which include Climate Solutions, Criminal Justice, Nuclear Challenges, and On Nigeria. The foundation also supports its “Enduring Commitments” funding areas, which are priorities to which MacArthur has a “long-standing, deep, and unwavering engagement:” Chicago and Journalism and Media.
In addition to its famous MacArthur Fellows Program, the foundation also supports the MacArthur Award for Creative & Effective Institutions, which seeks to continue “MacArthur’s tradition of encouraging creativity and building effective institutions to help address some of the world’s most challenging problems, [and] recognize exceptional Foundation grantees and help ensure their sustainability.” Both of these programs are nomination only and do not accept applications or requests for funding.
The foundation’s 100&Change award is a “competition for a $100 million grant to fund a single proposal that promises real and measurable progress in solving a critical problem of our time.” Every three years, it accepts proposals that “address a significant problem and provide a solution that is impactful, evidence-based, feasible, and durable.” View the competition’s timeline here.
Finally, grantseekers should be aware that MacArthur has begun winding down some of its previous grantmaking programs, including Conservation & Sustainable Development, Housing, Human Rights, and Population & Reproductive Health. In 2021, MacArthur added funding for arms-control think tanks and nuclear policy work to that list.
Grants for Science Research, Climate Change and Clean Energy
MacArthur’s Climate Solutions program is what the foundation refers to as a “big bet.” MacArthur has invested an initial commitment of $50 million toward the program, which solely focuses on limiting global warming through the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions. Its climate program ultimately strategizes to limit “global warming as close as possible to the scientifically endorsed goal of 2 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels by significantly reducing greenhouse gas emissions.” Among several priorities in this area, MacArthur’s climate change grantmaking currently emphasizes placing a price on carbon, reducing greenhouse gas emissions, implementing bilateral and international agreements, and altering the fuel mix for electricity generation. The program specifically seeks work that “promote[s] efforts within and between the United States, China, and India, among other nations, for leadership, policy development, best practices, and innovations designed to significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions.”
MacArthur is winding down its previous climate change program, Conservation & Sustainable Development, which sought to preserve “ecosystems and species and to [promote] development that respects the environment.”
Grants that address climate change range from $300,000 to about $10 million. More details on the MacArthur Foundation’s grantmaking habits can be found in its grants database.
Grants for Criminal Justice Reform
The MacArthur Foundation’s Criminal Justice program is “working to address over-incarceration by changing the way America thinks about and uses jails.” The primary component of this initiative is the “Safety and Justice Challenge,” which works with jurisdictions to “safely reduce over-reliance on jails, with a particular focus on addressing disproportionate impact on low-income individuals and communities of color,” including a competition to “design and implement plans for creating fairer, more effective local justice systems using innovative, collaborative, and evidence-based solutions.” This program’s current priorities are to “develop and maintain a network of model sites,” “generate new knowledge about what works to change local criminal justice systems and reduce jail use,” and “enlist organizations that represent important stakeholder groups and communities in support of reforms to reduce jail overuse.”
MacArthur’s criminal justice grants range anywhere from $150,000 to over $2 million. The majority of grants, however, fall in the $100,000 to $500,000 range. More details on the MacArthur Foundation’s grantmaking habits can be found in its grants database.
Grants for Global Security
Announced in 2016, the Nuclear Challenges program focuses on “decreasing the availability of, and reliance on, weapons-usable nuclear material.” The challenge, according to the foundation, is to ensure nuclear technology and materials will continue to be used for “peaceful purposes,” while simultaneously decreasing the nuclear threat to security. In 2021, citing a lack of progress in the area, MacArthur announced that it intends to stop funding arms-control think tanks and nuclear policy work over the next several years. Consequently, it is unclear how much longer MacArthur will make grants in this space.
For now, the foundation tends to support top research institutions including, but not limited to, think tanks and universities rather than more grassroots efforts. Grants through Nuclear Challenges program typically range between $250,000 and $500,000, although occasional outliers exist. To learn more about the types of organizations MacArthur supports and at what level, explore its grants database.
Grants for Global Development
MacArthur’s global development grants exclusively support Nigeria and are made via its On Nigeria program, which works to “reduce corruption by supporting Nigerian-led efforts to promote an atmosphere of accountability, transparency, and good governance in the country.” Its strategy in the country emphasizes four areas of support: enabling independent Nigerian media to investigate and expose corruption; strengthen the criminal justice system through “nationwide adoption and implementation of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act and complementary laws and policies;” support Nigerian civil society organizations, communities, and influencers as they seek to “prevent, detect, and punish corruption;” and “promoting norm and behavior change by supporting faith leaders and their followers from across religious traditions to interrogate integrity within their respective religions and performers, creators, and influencers from across Nigeria to produce and share compelling content about corruption and the cost of corruption to Nigerian communities.”
MacArthur’s Global Development grants range anywhere from $10,000 to over $1.5 million. The majority of grants, however, fall in the $100,000 to $500,000 range. More details on the MacArthur Foundation’s grantmaking habits can be found in its grants database.
Grants for Journalism and Film
The MacArthur Foundation’s Journalism and Media program broadly seeks to “strengthen American democracy by informing, engaging, and activating Americans through deep investments in independent journalism and media.” MacArthur only supports journalism organizations, not individual journalists and documentarians. It prioritizes three main areas:
Professional Nonprofit Reporting - This includes organizations that carry out nonprofit journalism in the US, address issues and challenges facing journalists, and support the infrastructure for journalism education and innovation.
Nonfiction Multimedia Storytelling - This includes organizations that fund, produce and distribute nonfiction narratives on contemporary social issues and that train, support, and provide infrastructure for people creating such narratives.
Civic Media - This includes organizations that support the use of media by organizations and individuals to bring about social change.
The MacArthur Foundation has been a long-time supporter of documentary filmmaking through its Media program grantmaking, and since the mid-1980s, it has supported over 300 Documentary Projects: a cumulative investment of $50 million. However, it now only supports filmmaking through its partner organizations, some of which, including the Sundance Institute and the Tribeca Film Institute, directly fund and support individuals. Large, established nonprofits (PBS for example) involved in the production, support, or distribution of documentary filmmaking may still be able to get funding from MacArthur, though there does not appear to be any formal process for doing so. This funder transparently describes its grantmaking on its website, and all grantseekers should start there. Begin by reading this strategy statement and then explore the detailed grantmaking guidelines for this program.
Grants for Chicago
The funder’s Chicago program supports “creative and effective organizations and influential networks to improve the quality of life and the prospects for residents to make our hometown a city where opportunity is equitable, and justice can thrive.” Local Chicago grantmaking focuses on helping the city embrace its diverse neighborhoods, build a strong civic culture, and perpetuate Chicago’s reputation as a creative hub and global city. It supports local arts and culture in the city with multi-year, unrestricted grants. It also supports civic partnerships among nonprofit, government, and philanthropic organizations. Community support goes to strengthen the economic and social vitality of the city, and leadership grants support advancing equity and diversity in local leadership.
Through its Chicago funding initiative, MacArthur also launched the Chicago Community COVID-19 Response Fund to support the continuity of emergency services, human services and local journalism and media organizations that have been affected.
MacArthur grants for Chicago often range from $25,000 to several million dollars. Review the funder’s online grants database to learn about past grantees.
Grants for Higher Education, Science Research and Humanities Research
Rather than have dedicated programs for science research, higher education or the humanities, MacArthur funds these fields through aspects of its programs. MacArthur also focuses on these areas of giving through its well-known MacArthur Fellows Program, which also supports the MacArthur Award for Creative & Effective Institutions, which seeks to continue “MacArthur’s tradition of encouraging creativity and building effective institutions to help address some of the world’s most challenging problems, [and] recognize exceptional Foundation grantees and help ensure their sustainability.” Both of these programs require nomination.
Important Grant Details:
The MacArthur Foundation’s grants range from about $10,000 to over $3 million, supporting organizations and institutions of all sizes. Further information about individual grants is available in its grants database. Application for funding varies by program; grantseekers should check individual program pages application guidelines.
With the exception of MacArthur’s 100&Change program, the foundation does not accept unsolicited applications, but inquiries may be sent here. The foundation’s excellent website is updated often, so grantseekers are well advised to consult it frequently.
PEOPLE:
Search for staff contact info and bios in PeopleFinder (paid subscribers only).
LINKS: