Heising-Simons Foundation

Heising-Simons Foundation
Formation2007
TypePrivate foundation
HeadquartersLos Altos, CA
President and CEO
Jennifer Shipp (acting)
Key people
Liz Simons, Mark Heising, Caitlin Heising
Disbursements$947.7 million (2007-2023)
Websitehttps://www.hsfoundation.org/

The Heising-Simons Foundation is a private foundation established by philanthropists Elizabeth (Liz) Simons and Mark Heising in Los Altos, California in 2007.[1][2] The Heising-Simons Foundation's board consists of Liz Simons, Mark Heising, and their daughter Caitlin Heising.[3] Liz Simons and Mark Heising signed the Giving Pledge in 2016.[4]

The Heising-Simons Foundation's main areas of work include early childhood education, science, climate and clean energy, community and opportunity, and human rights.[1] It also funds a science fellowship known as the 51 Pegasi b Fellowship,[5] and the American Mosaic Journalism Prize.[6] It does not accept unsolicited grant proposals.[7]

The Heising-Simons Foundation's Acting President and CEO is Jennifer Shipp, taking over from Sushma Raman, who joined in 2023 from the Carr Center for Human Rights Policy at Harvard University.[8][9] The previous President and CEO was Deanna Gomby, who joined from the David and Lucile Packard Foundation.[1]

  1. ^ a b c Scutari, Mike (2021-11-02). "Seven Questions for Deanna Gomby, President and CEO of the Heising-Simons Foundation". Inside Philanthropy. Retrieved 2023-04-11.
  2. ^ Williams, Tate (2017-08-21). "Inside the Heising-Simons Foundation: A Brainy Startup Finds its Way in 3 Major Arenas". Inside Philanthropy. Retrieved 2023-04-11.
  3. ^ Perkins, Madeleine (2023-09-12). "President and CEO Sushma Raman Joins Heising-Simons Foundation Board". Heising-Simons Foundation. Retrieved 2024-02-14.
  4. ^ Simons, Liz (2023-04-11). "Liz Simons and Mark Heising". The Giving Pledge. Retrieved 2023-04-11.
  5. ^ Hill, Helen (2017-01-26). "Jason Dittmann named an inaugural Heising-Simons Foundation 51 Pegasi b Postdoctoral Fellow". MIT News. Retrieved 2023-04-11.
  6. ^ Castillo, Amaris (2022-04-28). "Why this family foundation gives out $100,000 of unrestricted money to select freelance journalists". Poynter. Retrieved 2023-04-11.
  7. ^ Chang, Audrey (2020-05-13). "Philanthropists step up in COVID fight: Los Altos foundation surpasses $500M in targeted giving". Los Altos Town Crier. Retrieved 2023-04-11.
  8. ^ "Heising-Simons Foundation Names Jennifer Shipp Acting President and CEO". Heising-Simons Foundation. 2024-07-22. Retrieved 2024-07-22.
  9. ^ Prest, M.J. (2023-01-20). "Heising-Simons Foundation Selects New CEO". The Chronicle of Philanthropy. Retrieved 2023-04-11.