The Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation is one of the largest private funders of basic science and environmental conservation research in the United States. For research administrators building out a funding portfolio beyond federal agencies, it is a distinctive case: a foundation that funds at a scale comparable to a mid-sized federal program, but through a largely invitation-based process rather than open competitions like those run by NSF or NIH. This guide covers what the foundation funds, how its process actually works, and what that means for how an office of research should approach it.
What the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation Is
The foundation was established by Intel co-founder Gordon Moore and his wife, Betty Moore, and made its first grants in 2001. Its stated mission is to “create positive outcomes for future generations” through “sustained, scientifically sound philanthropy,” pursuing what the founders describe as an intent to build “an ever more powerful engine of progress in society.” As of this writing, the foundation reports cumulative giving of roughly $6.2 billion across more than 4,400 grants since its founding — a running total that changes as new grants are made, so treat any specific figure as a snapshot rather than a fixed number.
Unlike a government funder, the Moore Foundation does not run a single unified grant program. It organizes its giving into three broad program areas, each with its own strategy, staff, and set of named initiatives.
The Three Program Areas
Science
The Science program funds basic research intended to “advance basic science through developing new technologies, supporting imaginative research scientists and creating new collaborations at the frontiers of traditional scientific disciplines.” Its named initiatives include:
- Curiosity-Driven Science Initiative — open-ended, investigator-driven basic research not tied to a specific disease or technology outcome.
- Emergent Phenomena in Quantum Systems Initiative — experimental condensed matter and quantum materials physics.
- Experimental Physics Investigators Initiative — support for early- and mid-career experimental physicists.
- Green Chemistry Initiative — chemistry aimed at reducing the environmental footprint of chemical processes and products.
- Moore Inventor Fellows — support for scientist-inventors developing new tools and technologies (detailed below, since it is the foundation’s one clearly application-based mechanism).
- Symbiosis in Aquatic Systems Initiative — the biology of symbiotic relationships in marine and freshwater systems.
- Thirty Meter Telescope — capital and planning support for the TMT astronomical observatory project.
Environmental Conservation
This program area “balances long-term conservation with sustainable use to protect critical ecosystems,” with a strong emphasis on marine and freshwater systems. Named initiatives include:
- Andes-Amazon Initiative — conservation of the Andes-Amazon river basin.
- Arctic Ocean Initiative — marine ecosystem protection in Arctic waters.
- Conservation and Markets Initiative — market-based approaches to sustainable fisheries and seafood supply chains.
- Wildfire Resilience Initiative — research and practice supporting landscape and community resilience to wildfire.
San Francisco Bay Area
The foundation’s third program area is explicitly regional: it exists “to foster, preserve, and enhance the special character of the Bay Area, where the foundation can make a difference consistent with the founders’ values,” spanning local conservation work and informal science education. This program area is generally not relevant to research administrators outside the Bay Area, but it is worth knowing it exists so it isn’t mistaken for a national opportunity.
How to Apply: The Invitation-Based Model
The most important operational fact for a research administrator to understand about the Moore Foundation is that it does not run open calls for proposals or accept unsolicited applications as its default mode. Program officers identify and cultivate relationships with researchers and institutions whose work aligns with a given initiative’s strategy, and funding conversations typically begin from that side, not from a submitted application landing in a general inbox. Reporting on the foundation’s approach describes program staff reviewing “selected concepts on an ad hoc basis,” where a promising, well-aligned idea can prompt a conversation about a possible grant — but this is discretionary outreach-based engagement, not a standing application channel.
This has two direct consequences for how an institution should approach the foundation:
- Cold, unsolicited full proposals are not the entry point. Sending a complete proposal package to the foundation without a prior relationship or invitation is unlikely to be reviewed the way a submission to a federal solicitation would be.
- Relationship-building and alignment research come first. Research administrators supporting a faculty member who wants to pursue Moore Foundation funding should focus on identifying which specific initiative (not just “the Moore Foundation” generically) the work aligns with, and on finding a warm introduction — through prior grantees, professional networks, or conference contacts — rather than treating it as a standard competitive submission.
The exception: Moore Inventor Fellows
The one Moore Foundation program that functions as a recognizable, application-based competition is the Moore Inventor Fellows program, which supports scientist-inventors creating new tools and technologies with potential to accelerate progress in scientific discovery, environmental conservation, and patient care. It is typically run as a nomination-based competition: eligible institutions are invited to put forward a limited number of candidates, which many research offices manage internally as a limited submission (an internal competition to select which nominee(s) an institution puts forward, common wherever a funder caps the number of applications per institution). As reported by participating universities’ research offices, the fellowship has provided $200,000 per year for three years directly to the fellow, plus $25,000 per year to the host institution to help administer the award — a total award value of roughly $675,000. Because eligibility and nomination slots are institution-limited, research administrators should confirm current terms and their own institution’s internal nomination process directly with their sponsored programs or research development office each cycle rather than assuming prior-year figures still apply.
Eligibility and What the Foundation Looks For
Across its program areas, the foundation generally funds nonprofit organizations, universities, and research institutions with a demonstrated track record and capacity to execute the proposed work, rather than individual researchers directly (the Inventor Fellowship, which funds a named fellow through a host institution, is the notable exception). Grant decisions emphasize measurable, durable impact and close alignment with a specific initiative’s stated strategy rather than general disciplinary relevance — a strong project in condensed matter physics, for example, needs to fit the scope of the Emergent Phenomena in Quantum Systems Initiative specifically, not just “physics” broadly.
A Note on Name Confusion
Because “Moore” is a common surname, searches for this foundation frequently surface unrelated organizations with similar names — various “Moore Family Foundation” entities registered in different states, and smaller Moore-named family foundations with entirely different missions, staff, and application policies. The Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation is the science- and conservation-focused foundation described in this guide, headquartered in Palo Alto, California, and distinct from those other organizations. When researching a specific Moore-named foundation, confirm the exact legal entity (not just the name) before assuming its policies apply.
Where This Fits in a Research Administrator’s Funding Portfolio
Private foundation funding like the Moore Foundation’s typically complements, rather than replaces, federal support. It often funds work that federal agencies are structurally less able to — higher-risk, early-stage, or interdisciplinary work, instrumentation, or work outside a specific agency’s mission scope. See CASRAI’s guides to NSF grants and NIH grants for the federal comparison point, and how indirect costs are calculated for how F&A recovery considerations differ between federal and foundation awards — many private foundations, including large ones, cap indirect cost recovery well below a university’s federally negotiated rate, which is worth confirming before budgeting a Moore Foundation-funded project the same way a federal one would be budgeted.
For comparison with how other major private research funders operate, see CASRAI’s guides to the Wellcome Trust, the W.M. Keck Foundation, the Arnold and Mabel Beckman Foundation, the G. Harold and Leila Y. Mathers Foundation, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, and the Rita Allen Foundation Scholars Program, as well as the broader guide to finding and applying for foundation grants as an early-career investigator.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation accept unsolicited grant proposals?
No, not as a standard channel. The foundation’s default model is invitation-based: program officers identify aligned researchers and institutions and initiate the conversation, though staff have described reviewing selected concepts on an ad hoc basis when a strong fit presents itself. The Moore Inventor Fellows program is the clearest exception, run as a structured nomination-based competition.
What are the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation’s main program areas?
Three: Science, Environmental Conservation, and San Francisco Bay Area. Each contains several named initiatives with their own scope and strategy — a proposal needs to fit a specific initiative, not just the program area broadly.
How much does the Moore Inventor Fellowship pay?
As reported by participating institutions, the award has provided $200,000 per year to the fellow for three years, plus $25,000 per year to the host institution for administrative support — roughly $675,000 in total. Confirm current terms directly, since award structures can change between cycles.
Is the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation the same as other organizations named “Moore Foundation”?
No. Several unrelated organizations use similar “Moore Family Foundation” or “Moore Foundation” names. Confirm the specific legal entity before relying on any stated policy, since eligibility rules and application processes differ across them.
How much has the Moore Foundation given away in total?
The foundation reports cumulative grantmaking in the billions of dollars across thousands of grants since its first grants in 2001. Because this is a running total, treat any specific figure as current only as of when it was checked, and verify against the foundation’s own site for the latest number.
