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Xie Foundation

Annual Giving
$35.4M
Grant Range
$1K - $15.2M

Xie Foundation

Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: $35,368,429 (2023)
  • Total Assets: $724,877,338 (2023)
  • Grant Range: $1,179 - $15,216,764
  • Median Grant: $250,000
  • Average Grant: ~$200,000
  • Geographic Focus: California, Massachusetts, New York, Georgia, Oklahoma
  • Application Process: Invitation only - does not accept unsolicited applications

Contact Details

  • Address: 909 Kifer Road, Sunnyvale, CA 94086 (also listed: 325 Sharon Park Dr., Suite 802, Menlo Park, CA 94025)
  • Phone: 650-496-7458
  • Website: None publicly available
  • Email: Not publicly available

Overview

The Xie Foundation was established in 2009 by Ken and Michael Xie, co-founders of cybersecurity giant Fortinet. The foundation maintains approximately $725 million in assets and distributed over $35 million in grants in 2023. The foundation operates as a private grantmaking entity with a strong focus on educational institutions, particularly higher education. The Xie brothers prioritize their alma maters—Tsinghua University in China and Stanford University in the United States—along with organizations with which they maintain personal connections.

The foundation maintains an extremely low public profile and lacks transparency in its operations. Since its establishment, the foundation has made approximately 67 grants across seven tax years. Ken Xie joined the Forbes 400 list in 2020 and was elected to the National Academy of Engineering in 2013, reflecting the significant wealth behind this foundation.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

The foundation's grantmaking focuses on two primary areas:

Higher Education (Primary Focus - over 50% of all grants)

  • Stanford University: Largest recipient with over $54 million total; includes electrical engineering chair funding and $22.3 million to Stanford's Psi Chi chapter in 2022; multiple 2023 grants including $15.2M, $11.2M, and $4.8M
  • Harvard University: $2.1M (2023)
  • Tsinghua University (China): Regular support
  • UC Berkeley Foundation: $202K (2023)
  • UC Santa Cruz Foundation: Grant recipient
  • New York University: Regular support
  • University of Miami: Regular support

K-12 Education

  • Pinewood School (Los Altos, California)
  • Sacred Heart Schools (Atherton, California)

Athletics & Youth Development

  • Monterey Peninsula Foundation: $1.0M (2023)
  • American Junior Golf Association: $250K (2023)
  • Asian American Tennis Foundation
  • East Palo Alto Tennis and Tutoring
  • Kiss Institute for Practical Robotics: $275K (2023)

Priority Areas

  • Educational institutions with personal connections to the Xie family
  • Alma maters of the founders (Stanford, Tsinghua)
  • Youth athletic and educational programs
  • General purpose operating support for selected organizations

What They Don't Fund

  • The foundation explicitly does not accept unsolicited requests for funds
  • Organizations without pre-existing relationships with the Xie family
  • No published exclusions, but grantmaking patterns show strong preference for established relationships

Governance and Leadership

Ken Xie - Co-President/Director/Secretary (3 hours/week, unpaid)

  • Born 1963 in Beijing, China
  • B.S. and M.S. in Electronic Engineering from Tsinghua University; M.S. from Stanford University
  • Founded first network security company (SIS) in 1993 while studying at Stanford
  • Founded NetScreen Technologies in 1996 (acquired by Juniper Networks for $4 billion in 2004)
  • Co-founded Fortinet in 2000; serves as CEO
  • Elected to National Academy of Engineering in 2013
  • Joined Forbes 400 list in September 2020
  • Recognized as "Father of UTM" by InfoSecurity (2011)
  • Resides in Los Altos Hills, California

Michael Xie - Co-President/Director (1 hour/week, unpaid)

  • B.S. and M.S. in Automobile Engineering from Tsinghua University; M.S. in Electrical Engineering from University of Manitoba (Canada)
  • Previously VP of Engineering for ServGate Technologies, Software Director at NetScreen
  • Co-founded Fortinet in 2000; serves as President and CTO
  • Honored with 2009 Tech Innovator Awards by CRN
  • Named 2006 Northern California Entrepreneur of the Year by Ernst & Young
  • Holds multiple U.S. patents in network security

The Xie brothers' parents were both professors at Tsinghua University, which explains their strong support for educational institutions.

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

This funder does not have a public application process.

The foundation has explicitly indicated it only makes contributions to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds. There is no application portal, no published guidelines, and no formal process for new applicants.

Grants are awarded at the discretion of the two Co-Presidents based on personal relationships and institutional connections. Tax records indicate the Xies typically prioritize a handful of organizations with which they maintain personal connections.

Getting on Their Radar

The Xie Foundation maintains an extremely low public profile, making it very difficult for new organizations to establish contact. Available information suggests:

  • The Xies prioritize organizations connected to their educational background (Stanford University, Tsinghua University)
  • Personal connections appear essential for consideration
  • The foundation does not supply information about how to get in touch for new grantseekers
  • No documented pathway exists for unsolicited contact

Decision Timeline

Not applicable - grants are made at trustee discretion to preselected organizations.

Success Rates

Not applicable - no open application process exists.

Reapplication Policy

Not applicable - no formal application process exists.

Application Success Factors

Given the invitation-only nature of this foundation, success factors are limited:

  • Pre-existing relationships: All grants appear to flow to organizations with established connections to the Xie family
  • Educational focus: Strong preference for higher education institutions, particularly the founders' alma maters
  • California connections: Geographic preference for Bay Area organizations, though grants extend nationally
  • Youth development: Interest in athletic and educational programs for young people
  • General purpose giving: 2023 grants were all categorized as "General Purpose," suggesting flexibility in how funds are used by approved recipients

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  • Invitation-only foundation: The Xie Foundation explicitly states it does not accept unsolicited applications and only makes contributions to preselected organizations
  • Personal connections essential: All evidence indicates grants flow through personal relationships with the Xie family, not through any application process
  • Education dominates: Over 50% of all grants support higher education, with Stanford University receiving the vast majority of funding
  • Significant resources available: With $725 million in assets and $35 million in annual giving, the foundation has substantial capacity for large grants
  • Low transparency: The foundation maintains minimal public presence and provides no information for prospective grantseekers
  • Not a viable prospect for cold outreach: Organizations without existing relationships with the Xie family should not invest time pursuing this funder
  • Focus cultivation efforts elsewhere: Grant writers are advised to pursue funders with open application processes rather than attempting to access this closed foundation

References

Research conducted December 2025

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