About
Powering social innovators to transform our world
Our Approach
In 1999, Jeff Skoll created the Foundation to build a sustainable world of peace and prosperity for all. The Skoll Foundation catalyzes transformational social change by investing in, connecting, and championing social entrepreneurs and other social innovators who together advance bold and equitable solutions to the world’s most pressing problems.
Invest
We invest in social entrepreneurs and other social innovators who offer a compelling vision, creative solutions, and proven approaches.
Connect
We connect our community to drive towards transformational change through our global network and convenings like the Skoll World Forum to share learnings, join forces, and achieve ambitious goals with other social innovators, funders, and key stakeholders.
Champion
We use our voice and global audience to champion the work of social innovators, helping extend their reach and expand their impact. Combining storytelling, thought leadership, and strategic alliances, we support organizations to mobilize more resources and create momentum for lasting social change.
Supporting Transformational Social Change
We support organizations tackling interconnected problems and advancing solutions from every angle—from disrupting unjust power dynamics and systems, changing attitudes and behaviors, and mobilizing movements, to improving services, policies, and practices. We focus on problems and places that are ripe for change, with high potential for major impact.
$1bOver $1 billion invested worldwide
As of December 31, 2021, the Skoll Foundation has invested over $1 billion worldwide, including the Skoll Awards for Social Entrepreneurship and the Skoll Global Threats Fund.
334 social entrepreneurs and other social innovators
The Skoll Foundation has invested in 334 organizations on five continents.
The following core values inform our mission; guide our actions; and create our culture:
We trust those closest to the challenge to lead the change.
We believe diversity is a strength and difference is a teacher.
We can’t do it alone. It takes a community to drive enduring impact.
We strive for action over perfection.
We learn from our successes and failures and admit when we don’t have the answers.
We embrace a profound sense of responsibility.
Where We Work
Our team is based in Palo Alto, California. Our reach is global: we work in communities large and small, supporting social innovators all over the world.
Strategic Priorities
We focus our resources on interconnected challenges that deeply affect people’s lives and the future of our world. We consider factors like global severity, impacted communities, urgency, and our ability to make a difference. These problems call for swift and strategic action to take on root causes and transform the systems that perpetuate them. Our priorities will evolve to address urgent challenges and new opportunities. We are working to incorporate equity into every aspect of our work.
Over the last 20 years, Jeff has created an innovative portfolio of philanthropic and commercial enterprises, each a distinctive social catalyst. Together, these organizations drive social impact by investing in a range of efforts that integrate powerful stories and data with entrepreneurial approaches.
