Billionaire philanthropist and political activist Michael Moritz is offering up to three organizations from anywhere in the world as much as $50 million each for their winning ideas on improving life for San Francisco residents.
The competition, called Boundless San Francisco, is a collaboration between Michael Moritz and his wife, artist Harriet Heyman, through their philanthropic Crankstart Foundation, and Lever for Change, a nonprofit that connects philanthropists with organizations, as Bloomberg reports. The organizers are inviting applicants from anywhere in the world, with proposals in any field, as long as the projects are primarily aimed at benefiting San Francisco.
Up to three organizations will ultimately receive between $10 million and $50 million each to put their ideas into practice. The initiative is looking for proposals that combine an ambitious vision for the city with a practical plan for building and sustaining it.
“The best ideas rarely come from where you expect them,” Moritz said in an emailed statement.
According to Bloomberg, Lever for Change says it has awarded more than $2.6 billion to more than 500 organizations internationally. Similar projects to Boundless SF include initiatives such as revitalizing Chicago’s South Side and improving mental health outcomes in Texas.
Applicants will first go through a readiness assessment and registration process before submitting their proposals, which will be reviewed in stages beginning with a Participatory Review in November and December when applicants will score the submissions of their peers. The competition team will then select between three and seven finalists based on transformative ambition, viability, evidence of results, and durability.
Up to three winners will then be selected in fall 2027 following several months of product development in which the finalists share between $1 million and $3.5 million in funding.
An applicant webinar is scheduled for August 18 to explain the competition, demonstrate the registration process, and answer questions. Interested organizations are encouraged to use the Organization Readiness Tool to determine eligibility.
The registration deadline is September 11, and completed applications must be submitted by October 9.
Moritz, a former journalist who reportedly moved to SF from the UK 40 years ago, made his fortune investing in companies including Google, YouTube, and PayPal. Crankstart has directed more than $1 billion toward a wide range of local programs and nonprofits since 2020, including college scholarships, museums, and reproductive health access, according to a Bloomberg analysis of public records.
Bloomberg notes that the new competition comes as private philanthropy has taken on a growing role in funding public projects and services in San Francisco, with Mayor Daniel Lurie actively seeking financial support from the city’s tech and business communities.
Related: Michael Moritz Says He Plans to Fund Together SF For 'Five or Six Years' In Lengthy New Profile
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