King Faisal Foundation

What King Faisal Foundation does

King Faisal Foundation (KFF) is a private international philanthropic organization established in 1976 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, by the sons of King Faisal bin Abdulaziz to preserve and perpetuate his humanitarian legacy. The foundation operates through seven interconnected pillar programs: the King Faisal Prize (one of the world's most prestigious international awards, given annually in five categories since 1979); the King Faisal Center for Research and Islamic Studies (KFCRIS, est. 1983, housing 200,000+ books, 5,000 periodicals, and 28,500+ manuscripts); King Faisal School (est. 1991, the first Saudi national school applying international standards and now offering IB programmes); Alfaisal University (est. 2000, a private non-profit university in Riyadh with five colleges ranked 2nd in the Arab world by Times Higher Education 2021); Effat University (est. 1999, the first female-only university in Saudi Arabia); a Scholarships Programme that has invested over 126 million SAR across levels from elementary to post-doctoral; and the KFF-IB Collaboration with the International Baccalaureate Organization, expanding IB programmes across Saudi Arabia and the Arabic-speaking world. The foundation's headquarters building in Riyadh was designed by Japanese architect Kenzo Tange in 1982 and inaugurated in 1984.

KFF is funded entirely through a diversified investment portfolio and private contributions rather than commercial revenue; cumulative expenditure since 1976 exceeds 3.03 billion Saudi Riyals across pillar programmes, philanthropic projects delivered to underserved communities worldwide, and educational scholarships. The foundation's beneficiaries span three primary segments: Saudi students at its schools and universities, the global academic community accessing fellowships, libraries, and the King Faisal Prize, and underserved communities in countries including India, Bangladesh, Senegal, Sri Lanka, Yemen, and Singapore receiving infrastructure support. Strategic partnerships with MIT, Georgetown, Duke, Brown, NYU, Boeing Saudi Arabia, Saudi Aramco, and the King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Center extend the foundation's academic and operational reach. Governance rests with a Board of Trustees composed of Al-Faisal family members, with HRH Prince Khalid Al-Faisal as CEO and HRH Prince Turki Al-Faisal as Chairman of the Board of Directors of KFCRIS.

Name

King Faisal Foundation

Legal name

King Faisal Foundation

Website

https://kff.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1976

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

King Faisal Foundation is a Saudi Arabian international philanthropic organization founded in 1976 that operates education, research, and award programs — including the King Faisal Prize, two universities, a school, and a research center — serving students, scholars, and underserved communities globally.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Philanthropic Educational Foundation

NAICS

Grantmaking Foundations (813211), Grantmaking and Giving Services (81321), Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (6113), Educational Support Services (61171)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

International Grantmaking & Development Foundations (BPAGAKAH)

akta.pro secondary industries

Grantmaking & Philanthropic Funds (Institutional Donors) (BPADAOAB), Scholarship & Fellowship Foundations and Trusts (EDADAHAC), Philanthropy & Foundations Advisory (Donor-Advised Funds, Endowments) (FSAAABAH)

Keywords

• Philanthropic foundation services
• Educational scholarship programs
• Higher education institutions
• Academic research centers
• International scholarly awards

Headquarters

HQ city

Riyadh

HQ country

Saudi Arabia

HQ region

Middle East

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Personnel, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Philanthropic Foundation: King Faisal Foundation operates as an international philanthropic organization established in 1976. It does not generate commercial revenue but relies on investment portfolios and private contributions to fund its educational programs, scholarships, and research initiatives.

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

King Faisal Foundation is an international philanthropic organization that delivers education, research, and scholarly recognition through seven pillar programmes: the King Faisal Prize (annual international award in five categories), the King Faisal Center for Research and Islamic Studies (research centre with library, archives, museum and visiting-fellow programme), King Faisal School (K-12 with International Baccalaureate), Alfaisal University (private non-profit university in Riyadh), Effat University (first female-only university in Saudi Arabia), a Scholarships Programme (elementary through post-doctoral), and the KFF-IB Collaboration with the International Baccalaureate organisation. The foundation funds these programmes through a diversified investment portfolio rather than commercial revenue.

Product overview

King Faisal Foundation operates as an international philanthropic organization established in 1976 with multiple pillar programs serving education and knowledge advancement. The foundation's portfolio includes the King Faisal Prize (prestigious international award in five categories), King Faisal Center for Research and Islamic Studies (research institution with library and museum), King Faisal School (K-12 with IB programs), Alfaisal University (private non-profit with five colleges), Effat University (women's only university), Scholarships Program (supporting students across levels), and KFF-IB Collaboration (international education partnership). These interconnected programs work together to preserve King Faisal's legacy through recognition of scholars, scientific research enrichment, and educational advancement in Saudi Arabia.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• King Faisal Prize: One of the world's most prestigious international prizes awarded annually in 5 categories: Service to Islam, Islamic Studies, Arabic Language & Literature, Medicine, and Science
• King Faisal Center for Research and Islamic Studies (KFCRIS)
• King Faisal School
• Alfaisal University
• Effat University

Products and services

• King Faisal Prize One of the world's most prestigious international prizes awarded annually by King Faisal Foundation to recognise scholars in five categories: Service to Islam, Islamic Studies, Arabic Language & Literature, Medicine, and Science. Aimed at serving Islam and enriching human thought.
• King Faisal Center for Research and Islamic Studies (KFCRIS) Private research centre operating as an academic, intellectual and cultural hub, including a library (200,000+ books), archives, museum, visiting-fellow programme (500+ fellows from 50+ countries since 1999/2000), and Al-Faisal Cultural House publishing arm.
• King Faisal School Private K-12 school in Riyadh offering International Baccalaureate programmes (PYP, MYP, DP) from kindergarten through high school, with a Full-Day Schooling System, University Preparation Program, and ManageBac communication platform. Achieved a 92% IB pass rate versus the 78% global average.
• Alfaisal University Private non-profit university in Riyadh offering undergraduate and graduate programmes in Medicine, Pharmacy, Business, Engineering, Science, and Law, with ABET-accredited engineering programmes and 14 patents filed by students and faculty over the past decade. Ranked 2nd in Saudi Arabia and the Arab world per Times Higher Education 2021, with the medical school ranked 1st among Saudi medical colleges.
• Effat University First female-only private non-profit university in Saudi Arabia, located in Jeddah, offering 12 undergraduate and 4 graduate programmes across Science & Humanities, Business, Engineering, and Architecture & Design. Achieved 5 QS Stars in Employability and Facilities, ABET and NAAB accreditation, and 68% graduate employment rate.
• Scholarships Program

Quantifiable outcome

• 48 years of awarding the King Faisal Prize since 1979
• +4 more outcomes

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles6 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration6 records

Partnerships

16 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• International Baccalaureate (IB)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2007KFF and IB established collaboration in 2007 to promote access to international education in Saudi Arabia and the Arabic-speaking world. Phase 1 began in 2009 with King Faisal School as pilot. Phase 2 announced in 2014 with investment of SAR 20+ million to expand IB programs (PYP, MYP, DP) throughout Saudi Arabia and train teachers.
• Georgetown UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEffat University has established international partnerships with renowned universities including Georgetown University for academic collaboration and exchange.
• Duke UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic partnership between Effat University and Duke University for educational collaboration.
• University of MiamicoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational academic partnership for student and faculty exchange between Effat University and University of Miami.
• Boston UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic collaboration between Effat University and Boston University.
• Syracuse UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational partnership for academic programs and research collaboration.
• Carnegie Mellon UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic partnership with Carnegie Mellon University for engineering and technology programs.
• New York UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational academic collaboration with NYU.
• Virginia Tech UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic partnership for engineering and research collaboration.
• Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEngineering college partnership with MIT for curriculum development and academic excellence at Alfaisal University.
• University of BristolcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic partnership for research collaboration and student exchange at Alfaisal University.
• Brown UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUniversity Preparation Program collaboration between King Faisal School and Brown University (Ivy League).
• King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research CentercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerStrategic healthcare partnership - medical school partner and supporter of Alfaisal University and Effat University with clinical training affiliations.
• Boeing Saudi ArabiaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCorporate partner providing research funding and innovation support to Alfaisal University.
• Saudi AramcominorStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch partnership and funding for Alfaisal University research initiatives.
• MITcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEngineering college partnership for curriculum development and academic excellence at Alfaisal University College of Engineering.

Scale indicators13 records

Recent moves12 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Carnegie Corporation of New York: Major US philanthropic foundation founded in 1911 with deep focus on education, democratic engagement, and international scholarship. Comparable as a long-running international education-focused foundation administering grants, prizes, and scholarship programmes.
• King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST): Saudi research-intensive graduate university established in 2009 with massive sovereign endowment. Comparable as a Saudi research and higher-education institution focused on building knowledge economy, though much larger and newer than KFF's educational assets.

Direct peers

• Aga Khan Foundation: International philanthropic organization focused on education, health, and civil society across Muslim-majority regions. Comparable as a faith-informed family foundation operating universities (e.g., Aga Khan University), research institutes, and scholarship programmes with similar cultural-preservation orientation.
• Qatar Foundation: Gulf-state philanthropic foundation established in 1995 by Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, operating Education City with multiple international university branches and global research programs. Directly comparable as a royal-family foundation with parallel mandate of advancing education and research in the Arab world.
• Al Maktoum Foundation: Dubai-based philanthropic foundation established by Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum with international scholarship, education, and humanitarian programmes. Comparable as a Gulf royal-family foundation offering scholarships and educational support across the Arab world.
• Prince Sultan University: Leading private non-profit university in Riyadh established in 1999, with ABET-accredited engineering and computing programs and similar Saudi private-university positioning. Comparable as a peer private Saudi university competing for students and faculty in the same Riyadh higher-education market.
• King Abdulaziz and His Companions Foundation for Giftedness and Creativity (Mawhiba): Saudi national foundation for talent development and giftedness with similar philanthropic charter. Directly comparable as a Saudi royal-family foundation focused on education excellence and recognized with King Abdulaziz Quality Award (which Effat also won).

Emerging players

• MiSK Foundation: Saudi non-profit foundation established by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman focused on youth development, education, and culture. Comparable as a newer Saudi philanthropic institution with overlapping educational mandate and significant capital backing.

Others

• Alfaisal University (as internal benchmark): Listed separately as a wholly-owned subsidiary whose international accreditation, ABET engineering programs, and THE rankings provide a useful benchmark for Saudi private university positioning relative to peer institutions such as Prince Sultan University.

Regional players

• Islamic Development Bank (IsDB) Scholarship Programs: Multilateral development institution offering merit-based scholarships for study in Muslim-majority countries across undergraduate, master's, and PhD levels. Comparable as an Islamic-region scholarship administrator with similar target beneficiaries and funding model.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/_kff_
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UC-dBqGMGYj1VasBYRghNWpw
• Facebookfacebook.com/kingfaisalfoundation
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/king-faisal-foundation
• Instagraminstagram.com/kingfaisalfoundation

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles14 records

Subsidiaries6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about King Faisal Foundation