Sean HegartyChief Financial Officer
Grantmaker · Funders · New York, NY · Est. 2015
Founders Pledge is a nonprofit that helps entrepreneurs and other high-wealth individuals give more effectively by combining (1) evidence-based philanthropic research, (2) advising and operational support, and (3) giving infrastructure (including an in-house Donor Advised Fund) plus specialized “Funds” in priority cause areas. The organization operates as an “impact multiplier”: it runs research that identifies high-impact funding opportunities, then enables members and donors to direct capital through its pooled fund structures and donor-advised giving mechanisms.
Operationally, Founders Pledge describes itself as bridging a gap between founders’ desire to “do good” and the time/tools needed to select and fund charities effectively. It states that it does not charge membership fees and relies on donor support, including foundation support such as Open Philanthropy. Strategically, Founders Pledge has emphasized (a) rigorous evaluation and decision frameworks under uncertainty, (b) the ability to move quickly when funding ecosystems change (for example around foreign aid uncertainty), and (c) building diversified grant portfolios—particularly in climate—so its grants remain resilient to political and market shifts. Recent messaging highlights rapid-response grantmaking and the launch/transition of targeted funds in response to policy disruptions.
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Celebrating the first close of Pledge Ventures!
After Raising Over $13 Million for Evidence-Based Charities Amid Foreign Aid Cuts, The Life You Can Save and Founders Pledge Transition to the Next Era of PhilanthropyThe nonprofit organizations are transitioning from emergency response to long-term solutions as reduced government funding becomes the new reality.
High-Impact Funding Recommendations to Support NowWhere your support will make the biggest difference right now.
Searching for impact: How our Global Health & Development Fund fits into the development landscapeThis blog provides an overview of the Global Health & Development funding landscape and identifies the unique role that the Founders Pledge Global Health and Development Fund will play.
Iodine Global NetworkOne of our recommended high-impact funding opportunities
Sarah Grogan and Phil Mohr Life on the PledgeLife on the Pledge is our blog series sharing Founders Pledge member's giving journeys. In this edition, we meet Sarah Grogan and Phil Mohr from Metica, a company building machine-learning systems for mobile games.
Planning your giving with Founders PledgeHow can entrepreneurs achieve real social impact? Founders Pledge outlines how to commit and plan for charitable giving, and account for wealth planning, tax benefits (including capital gains and income tax relief), and maximizing impact.
From Rapid Response to Lasting Impact: Launching the GHD Catalytic Impact FundOne year of the Catalytic Impact FundReflections on our first twelve months
$178M Over Six Years: Bold Gifts Enable Bold BetsLast week, the Founders Pledge Climate Fund received a $60M donation, the third consecutive year of transformational support from an anonymous donor.
On the ground with our granteesWhat we learned from our grantee site visit in Ethiopia
Community NewsRead the latest news, insights and stories from Founders Pledge, our global community and our work to make high-impact giving the norm.
Founders Pledge highlighted progress from the first year of its Catalytic Impact Fund with authors identified as part of its team and research communications.
On the ground with our granteesFounders Pledge published an update describing field visit context and giving outcomes, including a reported $2M grant to the Clinton Health Access Initiative (CHAI) as a joint grant from its Catalytic Impact Fund and Rapid Response Fund.
$178M Over Six Years: Bold Gifts Enable Bold BetsFounders Pledge reported that its Climate Fund received a $60M donation and described how the accumulated Climate Fund support has enabled ongoing climate grantmaking under political and ecosystem uncertainty, including recent grant examples.
Grantmaking methodology for high-uncertainty contextsFounders Pledge posted a description of a grantmaking methodology framework for climate action/philanthropy under high uncertainty, including that the origins of the work date back to 2021 and are intended to be shareable with other organizations.
Change and Continuity: New Leadership for 2026Founders Pledge announced a leadership change: COO Charlotte Monico stepping into the role of CEO, while Founder David Goldberg moves to Founder & President.
From Rapid Response to Lasting Impact: Launching the GHD Catalytic Impact FundFounders Pledge announced the GHD Catalytic Impact Fund as a successor to the Rapid Response Fund, including a reported joint grant commitment to CHAI Technical Support Units with at least $800K from the Rapid Response Fund and $200K from the GHD Catalytic Impact Fund.