Established in 2007 by husband and wife Board Members Mark Heising and Liz Simons, the Heising-Simons Foundation is dedicated to sustainable solutions in environment, supporting groundbreaking research in science, and enhancing the education of the nation’s youngest learners. The Foundation makes grants at the local, state, and national levels.

What They Do

Education

Their focus is on early childhood education because they believe in beginning at the beginning, that children’s early educational experiences lay the foundation for later learning. They believe that education is broad and encompasses children’s experiences at home, in early learning settings, in schools, and in communities.

They believe that learning difficulties are best addressed when children are young, and that prevention beats intervention. They believe that birth through age 8 is a formative phase in a child’s life and an opportune time to begin to engage families in their children’s learning. They believe that early learning should connect and align with later learning, so that education is a continuum, rather than a series of fragmented experiences.

In education, the Foundation focuses on children ages birth through 8 years and their families and, especially, children from low-income families and/or children of immigrants and dual language learners. The aim of their grantmaking is to prepare children from birth through 8 years for school and life. They have three primary interests.

Environment

The Foundation supports solutions to environmental challenges founded on sound economic policy and sustainable practices. They are making investments in organizations that provide rigorous analysis and encourage balanced discourse. They support policy analysis, advocacy, and applied research to promote sustainable fishery management and healthy oceans, and to create a broad portfolio of climate solutions.

Science

The Science Program at the Heising-Simons Foundation provides support for fundamental basic science research primarily in physical science, energy and climate change science. The Foundation believes that basic research, done strategically, has the potential to innovate, elevate, and revolutionize the world. Across their funding for science, the Foundation support projects that employ a wide range of research methods, including observation, experimentation, theory development, and computation.

Policy

The heart of a vibrant democracy is an educated, engaged citizenry. To that end, they believe that the best public policy is one which is based on sound research and open policy discussions that embrace a breadth of perspectives. They support organizations that create a forum for dialogue with key thought leaders and decision makers within their primary areas of emphasis (e.g., Education, Environment, and Science).

Trustee Interests

The Foundation provides support to institutions and organizations in the counties of San Francisco, San Mateo, and Santa Clara that enhance the culture, enrich the lives, and/or provide vital support to individuals in the communities where the members of the board live and work. The Foundation also provides support for leading institutions that have played a significant role in the lives of the board members.