What John Templeton Foundation does

The John Templeton Foundation is a private nonprofit charitable foundation established in 1987 by Sir John Templeton and headquartered in Conshohocken, Pennsylvania, with 51–100 employees. It functions as a grantmaking and convening organization that funds interdisciplinary research and public engagement across six core funding areas: Character Virtue Development, Individual Freedom & Free Markets, Life Sciences, Mathematical & Physical Sciences, Public Engagement, and Religion, Science, and Society. The foundation awards grants to universities, research institutions, and individuals worldwide, having supported partners including Harvard, Notre Dame, Emory, Yale, Boston University, Cambridge University, the Pew Research Center, and the Greater Good Science Center at UC Berkeley, with individual grants ranging from hundreds of thousands to over $7.8 million.

The foundation's underlying "technology" is its programmatic infrastructure rather than a commercial product stack. It operates a grant application portal (portal.templeton.org), a public grant database, a grant calendar, and a content platform (Templeton Ideas) with an associated podcast distributed on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. Wholly-owned operating subsidiaries include the Templeton Prize (one of the world's largest individual awards at over US$1.4 million), Templeton Press (publishing arm), and the Humble Approach Initiative (interdisciplinary scholar symposia producing published proceedings). Starting in 2026, the foundation's Intelligence Venture commits over $60 million in grants focused on questions of intelligence across all six funding areas.

The foundation's revenue model is not commercial pricing but endowment-driven philanthropy. It ranks among the top 25 philanthropic foundations in the United States by assets, generating returns on its endowment to fund grantmaking, the Templeton Prize, content production, and symposia. Distribution is direct via the website, the Templeton Prize program, grantee-developed platforms (e.g., ggie.berkeley.edu, parentandteen.com), and partnerships with global research and media institutions, with operations spanning at least 12 countries across North America, Europe, Asia, Africa, Oceania, and South America.

Name

John Templeton Foundation

Legal name

John Templeton Foundation

Website

https://templeton.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1987

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

The John Templeton Foundation is a private nonprofit founded in 1987 that awards grants to universities, researchers, and institutions worldwide for interdisciplinary work spanning science, religion, philosophy, character development, and free markets. It operates the Templeton Prize and is among the top 25 US foundations by assets.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Philanthropy Grantmaking

NAICS

Grantmaking and Giving Services (81321), Grantmaking Foundations (813211)

akta.pro primary industry

Private Foundations (BPAGAKAA)

akta.pro secondary industry

Research & Science Grantmaking Foundations (BPAGAKAI)

Keywords

• Philanthropy grantmaking
• Interdisciplinary research funding
• Religion science programs
• Character virtue development
• Academic research grants

Headquarters

HQ city

Conshohocken

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

The John Templeton Foundation is a private philanthropic foundation that awards grants to support interdisciplinary research and public engagement across six major funding areas: Character Virtue Development, Individual Freedom & Free Markets, Life Sciences, Mathematical & Physical Sciences, Public Engagement, and Religion, Science, and Society. The foundation's core activities include grantmaking to researchers and institutions, administering the Templeton Prize (one of the world's largest individual awards), publishing books through Templeton Press, and convening interdisciplinary scholars through the Humble Approach Initiative.

Product overview

The John Templeton Foundation is a philanthropy organization that makes grants in support of research and public engagement across six major funding areas: Character Virtue Development, Individual Freedom & Free Markets, Life Sciences, Mathematical & Physical Sciences, Public Engagement, and Religion, Science, and Society. The foundation operates several core programs including the Templeton Prize (valued at over US$1.4 million), the Grant Database for tracking awarded grants, the Templeton Ideas content platform featuring articles and a podcast, and the Humble Approach Initiative convening scholarly symposia. Starting in 2026, the Intelligence Venture will award over $60 million focused on questions of intelligence. The foundation also supports grantee-developed products including the Ghazali Children's Project (character education materials), the Center for Parent and Teen Communication, and the Greater Good in Education platform.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Templeton Prize: One of the world's largest individual awards, valued at over US$1.4 million, given to individuals who have made exceptional contributions to affirm life's spiritual dimension.
• Templeton Press
• Humble Approach Initiative
• Intelligence Venture

Products and services

• Grant Programs
• Templeton Prize
• Intelligence Venture
• Templeton Press
• Humble Approach Initiative

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

15 partnerships are on record, tiered flagship and core.

• Cambridge UniversityflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 21 April 2026Cambridge University evolutionary biologist Professor Simon Conway Morris was awarded the 2026 Templeton Prize by the John Templeton Foundation. His research on evolutionary convergence and the Cambrian explosion was recognized as exemplary work at the intersection of science and spiritual inquiry.
• Florida Atlantic UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFlorida Atlantic University's College of Business received a $4-million John Templeton Foundation grant to support research on business politicization and the integration of AI tools across its MBA curriculum, including the new AI MBA concentration for 2026.
• Pew Research CentercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe John Templeton Foundation partners with the Pew Research Center on the Pew-Templeton Global Religious Futures project, a multi-phase initiative studying global religious change. Multiple phases have been funded, including Phase VII ($2,683,750), Phase VIII ($3,315,000), and Phase IX ($3,600,000).
• Greater Good Science Center at UC BerkeleycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe foundation funded the Greater Good in Education (GGIE) initiative led by the Greater Good Science Center at UC Berkeley ($692,384 grant). This project created an encyclopedic website offering free research-based strategies for social, emotional, and ethical development in schools.
• Children's Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe foundation funded the Center for Parent and Teen Communication ($3,488,131 grant), led by Kenneth Ginsburg at CHOP. This initiative develops resources for balanced parenting and positive parent-teen communication, with the award-winning parentandteen.com website.
• Fons Vitae of KentuckycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe foundation funded the Ghazali Children's Project ($750,000 grant), led by Fons Vitae, to publish illustrated children's books and workbooks teaching character and virtue development through the teachings of Abu Hamid al-Ghazali for Muslim children worldwide.
• Constructive Dialogue InstitutecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe foundation has funded the Constructive Dialogue Institute for multiple projects totaling over $6 million, focused on building evidence-based tools to cultivate intellectual and civic character, including a 2026 grant of $4,493,707 for promoting humility, empathy, and civil discourse in higher education.
• World Science Foundation / World Science FestivalcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe foundation funded the World Science Festival Big Ideas Series and related Rethinking Reality initiative (multiple grants totaling over $7 million) with Brian Greene and the World Science Foundation to bring cosmic perspective to public audiences.
• Harvard UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHarvard University has received multiple foundation grants including the Black Hole Initiative Phase 4 ($6,899,999), Enrico Fermi Fellowships ($6,613,831), and programs in character virtue development and the life sciences.
• Emory UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Emory Tibet Science Initiative received a $5,000,000 grant to support science education and dialogue between science and Tibetan Buddhist traditions (Stage Four - Specialization).
• Boston UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBoston University has received multiple grants including $5,220,961 for training and treatment integration research for virtue and flourishing in mental healthcare, and grants for character virtue development research.
• Veritas Forum Inc.coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMultiple grants to the Veritas Forum totaling over $6 million, supporting conversations on big questions, faith, science, and human flourishing at university campuses and beyond.
• The Aspen InstitutecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe foundation funds Aspen Philosophy in Society ($2,543,978) and the Faith Angle Forum ($225,672 to $220,003 across multiple years), supporting public dialogue on philosophy, faith, and civic virtue.
• Yale UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerYale University received grants for The Life Worth Living Network in Higher Education ($4,284,054), the Science of Flourishing for Teens ($1,022,184), and other projects on purpose, character, and meaning.
• University of Notre DamecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNotre Dame received multiple grants including $2,970,516 for signature courses on human flourishing, Equipping Christian Leadership in an Age of Science Phase 4 ($7,826,722), and other initiatives at the intersection of faith and science.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Pew Charitable Trusts: Pew Charitable Trusts is one of the largest US private foundations, focused on data-driven research and public engagement across science, religion, and society. It is the closest direct peer, co-running the Pew-Templeton Global Religious Futures project with the subject company.
• John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation: MacArthur Foundation is a major US private foundation awarding large individual grants (the "Genius Grant") and supporting interdisciplinary research, including character and human flourishing initiatives that overlap directly with Templeton's funding areas.
• Simons Foundation: The Simons Foundation is a major US private foundation funding basic science research (mathematics, physical sciences, life sciences) at significant scale, directly comparable to Templeton's Life Sciences and Mathematical/Physical Sciences funding areas.
• Alfred P. Sloan Foundation: The Sloan Foundation supports basic research across science, economics, and education, with a comparable asset base and grantmaking scale. Both foundations fund interdisciplinary research at the intersection of fundamental questions.
• Carnegie Corporation of New York: Carnegie Corporation is a top-tier US private foundation with comparable scale, supporting research and education across democracy, education, and international peace. It shares Templeton's model of large, multi-year research grants to elite institutions.
• Kavli Foundation: The Kavli Foundation funds basic research in astrophysics, nanoscience, neuroscience, and theoretical physics through university-based institutes. It is a closer-fit peer than Gates, with similar scale and a basic-science research focus.

Broad incumbents

• Howard Hughes Medical Institute: HHMI is one of the largest US research-focused philanthropies, funding biomedical and life sciences research at scale. It is a broader incumbent operating with a much larger endowment and narrower life-sciences focus than Templeton.
• Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation: The Gates Foundation is the largest US private foundation by assets, funding global health, education, and poverty research. It dwarfs Templeton in scale and serves as a broader incumbent benchmark for top-25 US philanthropic foundations.
• Open Society Foundations: Open Society is a large US-headquartered private foundation funding research, public engagement, and civil society initiatives globally. It overlaps with Templeton's Individual Freedom and Public Engagement funding areas and operates at comparable geographic breadth.
• Wellcome Trust: Wellcome Trust is a major UK-based research foundation funding science, health, and humanities research globally. It is a comparable international peer in scale, structure, and focus on interdisciplinary basic research.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/templeton_fdn
• YouTubeyoutube.com/c/JohnTempletonFoundation/videos
• Facebookfacebook.com/templetonfoundation
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/32862
• Instagraminstagram.com/templetonfoundation

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Subsidiaries3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments10 records

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Frequently asked questions about John Templeton Foundation