AMATEUR RADIO DIGITAL COMMUNICATIONS
Annual Giving
$4.0M-31% YoY
Grants
92
Median Grant
$12K
Organizations Funded
99
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Foundation Overview
Mission
A private foundation that exists to support amateur radio and digital communication science and technology. Vision: A thriving global community of learners, experimenters, and contributors advancing freedom with open source communication and information technology.
Focus Areas
Grant Types
Funded Initiatives
Case Western Amateur Radio Club; MMDVM; FreeDV; Rhizomatica; Projects serving under-represented communities in amateur radio; Scholarship programs; Research & development projects
How to Apply
Create account at grants.ardc.net. Applications due September 1, 2025 (evaluated February 1, 2026). Can contact giving@ardc.net or schedule discussion before applying. Applications take 60-120 days to evaluate. Must be eligible organization (US 501c3 nonprofit or international equivalent).
Does Not Fund
Cannot fund lobbying activities, election influence, or voter registration drives. General STEAM/robotics programs not aligned unless strong amateur radio component. Does not prefer scholarships at individual universities. US/international for-profit businesses not eligible. Individual applicants not eligible without nonprofit fiscal sponsor. Projects must be open source and open access.
Based on publicly available information from the foundation's 990 filings and website.
Giving History
$4.0M
Grants
92
Median
$12K
States
28
$5.9M
Grants
91
Median
$16K
States
28
$8.0M
Grants
101
Median
$25K
States
33
Grant Size Distribution
$12K
Typical Grant (Median)
$1K
Smallest
$3K
25th Pctile
$39K
75th Pctile
$508K
Largest
Excludes grants ≤ $5K. Half fall between $3K and $39K.
Largest Recent Grants
$508K
2024
ARRL FOUNDATION
CT · #1312 SECOND PAYMENT OF $507,500 FOR THREE TOTAL YEARS TO FUND THE ARDC SCHOLARSHIP. TOTAL REQUEST IS $1,522,500 OVER THREE YEARS.
$408K
2024
UNIVERSITY OF VICTORIA
#1358 UNIVERSITY OF VICTORIA PROJECT TO CREATE A MODULAR CUBE SATELLITE RADIO TO IMPROVE CURRENT RADIO COMMUNICATIONS.
$314K
2024
ASOCIACION CIVIL ALTERMUNDI
#1583 AIMS TO STRENGTHEN COMMUNITY MESH NETWORKS, AIMING TO IMPROVE COMMUNICATION ACCESS AND RELIABILITY FOR COMMUNITIES THROUGH INNOVATIVE SOLUTIONS.
$225K
2024
ALLINA HEALTH FOUNDATION ON BEHALF OF COURAGE KENNY REHABILITATION INSTITUT
MN · #1446 SUPPORTS THE HANDIHAM PROJECT FOR THREE YEARS BY PURCHASING EQUIPMENT AND ADDING PROGRAM STAFF. THE HANDIHAM PROGRAM ENABLES PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES TO PARTICIPATE IN AMATEUR RADIO.
$201K
2024
UNIVERSITY OF LEEDS
#1308 SUPPORT A STUDENT THROUGHOUT THEIR RESEARCH TOWARDS A PHD DEGREE IN COMPUTER SCIENCE AT THE UNIVERSITY OF LEEDS. THE PHD RESEARCH TOPIC EXPLORES THE SYNERGY BETWEEN ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE (AI), MACHINE LEARNING (ML) AND REAL-TIME DISTRIBUTED (RTD) SYSTEMS, AND WILL USE WIRELESS COMMUNICATION AND AMATEUR RADIO AS MOTIVATING EXAMPLES AND EXPERIMENTAL SETUP.
Geographic Focus
Top states by total grant dollars. Based on IRS filing data.
Financial Overview
Grants paid shown as percentage of total assets
Data sourced from IRS 990 and 990-PF filings and publicly available foundation websites. Grant data, financial figures, and organizational details reflect historical filings and may not represent current operations or funding priorities. Verify directly with the foundation before applying. See an issue? Let us know.