Sijbrandij Foundation

Quick Stats

• Annual Giving: $10,790,127 (2023)
• Assets: $68.9 million (2023)
• Grant Range: Varies significantly by project (individual grants ranging from ~$90,000 to multi-million dollar initiatives)
• Number of Awards: 13 awards in 2023, 17 grants in 2024
• Geographic Focus: U.S.-based (San Francisco) with international projects
• Application Method: Invitation only - does not accept unsolicited applications
• Founded: 2021

Contact Details

Address: P.O. Box 7775, PMB #29439, San Francisco, CA 94120

Email: foundation@sijbrandijfoundation.org

Website: https://sijbrandijfoundation.org/

EIN: 85-4270305

Overview

The Sijbrandij Foundation is a private foundation established in 2021 by Sytse "Sid" Sijbrandij (co-founder and former CEO of GitLab) and his wife Karen Sijbrandij (senior software engineer at HackerOne). With assets of $68.9 million and annual giving exceeding $10 million, the foundation pursues "under-explored solutions with the potential for 100x social return." This venture capital-inspired approach to philanthropy seeks to fund unconventional ideas that can create meaningful and measurable change across three impact levels: individual opportunity and upward mobility, community engagement and economic vitality, and systemic societal change. The foundation's notable first-year investment includes over $2 million in the Big Art Loop initiative, transforming San Francisco with large-scale public art installations. The Sijbrandij Foundation is separate from but related to the GitLab Foundation, which it helps fund.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

The Sijbrandij Foundation does not operate traditional grant programs with application cycles. Instead, it makes strategic investments and grants to preselected organizations across its focus areas. Recent funding has included:

Big Art Loop - Multi-million dollar initiative (over $2 million in year one) to install up to 100 large-scale sculptures across San Francisco over three years, creating a 34-mile walkable and bikeable art trail

Misalignment Museum - $91,882 grant to support learning about artificial intelligence and reflection on technology possibilities through thought-provoking art pieces and events

Center for Incentive Design - Consulting and community building services on issues of incentive design in education, health, and housing

Charter Cities Institute - Support for building the ecosystem for charter cities and governance system reforms

Artist in Residence Grand Bahama (AIR GB) - 2025 cohort creating landmark sculptures to inspire community engagement and economic renewal in the Bahamas

Priority Areas

The foundation focuses on six core areas:

Education - Scaling global digital education, advancing educational opportunities through innovative approaches

Healthcare - Funding bold cancer research, improving healthcare systems and access through new treatment approaches

Housing - Initiatives addressing housing challenges and community development

Climate Solutions - Investing in synthetic natural gas development and efforts addressing climate change and clean energy

AI Interpretability - Supporting projects that help people understand artificial intelligence and its societal implications

Big Art - Using public art as a catalyst for economic development and community engagement

The foundation seeks projects at three impact levels:

1. Individual: Creating access to opportunity and upward mobility
2. Community: Fostering engagement and economic vitality
3. Systemic: Supporting transformational societal change and incentive alignment

What They Don't Fund

The foundation does not:

• Accept unsolicited grant applications or proposals
• Fund organizations without prior relationship or identification by the foundation
• Support traditional charitable programs seeking broad-based funding
• Make grants through open application processes

Governance and Leadership

Board of Directors

Sytse "Sid" Sijbrandij - President and Director, co-founder and former CEO of GitLab, brings venture capital mindset to philanthropy

Karen Sijbrandij - Treasurer and Director, senior software engineer at HackerOne

Eefje Chalmers - Secretary and Director

Welmoed Fokkema - Director

Ramy Adeeb - Director

Executive Leadership

Paige Reeve Uher - CEO, Stanford GSB alumna with executive background in financial services, previously Principal and Vice President of Business Development at Osterweis Capital Management

Claudia Udaquiola - International Projects Lead, manages strategic international initiatives including artist residencies in Zambia, the Bahamas, and other global projects

Key Operational Partner

Building 180 - Women-founded art agency leading curation, land and artist partnerships, permitting, and installations for the Big Art Loop initiative

Founder's Philosophy

Sytse Sijbrandij has stated: "In venture, we try to get 100x returns." This venture capital framework has been explicitly applied to the foundation's philanthropic work, seeking similar magnitude returns on social impact investments. The foundation's approach reflects Sijbrandij's belief that unconventional ideas have the power to unlock meaningful change when properly supported.

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

The Sijbrandij Foundation does not have a public application process. The foundation only makes contributions to preselected charitable organizations and explicitly does not accept unsolicited requests for funds.

Organizations cannot apply for funding through traditional grant applications, online portals, or by submitting proposals. The foundation identifies and selects all funding recipients through its own research and network.

How Organizations Are Selected

While the foundation does not publicly detail its selection process, its stated approach provides insights:

• The foundation "empowers visionary thinkers who dare to challenge norms and pursue bold solutions that others overlook"
• Selection appears to be driven by the foundation's leadership and board identifying projects aligned with their "100x social return" philosophy
• Projects must fit within one or more of the six focus areas and deliver impact at individual, community, or systemic levels
• The foundation funds both new initiatives and existing projects/companies demonstrating potential for transformational change
• For the Big Art Loop, Building 180 manages an open call for artists with existing large-scale works, suggesting some pathways exist for specific initiatives

Decision Timeline

Specific decision timelines are not publicly disclosed as there is no standard application cycle. Funding decisions appear to be made on a rolling basis as the foundation identifies organizations and initiatives aligned with its mission.

Getting on Their Radar

NOTE: This section contains funder-specific information based on their documented approach

For the Big Art Loop initiative specifically, there is a documented pathway:

• Building 180 and the Sijbrandij Foundation have put out an open call for existing sculptures over 10 feet in height or length
• Building 180 maintains a database of large-scale artwork available for the project
• Artists with existing large-scale works can submit through Building 180's process

For other focus areas, organizations might position themselves through:

• Demonstrating "100x" potential: The foundation explicitly seeks unconventional approaches with potential for outsized social returns - projects should clearly articulate how they could achieve transformational (not incremental) change
• Board and network connections: With a small, engaged board including tech sector leaders, connections to the GitLab ecosystem, venture capital community, or San Francisco philanthropic networks may provide visibility
• Alignment with venture capital mindset: The foundation's leadership comes from the tech startup world - projects that can articulate their "theory of change" using metrics, scalability, and systems-thinking may resonate
• International innovation: The foundation has supported projects in Zambia, the Bahamas, and other international locations, suggesting openness to global initiatives that demonstrate novel approaches

Application Success Factors

Since the Sijbrandij Foundation operates on an invitation-only basis, traditional "success factors" for grant applications don't apply. However, based on the foundation's stated philosophy and funded projects, the following characteristics appear to define projects that receive support:

Core Selection Criteria

"100x Social Return" Potential: The foundation explicitly seeks venture capital-style returns on philanthropic investments. Projects must demonstrate potential for exponential (not linear) impact. As founder Sytse Sijbrandij has asked: "In venture, we try to get 100x returns" - why shouldn't philanthropy aim for the same?

Under-Explored and Unconventional: The foundation states it supports "under-explored solutions" and "empowers visionary thinkers who dare to challenge norms and pursue bold solutions that others overlook." Traditional or well-established approaches are unlikely to align with this philosophy.

Multi-Level Impact: Successful projects deliver change at multiple levels - individual opportunity and upward mobility, community engagement and economic vitality, and/or systemic societal transformation.

Evidence from Funded Projects

Large-Scale Public Art (Big Art Loop): Rather than commissioning new art, the foundation takes the unconventional approach of bringing existing sculptures out of storage, making art accessible to everyone through a 34-mile trail. This demonstrates thinking differently about how to achieve community engagement and economic development.

AI Education Through Art (Misalignment Museum): Instead of traditional AI education programs, the foundation supports "thought-provoking art pieces and events" to help people understand technology - an unconventional educational approach.

Incentive Design: The foundation supports fundamental research into human behavior and incentive structures rather than direct service programs, reflecting interest in systemic change mechanisms.

Charter Cities: Supporting governance innovation and new city development represents bold, systemic thinking rather than incremental urban improvement.

Strategic Positioning

Organizations that have received funding appear to share these characteristics:

• Clear articulation of how their approach differs from conventional solutions
• Measurable frameworks for demonstrating impact (aligns with data-driven venture mindset)
• Scalability or replicability potential beyond initial implementation
• Innovation in methodology, not just in application
• Alignment with San Francisco values and networks (though international work is supported)

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

• No public application process exists - The Sijbrandij Foundation only funds preselected organizations, making traditional grant writing ineffective for this funder

• Venture capital philosophy drives decisions - Think in terms of exponential rather than incremental change; articulate your "100x return" potential in social impact terms

• Big Art Loop offers a specific pathway - For large-scale public art projects, there is an open call process through Building 180 for existing sculptures over 10 feet

• Unconventional approaches are preferred - The foundation explicitly seeks solutions that "others overlook" and visionary thinkers who "challenge norms"

• Multi-level impact matters - Demonstrate how your work creates change at individual, community, and systemic levels simultaneously

• Tech sector connections may help - With leadership from GitLab and HackerOne, network connections to the technology and venture capital communities in San Francisco may provide visibility

• International scope is supported - Despite being U.S.-based, the foundation funds projects in the Bahamas, Zambia, and other international locations, suggesting openness to global innovation

• Relationship to GitLab Foundation - Understanding the distinction between the Sijbrandij Foundation (family foundation, six focus areas) and GitLab Foundation (economic mobility focus, public benefit corporation) is important as they are separate entities with different missions

References

1. Sijbrandij Foundation official website - About page. https://sijbrandijfoundation.org/ (Accessed January 2026)

2. Sijbrandij Foundation - Projects & Investments. https://sijbrandijfoundation.org/projects (Accessed January 2026)

3. ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer - Sijbrandij Foundation (EIN: 85-4270305). Form 990-PF filings. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/854270305 (Accessed January 2026)

4. Grantmakers.io Profile - Sijbrandij Foundation. IRS Form 990 data including grant recipient information and foundation policies. https://www.grantmakers.io/profiles/v0/854270305-sijbrandij-foundation/ (Accessed January 2026)

5. "Mayor Daniel Lurie Joins the Sijbrandij Foundation to Announce Big Art Loop." San Francisco Recreation and Parks Department, September 2025. https://sfrecpark.org/CivicAlerts.aspx?AID=2497

6. "Who Has a Say In the Flood of Public Art Coming to San Francisco?" KQED Arts, November 2025. Details on Big Art Loop funding, Building 180 partnership, and selection process. https://www.kqed.org/arts/13982175/big-art-loop-sijbrandij-foundation-san-francisco-public-art

7. "Designing for 100x Impact." PurposePhil Career blog. Includes quotes from Sytse Sijbrandij about applying venture capital thinking to philanthropy. https://www.purposephilcareer.com/blog/designing-for-100x-impact (Accessed January 2026)

8. "Welcome to the GitLab Foundation." GitLab Foundation website, explaining the relationship between GitLab Foundation and Sijbrandij Foundation as separate entities. https://www.gitlabfoundation.org/our-journey/introducing-our-brand-4wfff (Accessed January 2026)

9. Instrumentl - Sijbrandij Foundation 990 Report. Grant distribution data and statistics. https://www.instrumentl.com/990-report/sijbrandij-foundation (Accessed January 2026)

10. Center for Incentive Design - Who We Are. Information about foundation-supported incentive design research. https://www.incentivedesign.org/who-we-are (Accessed January 2026)