Autodesk Foundation
At a glance
Key takeaways
- Only organisations working within Energy & Materials, Health & Resilience or Work & Prosperity should apply, because the foundation considers nothing else.
- The latest filing shows $6,430,000 paid out, against a typical year of about $18,000,000, and grants run from $100,000 to $1,000,000, so a request in that range matches its stated scale.
- Start with the Discovery Form, which the foundation reviews every submission and aims to answer within three weeks, and note that applications are accepted on a rolling basis.
- The filing shows that all of its grant dollars went to organisations it had funded in earlier filings, so building contact with the foundation before or alongside the form is worth the effort.
- Show measurable impact, a viable, scalable path, and where Autodesk technology, design or engineering expertise could add value beyond money, since the foundation looks for these.
Overview
Autodesk Foundation is a US private foundation based in San Francisco, CA.
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 Autodesk Foundation invests in nonprofits and startups developing design- and engineering-based solutions to social and environmental challenges. It focuses on three impact areas. In Energy & Materials, it backs early-stage technologies to reduce greenhouse-gas emissions, including renewable energy, transport electrification, energy efficiency, materials innovation and carbon capture. In Health & Resilience, it supports technology-based approaches that strengthen low-resource communities vulnerable to climate change, particularly in the built environment, agriculture, energy access, water and sanitation. In Work & Prosperity, it invests in programmes, research and technologies that prepare workers for automation, widen access and inclusion, build in-demand skills and lead to quality jobs, especially in manufacturing and construction. Its thesis-driven approach seeks viable, scalable organisations with measurable impact and where its capital, technology and talent can add value.
Themes
- Energy & Materials
- Health & Resilience
- Work & Prosperity
Geographic Focus
No geographic focus is stated; the filings show grants spread across the United States.
How to apply
Organisations start by completing the Discovery Form. The Foundation reviews every submission and aims to respond within three weeks; it encourages applicants to explore its funding approach, criteria and portfolio before submitting.
Application success factors
- Repeat giving: In its TY2024 filing, 100% of its grant dollars to organisations went to organisations it had also funded in its TY2022 or TY2023 filing.
What the foundation says:
- It considers only organisations working within one of its impact opportunity areas.
- It looks for a viable, resource-efficient pathway to scale and an intention to do so on a meaningful timeline.
- It expects organisations to commit to measuring impact for accountability, decision-making and evidence of impact.
- It looks for teams with technical and sector expertise and a commitment to a sustainable, inclusive and resilient future.
- It values solutions relevant to its design and engineering expertise.
- It looks for evidence of customer value and a cost-effective, scalable model for delivering impact.
- It favours solutions where its flexible, risk-tolerant and patient capital can be catalytic.
- It looks for organisations where Autodesk technology and talent can add significant value beyond financial capital.
- It considers how its industry position can connect stakeholders and accelerate adoption of innovation.
Where grants go
From grants to organisations in the foundation’s filings for tax years 2022–2024.
Grant dollars by state
- The largest single recipient received 100% of grant dollars to organisations.
- In tax year 2024, 100% of grant dollars went to organisations Autodesk Foundation had funded in earlier filings.
- No grants were paid directly to organisations outside the US.
- 100% of grant dollars went to intermediaries that regrant to other organisations.
Grants
The largest grants to organisations in the foundation’s latest filing:
- ImpactAssets · For impact design program$6,430,0002024 tax year
Grants to organisations listed in the foundation’s Form 990-PF filings. Grants to individuals are not shown.
Officers and directors
- Christine Stoner — Executive Director
- Joe Speicher — President
- Wanjiru Kamau-Rutenberg — Director
- Rebecca Pearce — Director
- Dara Treseder — Director
- Haresh Khoobchandani — Director
- Trenton Arthur — Director
- Ruth Ann Keene — Secretary
- Deborah Clifford — Board Chair
- Steve Blum — Treasurer
- Roland Zelles — Director
- Andrew Anagnost — Director
From the latest Form 990-PF filing
3 years of tax filings
| Year | Total expenses | Grants paid | Assets | Filing document |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 tax year | $18,345,237 | $18,000,000 | $384,555 | Filing for 2022 tax year |
| 2023 tax year | $33,341,622 | $33,000,000 | $342,775 | Filing for 2023 tax year |
| 2024 tax year | $6,690,502 | $6,430,000 | $371,910 | 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.
Sources
Registers and filings
Other sources
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At a glance
Applying to Autodesk Foundation?
Hinchilla drafts your answers around this funder's priorities, using your organisation's own documents.
No credit card required
Contact
- San Francisco, CA
- autodesk.org
Applying to Autodesk Foundation?
Hinchilla drafts your answers around this funder's priorities, using your organisation's own documents.
No credit card required
Contact
- San Francisco, CA
- autodesk.org