About Board of Trustees of the Leland Stanford Junior University
The Board of Trustees of Leland Stanford Junior University, acting through Stanford’s Graduate School of Education (GSE), directs internal philanthropic and program funding to support graduate student wellbeing, professional development, and education research and innovation. Their resources prioritize short-term emergency and family supports for enrolled GSE students, small travel and fee grants to enable research dissemination, and programmatic investments that seed and pilot educator-facing innovations (e.g., the Stanford Accelerator for Learning). Funding is principally institutional, targeted to Stanford-affiliated students, faculty, and teams advancing equitable K–12 learning, teacher preparation, and education research.
Focus Areas
Emergency financial assistance for graduate studentsChildcare, family, and housing support for graduate students with dependentsSmall travel and fee grants to support student research disseminationTeacher education and professional development (Stanford Teacher Education Program - STEP)Early-stage education innovation and research commercialization (Stanford Accelerator for Learning)Equitable learning research and graduate training (MA/PhD)
Who They Fund
About Board of Trustees of the Leland Stanford Junior University
A defining pattern in The Board of Trustees of the Leland Stanford Junior University’s recent grantmaking is its mix of large institutional gifts and tightly targeted support for Stanford-affiliated education work. Acting through Stanford’s Graduate School of Education, the foundation directs funding toward graduate student wellbeing, professional development, and education research and innovation, while also making sizable grants to universities, health-related institutions, and cultural organizations. In the latest grants list, the largest award is $25 million to The Morgridge Institute Foundation Inc for general support, alongside a $25 million facility-support grant to the University of Wisconsin Foundation and a $15 million future fund grant to the same institution. The portfolio also shows continued support for Stanford-based infrastructure and student services. Stanford Health Care received $3.81 million for general support in 2025, and Jewish Family and Children’s Services received $3.001 million for fund support the same year. Earlier grants include $2.5 million to Yale University for construction support and $2.5 million to Massachusetts Institute of Technology for construction support, signaling a willingness to fund major capital and institutional needs alongside programmatic work.
What Board of Trustees of the Leland Stanford Junior University Funds
Within education, the foundation supports both training and innovation. Stanford’s Graduate School of Education appears in the grant profile through priorities such as emergency financial assistance for graduate students, childcare, family, and housing support for graduate students with dependents, and small travel and fee grants tied to research dissemination. The grant list also shows support for teacher preparation and early-stage education work. Grants are directed to the Stanford Teacher Education Program and the Stanford Accelerator for Learning, reflecting investment in professional development and education innovation. Beyond Stanford, the foundation has funded Aiglon College through Chapel & York US Foundation Inc with $6 million for Aiglon College, and Teach for America Inc received $500,000 for general support, showing engagement with education organizations outside the university. A separate area is research and policy. Columbia University received $1,235,500 for the Climate Policy Fund, and The Nature Conservancy received $1,250,000 for program support.
Financial Snapshot
Annual Giving
$112.1M
Total Assets
$68.7B
Total Revenue
$10.2B
Total Expenses
$9.7B
Typical Grant Size
Most grants fall between $20K and $125K, with a median of $50K.
25th Percentile
$20K
Median
$50K
75th Percentile
$125K
Geographic Reach
National29 states funded
Funding intensity
LowHigh
Headquarters
Leadership
JONATHAN D LEVIN
Accepts unsolicited proposals
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