Sheryl Sandberg & Dave Goldberg Family Foundation

What Sheryl Sandberg & Dave Goldberg Family Foundation does

The Sandberg Goldberg Bernthal Family Foundation (SGBFF), also known historically as the Sheryl Sandberg & Dave Goldberg Family Foundation, is a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt private operating foundation established in 2013 and headquartered in Palo Alto, California. Founded by Sheryl Sandberg, former COO of Meta, and named in memory of her late husband Dave Goldberg, the foundation operates four interconnected initiatives: LeanIn.Org, which helps women achieve their ambitions and supports companies in building inclusive workplaces; Lean In Girls, a leadership program that helps girls see themselves as leaders; OptionB.Org, which helps people build resilience and find meaning in the face of adversity; and the Dave Goldberg Scholars Program, which empowers diverse young leaders through financial support, mentorship, and professional development. The foundation is led by co-founder and CEO Rachel Thomas, with marketing and content leadership in place across the program portfolio.

The foundation's programmatic content is delivered primarily through four branded digital platforms — leanin.org, leaningirls.org, optionb.org, and sgff.org (also presented at sgb.org) — supplemented by social channels on YouTube, LinkedIn, and Instagram. The foundation operates LeanIn.Org and OptionB.Org as closely affiliated program organizations. No proprietary technology platform, AI/ML capability, mobile application, API, or third-party integrations are disclosed; the technical footprint is content and community websites rather than software products. Three marks are formally registered: Lean In®, Option B℠, and The Sandberg Goldberg Bernthal Family Foundation℠.

As a non-commercial charitable foundation rather than a revenue-generating enterprise, SGBFF is funded through charitable contributions and endowment income and provides its programs free of charge to beneficiaries. No pricing models, customer revenue streams, or financial figures are disclosed. The foundation serves four persona-based beneficiary segments: women pursuing career ambitions, girls and young women, individuals and communities facing adversity, and diverse young leaders seeking scholarship support. Distribution is described as global via the digital platforms, with no geographic restrictions noted.

Name

Sheryl Sandberg & Dave Goldberg Family Foundation

Legal name

Sandberg Goldberg Bernthal Family Foundation

Website

https://sgff.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2013

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Sandberg Goldberg Bernthal Family Foundation is a Palo Alto-based 501(c)(3) private operating foundation running four initiatives: LeanIn.Org (women's leadership and inclusive workplaces), Lean In Girls (girls' leadership), OptionB.Org (resilience in adversity), and the Dave Goldberg Scholars Program (support for diverse young leaders).

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Nonprofit Gender Equality Foundation

NAICS

Grantmaking Foundations (813211), Child and Youth Services (624110), Other Individual and Family Services (624190)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Private Foundations (BPAGAKAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Social Justice & Human Rights Grantmaking Foundations (BPAGAKAN), Scholarship & Fellowship Foundations and Trusts (EDADAHAC)

Keywords

• Women leadership programs
• Gender equality initiatives
• Resilience building programs
• Girls leadership development
• Inclusive workplace programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Palo Alto

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Foundation Funding: As a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt private operating foundation, the organization is funded through charitable contributions and endowment income rather than commercial revenue generation. No specific revenue streams disclosed.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels1 record

Core offering

The Sandberg Goldberg Bernthal Family Foundation is a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt private operating foundation that runs four initiatives: Lean In (helping women achieve their ambitions and helping companies build inclusive workplaces), Lean In Girls (a leadership program for girls), Option B (helping people build resilience and find meaning in the face of adversity), and the Dave Goldberg Scholars Program (providing financial support, mentorship, and professional development to diverse young leaders). All programs are delivered free of charge through affiliated program websites and digital content.

Product overview

The Sandberg Goldberg Bernthal Family Foundation is a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt private operating foundation that operates four key initiatives: Lean In (helping women achieve their ambitions and companies build inclusive workplaces), Lean In Girls (leadership program for girls), Option B (resilience and meaning-building in adversity), and the Dave Goldberg Scholars Program (financial support and mentorship for diverse young leaders). These programs work together to build a more equal and resilient world.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Lean In: Helps women achieve their ambitions and helps companies build inclusive workplaces where women of all identities are supported and empowered
• Lean In Girls
• Option B
• David Goldberg Scholarship Program

Products and services

• Lean In LeanIn.Org helps women achieve their ambitions and helps companies build inclusive workplaces where women of all identities are supported and empowered, delivered through the Lean In community and Circles program.
• Lean In Girls Lean In Girls is a leadership program that helps girls see themselves as leaders in a world that often tells them they're not, delivered via leaningirls.org.
• Option B OptionB.Org helps people build resilience and find meaning in the face of adversity, delivered through resources, community, and content on optionb.org.
• Dave Goldberg Scholars Program The Dave Goldberg Scholars Program empowers diverse young leaders through financial support, mentorship, and professional development, delivered via the foundation's Goldberg Scholars portal.

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record.

• LeanIn.OrgOthersLeanIn.Org is an affiliated organization that operates the Lean In program, helping women achieve their ambitions and helping companies build inclusive workplaces. It is closely aligned with the foundation's mission.
• OptionB.OrgOthersOptionB.Org is an affiliated organization that operates the Option B program, helping people build resilience and find meaning in the face of adversity. It is closely aligned with the foundation's mission.

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• New America: New America is a think tank and policy incubator running programs on women, families, and inclusive economy. Comparable as a portfolio-based organization with programmatic initiatives adjacent to SGBFF's leadership and resilience themes.
• Ford Foundation: Ford Foundation is a major global private foundation funding gender, racial, and economic justice initiatives. Comparable as a large incumbent funder in the same gender-equity and social-justice grantmaking space where SGBFF also operates.
• Skoll Foundation: Skoll Foundation is a large private foundation funding social entrepreneurs tackling systemic issues, including equity and resilience. Comparable as a high-profile private foundation with a programmatic portfolio approach, though broader in scope than SGBFF.

Direct peers

• Girl Rising: Girl Rising uses storytelling, education curricula, and advocacy to advance girls' empowerment globally. Directly comparable to Lean In Girls on mission, target demographic, and content/curriculum-driven delivery model.
• Pivotal Ventures: Founded by Melinda French Gates, Pivotal Ventures is a private family office/foundation that funds gender equity, women's economic participation, and girls' leadership. Directly comparable to SGBFF as a high-profile tech-executive family philanthropic vehicle focused on the same women and girls mission space.
• Women for Women International: Women for Women International supports women survivors of war and conflict through training and economic empowerment. Comparable as a women-empowerment foundation delivering multi-component programming (education, economic, community) similar to SGBFF's portfolio approach.
• Catalyst: Catalyst is a nonprofit working with companies to build inclusive workplaces and advance women into leadership, mirroring Lean In's employer-focused inclusive-workplace value proposition. Closely comparable mission and corporate partner model.
• Malala Fund: Malala Fund invests in girls' education and leadership globally, with advocacy and program work targeting adolescent girls. Directly comparable as a high-profile, named-founder foundation working on girls' leadership and empowerment.
• AnitaB.org: AnitaB.org advances women in technical roles and computing leadership through programs, research, and events. Comparable to SGBFF on the intersection of gender equity, leadership development, and a tech-founder-aligned brand.

Regional players

• Women's Foundation of Colorado: Women's Foundation of Colorado is a state-level community foundation focused on women's economic self-sufficiency and leadership. Comparable as a women's foundation grantmaking and program model, but with a Colorado geographic focus rather than SGBFF's national/global profile.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/leaninorg
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/lean-in
• Instagraminstagram.com/leaninorg

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Sheryl Sandberg & Dave Goldberg Family Foundation