Richard King Mellon Foundation

The Richard King Mellon Foundation (RKMF) is a Pittsburgh-based philanthropic foundation established in 1947 by banker Richard King Mellon, one of the largest foundations in the world, with a 2021 endowment of $3.1 billion. It funds work through grants and program-related investments aligned to its ten-year strategic plan. RKMF accepts grant applications year-round and also issues Requests for Proposals on specific strategic-plan topics, supporting four core program areas: economic development in Southwestern Pennsylvania, national environmental conservation, economic mobility for children and youth, and regional health and well-being. In 2021, RKMF approved a record $372 million in grants and investments, and in January 2022 it launched a Social-Impact Investment Program (separate from traditional grantmaking) providing flexible, non-dilutive-style funding—no matching requirements or board seats—to for-profit startups advancing its philanthropic goals, with average checks around $300,000.