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Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation

Annual Giving
$401.8M
Grant Range
$50K - $5.0M
Decision Time
3mo

Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation

Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: $401.8 million (2024)
  • Total Assets: $8.77 billion
  • Success Rate: Not applicable (invitation-only grantmaking)
  • Decision Time: Varies by program (typically several months)
  • Grant Range: $50,000 - $5+ million (average ~$350,000)
  • Geographic Focus: International (with emphasis on Amazon, Arctic, and San Francisco Bay Area)

Contact Details

Website: www.moore.org Phone: 650-213-3000 Email: inquiry@moore.org (for brief inquiries only - 100 words maximum) Address: 1661 Page Mill Road, Palo Alto, CA 94304 Grantee Portal: grantees.moore.org Media Contact: communications@moore.org

Overview

The Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation was established in September 2000 by Intel co-founder Gordon E. Moore and his wife Betty I. Moore to "create positive outcomes for future generations." With assets exceeding $8.77 billion, it ranks among the largest and most influential foundations in science and environmental philanthropy globally. In 2024, the foundation distributed $401.8 million across 952 grants, with 85% of total expenses dedicated to programs. The foundation pursues a strategic, long-term approach to grantmaking across three primary areas: Environmental Conservation (including the flagship Andes-Amazon Initiative with over $800 million committed through 2031), Science (supporting fundamental research, quantum systems, and experimental physics), and the San Francisco Bay Area (preserving the region's special character). The foundation previously supported patient care initiatives, including endowing the Betty Irene Moore School of Nursing at UC Davis, but has shifted focus toward other priorities including wildfire resilience. Gordon Moore, who passed away in 2023, was renowned for "Moore's Law," predicting exponential growth in semiconductor capabilities.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

Environmental Conservation ($1.3+ billion awarded historically across 1,125+ grants)

  • Andes-Amazon Initiative: Multi-year commitments supporting biodiversity and forest conservation; has protected 400 million hectares, targeting additional 100 million hectares by 2031
  • Marine Conservation: Arctic Ocean and ocean health programs
  • Wildfire Resilience: Supporting communities and ecosystems
  • Conservation and Markets: Sustainable agriculture and food systems

Science ($1+ billion awarded historically across 665+ grants)

  • Moore Inventor Fellows: $825,000 over three years per fellow ($275,000/year, including $50,000 institutional support)
  • Emergent Phenomena in Quantum Systems: Supporting cutting-edge physics research
  • Experimental Physics Investigators: Multi-year commitments to individual researchers
  • Curiosity-Driven Science: Fundamental research across disciplines
  • Symbiosis in Aquatic Systems: Marine biology research

San Francisco Bay Area ($280+ million awarded across 197 grantees)

  • Science and technology museums
  • Regional conservation and biodiversity initiatives
  • Community science programs
  • Bay Area heritage preservation

Priority Areas

What They Fund:

  • Top-tier research universities and institutes
  • Well-established global environmental organizations
  • Science organizations with proven track records
  • Long-term, high-impact projects addressing significant challenges
  • Work that creates measurable, enduring differences
  • Initiatives aligned with "The Four Filters" (described below)
  • Projects requiring sustained funding at scale
  • Indigenous and local community conservation efforts
  • Capacity building for environmental and scientific organizations

Geographic Focus:

  • Amazon Basin (Peru, Colombia, Brazil, Ecuador, Bolivia)
  • Arctic Ocean regions
  • San Francisco Bay Area
  • Global scientific institutions

What They Don't Fund

  • Unsolicited proposals (foundation takes proactive approach to grantmaking)
  • Disease-oriented or clinical research
  • Early-career researchers without institutional affiliation
  • Projects outside their three program areas
  • Small, local organizations without proven capacity to scale
  • Short-term projects without long-term impact potential
  • Work already attracting significant venture capital
  • General operating support for organizations outside their strategic focus
  • Individual scholarships or fellowships (except specific programs like Moore Inventor Fellows)

Governance and Leadership

Board of Trustees

  • Ken Moore - Chairman of the Board
  • John Hennessy, Ph.D. - Vice Chairman (former President of Stanford University)
  • Rosina M. Bierbaum, Ph.D. - Trustee
  • John Dabiri, Ph.D. - Trustee
  • Kathleen Justice-Moore - Trustee
  • Hilary Krane - Trustee
  • Jonathan Levin, Ph.D. - Trustee
  • Steven E. Moore - Trustee
  • Kristen L. Moore - Trustee
  • Ellen Ochoa, Ph.D. - Trustee (former NASA astronaut)
  • Pardis Sabeti, M.D., DPhil - Trustee (geneticist and infectious disease researcher, newest appointment)

Executive Leadership

  • Harvey V. Fineberg, M.D., Ph.D. - President (announced plan to step down in late 2025/early 2026 after 10+ years of service)
  • Marybeth Sharpe, Ph.D. - Chief Administrative Officer
  • Aileen Lee - Chief of Programs
  • Holly Potter - Chief Communications Officer
  • Denise Strack - Chief Investment Officer

Leadership Quotes

Gordon Moore (Co-Founder): "We thought we had an opportunity to make a significant impact on the world. And really that is what was attractive."

Betty Moore (Co-Founder): "I think it's important to give back to society...We want to make things better for other people."

Foundation Philosophy: "Not everything we try will work, but we know if everything did, that we were not thinking big enough."

Ken Moore (Board Chair) on Harvey Fineberg: His "unwavering commitment to excellence, coupled with a visionary mindset, enables him to synthesize complex ideas."

Aileen Lee (Chief of Programs): On the Andes-Amazon Initiative's success in conserving 400 million hectares - "about 50% of the planned original forest cover."

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

Critical Note: The Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation does NOT accept unsolicited proposals. The foundation takes a highly proactive, strategic approach to grantmaking.

Limited Inquiry Option: Interested organizations may submit a brief email inquiry (maximum 100 words) to inquiry@moore.org introducing their organization and work. However, due to volume limitations and tightly-defined funding strategies, only inquiries closely aligned with current priorities receive responses.

Typical Process for Invited Applicants:

  1. Foundation identifies potential grantees through proactive research and networks
  2. Foundation staff initiate contact with selected organizations
  3. Interactive dialogue and project development with foundation program officers
  4. Formal proposal development (by invitation only)
  5. Evaluation against "The Four Filters"
  6. Board review and approval

The Four Filters - All grant decisions evaluated against:

  1. Is it important? - Does the work address significant challenges?
  2. Can we make an enduring difference? - Will involvement create lasting impact?
  3. Is it measurable? - Can outcomes be tracked and assessed?
  4. Does it contribute to a portfolio effect? - How does this strengthen overall strategy?

Decision Timeline

Decision timelines vary significantly by program and grant size. Multi-year, multi-million dollar commitments typically involve several months of dialogue and development. The foundation emphasizes thorough, interactive processes over rapid decisions.

General Timeline Characteristics:

  • Initial inquiry response (if applicable): Variable, often no response
  • Invited proposal development: Several months of collaborative work
  • Board meeting schedules: Multiple times per year
  • Grant terms: Often multi-year commitments (3-5 years common)

Success Rates

Not applicable - the foundation does not accept unsolicited proposals. Success rates for invited proposals are not publicly disclosed, but the foundation's proactive approach means invited applicants have significantly higher probability of funding than typical competitive grant programs.

In 2024, the foundation made 952 grants, demonstrating substantial annual grantmaking activity among pre-selected organizations.

Reapplication Policy

Not applicable due to invitation-only grantmaking model. Organizations previously funded by the foundation may be invited for continued support, particularly for long-term initiatives. The foundation emphasizes sustained partnerships over one-time grants.

Application Success Factors

Foundation's Strategic Approach

The Moore Foundation explicitly states its grantmaking philosophy emphasizes:

  • Long-term commitment over short-term grants
  • Interactive approach - close collaboration with grantees throughout project lifecycle
  • Scientifically sound strategies - projects must rest on rigorous evidence
  • Measurable results - accountability and tracking essential
  • Ambitious thinking - willingness to support high-risk, high-reward projects

What Makes Projects Attractive

Based on Recent Grants and Foundation Statements:

  1. Institutional credibility: Grants primarily support top research universities (Caltech, Stanford, MIT, Princeton), established global NGOs, and recognized scientific institutions

  2. Scale and impact: Projects addressing large, important issues where the foundation's support can achieve significant, measurable impacts

    • Example: Andes-Amazon Initiative protecting 400+ million hectares
    • Example: California Academy of Sciences $3M grant for statewide biodiversity crisis

  3. Innovation in tools and technology: Moore Inventor Fellows program champions scientist-inventors creating groundbreaking tools

    • 2024 cohort: 5 fellows, each receiving $825,000 over three years
    • Focus on inventions between fundamental research and venture capital stage

  4. Multi-year vision: Foundation prefers sustained engagement

    • Example: Andes-Amazon commitments spanning 2003-2031
    • Grant terms typically 3-5 years

  5. Collaborative partnerships: Projects involving multiple stakeholders

    • Example: California Academy grant partnering Academy, CA Dept. of Fish & Wildlife, and iNaturalist

Language and Terminology

The foundation uses specific terminology reflecting its values:

  • "Enduring difference"
  • "Portfolio effect"
  • "Scientifically sound strategies"
  • "Measurable outcomes"
  • "Capacity building"
  • "Effective management" (especially for protected areas)
  • "Curiosity-driven science"
  • "Emergent phenomena"

Recent Funded Projects as Examples

2024 Moore Inventor Fellows (September 2024): 5 scientists developing groundbreaking tools and technologies, each receiving $825,000 over three years

California Academy of Sciences (May 2024): $3 million over five years for California biodiversity data collection and conservation partnerships

Andes-Amazon Initiative Extension (2022): Additional $300 million commitment (on top of $500M+ previous) to extend conservation work through 2031

PBS NewsHour (recent): $1 million for science coverage, demonstrating support for science communication

Why Applications Might Not Succeed

While the foundation doesn't publicly discuss rejection reasons, analysis suggests:

  • Organization lacks institutional scale/recognition
  • Project outside narrowly defined program areas
  • Insufficient evidence of measurable impact potential
  • Short-term rather than transformative vision
  • Work duplicating existing well-funded efforts
  • Inability to demonstrate long-term sustainability
  • Misalignment with current strategic priorities

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  1. Don't apply directly: This foundation does not accept unsolicited proposals. The only exception is a 100-word email inquiry to inquiry@moore.org, which rarely leads to funding. Focus efforts on building institutional reputation and networks that might bring you to the foundation's attention.

  2. Build institutional credibility first: The foundation overwhelmingly funds top-tier universities, established research institutes, and globally recognized NGOs. Smaller organizations should partner with established institutions or build track records elsewhere before expecting Moore Foundation consideration.

  3. Think big and long-term: The foundation seeks "large, important issues at a scale where it can achieve significant and measurable impacts." Projects should demonstrate transformative potential over years, not incremental improvements over months.

  4. Align precisely with current priorities: Review the foundation's website regularly for current initiatives within Environmental Conservation, Science, and San Francisco Bay Area programs. Priorities within these areas shift; alignment must be exact.

  5. Emphasize measurement and accountability: Every proposal must answer: "Is it measurable?" Prepare rigorous evaluation frameworks demonstrating how outcomes will be tracked and assessed.

  6. Demonstrate the "Four Filters": Frame all work around: (1) Importance to significant challenges, (2) Foundation's unique ability to make enduring difference, (3) Measurable outcomes, (4) Contribution to foundation's overall portfolio effect.

  7. Prepare for collaborative partnership: If invited to apply, expect extensive interactive dialogue with program officers. The foundation doesn't just fund projects; they engage deeply in development and management. Organizations must be ready for sustained collaboration.

References

  1. Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation Official Website - www.moore.org (Accessed November 2024)

  2. Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation 2024 Annual Report - "Continuity, Adaptability, and the Road Ahead" (2024)

  3. ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer - Gordon E And Betty I Moore Foundation

  4. Inside Philanthropy - "Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation" Profile

  5. BusinessWire Press Release - "Harvey Fineberg Announces Plan to Step Down" (December 16, 2024)

  6. BusinessWire Press Release - "Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation Announces 2024 Moore Inventor Fellows" (September 18, 2024)

  7. California Academy of Sciences Press Release - "$3 million Grant for Biodiversity and Community Science" (May 2024)

  8. Mongabay News - "Moore Foundation pledges extra $300m to boost conservation of Amazon" (March 2022)

  9. Philanthropy Roundtable - "Gordon Moore's Andes-Amazon Initiative"

  10. Wikipedia - "Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation"

  11. Environmental Grants Directory - "Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation"

All sources accessed November 13, 2025.

Key Quotes Referenced:

  • Gordon Moore quote: "We thought we had an opportunity to make a significant impact on the world..."
  • Betty Moore quote: "I think it's important to give back to society..."
  • Foundation philosophy: "Not everything we try will work, but we know if everything did, that we were not thinking big enough."
  • The Four Filters framework from foundation's official grantmaking approach documentation
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