Endowment / Foundation

Updated:

Henry J. Kaiser Foundation

The Henry J. Kaiser Foundation was established in 1948 by industrialist Henry J. Kaiser. Drew Altman has served as president and CEO since 1991 and is credited...

Henry J. Kaiser Foundation logo

Henry J. Kaiser Foundation

The Henry J. Kaiser Foundation was established in 1948 by industrialist Henry J. Kaiser. Drew Altman has served as president and CEO since 1991 and is credited with shaping its current operating model focused on health policy analysis. The foundation allocates across private equity, real estate, and venture capital. Confirmed holdings include positions in DCM Ventures, Foundation Capital, ONSET Ventures, and Alloy Ventures. It maintains a wholly owned subsidiary in Mauritius for India-focused private equity and reports a tobacco exclusion policy for its investments. Geographic exposure centers on the United States with additional activity through the Mauritius vehicle. The foundation employs staff across its San Francisco headquarters and Washington, DC office. It owns the Barbara Jordan Conference Center in DC and previously held the Quadrus complex on Sand Hill Road, sold between 2015 and 2018. In May 2025 it sponsored the National Voices of Medicare Summit. Governance centers on a board that includes former public officials and separates operating programs from the endowment management function run by the CIO.

General information

Firm type

Endowment / Foundation

Year founded

1948

Location

Region

North America

Country

United States

City

San Francisco

Corporate office

185 Berry Street, Suite 2000, San Francisco, CA 94107, United States

Additional offices

Washington, DC, United States

Principals

Drew Altman

President and CEO

Dean Duchak

Chief Investment Officer

Olympia Snowe

Chair of the Board of Trustees

Kathleen Sebelius

Trustee

Sector focus

Healthcare

Frequently asked questions

Who runs investment decisions at the Henry J. Kaiser Foundation?

Dean Duchak serves as Chief Investment Officer. The board of trustees, chaired by Olympia Snowe, provides oversight on endowment matters.

Does the Henry J. Kaiser Foundation participate in fund commitments or only direct deals?

It holds limited partner positions in venture capital funds including DCM Ventures and Foundation Capital. It also maintains direct ownership of real estate assets and wholly owned subsidiaries.

Where does the underlying wealth come from?

The foundation was endowed by Henry J. Kaiser from his businesses in construction, engineering, and shipbuilding.

What investment stages does the Henry J. Kaiser Foundation typically target?

Its venture holdings include early-stage and growth funds. Private equity exposure spans buyout and co-investment strategies according to allocation records.

How is the Henry J. Kaiser Foundation related to other health funders?

It partners with the Peterson Foundation on the Peterson-KFF Health System Tracker and has collaborated with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation on global health policy projects.

Profile maintained by using OSINT (open-source intelligence), regulatory filings, licensed data partners, and verified direct submissions. Read the methodology. Last updated: . Continuous refresh with full update cycles at least every 30 days.

Need institutional-grade insight on endowments & foundations?

Altss delivers:

Principals with verified direct contactsAllocation history by asset classOSINT-derived deal signals
Book a demo

Prefer a guided tour?

We’ll walk you through:

Interactive funding timelinesCustom mandate & allocation filters
Book a demo

More San Francisco Endowment / Foundation profiles