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Mark Cuban Foundation

Annual Giving
$2.5M
Grant Range
$10K - $0.3M

Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: $2,526,666 (2024)
  • Success Rate: N/A (no public application process)
  • Decision Time: N/A (invitation only)
  • Grant Range: $10,000 - $275,000
  • Average Grant: $158,751
  • Geographic Focus: National (U.S.)

Contact Details

Mark Cuban Foundation 1229 Slocum St Dallas, TX 75207-4015

Website: https://markcubanai.org/ (AI Bootcamp program) Fallen Patriot Fund Website: https://www.fallenpatriotfund.org/ Fallen Patriot Fund Application Address: Fallen Patriot Fund c/o Bank of America Private Bank TX 1-492-19-09 P.O. Box 832409 Dallas, TX 75283-2409

Overview

The Mark Cuban Foundation is a private family foundation established in 2003 by billionaire entrepreneur Mark Cuban. With total assets of approximately $6.6 million and annual giving of $2.5 million, the foundation focuses primarily on AI education for underserved youth and support for military families. The foundation's signature program, AI Bootcamps, has served more than 900 high school students across the United States since its launch in 2019. The foundation also operates the Fallen Patriot Fund, which has distributed over $5 million to families of service members and first responders killed or seriously injured in the line of duty. The foundation's mission emphasizes democratizing access to AI education, with the belief that "all students, no matter their background, have the opportunity to harness AI as a tool for learning, creativity, and career success."

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

AI Bootcamps Initiative (Program-based, not grant-funded) The foundation's signature program offering free 20-hour AI bootcamps to underserved high school students nationwide. The program partners with 25+ host companies including Perficient, ThoughtSpot, Corteva, Headstorm, and others. This is not a grant program but a direct service initiative.

Fallen Patriot Fund (Individual family grants) Provides financial support to families of U.S. military personnel and first responders killed or seriously injured in the line of duty. The fund has distributed over $5 million to date. This program accepts applications directly from families.

Discretionary Grantmaking ($10,000 - $275,000) The foundation makes invitation-only grants to select organizations in education, health/medical research, and community development. Recent grants have ranged from $10,000 to $275,000 with an average of $158,751.

Priority Areas

  • STEM Education: Focus on AI literacy and technology education for underserved youth
  • Health and Medical Research: Including cancer research and care organizations
  • Veterans and Military Families: Direct support through the Fallen Patriot Fund
  • Women's Organizations: Support for women's empowerment and advocacy
  • Youth Development: Educational programs and opportunities for young people

What They Don't Fund

The foundation does not publicly specify exclusions, but based on their focused mission, the following are unlikely to be funded:

  • Organizations outside the United States
  • General operating support for most nonprofits (funding is highly targeted)
  • Individual requests unrelated to military service (except through Fallen Patriot Fund)
  • Projects unrelated to education, health, or veterans' causes

Governance and Leadership

Mark Cuban - Founder and primary funder of the foundation. Cuban is a billionaire entrepreneur, owner of the Dallas Mavericks, and investor on ABC's Shark Tank.

Charlotte Dungan - Chief Learning Officer for the Mark Cuban Foundation. Dungan stated: "All students deserve the opportunity to harness AI as a tool for learning, creativity and career success."

The foundation operates as a private family foundation with limited public disclosure of its full governance structure. Public databases indicate minimal board information is publicly available, though the foundation files annual Form 990-PF returns with the IRS that contain governance details.

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

Important: With the exception of the Fallen Patriot Fund, the Mark Cuban Foundation does not accept unsolicited requests for funding. The foundation operates on an invitation-only basis for its organizational grants.

For Fallen Patriot Fund Applications:

  • Families can apply online at www.fallenpatriotfund.org
  • Applications are also available by writing to: Fallen Patriot Fund, c/o Bank of America Private Bank TX 1-492-19-09, P.O. Box 832409, Dallas, TX 75283-2409
  • The foundation may also proactively contact eligible families

For AI Bootcamp Participation:

  • High school students can apply when applications open (typically reopening in spring)
  • Applications are completed online at markcubanai.org
  • No previous computer science experience required
  • Applications reviewed on a rolling basis

For Other Grants: The foundation does not review personal donation solicitations, organization grant requests, or general business requests outside of the Fallen Patriot Fund.

Decision Timeline

Not publicly available for invitation-only grants. The foundation operates at the discretion of its leadership and trustees.

Success Rates

Not applicable due to invitation-only model. The foundation made 15 grants in 2023 and 18 grants in 2024, representing a selective approach to grantmaking.

Reapplication Policy

Not applicable as there is no public application process.

Application Success Factors

Since the Mark Cuban Foundation does not accept unsolicited applications for most of its grantmaking, there are no traditional "application success factors." However, based on the foundation's public statements and funding patterns, the following insights may be helpful:

Foundation Leadership's Stated Priorities:

Mark Cuban has emphasized: "I wanted to start by educating the kids who will be making the decisions about how AI will impact society. Not everyone needs to be an AI expert, but it's important for everyone to understand the basics to be an informed citizen."

Cuban also noted: "There are two types of companies in the world right now—those that understand AI and those who don't. I want to see more kids ready and excited to learn more about AI and be part of the way it is changing society."

Funding Patterns Show:

  • Strong preference for education organizations focused on STEM and AI literacy
  • Support for organizations serving underserved communities
  • Interest in health-related causes, particularly cancer research and care
  • Commitment to military and first responder families through the Fallen Patriot Fund
  • Partnerships with corporate sponsors for program delivery (AI Bootcamps)

Recent Grant Recipients Include:

  • University of California at San Francisco
  • Indiana University
  • University of Michigan
  • United Negro College Fund
  • Girls Inc. of Tarrant County (Texas)
  • Junior Achievement of Western Pennsylvania
  • Sandy Rollman Ovarian Cancer Foundation
  • Don't Ever Give Up Inc.
  • National Women's Law Center
  • Texas Women's Foundation

Key Philosophy: The foundation emphasizes democratizing access to opportunity, particularly in technology education. Cuban stated: "The greatest skill an entrepreneur can have is curiosity," and emphasized that even children at the poorest schools with access to AI tools on a library computer "have the ability to say, 'I want to be an entrepreneur.'"

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  • No public application process: With the exception of the Fallen Patriot Fund, do not submit unsolicited proposals to this foundation
  • AI and STEM education focus: The foundation's primary programmatic focus is democratizing AI education for underserved high school students
  • Invitation-only grantmaking: Organizational grants are made at the discretion of foundation leadership, likely through existing relationships
  • Partnership model: The foundation prefers hands-on program implementation (AI Bootcamps) over traditional grantmaking to nonprofits
  • Veterans support available: Military families and first responders have a direct path to apply through the Fallen Patriot Fund
  • Selective grantmaking: With only 15-18 grants made annually from a foundation of this size, grantmaking is highly targeted
  • Education and health priorities: Recent grants show consistent support for university research, youth development organizations, and health-related causes

References

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