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MacArthur Foundation

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation
Founded1970; 56 years ago (1970)[1][2]
Type501(c)(3) organization
Tax ID no.23-7093598
Location
President
John Palfrey[3]
Key people
John D. MacArthur (co-founder)
Catherine T. MacArthur (co-founder)
Endowment$9.2 billion (2024)[4]
Websitewww.macfound.org Edit this at Wikidata

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.[5][6] 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.[7][8][9][10] Based in Chicago, Illinois, it is one of the 20 largest private foundations in the United States.[11][12] 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.[13][14]

The foundation is based in Chicago, with offices in India and Nigeria.[15] They previously also had offices in Russia and Mexico.[16][17]

The foundation's stated purpose is to support "creative people, effective institutions, and influential networks building a more just, verdant, and peaceful world".[9][5] 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.[18] 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.[19]

The MacArthur Fellows Program, commonly referred to as the "genius" award,[20][a] annually gives $800,000 no-strings-attached grants to around two dozen creative individuals in diverse fields[25] "who have shown extraordinary originality and dedication in their creative pursuits".[20] The foundation's 100&Change competition awards a $100 million grant every three years to a single proposal.[26]

History

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John D. MacArthur owned Bankers Life and Casualty and other businesses, as well as considerable property holdings in Florida and New York. His wife, Catherine, held positions in many of these companies. Their attorney, William T. Kirby, and Paul Doolen, their chief financial officer, suggested that the family create a foundation to be endowed by their vast fortune.

When MacArthur died on January 6, 1978, he was worth in excess of a billion dollars. He left 92 percent of his estate to found the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation. Its first board of directors, per MacArthur's will, also included J. Roderick MacArthur, John's son from his first marriage, two other officers of Bankers Life and Casualty, and radio commentator Paul Harvey.[1] Jonas Salk, the inventor of the polio vaccine, later joined the board of directors.[27]

The elder MacArthur believed in the free market.[28][29] However, he did not direct how foundation money was to be spent after he died. MacArthur told the board of directors, "I figured out how to make the money. You fellows will have to figure out how to spend it."[30]

Between 1979 and 1981, John's son, an ideological opponent of his father with whom the elder MacArthur had an acrimonious relationship, waged a legal battle against the foundation for control of the board of directors.[31] The younger MacArthur sued eight members of the board, accusing them of mismanagement of the foundation funds. These court cases were dismissed by each jurisdiction for lack of merit.

In 1984, MacArthur again sued the board of directors including William Kirby, his father's trusted attorney, asking a Cook County circuit court to liquidate the entire MacArthur Foundation. He dropped the suit later that year when he was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer.[32][33]

In 1992, the foundation opened an office in Russia. In 2015, they closed it and ceased operations in Russia.[34] In 1992, they opened an office in Mexico, which they shut down in 2020.[35]

In March 2025, the foundation announced plans to increase its giving to at least six percent of its endowment (around $150 million more over the next two years) in response to the Trump administration's efforts to cut federal funding and programs.[36][37][38] Citing that grantees receive 12 percent of their funding from government grants, MacArthur Foundation President John Palfrey said, "Our goal is to lessen negative impacts and risks of the current, man-made emergency and to help our grantees deliver on their mission."[39]

The foundation focuses its investment efforts in four key areas including International Programs; U.S. Programs; Media, Culture, and Special Initiatives; and the MacArthur Fellows Program. It has given out grants in support of human rights, education, peace and security, conservation, community and economic development, juvenile justice reform, digital and media learning, and more.[15]

Leadership

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John E. Corbally, the first president of the foundation and later board chairman from 1995 to 2002, was followed in 1989–99 by Adele Simmons, who was the first female dean at Princeton University.[40][41] Jonathan Fanton, president of American Academy of Arts and Sciences, served as the foundation's next president.[40][42] Robert Gallucci, formerly dean of Georgetown University's School of Foreign Service, served as the foundation's fourth president from 2009 to 2014.[40][43] Gallucci was fired in 2014.[44] Julia Stasch, who formerly served as MacArthur's vice president for U.S. Programs, was named the foundation's president in 2015.[1] Stasch had been chief of staff to Chicago mayor Richard M. Daley.[45] She announced that she would step down in 2019.[46] In March 2019, John Palfrey was named president, effective September 1, 2019.[47]

MacArthur Fellowship

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The MacArthur Fellowship is an award issued by the MacArthur Foundation each year, to typically 20 to 30 citizens or residents of the United States, of any age and working in any field, who "show exceptional merit and promise for continued and enhanced creative work". The program was initiated in 1981.[48] According to the foundation, the fellowship is not a reward for past accomplishment, but an investment in a person's originality and potential. As of 2026, MacArthur Fellows receive $800,000 each, which is paid out in quarterly installments over five years.[49][50] No one can apply for the program, and, generally, no one knows whether they are being considered as a candidate. Nominators, serving confidentially, anonymously and for a limited time, are invited to recommend potential Fellows. Candidates are reviewed by a selection committee whose members also serve confidentially, anonymously and for a limited time. Ultimately, the selection committee makes recommendations to the foundation's board of directors for final approval.[25]

Specific funding and projects

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Stalker Human Rights Film Festival

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The foundation awarded a total of around $850,000 in six separate grants to the Russian Guild of Film Directors between 2005 and 2014 to support the Stalker Human Rights Film Festival in Moscow.[51]

100&Change

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In June 2016, the foundation requested "proposals promising real progress toward solving a critical problem of our time in any field or any location". The winning proposal would receive a $100 million grant. Almost 2,000 proposals were submitted. In December 2017, the foundation announced that the winning proposal was submitted by the Sesame Workshop and the International Rescue Committee. The grant was applied to the education of Middle Eastern refugee children.[52]

Lever for Change

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In 2019, the MacArthur Foundation founded Lever for Change as its nonprofit affiliate. Lever for Change is a Chicago-based organization that coordinates philanthropic grantmaking to address social challenges.[53] Developed alongside The Bridgespan Group following the implementation of MacArthur’s 100&Change initiative, the organization manages customized open-call grant competitions, provides donor advisory services, and maintains the Bold Solutions Network, a database of vetted non-profit projects. Lever for Change also manages the execution of 100&Change, a biennial competition which awards a single $100 million grant to a single proposal. Supported by $24 million in operational and program funding from MacArthur between 2018 and 2024, Lever for Change has facilitated over $2.5 billion in grant distributions and supported more than 500 organizations. Its goal is to mobilize over $10 billion in funding by 2030.[54][55][56] It deploys multimillion-dollar grants, with a minimum of $10 million and some grants ranging up to $100 million.[57][58][59]

Biden Community Violence Intervention Collaborative

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In June 2021, in partnership with public sector and philanthropic organizations, the MacArthur Foundation supported President Biden’s Community Violence Intervention Collaborative. The 18-month initiative pooled resources to strengthen community-led violence prevention infrastructure and pilot alternative public safety strategies across 15 U.S. cities, including Chicago.[60][61][62]

The Just Home Project

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In May 2022, The MacArthur Foundation, partnered with the Urban Institute announced the launch of a housing stability program designed to break the links between housing instability and jail incarceration. The Just Home Project will provide the communities of Charleston County, South Carolina; Minnehaha County, South Dakota; the city and county of San Francisco; and Tulsa County, Oklahoma with $5 million in grant funding to create a unique plan to bring together government officials, non-profit partners, and impacted communities members to develop innovative approaches to this issue. MacArthur has awarded $3.2 million in support of the work in the selected communities and an additional $1.8 million will support the Urban Institute's technical assistance work.[63]

Nigeria Next

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In March 2026, the MacArthur Foundation launched Nigeria Next, a youth-centered grantmaking initiative designed to expand digital inclusion, foster economic innovation, and increase civic participation among young Nigerians. It succeeds the foundation's decade-long On Nigeria Big Bet program, which was a $154 million investment started in 2014 and concluded in December 2024.[64][65] The Nigeria Next initiative uses a combination of grants, impact investments, and research-backed advocacy to address key barriers to technology access. Nigeria Next focuses on four core priority areas: digital literacy, support for creative and tech-innovation hubs, youth civic engagement, and research and policy formulation.[66][67][68][69]

Peace Program

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In July 2026, the foundation announced the launch of its new Peace Program. This initiative aims to provide long-term operating support and funding to strengthen the global peace and security ecosystem. The program builds on MacArthur's grantmaking history in international security since the 1980s, including its Science, Technology and Security Initiative program launched in 2002.[70][71] The Peace Program will fund researchers, organizations, and networks addressing conflict prevention, democratic backsliding, rising militarism, and the impacts of climate change on global security.[72][73]

See also

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Notes

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  1. ↑ The MacArthur Foundation does not use the term "genius" to describe its fellows and has asked the media to stop using it.[21][22][23][24]

References

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  1. 1 2 3 "MacArthur Foundation: Our History". MacArthur Foundation. Retrieved July 14, 2015.
  2. ↑ Nicas, Jack (September 20, 2011). "The New Class of 'Geniuses'". The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved June 12, 2015.
  3. ↑ "President - MacArthur Foundation".
  4. ↑ www.macfound.org Edit this at Wikidata
  5. 1 2 "About Us". MacArthur Foundation. Archived from the original on June 30, 2015. Retrieved June 21, 2016.
  6. ↑ "MacArthur Foundation". Hinchilla. Retrieved August 14, 2026.
  7. ↑ Labs, Old Well. "The MacArthur Foundation's Portfolio". OWL Insights Preview. Retrieved January 6, 2026.
  8. ↑ JOHN D.AND CATHERINE T. MACARTHUR FOUNDATION Consolidated Financial Statements$7.6 billion Net Assets
  9. 1 2 "MacArthur Foundation: Chicago Grants". Inside Philanthropy. Archived from the original on June 14, 2015. Retrieved June 3, 2015.
  10. ↑ "Program Budgets". MacArthur Foundation. Retrieved June 21, 2016.
  11. ↑ "Top 100 U.S. Foundations by Asset Size". Foundation Center. Retrieved June 3, 2015.
  12. ↑ "Top 40 Foundations | The Grantsmanship Center". www.tgci.com. Retrieved January 6, 2026.
  13. ↑ "The John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation: Philanthropy Profile & Donation History". Patron View. Retrieved January 6, 2026.
  14. ↑ "Financials - MacArthur Foundation". www.macfound.org. Retrieved August 12, 2024.
  15. 1 2 "MacArthur Foundation | Philanthropy, Grants & Awards | Britannica". www.britannica.com. Retrieved August 14, 2026.
  16. ↑ Tavernise, Sabrina (July 22, 2015). "MacArthur Foundation to Close Offices in Russia". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved August 14, 2026.
  17. ↑ Longley, L. (May 6, 2021). "How MacArthur Wound Down Its Funding in Mexico After 36 Years—and What It Learned". Retrieved August 14, 2026.
  18. ↑ Daniels, Alex (January 11, 2016). "Inside MacArthur's Rapid Strategic Shift to 'Big Bets'". The Chronicle of Philanthropy. Retrieved June 23, 2016.
  19. ↑ "Development Co-operation Profiles – John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation". OECD iLibrary.
  20. 1 2 Montevideo, Mickey Y. (October 3, 2011). "Alumna receives MacArthur Foundation's 'genius award'". UGA Today. Retrieved June 25, 2020.
  21. ↑ "MacArthur Fellows Frequently Asked Questions". MacArthur Foundation. Retrieved October 16, 2023.
  22. ↑ Conrad, Cecilia A. (September 20, 2013). "Five Myths About the MacArthur 'Genius Grants'". MacArthur Foundation. Retrieved October 16, 2023.
  23. ↑ Jim Collins (September 19, 2005). "It isn't easy being a genius". The New York Times. Archived from the original on April 18, 2015. Retrieved October 16, 2023.
  24. ↑ Viet Thanh Nguyen (April 14, 2018). "Don't call me a genius". The New York Times. Retrieved October 16, 2023.
  25. 1 2 Conrad, Cecilia (September 20, 2013). "Five Myths about the MacArthur 'Genius Grants'". The Washington Post. Retrieved June 23, 2016.
  26. ↑ "100&Change". 100&Change. Retrieved November 19, 2020.
  27. ↑ Sherrow, Victoria (2009). Jonas Salk (Revised ed.). Infobase Publishing. p. 99. ISBN 9781438104119.
  28. ↑ Husock, Howard (December 4, 2015). "Trust Chan and Zuckerberg to Decide How to Spend Their Money for the Public Good". The Chronicle of Philanthropy. Retrieved October 12, 2016.
  29. ↑ Hauer, Peter W. (2011). The Big Picture: The Past, The Present, & Your Children's Future. Author House. p. 355. ISBN 9781420815351.
  30. ↑ Frantz, Douglas (July 7, 1985). "'Charitable Patronage' Still Gets Foundation's Work Done". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved October 12, 2016.
  31. ↑ Nielsen, Waldemar (1996). Inside American Philanthropy: The Dramas of Donorship. University of Oklahoma Press. pp. 132–34. ISBN 9780806128023. Retrieved September 1, 2016 – via Internet Archive.
  32. ↑ Kleban Mills, Barbara (September 10, 1984). "The MacArthur 'Genius' Awards Are Jeopardized as the Dying Patron Attacks the Foundation". People (magazine). Retrieved September 1, 2016.
  33. ↑ Browning, Graeme (July 27, 1984). "The son of the man who established the $1.5 billion foundation". United Press International. Retrieved September 1, 2016.
  34. ↑ Tavernise, Sabrina (July 22, 2015). "MacArthur Foundation to Close Offices in Russia". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved August 14, 2026.
  35. ↑ Longley, L. (May 6, 2021). "How MacArthur Wound Down Its Funding in Mexico After 36 Years—and What It Learned". Retrieved August 14, 2026.
  36. ↑ Wolfe, Dawn (March 4, 2025). "As Crisis Drives Payout Bumps, One Small Funder Bucks Conventional Wisdom". www.insidephilanthropy.com. Retrieved January 6, 2026.
  37. ↑ Candid. "MacArthur Foundation boosts giving to 6 percent in wake of crisis". Philanthropy News Digest (PND). Retrieved January 6, 2026.
  38. ↑ Beaty, Thalia; Press, The Associated. "The MacArthur Foundation will increase giving by $150 million over the next two years after Trump pulled the plug on foreign aid: 'This is a major crisis for our sector'". Fortune. Retrieved August 14, 2026.
  39. ↑ SSIR. "Philanthropy Must Accelerate Spending and Broaden Collaboration (SSIR)". ssir.org. Retrieved January 6, 2026.
  40. 1 2 3 "MacArthur Foundation: Past Presidents". MacArthur Foundation. Retrieved July 14, 2015.
  41. ↑ Fellers, Li (July 26, 2004). "Dr. John Corbally, 79: First President Helped Establish MacArthur Foundation Identity". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved July 14, 2015.
  42. ↑ "People in the News (4/20/14): Appointments and Promotions". Philanthropy News Digest. April 20, 2014. Retrieved June 26, 2015.
  43. ↑ Spector, Mike (March 10, 2009). "Former Diplomat to Lead MacArthur Foundation". The Wall Street Journal. p. A2. Retrieved March 10, 2009.
  44. ↑ Callahan, David (May 3, 2014). "Why Did Mac Sack Bob?". Inside Philanthropy. Retrieved June 12, 2015.
  45. ↑ Callahan, David (March 13, 2015). "Julia Stasch Atop MacArthur: Change or More of the Same? Maybe Both". Inside Philanthropy. Retrieved June 12, 2015.
  46. ↑ Johnson, Steve (September 25, 2018). "MacArthur Foundation President Julia Stasch to step down next year". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved December 20, 2018.
  47. ↑ "John Palfrey Named New MacArthur President". MacArthur Foundation. Retrieved March 15, 2019.
  48. ↑ Reich, Howard (January 12, 2016). "MacArthur Fellows Program unveils wide-ranging events". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved September 1, 2016.
  49. ↑ "MacArthur Fellows Program Strategy - MacArthur Foundation". www.macfound.org. Retrieved August 14, 2026.
  50. ↑ Calamur, Krishnadev (September 29, 2015). "'Geniuses' Revealed". The Atlantic. Retrieved September 1, 2016.
  51. ↑ "Moscow Guild of Theater and Screen Actors". MacArthur Foundation. November 22, 2021. Retrieved September 4, 2022.
  52. ↑ Johnson, Steve (December 20, 2017). "Sesame Workshop child refugee plan wins first MacArthur $100M challenge". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved December 20, 2018.
  53. ↑ Alcega, Raquel (May 9, 2025). "Winning large-scale philanthropic grants: Inside Lever for Change's model". Devex. Retrieved August 14, 2026.
  54. ↑ "Lever for Change - MacArthur Foundation". www.macfound.org. Retrieved August 14, 2026.
  55. ↑ Scutari, Mike (January 19, 2023). "Four Years After Launch, Here's How MacArthur's Lever for Change Is Galvanizing Big Giving". Retrieved August 14, 2026.
  56. ↑ "About Us". Lever for Change. Retrieved August 14, 2026.
  57. ↑ "Lever for Change: How 'big bet philanthropy' is transforming the sector". Candid. Retrieved August 14, 2026.
  58. ↑ tyton_press (June 20, 2023). "How Lever for Change is Innovating the Open Call Philanthropic Funding Model". Tyton Partners. Retrieved August 14, 2026.
  59. ↑ "Lever for Change". Influence Watch. Retrieved August 14, 2026.
  60. ↑ Dunson, Kyra (July 23, 2021). "From WH Fact Sheet: Invest in evidence-based community violence interventions". CBPS Collective. Retrieved August 14, 2026.
  61. ↑ "Readout of White House Community Violence Intervention Collaborative Meeting | The American Presidency Project". www.presidency.ucsb.edu. Retrieved August 14, 2026.
  62. ↑ "Collaborative Supports Community-led Violence Interventions". www.macfound.org. Retrieved August 14, 2026.
  63. ↑ "MacArthur Foundation, Urban Institute launch housing stability program". Philanthropy News Digest. May 20, 2022. Retrieved May 20, 2022.
  64. ↑ Olumhense, Sonala (February 21, 2026). "MacArthur Foundation's Nigeria 'Big Bet'". Punch Newspapers. Retrieved August 14, 2026.
  65. ↑ Alcega, Raquel (July 23, 2026). "6 lessons from the MacArthur Foundation for a new world of aid funding". Devex. Retrieved August 14, 2026.
  66. ↑ Usman, Mustapha (March 26, 2026). "MacArthur Foundation launches Nigeria Next grants to boost youth digital inclusion, civic engagement". The ICIR- Latest News, Politics, Governance, Elections, Investigation, Factcheck, Covid-19. Retrieved August 14, 2026.
  67. ↑ Suleiman, Qosim (March 26, 2026). "Nigeria Next: MacArthur Foundation unveils new young people-centred initiative for Nigeria". Premium Times. ISSN 2360-7688. Retrieved August 14, 2026.
  68. ↑ Musaddique, Shafi (March 31, 2026). "MacArthur launches Nigeria youth programme tackling Global North-South Ai gap". Alliance magazine. Retrieved August 14, 2026.
  69. ↑ Abdulsemiu, Monsuroh (March 26, 2026). "MacArthur Foundation launches 'Nigeria Next' to boost youth inclusion, innovation, civic participation". TheCable. Retrieved August 14, 2026.
  70. ↑ "MacArthur Announces New Initiative In International Peace And Security". www.macfound.org. Retrieved August 14, 2026.
  71. ↑ fundsforngos (November 5, 2013). "MacArthur Foundation's International Peace & Security Grant - fundsforNGOs - Grants and Resources for Sustainability". Retrieved August 14, 2026.
  72. ↑ Record, National (July 23, 2026). "MacArthur Foundation Launches Global Peace Program To Rebuild Conflict Prevention Ecosystem | National Record". Retrieved August 14, 2026.
  73. ↑ "Reimagining Peace: Introducing a Peace Program". www.macfound.org. Retrieved August 14, 2026.
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