Jeff and Marieke Rothschild Foundation

Quick Stats

• Annual Giving: $29,857,400 (2023)
• Assets: $428 million (2024)
• Grant Range: Varies significantly (from hundreds of thousands to multi-millions)
• Geographic Focus: Primarily United States with select international projects
• Application Type: No public application process - trustee-directed giving

Contact Details

Location: Palo Alto, California

Leadership:

• Jeff Rothschild, Co-President and Director
• Marieke Rothschild, Co-President and Director
• Rakesh Mehta, Treasurer and Secretary

Note: The foundation does not maintain a public website or published contact information for grant inquiries. All leadership serve without compensation.

Overview

The Jeff and Marieke Rothschild Foundation was established in November 2019 as a private family foundation by Jeff Rothschild, former Facebook vice president for infrastructure engineering, and his wife Marieke. With assets exceeding $428 million, the foundation distributed nearly $30 million in grants during 2023 across 19 awards. The foundation is a manifestation of the Rothschilds' 2020 Giving Pledge commitment, where they pledged to give the majority of their wealth to philanthropic causes. Their central philanthropic theme focuses on "having a positive impact on the lives of others who have not had the opportunities and good fortune we have enjoyed." Both Rothschilds were raised with expectations of philanthropic participation, bringing a values-driven approach to their grantmaking. Jeff Rothschild also serves as vice chair of the board of trustees at Vanderbilt University, his alma mater, reflecting the couple's deep engagement with their philanthropic priorities.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

The foundation operates as a private family foundation without formal grant programs or application cycles. Grants are awarded at the discretion of the co-presidents and board. Based on publicly disclosed gifts, the foundation makes substantial grants ranging from hundreds of thousands to multi-million dollar commitments:

Major Institutional Gifts:

• Higher Education: Multi-million dollar gifts to support financial aid, residential colleges, and campus infrastructure ($5-20 million range)
• Arts and Culture: Support for performing arts facilities and multidisciplinary creative spaces ($5 million range)
• Health and Wellness: Funding for athletics, recreation centers, and health facilities ($5 million range)
• Environmental Conservation: Participation in multi-funder coalitions for land protection and biodiversity preservation

Award Pattern: The foundation made 19 awards in 2023, 8 in 2022, 2 in 2021, and 2 in 2020, indicating a significant scaling up of grantmaking activity.

Priority Areas

Based on their Giving Pledge letter and documented giving patterns, the foundation focuses on:

1. Equality of Opportunity Through Education

   • Scholarship programs and endowed financial aid funds
   • Support for students from diverse economic backgrounds
   • Removing financial barriers to higher education access

2. Healthcare Access and Medical Science

   • Creating self-sustaining medical infrastructure in underserved regions
   • Advancing medical science for improved health and well-being
   • Moving beyond charity-dependent healthcare models

3. Financial Independence

   • Helping people achieve economic self-sufficiency
   • Supporting programs that create pathways to financial stability

4. Environmental Conservation and Open Spaces

   • Protection of biodiversity and natural habitats
   • Ensuring all communities have access to nature and outdoor recreation
   • Recent example: Co-funding the purchase of Guafo Island in Chile for conservation

5. Arts and Culture

   • Supporting performing arts facilities
   • Integrating arts into educational and community settings

6. Health and Wellness

   • Athletic and recreation facilities
   • Programs promoting healthy, active lifestyles

What They Don't Fund

While the foundation does not publish exclusions, their giving patterns suggest focus on:

• Institutional partnerships rather than individual grants
• Capital projects and endowments over operational support
• Education, healthcare, environment, and arts (other sectors appear to receive limited attention)

Governance and Leadership

The foundation is governed by a three-person leadership team, all serving without compensation:

Jeff Rothschild (Co-President and Director): Former Facebook vice president for infrastructure engineering who joined the company in 2005 as one of its founding engineers and became a major shareholder. He currently serves as vice chair of the board of trustees at Vanderbilt University, where he earned his degree.

Marieke Rothschild (Co-President and Director): A Colby College trustee and active philanthropic leader. Both Marieke and Jeff were parents of Vanderbilt and Colby students (class of 2016), deepening their connection to higher education.

Rakesh Mehta (Treasurer and Secretary): Manages the foundation's financial operations and compliance.

Leadership Philosophy

From their Giving Pledge letter: "The central theme of our philanthropy is to have a positive impact on the lives of others who have not had the opportunities and good fortune we have enjoyed."

The Rothschilds emphasize:

• Creating sustainable, long-term impact rather than charity-dependent models
• Supporting diversity and bringing together people from different backgrounds
• Ensuring qualified individuals can access opportunities regardless of financial circumstances
• Leveraging their success to address systemic inequalities

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

The Jeff and Marieke Rothschild Foundation does not have a public application process. The foundation operates as a private family foundation where grants are awarded through trustee discretion and the co-presidents' initiative.

Grants appear to be made to:

• Institutions with which the Rothschilds have personal connections (their alma maters, institutions their children attended)
• Organizations identified through the trustees' networks and interests
• Multi-funder coalitions addressing priority issues (such as environmental conservation)
• Strategic partnerships aligned with their Giving Pledge priorities

Decision Timeline

Not applicable - the foundation does not accept unsolicited applications. Grant decisions are made at the discretion of the co-presidents based on their strategic priorities and institutional relationships.

Success Rates

Not applicable given the invitation-only nature of the foundation's grantmaking.

Reapplication Policy

Not applicable - the foundation does not accept unsolicited applications.

Application Success Factors

Since this foundation does not accept unsolicited applications, the following insights reflect what drives their giving decisions based on documented grants:

Personal Connection and Demonstrated Impact: The Rothschilds' largest gifts have gone to institutions where they or their family have direct connections - Vanderbilt University (Jeff's alma mater where he serves on the board), Colby College (where Marieke serves as trustee and both are parents of 2016 graduates). This suggests they invest deeply in institutions they know well and trust.

Alignment with Core Values: From their Giving Pledge commitment, projects that address "equality of opportunity through scholarships, access to healthcare through the creation of self-sustaining medical infrastructure... helping people achieve financial independence, protection of open spaces... and improving health and well-being through advancements in medical science" align with their stated priorities.

Focus on Sustainability Over Dependency: The Rothschilds explicitly emphasize creating "self-sustaining medical infrastructure in places that are today dependent on charity" and helping people "achieve financial independence," indicating preference for solutions that create lasting systems rather than ongoing dependency on charitable support.

Diversity and Inclusion: When announcing the Vanderbilt gift, the couple emphasized their "strong commitment to bringing students from a variety of backgrounds together to grow and learn from each other in a dynamic setting," suggesting projects demonstrating inclusive impact may resonate.

Collaborative Funding Models: The Guafo Island conservation project involved the Rothschild Foundation alongside Re:wild, Wyss Foundation, Art into Acres, Cultiva, and WWF Chile, indicating willingness to participate in multi-funder coalitions for high-impact conservation work.

Capital Projects with Named Recognition: Major gifts to Vanderbilt and Colby supported capital projects (Rothschild College, Gordon Center for Creative and Performing Arts, athletics centers) that carry the family name, suggesting openness to recognition opportunities.

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

• No unsolicited applications accepted: This is a private family foundation that identifies and initiates its own grant relationships rather than responding to proposals.

• Relationship-driven grantmaking: The Rothschilds give primarily to institutions where they have personal connections, governance roles, or family ties. Building authentic relationships with the founders through shared institutional involvement is the primary pathway to funding.

• Education is the cornerstone: Higher education access, financial aid, and student support represent the largest documented area of giving, with gifts totaling $36+ million to Vanderbilt and Colby alone.

• Substantial grant sizes: When the foundation commits, it commits significantly - documented gifts range from $5 million to $20 million, indicating this foundation makes transformational rather than incremental investments.

• Strategic alignment with Giving Pledge priorities: Organizations working on equality of opportunity, sustainable healthcare infrastructure, financial independence, environmental conservation, or medical science advancement align with their stated philanthropic vision.

• Multi-year engagement: The Rothschilds made multiple gifts to the same institutions over time (Colby received a $4.5 million gift before the $16 million gift; Vanderbilt received scholarship support in 2013 and the $20 million residential college gift in 2016), suggesting they build long-term relationships rather than making one-time grants.

• Scaling rapidly: Grant activity increased from 2 awards in 2020-2021 to 19 awards in 2023, suggesting an expanding scope of grantmaking as they implement their Giving Pledge commitment.

References

1. Jeff and Marieke Rothschild - The Giving Pledge - Accessed December 2025
2. Jeff and Marieke Rothschild Foundation | Cause IQ - Accessed December 2025
3. Jeff And Marieke Rothschild Foundation - ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer - Accessed December 2025
4. Vanderbilt names newest residential college in honor of Marieke and Jeff Rothschild | Vanderbilt University - Accessed December 2025
5. Colby Receives $16-Million Gift to Advance Major Initiatives - Colby News - Accessed December 2025
6. Colby College Receives $16 Million From Rothschilds | Philanthropy News Digest - Accessed December 2025
7. Re:wild and partners protect Guafo Island - Accessed December 2025
8. Vanderbilt University Receives $20 Million for Residential Colleges | Philanthropy News Digest - Accessed December 2025
9. Jeffrey J. Rothschild - Wikipedia - Accessed December 2025
10. Pandemic-Era Giving Pledgers: Eight Ultra-Wealthy Tech Donors to Watch | Inside Philanthropy - Accessed December 2025