Michael & Susan Dell Foundation

Private foundation · EIN 36-4336415 · since 2000dell.org·International·Updated 13 October 2026

At a glance

$164M

Annual giving, 2024 tax year

From the Form 990-PF filing

$10,000 to $500k

Grant range

From grants in the 990-PF filings

$36,953

Typical grant (median)

560 grants in the latest filing

Open to applications

Rolling, no deadlines · unsolicited applications welcome

Key takeaways

Your work fits if it sits within the foundation's education, health or family economic stability areas, such as classroom tools, literacy, jobs for young adults or financial services for families, and its geographic focus is given as across the globe.
Most of its grants are modest: about 8 in 10 fall between $10,000 and $500,000, and half are about $37,000 or less, so a request at that scale is a sensible starting point, though that band is typical rather than a ceiling.
The filing shows 82% of grant dollars to organisations went to groups it had also funded in earlier filings, so repeat giving is heavy; a new applicant should still feel free to approach it, but should expect a longer path and may find a relationship helps.
Applications are accepted online, and the filing gives no deadlines, so you can submit when your project is ready.
Individuals should not apply, as the foundation does not fund individuals.

Overview

Michael & Susan Dell Foundation is a US private foundation based in Austin, TX.

What they fund

Profile derived from the foundation's IRS Form 990-PF filings (TY2024, TY2023, TY2022) and its website, with every statement checked against those sources. Sources read on 7 October 2026.

Priority Areas

The foundation collaborates with organisations whose projects advance education, health and family economic stability. Its education work spans high-quality schools, classroom tools and technology, literacy, mathematics and STEM, university completion, and career preparation. It seeks to expand employment pathways for young adults and responsible financial services that help families and micro-entrepreneurs achieve economic stability. It also works to improve access to innovative care and strengthen pathways to prosperity for families in Greater Austin. The foundation describes an approach of identifying effective models and helping successful programmes grow, partnering with organisations focused on student needs and real-world impact.

Themes

Quality Schools
Classroom Supports
University Success
Jobs and Livelihoods
Financial Services
Health Innovation
Strong Communities

Geographic Focus

Across the globe.

What They Don't Fund

Individuals

How to apply

The filing lists an online application as the submission method.

Application success factors

Repeat giving: In its TY2024 filing, 82% of its grant dollars to organisations went to organisations it had also funded in its TY2022 or TY2023 filing.
Grant size: Across its TY2022, TY2023 and TY2024 filings, half of its 1,738 grants to organisations were about $37,000 or less.

What the foundation says:

The foundation collaborates with organisations dedicated to unlocking human opportunity and seeks projects making an impact in education, health, and family economic stability.

Where grants go

From grants to organisations in the foundation’s filings for tax years 2022–2024.

Grant dollars by state

Texas37%

Colorado14%

New York8%

California5%

District of Columbia3%

Massachusetts3%

6 other states: 6%

Outside the US or with no state on the filing: 23%

The largest single recipient received 14% of grant dollars to organisations.
In tax year 2024, 82% of grant dollars went to organisations Michael & Susan Dell Foundation had funded in earlier filings.
14% of grant dollars went directly to organisations outside the US (South Africa, India, Israel, United Kingdom).
23% of grant dollars went to intermediaries that regrant to other organisations.

Grants

560 grants in the latest filing analysed · median $36,953

How much do they typically give?

Share of 560 grants in tax year 2024 by size

Under $1k<1%

$1k–$2.5k1%

$2.5k–$5k1%

$5k–$10k6%

$10k–$25k25%

$25k–$50k25%

$50k–$100k6%

$100k–$250k13%

$250k–$500k11%

$500k–$1M8%

$1M and over3%

Median $36,953 (tax year 2024)

The largest grants to organisations in the foundation’s latest filing:

Charter School Growth Fund · Launching the Dell Catalyst Fund to Drive Quality Charter School Growth
$50,000,0002024 tax year
University of Texas at Austin · UT For Me Powered by Dell Scholars: 2024-2025 Academic Year
$8,492,6182024 tax year
Mobile Loaves & Fishes · Scaling Community First! Village to Combat Homelessness
$7,586,3212024 tax year
United Jewish Appeal · Launching a Hub to Transform the Lives of Jewish New Yorkers
$2,500,0002024 tax year
University of Texas at Austin · Dell Scholars at UT Austin: 2023-2024 Cohort
$2,106,0202024 tax year
University of Texas at Austin · Dell Scholars at UT Austin: 2022-2023 Cohort
$2,085,7482024 tax year
Charter School Growth Fund · Accelerating Quality Schools Growth in Texas
$2,000,0002024 tax year
Communities Foundation of Texas · Scaling Education to College and Career Pathways in Texas
$1,774,9682024 tax year

Grants to organisations listed in the foundation’s Form 990-PF filings. Grants to individuals are not shown.

Officers and directors

Janet Mountain — Executive Director / Secretary / Assistant Treasurer
Marc Lisker — Treasurer / Assistant Secretary
Dr Alexander Dell — 2nd Vice President / Director
Susan L Dell — 1st Vice President / Director
Michael S Dell — President / Director

From the latest Form 990-PF filing

3 years of tax filings

Year	Total expenses	Grants paid	Assets	Filing document
2022 tax year	$184,031,275	$134,130,302	$1,641,983,369	Filing for 2022 tax year
2023 tax year	$199,819,479	$116,292,647	$5,415,306,792	Filing for 2023 tax year
2024 tax year	$390,239,234	$163,778,073	$7,770,844,151	Filing for 2024 tax year

Figures from the foundation’s IRS Form 990-PF filings. Assets are at fair market value at year end. The document icon links to each year’s filing on ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer.