Gordon E and Betty I Moore Foundation
The Gordon E and Betty I Moore Foundation is a private foundation based in Palo Alto, California. It supports scientific discovery, environmental conservation, and the special character of the an individual recipient Bay Area.
Gordon E and Betty I Moore Foundation at a glance
In short: Gordon E and Betty I Moore Foundation gave $403.0M across 920 grants in 2024 (avg $438K), top state California. 29% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $403,028,969
- +0.3% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 920
- -3.4% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $438,075
- +3.8% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $200,000
- Total assets
- $11,522,694,235
- +31.4% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 29% first-time grantees (175 of 602, 2024)
- Primary geography
- California (29% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to Gordon E and Betty I Moore Foundation
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds. Its website also says it does not accept unsolicited grant proposals; it invites brief inquiries about its work, while noting that it can commit to reviewing only inquiries adhering to a roughly 100-word guideline. Grantee resources include guidance on grant development and management, data sharing and intellectual property, and requirements for non-U.S. and non-public charity organizations.
- Contact
Mailing address: 1661 Page Mill Road, Palo Alto, CA 94304
Phone: (650) 213-3000
Website: https://moore.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Open Grants
9 open opportunities from Gordon E and Betty I Moore Foundation
Environmental Conservation: Andes-Amazon Initiative
Gordon E and Betty I Moore Foundation
Amount
Varies
Deadline
Deadline not published
Environmental Conservation: Conservation and Financial Markets Initiative Grants
Gordon E and Betty I Moore Foundation
Amount
US $100,000 - US $8,000,000
Deadline
Deadline not published
Environmental Conservation: Marine Conservation Initiative
Gordon E and Betty I Moore Foundation
Amount
Varies
Deadline
Deadline not published
Who Gordon E and Betty I Moore Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Regents of the University of California ($33.4M across 49 grants). Together the top 10 received $145.5M.
Grant Size Distribution
5,062 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 2,256 grants of 5,062 (45%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation’s stated geographic focus includes the an individual recipient Bay Area. In 2024, California received 29% of grant dollars, the District of Columbia 13%, Massachusetts 10%, and New York 8%; the recipient-state data also lists an unidentified category at 22%. Individual grants included support for conservation and restoration in California, as well as awards to organizations in Massachusetts, Washington, DC, and other states.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 920 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is Gordon E and Betty I Moore Foundation open to new grantees?
29%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 175 of 602 grantees (29%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $236K; repeat grants $847K. How we count
Medians: $15K first-time, $200K repeat.
- 58% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2021 to 2024 (+16%). Method
- In 2024 it paid out 99% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Foundations have until the end of the next year to meet it. Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2020–2024). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2020 to 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $272.1M (2020) to $403.0M (2024). In 2024 it made 920 grants totaling $403.0M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Broad Institute Inc Cambridge, MA | In support of a unique technology platform and associated resources that supports immersive educational experiences that also benefits frontline pandemic response. | $20,000,000 |
| Makeway Foundation | In Support of British Columbia Durability. | $10,000,000 |
| Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors Inc New York, NY | To Support Climate Resilient Fisheries Management. | $10,000,000 |
| New Venture Fund Washington, DC | To strengthen implementation of the conservation and markets initiative. | $8,250,000 |
| Smithsonian Institution Washington, DC | To support launch of the global geo-trees initiative for tropical forests, which will create a high-resolution carbon biomass verification system based on a worldwide network of forest research sites. | $8,000,000 |
| Resources Legacy Fund Sacramento, CA | To launch a funding facility that will support countries to develop and implement ambitious policies for nature and climate. | $6,500,000 |
| Regents of the University of California San Francisco, CA | This grant will support the creation of the diagnostic excellence center for engagement, learning, and action (dxcelerator) at ucsf. | $5,000,000 |
| The Board of Trustees of the Leland Stanford Junior University Redwood City, CA | To support mainstreaming the integration of natural capital approaches into development policy and finance. | $5,000,000 |
| Peninsula Open Space Trust Palo Alto, CA | To support the long-term stewardship of wildlife passage, endangered species conservation and protected watershed in the south bay. | $4,250,000 |
| International Financial Reporting Standards Foundation San Francisco, CA | To support the acceleration and standardization of nature-related disclosures at a global scale. | $3,990,000 |
Ready to take the next step with Gordon E and Betty I Moore Foundation?
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Qualifying Distributions | Net Investment Income | Distributable Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $11,522,694,235 | $2,663,649,577 | $483,168,830 | $403,028,969 | 920 | $451,499,875 | $434,464,285 | $457,961,953 |
| 2023 | $8,766,258,805 | $371,750,377 | $485,577,761 | $401,820,277 | 952 | $457,892,978 | $552,304,306 | $410,990,247 |
| 2022 | $8,278,661,283 | $654,188,442 | $456,107,917 | $387,226,039 | 1,036 | $435,661,606 | $371,926,256 | $427,835,444 |
| 2021 | $9,620,362,658 | $804,907,205 | $408,691,795 | $348,251,151 | 1,049 | $380,801,041 | $942,459,247 | $435,912,280 |
| 2020 | $8,574,582,511 | $528,454,632 | $339,708,618 | $272,068,461 | 1,105 | — | $450,624,485 | $340,613,371 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Gordon E and Betty I Moore Foundation reported a distributable amount of $458.0M for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated October 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation’s mission is to advance scientific discovery, environmental conservation, and the special character of the an individual recipient Bay Area. Its website identifies Environmental Conservation, Science, and the Bay Area as its three current programs. Listed initiatives include Andes-Amazon, Arctic Ocean, Conservation and Markets, and Wildfire Resilience in Environmental Conservation; Curiosity-Driven Science, Emergent Phenomena in Quantum Systems, Experimental Physics Investigators, Green Chemistry, Moore Inventor Fellows, Symbiosis in Aquatic Systems, and the Thirty Meter Telescope in Science; and conservation and informal science in the Bay Area. Its grantmaking search also lists patient-care initiatives as past work.
The foundation works with grantees and other stakeholders. Its 2024 grants illustrate support for research institutions, universities, conservation organizations, and philanthropic intermediaries. For example, the Broad Institute describes its own mission as advancing biomedicine through research on disease and the dissemination of scientific knowledge. Peninsula Open Space Trust says it protects open space on the Peninsula and in the South Bay, while Resources Legacy Fund says it builds alliances for solutions benefiting people and nature.
Grantmaking
In 2024, the foundation made 920 grants totaling $403,028,969. Grants ranged from $50 to $20 million, with a median award of $200,000. The largest award was $20 million to the Broad Institute for a technology platform and associated resources supporting immersive educational experiences and frontline pandemic response. Other large awards included $10 million to Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors for climate-resilient fisheries management; $8.25 million to New Venture Fund to strengthen implementation of the Conservation and Markets Initiative; and $8 million to the Smithsonian Institution for the Global Geo-Trees Initiative for tropical forests.
Other notable 2024 awards included $6.5 million to Resources Legacy Fund for a funding facility supporting countries’ nature and climate policies; $5 million to the University of California, an individual recipient, for a diagnostic excellence center; $4.25 million to Peninsula Open Space Trust for wildlife passage, endangered species conservation, and watershed protection in the South Bay; and $3.5 million to The Conservation Fund for the acquisition and permanent protection of Richmond Ranch in Santa Clara County.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists the following trustees: Rosina Bierbaum, John Dabiri, Kenneth Moore, John Hennessy, Kathleen Justice-Moore, Hilary Krane, Jonathan Levin, Kristen Moore, Steven Moore, and Ellen Ochoa. Kenneth Moore is listed as trustee and chair, and John Hennessy as trustee and vice chair.
Gordon E and Betty I Moore Foundation is led by Harvey V. Fineberg, Trustee & President on every filing since 2020; 3 of 16 officers listed in 2024 are compensated.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Harvey V. Fineberg
Trustee & President
On filings since 2020
45 hrs/week
$1M (2020) → $1.3M (2024)
Kenneth Moore
Trustee & Chair
Trustee, Cpo Sf Bay Area & CAO → Trustee & Chair, 2023
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
$399K (2020) → $0 (2024)
Ellen Ochoa
Trustee
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Hilary Krane
Trustee
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
John Dabiri
Trustee
Trustee - → Trustee, 2021
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
John Hennessy
Trustee & Vice Chair
Trustee & Vice Chairman → Trustee & Vice Chair, 2021
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Jonathan Levin
Trustee
Trustee - → Trustee, 2021
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Kathleen Justice-Moore
Trustee
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Kristen Moore
Trustee
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Rosina Bierbaum
Trustee
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Steven Moore
Trustee
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Pardis Sabeti
Trustee -
New on the 2024 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Denise Strack
Chief Investment Officer
On filings since 2020
45 hrs/week
$2.9M (2020) → $4.4M (2024)
Sasha Abrams
General Counsel & Secretary
On filings since 2020
45 hrs/week
$461K (2020) → $736K (2024)
Edward E. Penhoet
Investment Management Committee
Investment Committee Member → Investment Management Committee, 2021
On filings since 2020
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Ken Siebel
Investment Management Committee
Investment Committee Chairman → Investment Management Committee, 2021
On filings since 2020
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (5)
- Former: Gordon E. Moore (2020–2023) — Trustee -
- Former: Paul Gray (2020–2022) — Trustee & Chair -
- Former: Kenneth Moore-Cpo Sf Bay Areacao (2022)
- Former: Jim Gaither (2020–2021) — Trustee -
- Former: Bruce Alberts (2020) — Trustee
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2024. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2024 filing was $4.4M, to Denise Strack (Chief Investment Officer). 3 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Frequently asked questions about Gordon E and Betty I Moore Foundation
How much does Gordon E and Betty I Moore Foundation give each year?
Gordon E and Betty I Moore Foundation gave $403.0M across 920 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $401.8M across 952 grants.
What is Gordon E and Betty I Moore Foundation's typical grant size?
Gordon E and Betty I Moore Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $200,000, and its average grant was $438,075, across 920 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Gordon E and Betty I Moore Foundation that year got $236K on average.
Where does Gordon E and Betty I Moore Foundation give grants?
Gordon E and Betty I Moore Foundation's top state is California, with 29% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. The next largest states were District of Columbia (13%) and Massachusetts (10%). The most frequent recipient cities were Washington, DC (101 grants), San Francisco, CA (76 grants), New York, NY (40 grants) and Cambridge, MA (29 grants).
Does Gordon E and Betty I Moore Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 30% of Gordon E and Betty I Moore Foundation's 2024 grants with a stated purpose (275 of 920) were for general or operating support, per its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Recurring purposes include "2024 Foundation Membership to Support Charitable Efforts." (10 grants), "In Support of Durable Marine Conservation." (4 grants) and "In Support of Habitat Protection." (4 grants).
Who are Gordon E and Betty I Moore Foundation's largest grantees?
Gordon E and Betty I Moore Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include Regents of the University of California ($33,366,471 across 49 grants), Broad Institute Inc ($20,000,000) and Smithsonian Institution ($16,413,913 across 5 grants), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 17% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is Gordon E and Betty I Moore Foundation?
Gordon E and Betty I Moore Foundation reported $11.5B in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $451.5M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $458.0M (roughly 5% of its investment assets). Falling short in one year is not a violation: foundations have until the end of the next year to meet the minimum.
What does Gordon E and Betty I Moore Foundation fund?
The foundation’s mission is to advance scientific discovery, environmental conservation, and the special character of the an individual recipient Bay Area. Its website identifies Environmental Conservation, Science, and the Bay Area as its three current programs. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Gordon E and Betty I Moore Foundation?
The foundation states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Gordon E and Betty I Moore Foundation's EIN?
Gordon E and Betty I Moore Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 94-3397785. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Does Gordon E and Betty I Moore Foundation accept unsolicited proposals?
No, according to Grantable's research on the foundation's published guidelines. See how to apply ↑
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated October 2026.
Data update history
(1)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Gordon E and Betty I Moore Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 13, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/gordon-e-and-betty-i-moore-foundation-morg_bc4ab72c25c643869e9e0986c47d87f4
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_943397785_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Gordon E and Betty I Moore Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/gordon-e-and-betty-i-moore-foundation-morg_bc4ab72c25c643869e9e0986c47d87f4},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-13. Data licensed CC BY 4.0}
}The figures on this page are open data under CC BY 4.0: reuse them with credit to Grantable and a link. Download the data.
Figures come from Gordon E and Betty I Moore Foundation's IRS filings (methodology). AI-written summaries, news items and logos are not covered by the open licence. Spot an error? Email hello@grantable.co.
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