Our Interest Areas

We seek to find the solutions and support ways of thinking that will help us fulfill our mission to understand and shape the impact of technology on all aspects of our society.

We believe

The impact potential of a philanthropic organization goes beyond the individual impact of specific grants or even broader strategies.

A well-functioning philanthropy is also a learning organization. It should learn from successes as well as failures, connect the dots between issue silos and sectors, be humble about what it knows, and identify gaps in knowledge that need to be filled. It is our goal that advancing knowledge in our grantmaking interest areas will lead to better decision making for ourselves and other funders, as well as for policy makers, and leaders in the private and nonprofit sectors.

Interest Area

Learning

We believe that holistic, multidimensional learning ecosystems—designed to meet the interconnected needs of the whole learner, whole school, and whole community—are essential for fostering lifelong learning, driving equitable outcomes, and preparing individuals to thrive in an evolving world. How can we redesign education systems to center students by fostering future-ready learning environments that address the interconnected needs of learners, schools, and communities?

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Interest Area

Work

AI and emerging technologies are fundamentally reshaping work and employment, and that excluding workers and communities from their development will exacerbate longstanding inequalities and power imbalances. How can we empower workers and communities to shape and leverage emerging technologies to amplify their voices, meet their needs, and ensure workplace innovation fosters equity and prevents harm?

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Interest Area

Infrastructure

Vibrant communities flourish when supported by just and equitable infrastructures, co-created in partnership with those they serve. Without intentional power-sharing and collaboration, inequalities will deepen, eroding our collective potential to build a more inclusive and sustainable future. How might we ensure that communities have meaningful opportunities to co-design, guide, and oversee the development, implementation, and maintenance of the infrastructures they rely upon?

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Go Deeper

Case Studies

Case Study: CitizensNYC

With a half century of service under its belt, CitizensNYC is one of the most experienced micro-funding organizations in the…

Case Studies

Case Study: CommunityShare

CommunityShare ignites civic engagement and a passion for learning by activating the wisdom and lived experiences of educators, students, and…

Case Studies

Case Study: The Maintainers

The Maintainers is a global research and practice network that focuses on maintenance, repair, care, and the mundane labor that…