The Eric and Wendy Schmidt Fund for
The Eric and Wendy Schmidt Fund for Strategic Innovation is a private foundation based in Palo Alto, California. Established in 2014, it is a 501(c)(3) organization created and operated by Eric Schmidt and Wendy Schmidt. The fund operates as a major philanthropic organization supporting a diverse range of initiatives across numerous cities and states.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
—
Annual Giving
$244.1M
+24.9% YoY
Grant Count
379
+63.4% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$644K
-23.5% YoY
Mission & Focus Areas
The organization has not publicly provided a formal mission statement. However, based on its grantmaking activity, the fund supports initiatives in the following areas:
- Education
- Science and scientific research
- Philanthropy and grantmaking
- Human services
- Environmental science and data science
- Climate and environmental solutions
- Journalism and collaborative media initiatives
Grantmaking
The fund is open to new applicants, with approximately 12% of new applicants receiving funding.
Grant Range
$100,000
Average Grant
amount varies by program area
How to Apply
**
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The fund supports initiatives across multiple states and international locations, including:
- California
- Massachusetts
- New York
- Arizona, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Illinois, Indiana, Louisiana, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, New Jersey, New Mexico, and additional states
- International locations including London and Paris
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
Assets & Giving (2023-2024):
- Total assets: $1.4 billion to $1.6 billion
- Total giving: $244,068,458 (2024)
- Annual revenue: $357,883,941 (2023)
- Annual expenses: $374,652,875 (2023)
- Total liabilities: $149 million (2023)
Ranking: The fund ranks in the top 1% of foundations by asset size, ranking #113 of 159,550 foundations nationally.
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | — | — | — |
| Revenue | — | — | — |
| Expenses | — | — | — |
| Qualifying Distributions | — | — | — |
| Net Investment Income | — | — | — |
| 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
250 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include Barack Obama Foundation ($10,000,000), California Institute of Technology ($4,826,269), California Institute of Technology ($4,500,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| AA PALO ALTO, CA | TO PROVIDE SUPPORT FOR ENGAGING IN RESEARCH, TRAVEL, OR EVENT ORGANIZATION IN SUPPORT OF THE INTERNATIONAL STRATEGY FORUM PROGRAM | $6,420 |
| AD PALO ALTO, CA | TO PROVIDE SUPPORT FOR ENGAGING IN RESEARCH, TRAVEL, OR EVENT ORGANIZATION IN SUPPORT OF THE INTERNATIONAL STRATEGY FORUM PROGRAM | $5,000 |
| AH PALO ALTO, CA | TO PROVIDE SUPPORT FOR ENGAGING IN RESEARCH, TRAVEL, OR EVENT ORGANIZATION IN SUPPORT OF THE INTERNATIONAL STRATEGY FORUM PROGRAM | $4,950 |
| AP PALO ALTO, CA | TO PROVIDE SUPPORT FOR ENGAGING IN RESEARCH, TRAVEL, OR EVENT ORGANIZATION IN SUPPORT OF THE INTERNATIONAL STRATEGY FORUM PROGRAM | $5,500 |
| AP PALO ALTO, CA | TO PROVIDE SUPPORT FOR ENGAGING IN RESEARCH, TRAVEL, OR EVENT ORGANIZATION IN SUPPORT OF THE INTERNATIONAL STRATEGY FORUM PROGRAM | $3,500 |
| AZ PALO ALTO, CA | TO PROVIDE SUPPORT FOR ENGAGING IN RESEARCH, TRAVEL, OR EVENT ORGANIZATION IN SUPPORT OF THE INTERNATIONAL STRATEGY FORUM PROGRAM | $7,000 |
| ALASKA NATIVE HERITAGE CENTER INC ANCHORAGE, AK | TO PROVIDE SUPPORT FOR THE CREATION OF IMMERSIVE CONTENT FOCUSED ON INTERPRETING THE STORIES OF INDIGENOUS COMMUNITIES IN ALASKA. | $70,000 |
| ALLIANCE OF DEMOCRACIES FOUNDATION | DEMOCRACY TECH ENTREPRENEUR FELLOWSHIP SUPPORT | $100,000 |
| ALLIANCE OF DEMOCRACIES FOUNDATION | TO PROVIDE SUPPORT FOR THE COPENHAGEN DEMOCRACY SUMMIT | $50,000 |
| ALLIANCE OF DEMOCRACIES FOUNDATION | COPENHAGEN DEMOCRACY SUMMIT 2024 | $25,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
Board & Executive Leadership:
- Eric Schmidt — President & Director
- Wendy Schmidt — Director
- Stuart Feldman — President, Schmidt Sciences ($684,000 annual compensation)
- John Redd — Chief Executive Officer, SILC ($344,000 annual compensation)
- Charles Giller — Chief Executive Officer, AGOG ($398,000 annual compensation)
- Michael Gable — Executive Vice President, SCSP ($419,000 annual compensation)
- Mark Greaves — Executive Director ($452,000 annual compensation)
- Dhaval Adjodah — Fellow ($476,000 annual compensation)
- Maria Angela Ponmakha — Senior Vice President and Chief of Staff ($372,000 annual compensation)
- Yll Bajraktari — Chief Executive Officer, SCSP
- Mandy Quach — Treasurer
- Frances Babb — Co-Secretary
- Colette Haider — Co-Secretary
- Gregg Goldman — Chief Financial Officer (through September 2024)
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| ERIC SCHMIDT | PRESIDENT & DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| WENDY SCHMIDT | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| GREGG GOLDMAN | CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER (THRU 09/2024) | 0.4 | — |
| MANDY QUACH | TREASURER | 0.5 | — |
| FRANCES BABB | CO-SECRETARY | 0.5 | — |
| COLETTE HAIDER | CO-SECRETARY | 0.5 | — |
| YLL BAJRAKTARI | CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER - SCSP | 5 | — |
| JOHN REDD | CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER - SILC | 40 | $344,442 |
| CHARLES GILLER | CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER - AGOG | 40 | $397,500 |
| STUART FELDMAN | PRESIDENT - SCHMIDT SCIENCES | 40 | $683,667 |
Recent News & Activity
Recent developments and announcements
The fund has made significant commitments to journalism and media initiatives:
Awarded $5.5 million to NPR Collaborative Journalism Network in 2024 to expand the network's collaborative journalism efforts
$5.5 Million Grant from Eric and Wendy Schmidt to Expand NPR CollaborativePreviously awarded $4.7 million to the same initiative
The fund also established the Eric and Wendy Schmidt Center for Data Science & Environment at UC Berkeley in 2022, a partnership between UC Berkeley's Department of Environmental Science, Policy, and Management and the College of Computing, Data Science, and Society. This center focuses on building tangible, replicable, and accessible solutions to environmental challenges through the combination of computing and environmental science with open science principles.
$5.5 Million Grant from Eric and Wendy Schmidt to Expand NPR CollaborativeSubject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Frequently Asked Questions
What does The Eric and Wendy Schmidt Fund for fund?
The organization has not publicly provided a formal mission statement. However, based on its grantmaking activity, the fund supports initiatives in the following areas: • Education • Science and scientific research • Philanthropy and grantmaking • Human services • Environmental science and data science • Climate and environmental solutions • Journalism and collaborative media initiatives
How do I apply for a grant from The Eric and Wendy Schmidt Fund for?
**Grant Activity:** • 379 grants awarded (based on recent tax filings) • Median grant size: $100,000 • Grant range: $1,000 to $13,000,000 • Average grant amount varies by program area **Recent Notable Grants:** • $5.5 million to NPR Collaborative Journalism Network (2024) • $4.7 million to NPR Collaborative Journalism Network (prior grant) **Application Process:** The fund is open to new applicants, with approximately 12% of new applicants receiving funding.
Where does The Eric and Wendy Schmidt Fund for make grants?
The fund supports initiatives across multiple states and international locations, including: • California • Massachusetts • New York • Arizona, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Illinois, Indiana, Louisiana, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, New Jersey, New Mexico, and additional states • International locations including London and Paris
What size grants does The Eric and Wendy Schmidt Fund for award?
In 2024, The Eric and Wendy Schmidt Fund for awarded 379 grants totaling $244.1M — an average of about $644K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
What is The Eric and Wendy Schmidt Fund for's EIN?
The Eric and Wendy Schmidt Fund for's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 46-3460261. 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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