Mitchell Kapor Foundation
ActivePhilanthropy & VoluntarismFunds Individuals
About Mitchell Kapor Foundation
The Mitchell Kapor Foundation makes a small number of very large, strategic gifts focused on technology and science education for underserved youth, academic research, and civic leadership/engagement. Grants combine direct program support (notably STEM training), institutional capacity-building for local philanthropy, and high-profile investments in civic initiatives. Its giving favors Bay Area institutions but also supports national civic leadership projects.
Focus Areas
STEM pipeline programs for underserved high-school students (e.g., SMASH)Support for university-based research and faculty (e.g., funding specific professors at UC Berkeley)Strengthening local philanthropic infrastructure and civic capacity in the East BayInvestments in national civic leadership and public engagement initiatives
Who They Fund
BIPOC communities (Black, Latinx, Asian American & Pacific Islander, other Communities of Color)underserved youth and young adults (K–12 and college first‑year scholars)teachers of color / CS educators
About Mitchell Kapor Foundation
A $2.18 million grant to SMASH for STEM programs for underserved youth is a good entry point to the Mitchell Kapor Foundation’s grantmaking. The foundation pairs large gifts to education programs with support for academic research, civic leadership, and technology policy work. In recent years, it has backed university partnerships at UC Berkeley, public-interest technology initiatives, and organizations working on racial justice in digital spaces. The foundation also funds a small number of substantial grants to strengthen local philanthropy and civic capacity, including support for East Bay grantmaking infrastructure. Its portfolio shows a preference for strategic, program-specific investments rather than broad scattershot giving. Grants have supported college first-year scholars, faculty research, teacher development, and efforts to expand equity in computing and AI. The Mitchell Kapor Foundation also makes grants to groups working on disinformation, digital justice, and civic engagement, reflecting a focus on how technology affects public life. The foundation’s recent grants include $2 million to The Barack Obama Foundation for civic inspiration and engagement, $1.55 million to the University of California Berkeley Foundation for collaboration with the Kapor Center and Berkeley’s Graduate School of Education, and $1.05 million to the same university foundation in support of Professor Tyrone Hayes.
What Mitchell Kapor Foundation Funds
In STEM education, the Mitchell Kapor Foundation gave $2,182,809 to SMASH for underserved youth and another $200,000 to East Oakland Youth Development Center for youth and young adult STEAM career exploration. It also supported college access with $300,000 to The UC Davis Foundation for the SMASH Scholarship Fund and $250,000 to Yale University for the First-Year Scholars program. The foundation’s digital justice work includes $500,000 to UCLA Foundation for the Race and Digital Justice Initiative and $300,000 to Free Press for the Disinfo Defense League to address racialized disinformation targeting Black, Latinx, Asian American, Pacific Islander, and other communities of color. In AI and tech policy, it awarded $500,000 to Code for Science and Society Inc for the Center Addressing Inequities in the Digital Landscape and $150,000 to ImpactAssets for the Your Voices for Ethical AI project. Teacher and campus-based equity work also appears in its portfolio, including $150,000 to Kennesaw State University Foundation for teacher scholarships and research on computer science education teachers of color in Georgia.
Financial Snapshot
Annual Giving
$18.6M
Total Assets
$115.5M
Total Revenue
$11.4M
Total Expenses
$16.1M
Typical Grant Size
Most grants fall between $15K and $150K, with a median of $35K.
25th Percentile
$15K
Median
$35K
75th Percentile
$150K
Geographic Reach
National15 states funded
About 30% of grants go to recipients in MA.
Funding intensity
LowHigh
Headquarters
Unlock Deep Analysis
Sign up for a free Kindora account to access AI-generated insights into this funder's giving patterns, decision-makers, and fit signals.
Get Started FreeSee Similar Funders
Free Kindora accounts unlock side-by-side comparisons with foundations that share this funder's focus areas and giving profile.
Get Started FreeWant a Personalized Pitch for Mitchell Kapor Foundation?
Sign up free to see how well your nonprofit fits this funder, get an AI-generated pitch, and unlock similar foundations.
Free plan available
No contracts
Cancel anytime