What Markle Foundation does

The Markle Foundation is a private, New York-based nonprofit foundation established in 1927 by John and Mary R. Markle with an initial $3 million endowment, dedicated to advancing the economic security, health, and national security of Americans through information technology. The foundation operates through three current and historical program lines: the AIDE (AI for Disasters + Emergencies) Initiative launched in December 2025, which convenes emergency managers and technologists (in partnership with Aspen Digital and RAND) to develop practical AI guidance for disaster preparedness and response; the health information technology program that created Blue Button, a personal health information access tool now used by the VA, CMS, and major insurers to serve over 150 million Americans; and the former Rework America Alliance, a multi-sector coalition of 40+ organizations spanning civil rights groups, labor unions, employers, and educators that was transferred to Jobs for the Future in October 2023 to scale skills-based hiring.

The foundation's underlying technology is primarily policy, convening, and framework infrastructure rather than commercial software: it produces AI adoption guidance, skills-based hiring toolkits, and health interoperability standards rather than revenue-generating products. Its revenue model is philanthropic in nature — funded through its historical endowment, large multi-year grants (e.g., $25.8 million from Microsoft Philanthropies in 2017; a three-year JPMorgan Chase commitment in 2020; a $750,000 Patrick J. McGovern Foundation grant in 2022), and in-kind support from technology partners such as Google, IBM, Workday, and McKinsey. There is no commercial pricing model; outputs are distributed through multi-sector coalitions and community-based organizations at no cost to end users.

Markle serves three primary beneficiary segments: state and local emergency management agencies (via AIDE), workers without college degrees (via the Rework America platform now at JFF), and patients/healthcare consumers (via Blue Button). It is led by President Ellen V. Futter (President since June 2025; formerly head of the American Museum of Natural History), governed by a board chaired by Suzanne Nora Johnson (also Chair of Intuit), and staffed by 11-50 employees at its 1270 Avenue of the Americas headquarters in New York.

Name

Markle Foundation

Legal name

Markle Foundation

Website

https://markle.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1927

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Markle Foundation is a 1927-established private nonprofit foundation that convenes multi-sector coalitions to deploy information technology against economic security, health, and national security challenges, with current programs in AI for emergency management (AIDE Initiative) and skills-based workforce development (Rework America Alliance, now at JFF).

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Philanthropic Foundation and Public Policy Initiatives

NAICS

Grantmaking Foundations (813211), Grantmaking and Giving Services (81321)

akta.pro primary industry

Private Foundations (BPAGAKAA)

akta.pro secondary industry

Health & Medical Research Grantmaking Foundations (BPAGAKAL)

Keywords

• Philanthropic foundation services
• Workforce development programs
• AI emergency management
• Health information technology
• Technology policy initiatives

Headquarters

HQ city

New York

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Philanthropic Foundation Model: Markle Foundation operates as a philanthropic organization funding initiatives through grants and partnerships rather than commercial revenue generation

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Markle Foundation is a private nonprofit foundation that designs, funds, and operates multi-sector initiatives applying information technology to public problems. Its active programs include the AI for Disasters + Emergencies (AIDE) Initiative, technology policy work on national security and health information sharing (e.g., Blue Button), and the Rework America Alliance for skills-based workforce development. Initiatives are delivered through coalitions of government, employers, labor unions, educators, and community organizations.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• AIDE Initiative: AI for Disasters + Emergencies Initiative - an effort to leverage AI for good to help emergency managers and communities better prepare for, respond to, and recover from natural disasters.
• Rework America Alliance
• Skillful
• Rework America

Products and services

• AIDE (AI for Disasters + Emergencies) Initiative A multi-sector initiative that develops practical AI tools, guidance, and frameworks for state and local emergency management agencies to improve disaster preparedness, response, and recovery operations.
• Rework America Alliance A nationwide coalition initiative that helps workers without college degrees connect to quality jobs through skills-based hiring practices, career coaching, and employer partnerships.
• Blue Button Health Information Initiative A health information technology initiative that enables Americans to download and transmit their personal health information electronically across providers and insurers.
• Skillful Initiative A nonprofit initiative that developed resources and partnerships to help workers without college degrees get good jobs based on their demonstrated skills rather than credentials.

Quantifiable outcome

• Blue Button enables 150+ million Americans to access their health information
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability3 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

17 partnerships are on record, tiered core and major.

• Aspen DigitalcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 10 December 2025Aspen Digital, a program of the Aspen Institute, partners with Markle to build and convene a multi-sector, bipartisan coalition for the AIDE Initiative. Vivian Schiller serves as Vice President and Executive Director, with Jeremy Greenberg leading efforts bringing federal emergency management experience.
• RAND CorporationcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 10 December 2025RAND works directly with emergency managers and technologists to identify which existing technologies best address critical needs and can be implemented most effectively for the AIDE Initiative.
• Jobs for the Future (JFF)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 4 October 2023Rework America Alliance transitioned to JFF, a national nonprofit driving transformation of U.S. education and workforce systems. JFF's North Star goal is to help 75 million people advance into quality jobs within 10 years.
• MicrosoftmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMicrosoft partnered with Markle through Microsoft Philanthropies with a $25.8 million grant to accelerate a skills-based labor market for the digital economy. Provides technology and resources supporting career coaching programs.
• GooglemajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerGoogle.org supported Markle's workforce initiatives since 2017, contributing to cross-sector collaboration to help rebuild an economy that works for everyone.
• IBMmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerIBM contributes expertise to help job seekers gain skills for higher quality jobs. Through P-TECH and SkillsBuild resources, IBM supports public-private-nonprofit collaboration to create new opportunities.
• McKinsey & CompanymajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerContributes data-driven insights to help workers toward resilient, higher-wage jobs. McKinsey helps workers build skills for a shifting labor market and equips employers with practical tools.
• UnidosUScoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUnidosUS, the largest Latino civil rights organization, partners with Alliance to provide training and job opportunities for the Latino community, helping people get on paths to good jobs and prosperity.
• National Urban LeaguecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational Urban League works with Alliance to address staggering income inequality facing African Americans due to COVID-19 pandemic, marshalling resources to help close employment gaps.
• Federal Reserve Bank of AtlantacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFederal Reserve Bank of Atlanta's Center for Workforce and Economic Opportunity contributes to creating structural solutions for greater worker power and expanding opportunities in the labor market.
• AFL-CIOcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLabor federation contributes to Alliance efforts to help workers from low-wage roles move into better jobs through skills-based hiring practices.
• Goodwill Industries InternationalcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGoodwill leads local efforts in cities like Detroit and Los Angeles, connecting credentialing and employer partners into a seamless system advancing sustainable careers through equitable upskilling.
• CVS HealthmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCVS Health contributes to Alliance workforce development efforts to help unemployed workers move into good jobs with career advancement opportunities.
• North America's Building Trades Unions (NABTU)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNABTU contributes its world-class workforce development model creating career pathways and family-sustaining wages and benefits to Alliance efforts.
• Arizona State UniversitymajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerASU President Michael Crow leads partnership using Workday skills cloud for Alliance efforts to close the opportunity divide.
• WorkdaymajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerWorkday contributes skills cloud technology—a machine learning-powered universal skills ontology—to support skills-based hiring and career mobility.
• EdXmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEdX helps unemployed workers gain knowledge and skills through affordable programs and credentials that unlock new opportunities quickly and flexibly.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Patrick J. McGovern Foundation: Private foundation funding AI for the public good, neuroscience, and global health. Directly comparable as a tech-focused grantmaking peer and an actual Markle funder ($750K in 2022).
• Schmidt Futures: Eric Schmidt's philanthropic vehicle focused on AI talent, science, and public-interest technology. Highly comparable mission around responsible AI adoption and workforce skills.
• Emerson Collective: Laurene Powell Jobs's mission-driven organization that invests across education, immigration, environment, and media. Comparable in operating mission-led cross-sector initiatives rather than traditional grantmaking alone.
• Jobs for the Future (JFF): National nonprofit that took over Markle's Rework America Alliance in 2023. Now leads the skills-based hiring coalition Markle built, with a stated goal of helping 75M people into quality jobs—the most direct operational successor.

Broad incumbents

• Ford Foundation: One of the largest US private foundations, with major programs in economic fairness, democracy, and technology policy. Comparable in grantmaking scale, cross-sector coalition work, and technology policy focus.
• Carnegie Corporation of New York: Major US foundation with a long-standing technology, education, and democracy portfolio. Comparable in operating since the early 20th century and in convening government/tech leaders on emerging policy.
• Rockefeller Foundation: Major US foundation with major commitments to AI for public good, smart power grids, and workforce resilience post-COVID. Comparable in technology-and-society grantmaking and convening power.
• Knight Foundation: Foundation focused on journalism, the arts, and the success of cities, with growing investment in technology policy and AI accountability. Comparable in funding civic-technology and policy convening.
• MacArthur Foundation: Large US foundation with 'big bets' on inclusive economies, climate, and journalism. Comparable in operating major grantmaking programs and supporting cross-sector coalitions.
• Hewlett Foundation: Foundation with major programs in education, environment, and cybersecurity/tech policy. Comparable in funding policy research, think tanks, and emerging-technology governance.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/markle-foundation
• Xx.com/marklefdn
• Facebookfacebook.com/208730902478269

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles11 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Markle Foundation