David and Lucile Packard Foundation
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About David and Lucile Packard Foundation
The Packard Foundation is a Bay Area–rooted funder that concentrates on marine science and ocean conservation, climate and clean energy systems, and reproductive health/justice, while also supporting children's health through its eponymous foundation. Its giving mixes very large, multi‑year investments in flagship research and conservation institutions with sustained support for policy intermediaries and pooled funds that scale climate and ocean policy work. The foundation’s grants are heavily California‑focused but routed often through national and international public foundations and networks to leverage broader policy impact.
Focus Areas
Marine science, research institutions, and aquarium-based conservation (e.g., Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute, Monterey Bay Aquarium Foundation)Ocean and fisheries sustainability / island and coastal ecosystem restoration (e.g., Island Conservation, Sustainable Fisheries Partnership)Climate policy, clean energy transition, and environmental advocacy networks (e.g., ClimateWorks Foundation, Energy Foundation, Resources Legacy Fund)Funding intermediaries and catalytic capital for systems change (e.g., Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors, New Venture Fund, Windward Fund, Hopewell Fund)Reproductive health and rights organizations and advocacy (e.g., IPAS, Planned Parenthood)
About David and Lucile Packard Foundation
The David and Lucile Packard Foundation’s largest recent grants point to a long-running commitment to marine science: Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute received $54,926,032 in 2025, $53,068,630 in 2024, and $51,274,039 in 2023, alongside another $25,000,000 award in 2023. That pattern is matched by major support for climate intermediaries and reproductive health organizations, showing a funder that works through both anchor institutions and policy networks. The foundation’s portfolio also includes very large grants to the Lucile Packard Foundation for Children's Health, including $40,000,000 in 2023 and $20,000,000 in 2025. In the climate and environment space, it has backed ClimateWorks Foundation, The Energy Foundation, Climate Breakthrough Inc, and the Monterey Bay Aquarium Foundation with multi-million-dollar awards across multiple years. Its recent grants also include substantial support for Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors Inc and Planned Parenthood Federation of America Inc, reflecting an approach that combines direct institutional funding with catalytic support for advocacy and systems change.
What David and Lucile Packard Foundation Funds
In marine science and ocean conservation, the foundation gave $54,926,032 in 2025 to Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute for MBARI, and it also supported Monterey Bay Aquarium Foundation with $5,000,000 in 2025 for Environment and Science. Those grants show a strong emphasis on research capacity and ocean-focused institutions. In climate and clean energy systems, it awarded $10,500,000 in 2025 to ClimateWorks Foundation for Environment and Science, $7,600,000 in 2024 to The Energy Foundation for Environment and Science, and $7,500,000 in 2025 to Climate Breakthrough Inc for Environment and Science. The foundation also funded Resources Legacy Fund with $4,050,000 in 2024 for Families and Communities, extending its climate-related work into community-facing efforts. In reproductive health, it gave $10,000,000 in 2023 to Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors Inc for Reproductive Health and $5,000,000 in 2023 to Planned Parenthood Federation of America Inc for Reproductive Health. These grants indicate support for both intermediary infrastructure and service-oriented organizations.
How David and Lucile Packard Foundation Gives
Typical grants cluster around six figures, with a p25 of $67,875, a median of $150,000, and a p75 of $250,000. The recent record also shows repeated large awards to the same institutions across consecutive years, especially in marine science and climate. The foundation is a regular funder and also makes program-related investments. It gives nationally, but its recent portfolio includes a strong California concentration. Matching-gift support appears in the recent record as well, alongside general operating support and special-initiatives funding.
Financial Snapshot
Annual Giving
$1.1B
Total Assets
$8.5B
Total Revenue
$569.9M
Total Expenses
$452.1M
Typical Grant Size
Most grants fall between $68K and $250K, with a median of $150K.
25th Percentile
$68K
Median
$150K
75th Percentile
$250K
Geographic Reach
National44 states funded
About 44% of grants go to recipients in CA.
Funding intensity
LowHigh
Headquarters
Leadership
Funding intensity
LowHigh
Where David and Lucile Packard Foundation Funds
Top 10 recipient countries by grant volume for David and Lucile Packard Foundation.
| Rank | Country | Grants | Total | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | United StatesDomestic | 2,729 | $1.4B | 75.7% |
| 2 | Indonesia | 257 | $50.5M |
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