Mitchell Kapor Foundation
The Mitchell Kapor Foundation is a private grantmaking foundation based in Oakland, California, established in 1997 and receiving its IRS ruling in 2000. Founded by Mitchell Kapor, co-founder of Lotus Development Corporation and designer of the Lotus 1-2-3 spreadsheet program, the foundation operates as part of the Kapor Center for Social Impact—a family of interrelated justice-seeking organizations working to reimagine and reconstruct a more inclusive and equitable technology sector.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$115.5M
-1.7% YoY
Annual Giving
$6.4M
-37.2% YoY
Grant Count
69
+68.3% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$93K
-62.7% YoY
Mission & Focus Areas
Mission: To create a more equitable technology ecosystem that addresses longstanding racial inequality, creates economic opportunity, tackles critical societal issues, and reflects the power and perspectives of Black, Latine, and Native communities.
Vision: The foundation believes that when technology creation, design, and investment includes diverse perspectives, the technology ecosystem can be transformed, tech can address societal challenges, and conditions can be improved for Black, Latine, and Native communities and society as a whole.
Primary Focus Areas:
- Equity in CS Education – Ensuring Black, Latine, and Native students have equitable access to computer science education by building leadership capacity to design K-12 CS pathways in schools
- Inclusive Pathways to Tech Jobs – Increasing racial diversity and representation across all levels of the tech workplace
- Diversifying Entrepreneurship & VC – Supporting diverse entrepreneurs and venture capital investment
- Equitable Tech Policy – Advancing policies to ensure all people have opportunity to thrive in technology
The foundation also conducts research, makes strategic grants, invests in entrepreneurs and funds, and informs equitable technology policy across these focus areas.
Grantmaking
Grant Range
$25,000
Average Grant
amount varies by program, ranging from $87,500 to $2,510,000
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation's grantmaking is concentrated in California, though it supports a wide range of cities across the United States, including major urban centers such as New York, Los Angeles, and Chicago, as well as smaller cities. Funding extends to multiple states including the District of Columbia and Michigan.
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
Assets & Revenue (2024):
- Total Assets: $115,527,306
- Total Revenue: -$6,244,918
- Total Expenses: $24,146,379
- Total Giving: $6,434,849 to $17,282,541 (depending on reporting period)
- Annual Income: $11,900,000
Asset Growth: Total assets have grown from $37.2 million in 2011 to $115.5 million in 2024.
Liabilities: Total Liabilities: $1,470,000 (2023)
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $115,527,306 | $117,513,185 | $150,426,845 |
| Revenue | $11,366,167 | $-6,244,918 | $7,255,394 |
| Expenses | $16,130,383 | $24,146,379 | $19,172,839 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $14,294,562 | $17,282,541 | $20,387,917 |
| Net Investment Income | $4,127,040 | $2,269,393 | $3,583,259 |
| Distributable Amount | — | — | — |
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
Grant Size Distribution
219 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include Code for Science and Society Inc ($500,000), New Venture Fund ($350,000), Oakland Public Education Fund ($277,839).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| ACCELERATE4KIDS FOUNDATION DETROIT, MI | TO SUPPORT COMPUTER SCIENCE FOR DETROIT OUT-OF-SCHOOL TIME COLLECTIVE | $10,000 |
| AI FOR THE PEOPLE INC BROOKLYN, NY | TO SUPPORT ACTIONABLE AI PROJECT | $150,000 |
| ARTS & SCRAPS DETROIT, CA | TO SUPPORT COMPUTER SCIENCE FOR DETROIT OUT-OF-SCHOOL TIME COLLECTIVE | $10,000 |
| BRIGHT FUNDS FOUNDATION SAN JOSE, CA | TO SUPPORT GRANTMAKING / ONLINE GIVING | $12,010 |
| CAROLINA FEDERATION FUND DURHAM, NC | TO SUPPORT CIVIC ENGAGEMENT WORK | $15,000 |
| CENTER FOR OPEN DATA ENTERPRISE INC WASHINGTON, DC | TO SUPPORT CROSS-SECTORAL PROGRAM TO DEMOCRATIZE FEDERAL DATA WITH GENAI | $55,000 |
| COALITION FOR HUMANE IMMIGRANT RIGHTS LOS ANGELES, CA | TO SUPPORT YOUR CIVIC ENGAGEMENT WORK | $20,000 |
| CODE FOR SCIENCE AND SOCIETY INC PORTLAND, OR | TO SUPPORT THE CENTER ADDRESSING INEQUITIES IN THE DIGITAL LANDSCAPE | $500,000 |
| CODE313 DETROIT, MI | TO SUPPORT COMPUTER SCIENCE FOR DETROIT OUT-OF-SCHOOL TIME COLLECTIVE | $10,000 |
| CODECREW MEMPHIS, TN | TO SUPPORT EXCITE AWARDS | $10,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
- Mitchell D. Kapor – President (2 hours/week)
- Freada Kapor-Klein – Chair (2 hours/week)
- Allison Scott – Secretary and Chief Executive Officer (40 hours/week, compensation: $429,423)
- Robin Wilson – Treasurer (20 hours/week)
The foundation is governed by 4 officers and trustees, with Kapor Enterprises Inc. listed as the principal officer.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| MITCHELL D KAPOR | PRESIDENT | 2 | — |
| FREADA KAPOR-KLEIN | CHAIR | 2 | — |
| ALLISON SCOTT | SECR / CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER | 40 | $473,536 |
| ROBIN WILSON | TREASURER THROUGH 2/2024 | 20 | — |
| KRYSTEN CURTIS | TREASURER START 2/2024 | 20 | — |
Recent News & Activity
Recent developments and announcements
The foundation has announced new fellows focused on tech equity across education and workforce development. Recent initiatives include support for organizations addressing inequities in technology, with particular emphasis on AI ethics and equitable technology policy. The foundation continues to conduct and publish research on access and equity across the tech ecosystem, including reports on computer science access and the leaky tech pipeline affecting women and people of color in computing.
GitLab Foundation Announces Largest AI for Economic Opportunity Cohort Yet,Subject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Mitchell Kapor Foundation fund?
**Mission:** To create a more equitable technology ecosystem that addresses longstanding racial inequality, creates economic opportunity, tackles critical societal issues, and reflects the power and perspectives of Black, Latine, and Native communities. **Vision:** The foundation believes that when technology creation, design, and investment includes diverse perspectives, the technology ecosystem can be transformed, tech can address societal challenges, and conditions can be improved for Black,…
How do I apply for a grant from Mitchell Kapor Foundation?
**Grant Statistics:** • Total grants made: 304 grants totaling $46.6 million (as of available records) • Median grant size: $25,000 • Grant range: $258 to $2,510,000 • Giving rate: 12.9% • Average grant amount varies by program, ranging from $87,500 to $2,510,000 **Recent Grant Activity:** • 2024: University of California Berkeley Foundation received $1,050,000 to support Professor Tyrone Hayes • 2023: Grants awarded across youth STEM programs, technology ethics initiatives, and civic engagemen…
Where does Mitchell Kapor Foundation make grants?
The foundation's grantmaking is concentrated in California, though it supports a wide range of cities across the United States, including major urban centers such as New York, Los Angeles, and Chicago, as well as smaller cities. Funding extends to multiple states including the District of Columbia and Michigan.
What size grants does Mitchell Kapor Foundation award?
In 2024, Mitchell Kapor Foundation awarded 69 grants totaling $6.4M — an average of about $93K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
What is Mitchell Kapor Foundation's EIN?
Mitchell Kapor Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 94-3330604. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
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Data last updated June 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
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