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Carl Victor Page Memorial Foundation

Annual Giving
$286.0M
Grant Range
$500K - $10.0M

Carl Victor Page Memorial Foundation

Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: $286,000,000 (2023)
  • Total Assets: $4,020,000,000 (2023)
  • Grant Range: $500,000 - $10,000,000 (based on 2023 disclosed grants)
  • Geographic Focus: National and International
  • Application Method: Invitation only / No public application process
  • Success Rate: Not applicable (pre-selected organizations only)

Contact Details

Address: Palo Alto, CA
EIN: 20-1922957

Note: The foundation does not have a public website and does not provide contact information for grant inquiries. The foundation explicitly does not accept unsolicited requests for funds.

Overview

The Carl Victor Page Memorial Foundation was established in 2006 by Google co-founder Larry Page and his wife Lucinda Southworth, named in memory of Larry Page's father. Based in Palo Alto, California, the foundation has grown substantially since its inception, reaching approximately $4 billion in assets by 2023. The foundation's mission focuses on supporting philanthropy, technological advancement, clean energy, health, education, human rights, and the sciences. Historically known for its opacity—channeling 99.9% of grants between 2012-2022 to donor-advised funds—the foundation took a significant step toward transparency in 2023 by disclosing $66 million in direct grants to climate organizations and Audacious Prize winners. The foundation distributed $286 million in total grants in 2023, though 77% ($219 million) still went to donor-advised funds.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

The foundation does not operate formal grant programs with public application processes. Instead, it makes strategic grants through two primary mechanisms:

Audacious Prize Support: Multi-year commitments to winners of the TED-run Audacious Prize competition, typically ranging from $500,000 to $3,000,000 per organization.

Climate and Technology Initiatives: Direct grants to climate intermediaries and clean energy organizations, typically ranging from $3,000,000 to $10,000,000.

Donor-Advised Funds: The majority of foundation giving (77% in 2023) flows through Schwab Charitable Fund and other DAFs, with ultimate beneficiaries remaining opaque.

Priority Areas

Based on 2023 disclosed grants, current funding priorities include:

  • Climate Change and Clean Energy: Major focus on renewable energy, climate research, and environmental protection organizations
  • Technology and Innovation: Support for organizations at the intersection of technology and social impact
  • Education and Human Rights: Funding for educational initiatives and human rights organizations
  • Health and Sciences: Support for genomic research and innovative health initiatives
  • Criminal Justice Reform: Support for organizations working on record-clearing and justice system transformation
  • Reproductive Rights: Support for advocacy and access organizations

Recent Grant Recipients (2023)

  • Instituto de Clima e Sociedade (Rio de Janeiro): $10,000,000
  • Energy Foundation: $4,000,000
  • Global Fishing Watch: $3,000,000
  • Stichting European Climate Foundation: $3,000,000
  • People's Courage International: $2,000,000
  • Clean Slate Initiative (via New Venture Fund): $1,000,000
  • Innovative Genomics Institute (UC Berkeley): $750,000
  • Upstream USA: $500,000
  • Think of Us: $500,000

What They Don't Fund

While not explicitly documented, the foundation's practices suggest they do not fund:

  • Unsolicited applications from any organization
  • Organizations without established track records or recognition
  • Small grassroots organizations without intermediary connections
  • Organizations outside their strategic priority areas

Governance and Leadership

The foundation is operated by Larry Page (Google co-founder) and Lucinda Southworth. Specific governance structure and other trustees are not publicly disclosed. The foundation maintains a deliberately low profile and does not publish annual reports or strategy documents beyond required IRS Form 990-PF filings.

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

The Carl Victor Page Memorial Foundation does not have a public application process. The foundation has explicitly indicated that it "only makes contributions to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds."

Grants are awarded through:

  1. Audacious Prize Winners: Organizations selected through the TED-run Audacious Prize competition may receive multi-year funding commitments from the foundation
  2. Trustee Discretion: Foundation leadership proactively identifies and selects organizations aligned with their strategic interests
  3. Major Intermediaries: Climate and philanthropic intermediaries that have established relationships with the foundation

Getting on Their Radar

Based on 2023 grant patterns, organizations that received funding from the Carl Victor Page Memorial Foundation share these characteristics:

Audacious Prize Connection: The foundation is a significant funder of Audacious Prize winners. Organizations selected for the Audacious Prize cohort (announced annually through TED) have received substantial multi-year commitments. The 2023 Audacious cohort included CAMFED, Canopy, Clean Slate Initiative, Global Fishing Watch, Innovative Genomics Institute, Jan Sahas' Migrants Resilience Collaborative, ReNew2030, Restore Local, Think of Us, and Upstream USA.

Climate Intermediary Networks: Organizations with established positions in major climate funding networks—such as the Energy Foundation and European Climate Foundation—received significant grants. This suggests the foundation works through recognized climate philanthropy infrastructure rather than directly with implementing organizations.

Proven Scale and Impact: Grant recipients in 2023 were organizations with established track records, significant scale, and clear theory of change. The foundation approved $60 million in future payments in 2023, nearly all to the same list of Audacious awardees, indicating preference for multi-year partnerships over one-time grants.

Application Success Factors

Since the foundation does not accept applications, traditional success factors do not apply. However, patterns from 2023 disclosed grants reveal what attracts the foundation's attention:

Climate and Technology Innovation: The foundation's 2023 grants revealed a significant focus on climate change and clean energy, described as "ramping up giving for clean energy" with interest in "the intersection between renewable energy and technology, as well as climate change research."

Audacious Prize Strategy: Organizations that succeed in the competitive Audacious Prize selection process have a clear pathway to multi-year funding. The Audacious Prize looks for bold, ambitious projects with potential for transformative impact at scale.

Major Established Organizations: The foundation's disclosed 2023 beneficiaries were "mostly major climate intermediaries," not small or emerging organizations. This suggests a preference for established institutions with proven capacity.

International Scope: The largest single grant in 2023 ($10 million) went to Instituto de Clima e Sociedade in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, indicating willingness to fund international organizations working on global challenges.

Multi-Year Vision: The foundation approved $60 million in future payments in 2023, demonstrating commitment to sustained partnerships rather than one-off support.

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  • No Public Applications: This foundation does not accept unsolicited proposals. Traditional grant writing will not reach this funder.
  • Audacious Prize Pathway: Organizations with bold, scalable ideas should consider applying to the Audacious Prize as the clearest documented pathway to Page Foundation funding.
  • Climate Focus Emerging: The 2023 grants marked a significant shift toward climate philanthropy, with major investments in clean energy and environmental organizations.
  • Scale Matters: Disclosed grants ranged from $500,000 to $10,000,000, indicating the foundation focuses on organizations capable of absorbing and deploying significant resources.
  • Intermediary Strategy: Much funding flows through climate intermediaries and donor-advised funds, suggesting the foundation prefers working through established philanthropic infrastructure.
  • Transparency Limited: Despite 2023's disclosure of $66 million in direct grants, 77% of giving ($219 million) still went to DAFs, meaning most funding decisions remain opaque.
  • Multi-Year Commitments: The foundation makes future payment commitments, preferring sustained partnerships over single grants.

References

All sources accessed December 2025.

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