The Heising-Simons Foundation

The Heising-Simons Foundation operates exclusively through an invitation-only model, making relationship cultivation and field credibility the only reliable path to funding. Founded by Mark and Liz Heising and Elizabeth Simons (daughter of mathematician Jim Simons), the foundation embeds a deeply personal philanthropic vision rooted in rigorous science, systemic policy change, and equity — values that permeate every program area.

The foundation's grantmaking is geographically concentrated: California accounts for 1,226 of approximately 2,690 total grant transactions, followed by Washington DC (330) and New York (247). This distribution reflects its dual emphasis on California-based education and climate work alongside federal policy influence. The Science program has the widest geographic reach, funding research universities nationally.

The typical grantee falls into four archetypes. First, major research universities: UC Berkeley, Stanford, Caltech, Yale, UCSD, UCLA, UC Santa Barbara, UC Irvine, University of Chicago, and University of Arizona all appear as top recipients, with multi-year awards anchoring the science and education portfolios. Second, established advocacy organizations: Environmental Defense Fund, Natural Resources Defense Council, and US Energy Foundation are repeat recipients on the climate side, suggesting long-term programmatic relationships rather than one-off project grants. Third, fiscal sponsors and intermediaries: New Venture Fund, Tides Foundation, Tides Center, Neo Philanthropy, Social and Environmental Entrepreneurs, and Community Initiatives all appear among top grantees — a clear signal that the foundation funds emerging coalitions and projects that haven't yet incorporated independently. Fourth, education-focused nonprofits: Alliance for Early Success, California Education Partners, PowerMyLearning, and Illustrative Mathematics represent the education portfolio's middle tier.

First-time applicants should understand that the relationship begins in the field, not in an inbox. Program officers identify prospective grantees by attending conferences, conducting in-house research, and receiving referrals from current grantee partners and advisors. The foundation explicitly discourages uninvited email inquiries. Once on the radar, the typical progression moves from exploratory conversation with a program officer to an invitation for a letter of inquiry, then to a full proposal reviewed on a rolling basis — there is no fixed annual deadline cycle for invitation-based grants. The foundation's trust-based philosophy extends to costs: it supports the true cost of grantee work and does not impose maximum indirect cost rates for non-university grants.

Over the five most recent fiscal years captured in IRS filings, the Heising-Simons Foundation's annual giving has ranged from $148.9 million to $189.5 million, with a current-year figure of approximately $166.8 million against $810.5 million in assets — a payout rate of roughly 20.6%, dramatically above the 5% legal minimum and reflective of a high-engagement, high-disbursement philosophy.

The aggregate grantee database records 2,690 grants totaling approximately $576.9 million, with an average award of $214,443. This average masks considerable spread: science events grants range from $20,000 to $80,000 per event; postdoctoral fellowships run approximately $50,000–$80,000 per fellow per year; mid-tier education grants to community organizations average roughly $364,000 per organization (based on the $4M/11-org parent leadership cohort); flagship science research commitments reach $3.7 million over five years; and large advocacy grants to EDF and NRDC almost certainly exceed $1 million annually given the cumulative totals in the grantee records.

By program area, the grantee list reveals distinct funding tiers. Climate and Clean Energy anchors around established environmental advocacy organizations — EDF, NRDC, Partnership Project, US Energy Foundation — with multi-year, multi-million dollar commitments focused on energy policy analysis, public utility commission work, potent pollutant reduction, and coalition building. Science concentrates on research universities with multi-year grants and supplements with open competitions for events ($20K–$80K) and fellowships. Education centers on early childhood systems in California, with a blend of policy-oriented intermediaries (Alliance for Early Success, California Education Partners) and direct program organizations (PowerMyLearning, Illustrative Mathematics, Walsh Center for Thriving Children). Human Rights targets state-level advocacy in California, Georgia, North Carolina, and Texas, with significant DC-based policy capacity grants. Journalism distributes two $100,000 unrestricted journalism prizes annually via the American Mosaic Journalism Prize.

Geographically, California commands 45.6% of all grant transactions; DC follows at 12.3%; New York at 9.2%; Massachusetts at 5.2%. Annual giving has trended upward over five years ($148.9M → $189.5M peak → $166.8M current), with asset values peaking at $872 million before settling to $810 million — consistent with market fluctuations in an investment-dependent endowment.

The five peer foundations identified by asset scale (~$773M–$847M) span very different geographic and programmatic orientations, illustrating how Heising-Simons stands apart even among similarly capitalized foundations.

Among foundations of comparable scale, Heising-Simons is singular in the breadth and sophistication of its program portfolio — simultaneously pursuing national climate policy, physical science research, early childhood systems, and human rights advocacy at nine-figure annual disbursement levels. Rasmuson and Mabee are geography-constrained and capital-project focused; Kern concentrates on STEM workforce; the Miller foundation is Utah-centric. The Skoll Foundation represents the closest strategic peer — both California-based, invitation-only, and invested in systemic change — but Skoll focuses on social entrepreneurs globally while Heising-Simons concentrates on US policy change and academic science. Organizations with cross-sector science, climate, and equity portfolios will find that no foundation of this asset size funds quite the same combination.

The defining event of 2025–2026 is the leadership transition. Sushma Raman, who had served as President and CEO, departed in July 2024 after a decade at the helm. Jennifer Shipp served as interim CEO and assumed the permanent title of Chief Operating Officer and General Counsel beginning January 1, 2026. Brian Eule — the foundation's former Director of Journalism and Communications (2015–2024), creator of the journalism initiative, and most recently manager of operations at FRONTLINE on PBS — was appointed President and CEO effective January 1, 2026. Board Chair Elizabeth D. Simons cited Eule's communication background, internal institutional knowledge, and leadership qualities. This is the first time someone from the communications side rather than a program officer has led the foundation, which may signal a period of increased external visibility and field engagement.

On the programmatic front, the Science program launched the new Astronova Fellowship for postdoctoral scientists focused on astronomical instrumentation development, complementing the existing 51 Pegasi b Fellowship (planetary astronomy, deadline October 3, 2025). The Science Events and Gatherings open call offered two cycles in 2025, distributing $20,000–$80,000 per grant from a $400,000 pool per cycle.

In Education, a $500,000 18-month grant to Boston College's Walsh Center for Thriving Children (2025) supported early math learning in Roxbury. A $4 million, two-year investment reached 11 California community-based organizations building diverse parent leadership pipelines. In Journalism, the 2026 American Mosaic Journalism Prize awarded $100,000 each to Kavitha Cardoza and Oliver Whang. The foundation's International Human Rights Day convening on December 10, 2025, gathered more than 300 global leaders in San Francisco around immigration justice and democracy themes.

The overriding reality of applying to Heising-Simons is that there is no application to submit unless you are invited. This is not a technicality — the foundation explicitly discourages uninvited email inquiries and does not have a public LOI portal for general grantmaking. Strategy must therefore focus entirely on becoming invitation-worthy.

Build field visibility before outreach. Program officers identify prospects by attending conferences and monitoring field developments. For climate and clean energy, that means appearing at ACEEE, Clean Energy States Alliance meetings, and policy forums. For science, publishing in respected journals and presenting at AAS, APS, or AGU conferences. For education, showing up in California's early childhood policy process and at early learning convenings. For human rights, engaging state-level advocacy networks in California, Georgia, North Carolina, and Texas.

Enter through the fiscal sponsor network. New Venture Fund, Tides Foundation, Tides Center, Neo Philanthropy, Social and Environmental Entrepreneurs, and Community Initiatives are all top grantees and established fiscal sponsors. If your project could operate under one of these fiscal sponsors, a warm introduction through their program or development staff is one of the most reliable non-invitation entry points into the portfolio.

Use every open channel. Two open-access pathways exist: (1) Science Events and Gatherings grants ($20,000–$80,000, two cycles annually for conferences, workshops, and summer schools in astronomy, physics, or climate science); and (2) postdoctoral fellowships — the 51 Pegasi b Fellowship (planetary astronomy) and the new Astronova Fellowship (astronomical instrumentation). Follow the foundation on LinkedIn and subscribe to the email newsletter at hsfoundation.org to catch cycle announcements.

Speak the program's language precisely. For climate: reference 'energy policy analysis,' 'public utility commissions,' 'potent pollutants' (methane specifically), and 'time-sensitive emission reduction opportunities.' For science: lead with 'fundamental research,' 'bridging disciplinary gaps,' 'high-risk exploratory work,' and 'expanding participation in physical sciences.' For education: center 'early childhood systems,' 'low-income families,' 'children of color,' 'joyful learning environments,' and 'systems change.' For human rights: cite 'whole, safe, and dignified lives' and California, Georgia, North Carolina, or Texas state contexts.

Budget honestly. The foundation explicitly supports the true cost of grantee work and does not cap indirect cost rates for non-university project grants. Artificially deflated indirect rates signal misalignment with the foundation's philosophy. Expect program officers to engage in open dialogue about full costs rather than applying a formula.