Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation

What Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation does

The Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation is a private American philanthropic foundation established in 2000 by Gordon Moore, co-founder of Intel and namesake of Moore's Law, and his wife Betty Moore. Headquartered at 1661 Page Mill Road, Palo Alto, California, with 51–100 employees, the foundation operates exclusively as a grantmaking entity rather than a commercial enterprise. Since issuing its first grant in 2001, it has awarded 4,462 grants totaling $6.18 billion in cumulative disbursements to 1,030 grantee organizations worldwide.

The foundation executes its mission through three core programmatic areas: Environmental Conservation (Andes-Amazon Initiative, Arctic Ocean Initiative, Conservation and Markets Initiative, Wildfire Resilience Initiative); Science (Curiosity-Driven Science, Emergent Phenomena in Quantum Systems, Experimental Physics Investigators, Green Chemistry, Moore Inventor Fellows, Symbiosis in Aquatic Systems, and the Thirty Meter Telescope); and San Francisco Bay Area (Conservation and Informal Science). Funded research spans quantum imaging instrumentation (including the second-generation attomicroscope developed at the University of Arizona that won the 2025 Microscopy Today Innovation Award), petahertz quantum electronics, ultralight space telescope lenses, marine microbiology, and Indigenous-led ecosystem stewardship.

The foundation has no commercial revenue or product sales. Its business model is endowment-funded grantmaking: capital is deployed through a formal application process via the SmartSimple-powered grantee portal (available in English, Portuguese, and Spanish) and selected via staff and external reviewer evaluation. Distribution channels include direct grant awards, multi-funder convenings (e.g., the FIRE program with NSF, the 45-member Science Philanthropy Alliance, the September 2025 Philanthropy Partnerships Summit), and prize philanthropy (e.g., the $11M XPRIZE Wildfire competition co-sponsored with PG&E). Notable long-duration initiatives include the $430M+ Marine Conservation Initiative (2004–2024) and the $100M Betty Irene Moore School of Nursing commitment to UC Davis.

Name

Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation

Legal name

Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation

Website

https://moore.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2000

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

The Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation is a private American philanthropic foundation that distributes grants across Environmental Conservation, Science, and San Francisco Bay Area programs to advance scientific discovery, ecosystem protection, and regional preservation, serving universities, NGOs, and research institutions globally.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Philanthropic Grantmaking

NAICS

Grantmaking Foundations (813211), Environment, Conservation and Wildlife Organizations (813312)

akta.pro primary industry

Research & Science Grantmaking Foundations (BPAGAKAI)

akta.pro secondary industries

Environmental & Climate Grantmaking Foundations (BPAGAKAM), Education Grantmaking Foundations (BPAGAKAK), Scholarship & Fellowship Foundations and Trusts (EDADAHAC), International Grantmaking & Development Foundations (BPAGAKAH)

Keywords

• Philanthropic grantmaking
• Scientific research funding
• Environmental conservation grants
• Foundation grant programs
• Nonprofit philanthropy

Headquarters

HQ city

Palo Alto

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Others

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

The Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation is a private philanthropic foundation that awards grants to advance scientific discovery, environmental conservation, and the preservation of the San Francisco Bay Area. It operates through three core programs—Environmental Conservation, Science, and San Francisco Bay Area—each composed of multiple targeted initiatives (e.g., Andes-Amazon, Arctic Ocean, Wildfire Resilience, Emergent Phenomena in Quantum Systems, Thirty Meter Telescope). Grants are disbursed through a formal application process via a SmartSimple-powered grantee portal.

Product overview

The Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation is a philanthropy organization, not a commercial product company. Its primary offerings are grant programs and initiatives rather than commercial products or services. The foundation operates through three main programmatic areas: Environmental Conservation (including Andes-Amazon, Arctic Ocean, Conservation and Markets, and Wildfire Resilience initiatives), Science (including Curiosity-Driven Science, Quantum Systems, Experimental Physics, Green Chemistry, Moore Inventor Fellows, Symbiosis in Aquatic Systems, and Thirty Meter Telescope initiatives), and San Francisco Bay Area (Conservation and Informal Science). The foundation also provides a grantee portal powered by SmartSimple for grant management.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Moore Foundation Grant Management Portal (SmartSimple) An online portal powered by SmartSimple that enables grantee institutions to manage grants, request changes, track tasks and deadlines, and submit reporting requirements. Available in English, Portuguese, and Spanish.
• Environmental Conservation Program Foundation grantmaking program supporting environmental conservation efforts including the Andes-Amazon Initiative, Arctic Ocean Initiative, Conservation and Markets Initiative, and Wildfire Resilience Initiative.
• Science Program Foundation grantmaking program supporting scientific research including the Curiosity-Driven Science Initiative, Emergent Phenomena in Quantum Systems Initiative, Experimental Physics Investigators Initiative, Green Chemistry Initiative, Moore Inventor Fellows, Symbiosis in Aquatic Systems Initiative, and Thirty Meter Telescope.
• San Francisco Bay Area Program Foundation grantmaking program focused on preserving the special character of the San Francisco Bay Area, supporting Conservation and Informal Science initiatives.

Quantifiable outcome

• Advanced quantum imaging capabilities enabling single atom resolution microscopy
• +2 more outcomes

Segments4 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

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

• BBC StoryworksminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 25 June 2026Produced a film exploring Inuit-led stewardship of the Arctic Ocean, available in English, Greenlandic, and Danish languages.
• Oceans North Kalaallit NunaatmajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 25 June 2026Greenland-based nonprofit organization working to advance sustainable ocean management and marine conservation. Partner in film production highlighting Inuit perspectives on stewardship, resilience, and the future of Greenland's waters.
• IFT (Institute of Food Technologists)majorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 9 June 2026$3 million grant to IFT's Global Food Traceability Center to expand interoperable traceability standards, develop implementation tools, and advance advocacy with regulators and industry stakeholders across global food systems.
• SystemiqmajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 29 April 2026Co-produced report with Moore Foundation analyzing China's application of industrial strategy playbook from green energy and EVs to transform its food system.
• Science Philanthropy AlliancemajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 22 April 2026Moore Foundation participates in this alliance which grew to 45 member organizations, working to fill gaps left by US federal funding cuts through expanded scientific philanthropy.
• UK Advanced Research and Invention AgencyminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 22 April 2026Partnership to develop promising research proposals, as part of efforts to expand scientific philanthropy reach.
• Rutgers University-New BrunswickmajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 12 March 2026$1.5 million grant to support 37 postdoctoral researchers across various disciplines including astrophysics, biology, materials science, and earth sciences.
• Walton Family FoundationmajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 19 February 2026Co-authored an article calling for increased philanthropy to address the intersection of catastrophic wildfires and water security in the Western United States.
• XPRIZEcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 29 January 2026Co-title sponsor of the $11 million XPRIZE Wildfire competition, specifically the Autonomous Wildfire Response Track. The competition seeks to develop autonomous drone and AI-coordinated systems capable of detecting and suppressing wildfires within 10 minutes.
• Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 29 January 2026Co-title sponsor with Moore Foundation of the XPRIZE Wildfire competition. Hosted the finalist announcement event at PG&E headquarters in Oakland.
• Federation of American ScientistsmajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 September 2025Hosted the Philanthropy Partnerships Summit in September 2025 in Washington, D.C., convening 32 senior leaders from 27 philanthropic organizations alongside NSF representatives to explore collaboration models.
• National Science Foundation (NSF)majorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 September 2025Partnership established through FIRE program with Moore Foundation, demonstrating how simple structures and shared review processes can enable rapid collaboration. NSF representatives participated in Philanthropy Partnerships Summit.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Alfred P. Sloan Foundation: Major US science research foundation funding basic research in physics, chemistry, mathematics, economics, and related fields. Directly comparable to Moore's Science program with similar scale and research-driven grantmaking.
• Simons Foundation: Large US philanthropic foundation funding basic science, mathematics, and autism research. Comparable scale and direct overlap with Moore's quantum systems, experimental physics, and mathematics-adjacent funding.
• Kavli Foundation: US science philanthropist supporting astrophysics, nanoscience, neuroscience, and theoretical physics through endowed institutes. Directly comparable to Moore's quantum systems, Thirty Meter Telescope, and experimental physics programs.
• David and Lucile Packard Foundation: Large US foundation funding science, ocean conservation, and climate. Directly comparable to Moore's Marine Conservation Initiative and science grantmaking with similar endowment scale.
• Pew Charitable Trusts: US foundation funding environmental conservation (especially oceans), science, and public policy. Comparable to Moore's environmental grantmaking and Bay Area programs.
• Schmidt Sciences: Philanthropy funding basic science and frontier research, including Convergent Research focused research organizations. Directly comparable to Moore's science programs and explicitly named as a partnership peer in source materials.
• Walton Family Foundation: US foundation funding environmental conservation, particularly ocean and river systems. Explicitly identified as a peer partner with Moore on wildfire/water security collaborations; comparable grant scale and program focus.
• Hewlett Foundation: Large US foundation funding environment, education, and Bay Area programs. Direct overlap with Moore's Environmental Conservation and San Francisco Bay Area programs with similar grant scale.

Broad incumbents

• Howard Hughes Medical Institute: US biomedical research organization funding investigator science at scale, including emerging scientists. Larger, biomedical-focused broad incumbent in the science philanthropy space with similar 'bold bets' culture.
• Wellcome Trust: UK-based global charitable foundation funding science, health, and climate. Larger international broad incumbent comparable to Moore's scientific and environmental scope with comparable multi-decade initiative scale.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/MooreFound
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/gordon-and-betty-moore-foundation

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments7 records

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Frequently asked questions about Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation