Autodesk Foundation

Quick Stats

• Annual Giving: $33,000,000 (2024)
• Grant Range: $100,000–$1,000,000 (most commitments $250,000–$500,000)
• Success Rate: Not publicly available
• Decision Time: Not publicly available
• Geographic Focus: Global

Contact Details

• Website: www.autodesk.org
• Email: Not publicly available
• Phone: 415-507-5000
• Address: 1 Market St Ste 400, San Francisco, CA 94105-1305
• Social Media: LinkedIn: Autodesk Foundation, X: @AutodeskFdn

Overview

The Autodesk Foundation was established in 2013 as a private foundation supporting innovative solutions to the world's most pressing social and environmental challenges. With annual charitable disbursements of $33,000,000 in 2024, the foundation focuses on scaling early-stage innovations through a blend of funding, technical training, and expertise. The foundation has reached over 110 million individuals through its portfolio organisations and contributed to reducing 8.2+ million metric tons of CO2e emissions while helping 230,000 individuals obtain new or improved jobs.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programmes

The foundation supports more than 50 organisations across three impact areas. Grants typically range from $100,000 to $1,000,000, with most commitments falling between $250,000 and $500,000. For nonprofits, the foundation generally provides unrestricted grants and evaluates renewals at the end of each funding period.

Priority Areas

• Energy & Materials: Decarbonisation and sustainable materials innovation
• Health & Resilience: Climate adaptation technologies and community resilience
• Work & Prosperity: Workforce development and economic opportunity

What They Don't Fund

Not publicly specified

Governance and Leadership

• Debbie Clifford - Board Chair (Autodesk CFO)
• Andrew Anagnost - Director
• Christine Stoner - Executive Director
• Wanjiru Kamau-Rutenberg - Director
• Joe Speicher - President

The foundation maintains a small board structure typical of corporate foundations, with leadership from Autodesk corporate executives alongside independent directors.

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

The Autodesk Foundation operates a two-stage application process. The first step is to complete the Discovery Form available on their website (www.autodesk.org), which takes approximately 5-10 minutes. The foundation reviews every Discovery Form submission and aims to respond within three weeks.

After reviewing Discovery Forms, the foundation schedules introductory calls with organisations that work in their impact opportunity areas and meet their general selection criteria. Each year, the foundation invites a small selection of organisations to complete a full Application for Funding. Formal due diligence typically takes 1-2 months once a full application is submitted.

Getting on Their Radar

Organisations interested in funding should:

• Review the foundation's website to understand their funding approach, criteria, and current portfolio
• Complete the Discovery Form as the first step
• Demonstrate clear alignment with one of the three impact areas
• Show evidence of scalable innovation in energy, health, or workforce development sectors

Application Success Factors

Based on available information, successful applicants typically demonstrate:

• Clear alignment with one of the three impact areas
• Evidence of scalable innovation and measurable impact
• Connection to design, technology, or engineering solutions
• Track record of impact measurement and management practices
• Organisational viability and capacity to scale

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

• The Autodesk Foundation accepts Discovery Form submissions from any nonprofit or startup
• Full applications are by invitation only after the initial Discovery Form stage
• Annual giving of $33,000,000 supports more than 50 organisations globally
• Grant sizes typically range from $100,000 to $1,000,000, with most commitments between $250,000 and $500,000
• Focus areas directly align with environmental sustainability and workforce development
• The foundation emphasises measurable impact with specific metrics tracked
• Partnership appears to include technical assistance and access to Autodesk technology beyond financial support
• Connection to Autodesk's core business of design and engineering technology may be advantageous

References

• ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer - Autodesk Foundation Profile (accessed December 31, 2024)
• Autodesk Foundation Website - www.autodesk.org (accessed December 31, 2024)
• GuideStar Profile - EIN 61-1703255 (accessed December 31, 2024)