The Autodesk Foundation’s mission is to support innovative solutions to the world’s most pressing social and environmental challenges by supporting innovators to design and make a better world for all.
Autodesk Foundation’s recent giving is anchored by a $6,430,000 grant to Impact Assets Inc for the Impact Design Program. That single award points to a funder that uses large, catalytic support to back design- and engineering-based solutions, rather than a long list of small grants. Across its programs, the foundation supports innovators working on climate change mitigation, decarbonization, carbon removal, climate adaptation, resilient infrastructure, and workforce development. It also combines financial support with Autodesk software and technical training, which makes its model different from a purely cash-grant funder. The foundation’s stated approach is to support innovators who are designing and making a better world, with particular attention to social and environmental challenges. Its active grant programs show a strong emphasis on scaling early-stage technologies and on helping nonprofits and startups use technology for environmental or social good. The recent top grant to Impact Assets Inc fits that pattern: the foundation appears to favor partners that can move innovation into broader deployment. Its portfolio also includes support for low-resource communities, workers affected by automation, and organizations building tools for health, resilience, and prosperity.
One major theme is climate and energy transition. Through its Energy & Materials program, Autodesk Foundation funds innovators scaling early-stage technologies that reduce greenhouse gas emissions and accelerate a decarbonized economy. The program covers renewable energy, electrification of transportation, building energy efficiency, industrial energy efficiency, and materials innovation. A second theme is resilience in low-resource settings. Under Health & Resilience, the foundation backs technology-based solutions that improve resilience in communities vulnerable to climate change, with focus areas including built environment, agriculture, energy access, water and sanitation, and climate adaptation. It also funds workforce development. The Work & Prosperity program supports innovators preparing workers for automation, with emphasis on access and inclusion, in-demand skills, and quality jobs. In parallel, the Technology Impact Program provides software donations and technical training to nonprofits and startups using design for environmental or social good.
$6.4M
$372K
$6.7M
$6.7M
About 0% of grants go to recipients in MD.
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The main grants and impact investments program lists grant sizes of $100,000 to $1,000,000, which places the foundation in a catalytic funding range. The latest 990 year on file is 2025, and the foundation is classified as a private foundation with no program-related investments. The active program list also shows a mix of financial grants and in-kind software and training support. The pattern of giving appears to combine repeat programmatic support with specialized one-time response funding. Several active programs are open to unsolicited proposals, including grants and impact investments, Energy & Materials, Health & Resilience, Work & Prosperity, and the Technology Impact Program. Crisis Response Grants and Support is the exception, as it does not accept unsolicited requests.
The recipient country distribution in the data is entirely U.S.-based, with 1 grant to a U.S. recipient. The top recent recipient city is Bethesda, MD, where Impact Assets Inc is located. Program geography is broader than the recent grant list, since active programs are described as Global or Worldwide, and some are specifically framed for low-resource communities. The available grant record does not show any recipients in California, despite the foundation’s San Francisco headquarters.
The foundation supports nonprofits and startups, and its beneficiary types also include workforce development participants or trainees, manufacturing and construction sector organizations, and engineering and design teams. Its active programs focus on climate, resilience, workforce development, and technology for social and environmental good.
Its grants and impact investments program lists grant sizes from $100,000 to $1,000,000. The latest reported grant in the data is much larger at $6,430,000 to Impact Assets Inc for the Impact Design Program.
Yes, several active programs accept unsolicited requests, including Grants and Impact Investments, Energy & Materials, Health & Resilience, Work & Prosperity, and the Technology Impact Program. Crisis Response Grants and Support does not accept unsolicited requests.
Its active programs center on Energy & Materials, Health & Resilience, Work & Prosperity, and Technology Impact. The topic taxonomy also includes renewable energy, electrification of transportation, building and industrial energy efficiency, materials innovation, water and sanitation, agriculture and energy access, and software and digital engineering tools for social impact.
2025
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2025.
Current and upcoming funding from Autodesk Foundation that your nonprofit may be able to apply for.
Who can apply: Organizations must be working within the Work & Prosperity impact opportunity area and focus on programs, research, or technologies that support worker opportunity and quality jobs.
Who can apply: Organizations must be working within the Energy & Materials impact opportunity area and have solutions with clear impact potential, scalability, and alignment with Autodesk's design and engineering expertise.
Who can apply: Organizations must be working within the Health & Resilience impact opportunity area and develop technology-based solutions that improve resilience in low-resource communities.
Who can apply: Nonprofits and startups using design for environmental or social good.
Deadline: No fixed deadline stated; applications appear to be accepted on a rolling basis.
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Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| IMPACT ASSETS INC | BETHESDA, MD | $6,430,000 | 2025 | FOR IMPACT DESIGN PROGRAM |
| IMPACT ASSETS INC | BETHESDA, MD | $33,000,000 | 2024 | FOR IMPACT DESIGN PROGRAM |
| IMPACT ASSETS INC | BETHESDA, MD | $18,000,000 | 2023 | FOR IMPACT DESIGN PROGRAM |
IMPACT ASSETS INC
$6,430,000FOR IMPACT DESIGN PROGRAM
IMPACT ASSETS INC
$33,000,000FOR IMPACT DESIGN PROGRAM
IMPACT ASSETS INC
$18,000,000FOR IMPACT DESIGN PROGRAM
