The Heising-Simons Foundation
The Heising-Simons Foundation is a private foundation based in Los Altos, California, created in 2007 by Liz Simons and Mark Heising. It supports work in climate and clean energy, science, education for young learners, and human rights. Its 2024 filing reports 671 grants totaling $149,587,063.
The Heising-Simons Foundation at a glance
In short: The Heising-Simons Foundation gave $149.6M across 671 grants in 2024 (avg $223K), top state California. 14% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $149,587,063
- -1.7% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 671
- -5.8% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $222,932
- +4.3% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $148,432
- Total assets
- $810,497,642
- -7.1% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 14% first-time grantees (60 of 414, 2024)
- Primary geography
- California (42% 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 The Heising-Simons Foundation
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- Contact
Mailing address: 400 Main St 200, Los Altos, CA 94022
Phone: (650) 887-0277
Website: https://www.hsfoundation.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Open Grants
2 open opportunities from The Heising-Simons Foundation
Open Call for 51 Pegasi b Fellowship Host Institutions
The Heising-Simons Foundation
Amount
Varies
Deadline
Deadline not published
Open Call for Support of Science Events and Gatherings Grant
The Heising-Simons Foundation
Amount
US $20,000 - US $80,000
Deadline
Deadline not published
Who The Heising-Simons Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Environmental Defense Fund Inc ($5.0M across 4 grants). Together the top 10 received $28.6M.
Organizations only. It also paid 5 grants to individuals ($518,964), which are not listed by name.
Grant Size Distribution
3,281 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was in the $100–250K range: 1,456 grants of 3,281 (44%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2024, California recipients received 42% of grant dollars, recipients in Washington, DC, 17%, New York 10%, Massachusetts 5%, and Virginia 4%.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 671 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is The Heising-Simons Foundation open to new grantees?
14%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 60 of 414 grantees (14%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $144K; repeat grants $398K. How we count
Medians: $100K first-time, $200K repeat.
- 74% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2021 to 2024 (+10%). Method
- In 2024 it paid out 370% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). 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 $132.6M (2020) to $152.1M (2023). In 2024 it made 671 grants totaling $149.6M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Environmental Defense Fund Inc San Francisco, CA | To Advance Climate and Clean Energy Policies | $3,600,000 |
| Natural Resources Defense Council San Francisco, CA | To Advance Climate and Clean Energy Policies | $3,300,000 |
| Amalgamated Charitable Foundation Washington, DC | For the Democracy Frontlines Fund | $2,061,856 |
| Global Impact Alexandria, VA | For the Emerging Bilingual Collaborative | $2,000,000 |
| National Association for Family School and Community Engagement Alexandria, VA | For the Center for Family Math | $1,900,000 |
| California Education Partners San Francisco, CA | For the preschool to third grade coherence collaboration (p3cc) | $1,500,000 |
| New Venture Fund Washington, DC | For the Emerging Bilingual Collaborative | $1,500,000 |
| Arizona State University Foundation for a New American University Tempe, AZ | For the Children's Equity Project | $1,313,000 |
| Climate and Clean Energy Equity Fund Washington, DC | For General Support | $1,200,000 |
| Regents of the University of California at Berkeley Berkeley, CA | For the center for the study of child care employment | $1,155,000 |
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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 | $810,497,642 | $60,044,121 | $193,060,215 | $149,587,063 | 671 | $171,753,489 | $47,711,292 | $46,467,314 |
| 2023 | $872,096,521 | $152,079,826 | $189,529,079 | $152,123,392 | 712 | $173,552,327 | $25,268,631 | $44,835,337 |
| 2022 | $847,180,696 | $430,056,379 | $177,047,808 | $142,582,553 | 670 | $164,080,370 | $384,927,860 | $30,342,749 |
| 2021 | $866,467,309 | $244,878,185 | $164,151,700 | $136,080,395 | 591 | $156,960,243 | $222,299,228 | $41,858,286 |
| 2020 | $752,996,597 | $190,726,455 | $148,900,208 | $132,558,968 | 637 | — | $226,035,849 | $29,551,724 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Heising-Simons Foundation reported a distributable amount of $46.5M 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 stated mission is to advance sustainable solutions in climate and clean energy, enable groundbreaking research in science, enhance education for young learners, and support human rights for all people. Its 2024 grant purposes include climate and clean energy policy, early learning initiatives, and democracy-related work.
Examples of grantee organizations illustrate the range of work supported. The National Association for Family, School, and Community Engagement describes its mission as advancing effective family engagement to improve children’s learning and equity. The Climate and Clean Energy Equity Fund says it works to build community power and advance equitable climate progress. Amalgamated Charitable Foundation describes its work as supporting philanthropy, donor engagement, and civic and community events.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2024, the foundation reported 671 grants totaling $149,587,063. Grant amounts ranged from $2,492 to $3,600,000, with a median of $148,432.
Among its largest reported grants were $3,600,000 to Environmental Defense Fund for climate and clean energy policies; $3,300,000 to Natural Resources Defense Council for the same purpose; $2,061,856 to Amalgamated Charitable Foundation for the Democracy Frontlines Fund; and $2,000,000 to Global Impact for the Emerging Bilingual Collaborative. Other large awards included $1,900,000 to the National Association for Family School and Community Engagement for the Center for Family Math and $1,500,000 to California Education Partners for the Preschool to Third Grade Coherence Collaboration.
The foundation’s program staff source potential partnerships through internal research, field convenings, and relationships aligned with program strategies. It says it has limited capacity to field unsolicited requests; its filing states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests. Occasional open requests for proposals are announced on its blog and relevant program pages. Invited applicants are directed to work with their program officer. Proposals are reviewed on a rolling basis by foundation staff, consultants, and sometimes board members; review timelines vary by grant. The foundation supports charitable, educational, and scientific work regardless of a grantee’s tax status, and permits fiscal sponsorship with specified documentation. For project grants to non-universities, it does not set a fixed indirect-cost rate; for university grants, it accepts an indirect-cost rate up to 15% of total direct costs.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Elizabeth D. Simons as chair of the board, and Caitlin Heising and Mark W. Heising as vice chairs. Jennifer Shipp is listed as interim CEO and president; Sushma Raman is listed as president and CEO through July 24, 2024. Kevin Luu is listed as chief financial officer and treasurer, and Chelsey Scaffidi as secretary. Judy Blumenstein is listed as treasurer through January 7, 2024, and finance director.
The Heising-Simons Foundation is led by Sushma Raman, President & CEO on every filing since 2023; 5 of 8 officers listed in 2024 are compensated.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Sushma Raman
President & CEO
On filings since 2023
36.4 hrs/week
$491K (2023) → $495K (2024)
Jennifer Shipp
Secretary, Interim CEO & President
New on the 2024 filing
36.3 hrs/week
$503K (2024)
Elizabeth D. Simons
Chair of the Board
On filings since 2020
20 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Judy Blumenstein
Treasurer & Finance Director
Director of Finance & Treasurer → Treasurer & Finance Director, 2024
On filings since 2023
36.3 hrs/week
$267K (2023) → $268K (2024)
Chelsey Scaffidi
Secretary
New on the 2024 filing
36.4 hrs/week
$235K (2024)
Kevin Luu
Chief Financial Officer & Treasurer
New on the 2024 filing
37.5 hrs/week
$392K (2024)
Caitlin Heising
Vice Chair of the Board
On filings since 2020
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Mark W. Heising
Vice Chair of the Board
On filings since 2020
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (3)
- Former: Brian Eule (2020–2023) — Director of Communications & Secretary
- Former: Deanna Gomby (2020–2023) — President & CEO
- Former: Jeffrey P. Malloy (2020–2023) — COO & Treasurer
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 $503K, to Jennifer Shipp (Sec (Thru 7/8/24), Interim CEO & Pres). 5 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Frequently asked questions about The Heising-Simons Foundation
How much does The Heising-Simons Foundation give each year?
The Heising-Simons Foundation gave $149.6M across 671 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $152.1M across 712 grants.
What is The Heising-Simons Foundation's typical grant size?
The Heising-Simons Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $148,432, and its average grant was $222,932, across 671 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from The Heising-Simons Foundation that year got $144K on average.
Where does The Heising-Simons Foundation give grants?
The Heising-Simons Foundation's top state is California, with 42% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. The next largest states were District of Columbia (17%) and New York (10%). The most frequent recipient cities were Washington, DC (83 grants), San Francisco, CA (65 grants), New York, NY (50 grants) and Oakland, CA (41 grants).
Does The Heising-Simons Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 26% of The Heising-Simons Foundation's 2024 grants with a stated purpose (177 of 671) were for general or operating support, per its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Recurring purposes include "For the 51 Pegasi B Fellowship" (9 grants), "For 2024 Membership Dues" (7 grants) and "For the Development of Skipper Technology" (4 grants).
Who are The Heising-Simons Foundation's largest grantees?
The Heising-Simons Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include Environmental Defense Fund Inc ($5,040,000 across 4 grants), Natural Resources Defense Council ($3,700,000 across 2 grants) and Regents of the University of California at Berkeley ($3,008,832 across 10 grants), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It also paid 5 grants to individuals ($518,964), which are not listed by name. Together they received 8% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is The Heising-Simons Foundation?
The Heising-Simons Foundation reported $810.5M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $171.8M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $46.5M (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does The Heising-Simons Foundation fund?
The foundation’s stated mission is to advance sustainable solutions in climate and clean energy, enable groundbreaking research in science, enhance education for young learners, and support human rights for all people. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The Heising-Simons Foundation?
The Heising-Simons Foundation does not accept unsolicited proposals, according to Grantable's research on its published guidelines. Check hsfoundation.org for any change to that policy.
What is The Heising-Simons Foundation's EIN?
The Heising-Simons Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 26-0799587. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Does The Heising-Simons 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
Live grants for the work The Heising-Simons Foundation funds
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). The Heising-Simons Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 17, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/the-heising-simons-foundation-morg_8faf16cac86f436194094b14cfc77f7f
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_260799587_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{The Heising-Simons Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/the-heising-simons-foundation-morg_8faf16cac86f436194094b14cfc77f7f},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-17. 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 The Heising-Simons 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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