The Skoll Foundation is a private independent foundation established in 2002 and headquartered in Palo Alto, California. Founded by Jeff Skoll, the first employee and president of eBay, the foundation catalyzes transformational social change by investing in, connecting, and championing social entrepreneurs and other social innovators dedicated to solving the world's most pressing problems.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$846.9M
+4.9% YoY
Annual Giving
$44.9M
-22.9% YoY
Grant Count
157
-11.3% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$286K
-13.1% YoY
Mission & Focus Areas
The Skoll Foundation catalyzes transformational social change by investing in, connecting, and championing social entrepreneurs and other social innovators who together advance bold and equitable solutions to the world's most pressing problems.
The foundation's current strategic priorities focus on three areas:
- Climate: Preventing deforestation
- Global Public Health: Community health workers
- Economic Opportunity: Smallholder agriculture and girls' education
Grantmaking
The foundation's primary grantmaking vehicle is the Skoll Awards for Social Innovation program, which provides substantial multi-year funding to social entrepreneurs at critical inflection points.
Grant Range
$2,000 to $2 million
How to Apply
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation funds globally across five continents. Over the past 25 years, it has invested in 165 organizations of social entrepreneurs and other social innovators across five continents.
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
Assets & Revenue (as of December 2024):
- Total assets: $847 million
- Total revenue: $47.9 million
- Total expenses: $61.2 million
- Total liabilities: $36.6 million
Combined Assets (Skoll Foundation and Skoll Fund):
- Combined assets: $1.779 billion (as of December 2024)
Historical Impact:
- Total awarded worldwide: More than $935 million over the past 25 years
- Total invested: More than $1.2 billion worldwide across 425 organizations
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $846,865,174 | $807,076,748 | $785,671,055 |
| Revenue | $47,915,522 | $35,298,910 | $53,827,585 |
| Expenses | $61,170,243 | $72,865,279 | $159,266,878 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $73,996,475 | $82,955,518 | $132,888,444 |
| Net Investment Income | $45,558,728 | $34,710,071 | $93,772,600 |
| Distributable Amount | $39,218,953 | $39,395,512 | $42,850,657 |
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
Open Grants
1 open opportunity from The Skoll Foundation
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
No grants recorded for .
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
Board & Executive Leadership:
| Name | Title | Compensation |
|---|---|---|
| James GB DeMartini III | Chair | $0 |
| Donald Gips | Director and CEO | $853,000 |
| Marla Blow | President and Chief Operating Officer | $640,000 |
| Bruce Lowry | Secretary | $331,000 |
| Debbie Santos | Treasurer | $313,000 |
| Annalisa Adams-Qualtiere | Chief People Officer | $401,000 |
| Shivani Garg-Patel | Chief Strategy Officer | $374,000 |
| Alice Rhee | Chief Communications & Partnerships | $356,000 |
| Jessica Goldstein | Managing Director, Grantmaking | $283,000 |
| Suzana Grego | Vice President | $256,000 |
Board Directors:
- Cheryl Dorsey
- James Mwangi
- Lindsey Spindle
The foundation employs 58 full-time staff members.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| JAMES GB DEMARTINI III | CHAIR | 1 | — |
| CHERYL DORSEY | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| JAMES MWANGI | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| LINDSEY SPINDLE | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| DONALD GIPS | DIRECTOR AND CEO | 40 | $853,155 |
| MARLA BLOW | PRESIDENT AND COO | 40 | $639,541 |
| BRUCE LOWRY | SECRETARY | 40 | $331,283 |
| DEBBIE SANTOS | TREASURER | 40 | $313,063 |
Recent News & Activity
Recent developments and announcements
The foundation announced the winners of the 2025 Skoll Award for Social Innovation in March 2025. The foundation also announced the winners of the 2024 Skoll Award for Social Innovation in April 2024.
Skoll | Skoll Foundation Announces the Winners of 2024 Skoll Award for SocialSubject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Data last updated April 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
What could you do with The Skoll Foundation on Grantable?
- Assess strategic fit with your organization
- Draft a tailored letter of inquiry
- Find open RFPs from this funder
- Monitor for new funding opportunities