As part of an ongoing effort to strengthen impact and align resources with long-term program strategies, the Arthur Vining Davis Foundations (AVDF) has refined its grantmaking approach within the Interfaith Leadership & Religious Literacy Program Area. As a result, AVDF will not accept open-submission funding requests in this Program Area in 2026. This change does not affect existing grants or current grantee partnerships.
AVDF will continue to accept open-submission funding requests in the Private Higher Education Program Area. The Foundations’ other program areas—Public Educational Media, Palliative Care, and Environmental Solutions—currently operate through an invitation-based process.
This approach enables AVDF to focus resources more strategically, deepen long-term partnerships, and pursue targeted investments that advance shared goals. If submission policies change in the future, AVDF will post updates on avdf.org.
Founded in 1952 and supported by two trusts established by Arthur Vining Davis, the Arthur Vining Davis Foundations advance Mr. Davis’s philanthropic vision by investing in inclusive higher education and healthcare, high-quality public media, vibrant spiritual communities, and environmental sustainability. Since their inception, the Foundations have awarded more than 4,700 grants totaling over $400 million to strengthen institutions and communities across the United States.
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