Michael and Susan Dell Foundation

OVERVIEW: The Michael and Susan Dell Foundation’s programs and grantmaking support education, career development, Jewish causes, financial inclusion and health. Its geographic focus areas are the U.S., the Greater Austin area, India and South Africa.

IP TAKE: The Dell Foundation is a funder that has grown tremendously over the last few years: the foundation’s $7.5 billion endowment is “four and a half times the size it was about two years ago,” according to a recent IP article. This may indicate an impending increase in annual giving, possibly ramping up from its current $120 million annually toward an amount even more dramatic. Dell’s mission has expanded over the years as well. Its initial focus was education and health in Texas and nationally; in 2017, as IP has reported, it expanded to include more extensive work in East and South Africa, Israel, and India, as well as a greater focus on college success for low-income students. Across its areas of interest, Dell prefers evidence-based and results-driven programs and aims to effect broad change. Dell has also increased its impact investment activities, stating on its website that it invests in “mission-driven companies that are developing new products, tools, and services to improve the lives of people living in urban poverty.”

Dell is an accessible and transparent funder that hosts a rolling grant application form. Notably, Dell accepts applications from both for-profit and non-profit organizations. Grantseekers can also access detailed eligibility requirements and peruse Dell’s grants database. All told, Dell is an important funder to know about for grantseekers working within its areas of interest.

PROFILE: Based in Austin, Texas, the Michael and Susan Dell Foundation was established by Dell Technologies founder and CEO Michael Dell with his wife, Susan, in 1999. It is a private foundation that is not affiliated with Dell, Inc. The foundation’s overarching goal is to “accelerate opportunity for children growing up in urban poverty through improved education, health and family economic stability.”

In its early years, Dell focused its efforts on health and education in the Central Texas area and was particularly known for making significant donations to established institutions. In 2006, for example, the foundation “provided $50 million in grants to three health-related organizations associated with the University of Texas: the Michael & Susan Dell Center for Advancement of Healthy Living, the Dell Pediatric Research Institute to complement the Dell Children’s Medical Center, as well as funding for a new computer science building at the UT Austin campus.” While Dell still supports these initiatives, its work has expanded to include education, health and economic development across the U.S. and in India, Israel, and East and South Africa.

The Michael and Susan Dell Foundation’s stated grantmaking program areas are:

Grants for Education

Education is by far Dell’s largest area of funding, and grants support the programs of Quality Schools, Classroom Supports, and University Success. All three programs prioritize students of low socioeconomic status and aim to close achievement gaps for underserved students. Grantmaking focuses on data-driven interventions and the expansion of highly effective programs. The education program also runs K-12 and higher education sub-initiatives that are exclusive to the Greater Austin area.

Grants for K-12 Education

K-12 grantmaking stems from Dell’s Quality Schools and Classroom Supports programs. The quality schools program makes grants to school systems in Austin, Texas, in other areas of the U.S., and India and South Africa that are geared toward providing high quality educational experiences to students from low-income backgrounds. The classroom supports subprogram focuses on bringing “tools, technology and resources” to under-sourced classrooms.

In the U.S., grantmaking has focused on charter schools and increasing diversity and access, with $120 million earmarked just for U.S. charter schools in 2024, according to a recent IP article.
In India, the foundation has prioritized the implementation of research-based interventions that improve academic outcomes and the teaching of life skills that correlate with academic success.
In the Greater Austin area, Dell supports grantee partners that “help more students get an education that will set them up for success… and ensuring students from low-income areas gain the knowledge and skills to advance their education and careers.”
Similarly, in South Africa Dell has focused on programs that eliminate tuition and school fees, as well as increasing the quality of reading instruction.
In addition to technology-based learning interventions, the foundation has funded programs that help teachers assess student knowledge, analyze classroom data and plan for more effective instruction.
K-12 grantees include South Africa’s Acorn Education, the Ed-Fi Alliance, Rocketship Public Schools and ClassKlap, a technology-driven education system that has had success in low-income areas in India.

Grants for Higher Education

Dell’s University Success initiative prioritizes low-income and first-generation college students in the U.S. and South Africa as they navigate the pressures and difficulties of postsecondary education. In the U.S., the foundation runs a signature program, Dell Scholars, which provides scholarships, mentoring, technology and other supports to students who meet the foundation’s GPA requirement of Grit, Potential and Ambition. Dell also supports programs in the Greater Austin area “to make higher education possible for more students in our region.”

- Cohorts of Dell Scholars have achieved a six-year graduation rate of 80%, beating the national average of 20%. The success of the Scholars program led the foundation to establish its enabling innovation program, which partners with large university systems and other organizations to develop similar systems of support for high-risk students.
- Partners have included the National Scholarship Providers Association, the University of Pretoria and Arizona State University.
- In India, Dell administers the Dell Aspire Scholars program, which “empowers college students to achieve their professional aspirations and become leaders in their careers and communities.” Dell’s website states that this program is “embedded within Delhi Technological University and Hansraj College at Delhi University, two of India’s leading academic institutions.”
- In South Africa, Dell runs the Dell Young Leaders Program, which is “designed to empower university students—many of whom are the first in their families to attend university—to reach graduation and begin a meaningful career.”

Grants for Global Development

Dell supports global initiatives through two program areas:

The Jobs and Livelihoods program works in both India and South Africa to help disadvantaged young people get the training and preparation needed for jobs in growth industries.
The Financial Services program works in India to establish accessible financial services and resources for urban families living in poverty.
Recent grantees of these programs include India’s Arthan Finance, the South African digital training platform WETHINKCODE and Amazi, a South African organization that provides women with training for jobs in the beauty industry.

Grants for Economic and Community Development, and Texas

In addition to its global development focus, the Jobs and Livelihoods program also supports initiatives that are exclusive to the Greater Austin area and others that have a national reach within the U.S. The Jobs & Livelihoods and Greater Austin programs work to “to connect education to quality jobs,” provide skills and technical training, and connect young job seekers with employers and meaningful work.

The Dell Foundation also supports community health, children’s health and safety, and the nonprofit community in Greater Austin and seeks to “to create the stability individuals and families need to build stronger futures and move toward greater economic opportunity.”

Grants for Health and Public Health

Dell’s Health Innovation initiative supports health, mental health, medical research, and wellness across the U.S. as well as in Greater Austin. This program works broadly across many areas of health and healthcare, with the overarching mission statement to “create a new type of health system that is designed to improve health and not just health care… through the use of technology, collaboration, and research.”

Funding has overlapped somewhat with Dell’s urban education grantmaking, focusing on services and wellness education provided at or through schools.
Grantees have included charter school networks, which have used funding to establish school-based counseling, mental health and health screening programs.
The program also supports nutrition education programs. One grantee, Foodcorps Inc., a subsidiary of Americorps, used funding to run its school-based nutrition and gardening programs.

The Greater Austin program also runs sub-initiatives that are exclusive to the community. These programs emphasize preventive medicine, primary care and high-quality professional development for the medical community in greater Austin. Grantees include the Texas Health Institute, the People’s Community Clinic and the University of Texas at Austin.

Grants for Jewish Causes

The Dell Foundation’s grants for the Jewish Community focus on invigorating Jewish life, as well as building connections among Jewish youth and young adults, while “combating hate and keeping students safe in the face of antisemitism.”

This program’s work has invested in community centers, creating “joyous Jewish experiences,” fostering family stability, countering antisemitism and “anti-zionism.” Note that funding here is heavily pro-Israel, often making grants that benefit work abroad there.
Funding for work that impacts Israel
strives to create economic opportunities that help all Israelis improve their livelihoods as they rebuild their lives. The Dell Foundation seeks to do this by building partnerships with “on-the-ground organizations to create enduring pathways into the workforce and galvanize higher education through scholarships and technology.” Much of Dell’s work abroad in Israel also focuses on providing humanitarian aid, trauma therapy for Israelis, and essential medical support.

Important Grant Details:

The Michael and Susan Dell Foundation has awarded over $120 million in grants annually in past years; however, that jumped to around $308 million in a recent year. Grants range from a few thousand to several million. Its average grant size is about $200,000. According to its website, Dell has given more than $2.4 billion since 1999.

Grantmaking is generally limited to the U.S., India and South Africa, and much of U.S. funding remains in Texas.
For a clearer picture of past grantmaking, see the foundation’s grants database at its website.

The Dell Foundation accepts unsolicited applications for some of its education, health and economic development subprograms. See the foundation’s FAQ section for additional information. General inquiries may be directed to foundation staff via email or contact form.

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