The D.W. Gore Family Foundation concentrates its giving on evidence-driven education and high-impact global/longterm-risk interventions. Grants are directed to organizations that emphasize rigorous research, scalable solutions, and measurable outcomes — including workforce-development programs, charter-school incubation, and academic research into existential risk and global priorities. The foundation appears to favor a small number of sizable, strategic grants rather than broad small-dollar giving.
A $250,000 grant to Givewell Maximum Impact Fund, paired with repeated support for research-driven education groups, captures the Dw Gore Family Foundation’s style: concentrated, strategic, and oriented toward measurable outcomes. The foundation backs organizations working in education research, school improvement, workforce development, poverty-abatement research, and global risk or longtermist issues. Its recent grant list shows a clear preference for a small set of recurring partners and comparatively large awards, rather than many small grants. Educational research is a central thread. The foundation has funded Building Excellent Schools, Year Up, Brookings, Pencils of Promise, and Wikimedia Foundation, alongside a grant to the Climate Systems Engineering Initiative at the University of Chicago. That mix points to interest in both practical education models and analytic work that can inform policy or program design. It also supports scholarship and training pipelines tied to tertiary education and career pathways. The foundation’s portfolio also reaches beyond schooling. Recent grants include support for the Brain & Behavior Research Foundation and for organizations focused on global issues such as Center for AI Safety and Eleos AI. This blend of education, research, and high-impact problem areas defines the foundation’s giving profile.
Educational research appears to be the foundation’s most visible theme. In 2025, it gave $50,000 to Brookings Institution for education and $75,000 to Wikimedia Foundation for educational research, showing interest in institutions that produce or distribute knowledge at scale. Workforce pathways are another clear thread. The foundation gave $50,000 to Year Up in 2025 and $40,000 in 2024, reflecting continued support for job training and career access for young adults. It also gave $50,000 to Building Excellent Schools in 2025 and $40,000 in 2024, linking its education work to school-creation and school-improvement models. Research on poverty and health sits alongside those priorities. In 2025, it awarded $50,000 to MIT Poverty Action Lab for poverty abatement research and $50,000 to Brain & Behavior Research Foundation for schizophrenia research. Those grants show a preference for evidence-oriented institutions rather than direct service-only organizations.
$1M
$84K
$1M
$1M
Most grants fall between $10K and $25K, with a median of $20K.
25th Percentile
$10K
Median
$20K
75th Percentile
$25K
About 4% of grants go to recipients in MA.
Top 3 recipient countries by grant volume for Dw Gore Family Foundation.
| Rank | Country | Grants | Total | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | United StatesDomestic | 80 | $2.4M | 89.9% |
| 2 | United Kingdom |
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Concentrated giving through a few large grants focused on strategic, evidence-based organizations and research centers; mix of direct service (workforce training, school development) and funding of research/intermediaries to maximize impact.
Notable grantees: GiveWell Maximum Impact Fund, Year Up, Building Excellent Schools, Future of Humanity Institute (Oxford)
The typical grant size is $10,000 at the 25th percentile, $20,000 at the median, and $25,000 at the 75th percentile, but the recent list also includes larger strategic awards of $50,000, $75,000, $100,000, and $250,000. That spread suggests a pattern of targeted grants with a few much larger commitments. The same recipients appear across multiple years, especially Year Up, Brookings, Building Excellent Schools, Camfed USA, and Planned Parenthood Federation of America, indicating recurring support rather than one-off giving. The foundation is a regular funder, not a DAF, and it does not fund individuals or make program-related investments.
Giving is national, with the highest concentration of grants in DC. Recent recipient cities also include Washington, DC; Boston, MA; New York, NY; San Francisco, CA; Cambridge, MA; Oakland, CA; Chicago, IL; and New Castle, DE. Outside the US, grants in the recent list go to recipients in the UK, including Oxford and Oxfordshire, plus one grant in GM. The foundation gives 0% of grants to recipients in Delaware, despite its headquarters in Wilmington.
Its recent grants center on education research, workforce development, poverty-abatement research, schizophrenia research, and global issues. Named recipients include Givewell Maximum Impact Fund, Year Up, Building Excellent Schools, MIT Poverty Action Lab, and Brain & Behavior Research Foundation.
Yes. Several recipients appear in multiple years, including Givewell Maximum Impact Fund in 2024 and 2025, Year Up in 2023, 2024, and 2025, and Brookings in 2023, 2024, and 2025. That pattern points to ongoing relationships with select organizations.
The grant-size distribution is $10,000 at the 25th percentile, $20,000 at the median, and $25,000 at the 75th percentile. Recent awards also include larger grants of $50,000, $75,000, $100,000, and $250,000.
DC is the top state by grant count. Recent recipient cities there include Washington, DC, where the foundation supported Brookings, Planned Parenthood Federation of America, and American Council for Trustees and Alumni.
No. Education is central, but the recent list also includes poverty-abatement research, schizophrenia research, and global issues. Examples include MIT Poverty Action Lab for poverty abatement research, Brain & Behavior Research Foundation for schizophrenia research, and Center for AI Safety for global issues.
2025
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2025.
| 8 |
| $180K |
9.0% |
| 3 | Germany | 1 | $10K | 1.1% |
Recipient country reflects the grantee's headquarters per IRS 990-PF and Schedule F filings, not the program's implementation country.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| GIVEWELL MAXIMUM IMPACT FUND | OAKLAND, CA | $250,000 | 2026 | EDUCATIONAL RESEARCH |
| PENCILS OF PROMISE | NEW YORK, NY | $100,000 | 2026 | EDUCATION |
| WIKIMEDIA FOUNDATION | SAN FRANCISCO, CA | $75,000 | 2026 | EDUCATIONAL RESEARCH |
| OUR WORLD IN DATA | OXFORDSHIRE | $50,000 | 2026 | EDUCATIONAL RESEARCH |
| BROOKINGS INSTITUTION | WASHINGTON, DC | $50,000 | 2026 | EDUCATION |
| JUMPSTART | BOSTON, MA | $50,000 | 2026 | EDUCATIONAL RESEARCH |
| CLIMATE SYSTEMS ENGINEERING INITIATIVE UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO | CHICAGO, IL | $50,000 | 2026 | EDUCATIONAL RESEARCH |
| BUILDING EXCELLENT SCHOOLS | BOSTON, MA | $50,000 | 2026 | EDUCATIONAL RESEARCH |
| BRAIN & BEHAVIOR RESEARCH FOUNDATION | NEW YORK, NY | $50,000 | 2026 | SCHIZOPHRENIA RESEARCH |
| PLANNED PARENTHOOD | NEW YORK, NY | $50,000 | 2026 | HEALTH RESEARCH |
| MIT POVERTY ACTION LAB | CAMBRIDGE, MA | $50,000 | 2026 | POVERTY ABATEMENT RESEARCH |
| YEAR UP | NEW CASTLE, DE | $50,000 | 2026 | EDUCATION |
| CHARTER SCHOOL OF WILMINGTON | WILMINGTON, DE | $25,000 | 2026 | EDUCATION |
| ELEOS AI | WALTHAM, MA | $25,000 | 2026 | GLOBAL ISSUES |
| LEADING YOUTH THROUGH EMPOWERMENT | WILMINGTON, DE | $25,000 | 2026 | EDUCATION |
| CENTER FOR AI SAFETY | SAN FRANCISCO, CA | $25,000 | 2026 | GLOBAL ISSUES |
| AMERICAN COUNCIL FOR TRUSTEES AND ALUMNI | WASHINGTON, DC | $25,000 | 2026 | EDUCATIONAL RESEARCH |
| GIVEWELL MAXIMUM IMPACT FUND | OAKLAND, CA | $100,000 | 2025 | EDUCATIONAL RESEARCH |
| MIT POVERTY ACTION LAB | CAMBRIDGE, MA | $30,000 | 2025 | POVERTY ABATEMENT RESEARCH |
| CAMFED USA | SAN FRANCISCO, CA | $30,000 | 2025 | EDUCATIONAL RESEARCH |
| BROOKINGS INSTITUTION | WASHINGTON, DC | $30,000 | 2025 | EDUCATION |
| PLANNED PARENTHOOD | NEW YORK, NY | $30,000 | 2025 | HEALTH RESEARCH |
| BRAIN & BEHAVIOR RESEARCH FOUNDATION | NEW YORK, NY | $20,000 | 2025 | SCHIZOPHRENIA RESEARCH |
| YEAR UP | NEW CASTLE, DE | $20,000 | 2025 | EDUCATION |
| WIKIMEDIA FOUNDATION | SAN FRANCISCO, CA | $20,000 | 2025 | EDUCATIONAL RESEARCH |
| OUR WORLD IN DATA | OXFORDSHIRE | $20,000 | 2025 | EDUCATIONAL RESEARCH |
| JUMPSTART | BOSTON, MA | $20,000 | 2025 | EDUCATIONAL RESEARCH |
| CLIMATE SYSTEMS ENGINEERING INITIATIVE UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO | CHICAGO, IL | $20,000 | 2025 | EDUCATIONAL RESEARCH |
| BUILDING EXCELLENT SCHOOLS | BOSTON, MA | $20,000 | 2025 | EDUCATIONAL RESEARCH |
| AMERICAN COUNCIL FOR TRUSTEES AND ALUMNI | WASHINGTON, DC | $10,000 | 2025 | EDUCATIONAL RESEARCH |
| GIVEWELL MAXIMUM IMPACT FUND | OAKLAND, CA | $100,000 | 2024 | EDUCATIONAL RESEARCH |
| FUTURE OF HUMANITY INSTITUTE AT OXFORD UNIVERSITY | OXFORD | $40,000 | 2024 | EDUCATION |
| YEAR UP | BOSTON, MA | $40,000 | 2024 | EDUCATION |
| BUILDING EXCELLENT SCHOOLS | BOSTON, MA | $40,000 | 2024 | EDUCATIONAL RESEARCH |
| YEAR UP | BOSTON, MA | $35,000 | 2024 | EDUCATION |
| BROOKINGS | WASHINGTON, DC | $30,000 | 2024 | EDUCATION |
| CAMFED USA | SAN FRANCISCO, CA | $30,000 | 2024 | EDUCATIONAL RESEARCH |
| PLANNED PARENTHOOD FEDERATION OF AMERICA | WASHINGTON, DC | $30,000 | 2024 | EDUCATIONAL RESEARCH |
| BROOKINGS | WASHINGTON, DC | $30,000 | 2024 | EDUCATION |
| CAMFED USA | SAN FRANCISCO, CA | $30,000 | 2024 | EDUCATIONAL RESEARCH |
| MIT POVERTY ACTION LAB | CAMBRIDGE, MA | $30,000 | 2024 | POVERTY ABATEMENT RESEARCH |
| SPRINGFIELD PREPARATORY CHARTER SCHOOL | SPRINGFIELD, MA | $20,000 | 2024 | EDUCATION |
| GIVEWELL MAXIMUM IMPACT FUND | OAKLAND, CA | $20,000 | 2024 | EDUCATIONAL RESEARCH |
| FUTURE OF HUMANITY INSTITUTE AT OXFORD UNIVERSITY | OXFORD | $20,000 | 2024 | EDUCATION |
| BRAIN & BEHAVIOR RESEARCH FOUNDATION | NEW YORK, NY | $20,000 | 2024 | SCHIZOPHRENIA RESEARCH |
| WIKIMEDIA FOUNDATION | SAN FRANCISCO, CA | $20,000 | 2024 | EDUCATIONAL RESEARCH |
| BRAIN & BEHAVIOR RESEARCH FOUNDATION | NEW YORK, NY | $20,000 | 2024 | SCHIZOPHRENIA RESEARCH |
| SOLAR GEO-ENGINEERING RESEARCH PROGRAM AT HARVARD UNIVERSITY | CAMBRIDGE, MA | $20,000 | 2024 | EDUCATION RESEARCH |
| SOLAR GEO-ENGINEERING RESEARCH PROGRAM AT HARVARD UNIVERSITY | CAMBRIDGE, MA | $20,000 | 2024 | EDUCATION RESEARCH |
| WIKIMEDIA FOUNDATION | SAN FRANCISCO, CA | $20,000 | 2024 | EDUCATIONAL RESEARCH |
WIKIMEDIA FOUNDATION
$75,000EDUCATIONAL RESEARCH
OUR WORLD IN DATA
$50,000EDUCATIONAL RESEARCH
JUMPSTART
$50,000EDUCATIONAL RESEARCH
EDUCATIONAL RESEARCH
BRAIN & BEHAVIOR RESEARCH FOUNDATION
$50,000SCHIZOPHRENIA RESEARCH
PLANNED PARENTHOOD
$50,000HEALTH RESEARCH
MIT POVERTY ACTION LAB
$50,000POVERTY ABATEMENT RESEARCH
YEAR UP
$50,000EDUCATION
CHARTER SCHOOL OF WILMINGTON
$25,000EDUCATION
ELEOS AI
$25,000GLOBAL ISSUES
CENTER FOR AI SAFETY
$25,000GLOBAL ISSUES
MIT POVERTY ACTION LAB
$30,000POVERTY ABATEMENT RESEARCH
PLANNED PARENTHOOD
$30,000HEALTH RESEARCH
YEAR UP
$20,000EDUCATION
WIKIMEDIA FOUNDATION
$20,000EDUCATIONAL RESEARCH
OUR WORLD IN DATA
$20,000EDUCATIONAL RESEARCH
EDUCATIONAL RESEARCH
FUTURE OF HUMANITY INSTITUTE AT OXFORD UNIVERSITY
$40,000EDUCATION
PLANNED PARENTHOOD FEDERATION OF AMERICA
$30,000EDUCATIONAL RESEARCH
MIT POVERTY ACTION LAB
$30,000POVERTY ABATEMENT RESEARCH
SPRINGFIELD PREPARATORY CHARTER SCHOOL
$20,000EDUCATION
FUTURE OF HUMANITY INSTITUTE AT OXFORD UNIVERSITY
$20,000EDUCATION
WIKIMEDIA FOUNDATION
$20,000EDUCATIONAL RESEARCH
EDUCATION RESEARCH
EDUCATION RESEARCH
WIKIMEDIA FOUNDATION
$20,000EDUCATIONAL RESEARCH