William and Flora Hewlett Foundation

Name

William and Flora Hewlett Foundation

Legal name

William and Flora Hewlett Foundation

Website

https://hewlett.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1966

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Philanthropic Grantmaking

NAICS

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

akta.pro primary industry

Grantmaking & Philanthropic Funds (Institutional Donors) (BPADAOAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Community Foundations (BPAGAKAB), Education Grantmaking Foundations (BPAGAKAK), Environmental & Climate Grantmaking Foundations (BPAGAKAM), Arts, Culture & Humanities Grantmaking Foundations (BPAGAKAJ), Research & Science Grantmaking Foundations (BPAGAKAI), Social Justice & Human Rights Grantmaking Foundations (BPAGAKAN)

Keywords

• Philanthropic grantmaking
• Private foundation grants
• Nonprofit funding programs
• Education and environment grants
• Social impact philanthropy

Headquarters

HQ city

Menlo Park

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. Endowment-Based Philanthropy: The foundation operates as a private philanthropic foundation funded by its endowment, which was created through the personal generosity of engineer and entrepreneur Bill Hewlett and his wife Flora. The foundation makes grants across multiple program areas totaling hundreds of millions of dollars annually. The foundation does not generate commercial revenue but deploys its endowment through strategic grantmaking. In 2024, the foundation awarded nearly three-fourths of grant dollars in the form of flexible, general operating support.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

The William and Flora Hewlett Foundation is a private philanthropic foundation that awards grants to nonprofit organizations, universities, and research institutions across multiple program areas including education, environment, performing arts, gender equity and governance, U.S. democracy, effective philanthropy, economy and society, and racial justice. The foundation is funded by an approximately $13 billion endowment and provides long-term general operating support to grantees rather than selling products or services.

Product overview

The William and Flora Hewlett Foundation is a philanthropy organization offering grantmaking programs rather than technology products. Its portfolio includes eight core programs (Education, Environment, Performing Arts, Gender Equity and Governance, U.S. Democracy, Effective Philanthropy, Racial Justice, and Special Projects) plus the Economy and Society Initiative and the Hewlett 50 Arts Commissions initiative. These programs focus on grantmaking to support education, environmental conservation, civic participation, reproductive health, economic reform, and racial equity across the U.S. and globally.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Hewlett 50 Arts Commissions: Initiative funding major new works by Bay Area artists, with $8 million allocated for commissions in media arts, dance, and movement-based performance.
• Madison Initiative

Products and services

• Education Program A foundation program area that awards grants to organizations supporting K-12 teaching and learning, open education resources, teacher preparation, and educational opportunity for all students.
• Environment Program A foundation program that funds climate change mitigation, clean energy transition, Western conservation, wildfire management, and carbon reduction efforts.
• Performing Arts Program A foundation program area supporting arts education, artist commissions, community arts programming, and performing arts performances in the Bay Area.
• Gender Equity and Governance Program A foundation program providing over $100 million annually in grants supporting reproductive health equity, women's economic empowerment, inclusive governance, and evidence-informed policymaking in East and West Africa, Mexico, and the U.S.
• U.S. Democracy Program A foundation program that strengthens shared national community through nonpartisan support for governing institutions to build public trust in a durable democracy.
• Effective Philanthropy Program A foundation program that strengthens the capacity of Hewlett grantees, nonprofits, and philanthropy in general through grantmaking knowledge and organizational effectiveness support.
• Economy and Society Initiative A foundation initiative that identifies and helps spread ideas from across the ideological spectrum to inform what comes next for capitalism in the U.S. and democratic societies worldwide.
• Racial Justice Program A foundation program promoting equal opportunity for all by addressing systemic inequalities across education, health, employment, criminal justice, and civic participation, supported by a 10-year, $150 million initiative.
• Special Projects Program

Quantifiable outcome

• Nearly three-fourths of grant dollars awarded as flexible, general operating support in 2024
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers17 records

Segments9 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

24 partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• David and Lucile Packard FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 29 April 2026The Hewlett Foundation co-founded Prysm Initiative, a strategic advisory platform connecting high-net-worth philanthropists with reproductive health funding opportunities, alongside the David and Lucile Packard Foundation and the Gates Foundation. Prysm was established to address chronic underfunding in reproductive health, particularly following the U.S. decision to slash its support by more than $600 million. Prysm has identified over $450 million worth of funding opportunities.
• Bill & Melinda Gates FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 29 April 2026The Hewlett Foundation co-founded Prysm Initiative alongside the Gates Foundation and Packard Foundation as an independent entity to address reproductive health underfunding. The three foundations together established this platform to direct 100% of donor funding to impact rather than overhead.
• Stanford University's Hoover InstitutioncoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 10 February 2026Stanford's Hoover Institution received major funding as part of a $10 million Hewlett Foundation exploratory grant package focused on the security of emerging technologies including AI, biotechnology, and quantum computing. The Hoover Institution's Technology Policy Accelerator was awarded $2.5 million to create the Tech Futures Lab.
• Vanderbilt University's Institute for National SecuritycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 10 February 2026Vanderbilt University's Institute for National Security received major funding as part of the $10 million Hewlett Foundation exploratory grants to support the security of emerging technologies including AI, biotechnology, and quantum computing. The grant focuses on preventing technological surprise and building defenses against large-scale cyberattacks by hostile foreign actors.
• AI Now InstitutemajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 10 February 2026AI Now Institute was among the recipients of Hewlett Foundation grants from the $10 million emerging technology security package, supporting research and policy work on AI governance and security.
• Aspen InstitutemajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 10 February 2026Aspen Institute received Hewlett Foundation funding as part of the $10 million exploratory grants for emerging technology security, supporting its work on AI governance and policy.
• Atlantic CouncilmajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 10 February 2026Atlantic Council received Hewlett Foundation funding as part of the $10 million exploratory grants package for emerging technology security.
• Carnegie Endowment for International PeacemajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 10 February 2026Carnegie Endowment for International Peace received Hewlett Foundation funding as part of the $10 million exploratory grants for emerging technology security including AI, biotechnology, and quantum computing.
• Council on Foreign RelationsmajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 10 February 2026Council on Foreign Relations received Hewlett Foundation funding as part of the $10 million exploratory grants for emerging technology security.
• Georgetown UniversitymajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 10 February 2026Georgetown University received Hewlett Foundation funding as part of the $10 million exploratory grants for emerging technology security.
• Global Network InitiativemajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 10 February 2026Global Network Initiative received Hewlett Foundation funding as part of the $10 million exploratory grants for emerging technology security.
• Institute for Security and TechnologymajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 10 February 2026Institute for Security and Technology received Hewlett Foundation funding as part of the $10 million exploratory grants for emerging technology security.
• Observer Research Foundation AmericamajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 10 February 2026Observer Research Foundation America received Hewlett Foundation funding as part of the $10 million exploratory grants for emerging technology security.
• RAND CorporationmajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 10 February 2026RAND Corporation received Hewlett Foundation funding as part of the $10 million exploratory grants for emerging technology security.
• Sentinel BiomajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 10 February 2026Sentinel Bio received Hewlett Foundation funding as part of the $10 million exploratory grants for emerging technology security.
• BuildUS Fund PartnersmajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 26 September 2023The Hewlett Foundation joined the BuildUS pooled fund alongside other major philanthropies to accelerate America's transition toward a worker-centered, cleaner, and more equitable economy through coordinated grantmaking at local, state, and federal levels.
• Press Forward CoalitioncoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 7 September 2023The Hewlett Foundation joined Press Forward, a national initiative to strengthen local news and information with an infusion of more than $500 million over several years. The coalition includes 22 donors and aims to catalyze local news and information for stronger communities and democracy.
• Florida A&M UniversitymajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 29 March 2023Florida A&M University received over $20 million in total grants from the Hewlett Foundation as part of a major initiative to fund cyber policy studies at institutions serving diverse student populations.
• Florida International UniversitymajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 29 March 2023Florida International University received over $20 million in total grants from the Hewlett Foundation as part of a major initiative to fund cyber policy studies at institutions serving diverse student populations.
• Turtle Mountain Community CollegemajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 29 March 2023Turtle Mountain Community College received over $20 million in total grants from the Hewlett Foundation as part of a major initiative to fund cyber policy studies at institutions serving diverse student populations.
• Spelman CollegemajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 29 March 2023Spelman College received over $20 million in total grants from the Hewlett Foundation as part of a major initiative to fund cyber policy studies at institutions serving diverse student populations.
• Omidyar NetworkcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 16 February 2022The Hewlett Foundation partnered with Omidyar Network to launch multidisciplinary centers at leading academic institutions (Harvard, Howard, Johns Hopkins, MIT, and Santa Fe Institute) as part of the Reimagining Capitalism effort. Ford and Open Society Foundations subsequently funded additional centers globally.
• Democracy Frontlines FundcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 10 September 2020The Hewlett Foundation joined the Libra Foundation and 10 other foundations to establish the Democracy Frontlines Fund, committing $36 million in unrestricted funding to frontline Black activist organizations working to end systemic racism. Funds are provided as part of a collective giving and learning community.
• Getty ImagesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Hewlett Foundation partnered with Getty Images to create and expand the Images of Empowerment collection, providing powerful, positive photographs showing women's lives and work in eleven countries. The Packard Foundation also co-sponsored this initiative.

Scale indicators11 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Kresge Foundation: Large U.S. foundation with comparable focus on American cities, climate, education, and racial equity. Comparable in scale and program breadth, with a similarly multi-year general operating support approach.
• Open Society Foundations: Large private foundation with major commitments to democracy, human rights, and racial justice. Direct peer in funding U.S. democratic institutions and global governance reform, though with a more centralized, founder-driven governance model.
• John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation: Large U.S. private foundation with overlapping programs in journalism, democracy, climate, and racial justice. Most directly comparable to Hewlett in endowment size, multi-program structure, and Chicago/regional anchor.
• Omidyar Network: Bay Area-based philanthropic firm founded by Pierre Omidyar. Direct peer as co-funder with Hewlett of the Reimagining Capitalism centers at Harvard, MIT, and other universities, and as a fellow Silicon Valley-rooted, multi-program donor.
• David and Lucile Packard Foundation: Bay Area-based private foundation with a comparable endowment size and overlapping program priorities in conservation, education, and reproductive health. Direct peer as Prysm Initiative co-founder and fellow Menlo Park/Silicon Valley philanthropy.
• Carnegie Corporation of New York: Major U.S. foundation focused on education, democracy, and international peace. Shares brand lineage with the Carnegie Medal of Philanthropy awarded to the Hewlett family and operates as a similarly large, multi-program institutional grantmaker.
• Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation: The largest U.S. private foundation with an endowment an order of magnitude larger than Hewlett's. Direct peer as co-founder of the Prysm Initiative in reproductive health and as a fellow mega-foundation operating across global development, health, and education.

Broad incumbents

• Ford Foundation: One of the largest U.S. foundations (~$16B), historically focused on democracy, civil rights, and economic fairness. Operates with a broader international footprint and an asset-management approach that includes program-related investments.
• Rockefeller Foundation: Historic U.S. foundation focused on climate, health, and economic inclusion globally. Comparable as a similarly large, multi-program institutional donor with a strong emphasis on convening and coalition philanthropy.
• Bloomberg Philanthropies: Large-scale philanthropic vehicle of Michael Bloomberg focused on public health, climate, education, and cities. Comparable scale and operating-model maturity, though with a single-founder/operator model that differs from Hewlett's family-board structure.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/HewlettFoundation
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/the-william-and-flora-hewlett-foundation
• Instagraminstagram.com/hewlett_found
• Xx.com/Hewlett_Found

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles20 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments5 records

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Frequently asked questions about William and Flora Hewlett Foundation