CEO Fund: Technology and Society The Heising-Simons Foundation’s CEO Fund addresses the impact of technology on society. In 2023, the Heising-Simons Foundation partnered with other philanthropies to contribute more than $200 million in funding toward public interest efforts to mitigate artificial intelligence (AI) harms and promote responsible use and innovation.
Climate and Clean Energy The Heising-Simons Foundation's Climate and Clean Energy program funds work around energy policy analysis, public utility commissions, energy efficiency standards, and climate communications. The Heising-Simons Foundation joined the Climate Funders Justice Pledge in 2022. In 2021, the Heising-Simons Foundation was one of the founding members of the Equitable Building Electrification Fund, a fund that seeks to advance an equitable transition to building electrification for communities most impacted by fossil fuels.
Education The Heising-Simons Foundation’s Education program awards grants in early childhood education, including supporting early math education and dual language learners. and supporting human rights for all. Caitlin Heising serves on the board of directors of
Human Rights Watch (HRW) and is the vice chair of HRW’s U.S. Program Advisory Committee. In 2023, the Heising-Simons Foundation signed the California Black Freedom Fund’s Philanthropic Sign on Letter in response to police violence in the wake of
Tyre Nichols’ death.
Journalism The Heising-Simons Foundation’s Journalism portfolio recognizes and supports journalism as a critical element of a healthy and multicultural democracy, focusing in underrepresented groups and voices in media and investigative journalism. The Foundation's Journalism portfolio awards the
American Mosaic Journalism Prize, which annually awards two freelance journalists with $100,000 each in unrestricted funds for "excellence in long-form, narrative or deep reporting about underrepresented and/or misrepresented groups in the American landscape".
Science The Heising-Simons Foundation's Science program awards research grants in
astronomy and
cosmology,
fundamental physics,
paleoclimatology,
climate science, and the search for axion dark matter. In 2017, the Science program launched the 51 Pegasi b Fellowship, intended to allow post-doctorate researchers the opportunity to conduct theoretical, observational, and experimental research in planetary astronomy. Funds cover a stipend for fellows, as well as travel and accommodations for six to eight weeks. == See also ==