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Pershing Square Foundation
The Pershing Square Foundation was established in 2006 by Bill Ackman, founder and CEO of Pershing Square Capital Management, and his wife Neri Oxman.
Pershing Square Foundation
The Pershing Square Foundation was established in 2006 by Bill Ackman, founder and CEO of Pershing Square Capital Management, and his wife Neri Oxman. The foundation channels the wealth Ackman generated in investment management into philanthropic bets on innovative leaders tackling complex societal, health, and environmental challenges. It operates with a thesis that philanthropy, like investment, requires risk capital for breakthrough ideas. The foundation's strategy spans grantmaking and social investments across early-stage research and scalable interventions. Its flagship initiative, the Pershing Square Sohn Cancer Research Alliance, has committed over $58 million to fund high-risk, high-reward cancer research, awarding $250,000 annually for three years to early-career scientists. Beyond oncology, the foundation launched the "MIND" Prize in March 2026 to back pioneering brain research and introduced the Lotus Award for women's ovarian health in January 2026. It also supports organizations working on criminal justice reform and educational access, reflecting a portfolio that mixes scientific moonshots with systemic social change. President and CEO Olivia Tournay Flatto leads day-to-day operations, while Ackman and Oxman serve as co-trustees. The foundation's grantmaking scale is not publicly disclosed, but its public commitments signal a capacity to write multi-million-dollar checks with a long-term horizon. The entity is part of a broader ecosystem that includes Ackman's personal investment vehicles, and his signatory status in The Giving Pledge. In May 2026, the Pershing Square Sohn Cancer Research Alliance doubled its funding commitment, awarding grants to 13 innovators. The foundation's structural differentiator is its mandate to act as risk capital for philanthropy — intentionally funding unproven researchers and causes at stages where traditional philanthropy and government grants retreat. This venture-philanthropy stance mirrors Ackman's concentrated, conviction-driven investment style in the public markets, translated into social impact.
General information
Firm type
Endowment / Foundation
Year founded
2006
Location
Region
North America
Country
United States
City
New York
Corporate office
New York, NY, United States
Principals
Bill Ackman
Co-trustee
Neri Oxman
Co-trustee
Altss tracks 1 additional named team member for this firm — including direct investment leads, IR, and operating principals not listed on the public website.
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Frequently asked questions
Who runs investment and grantmaking decisions at the Pershing Square Foundation?
Co-trustees Bill Ackman and Neri Oxman set the foundation's strategic direction. Day-to-day leadership sits with President and CEO Olivia Tournay Flatto. The foundation relies on scientific advisory boards and review councils for its research prizes, separating programmatic governance from the family office's investment activities.
How is the Pershing Square Foundation related to Pershing Square Capital Management?
The foundation is a separate philanthropic entity established by Bill Ackman, founder and CEO of Pershing Square Capital Management. While both share the Pershing Square name and Ackman's oversight, the foundation deploys charitable capital rather than managing outside investor funds, and it maintains distinct governance and programmatic operations.
Does the Pershing Square Foundation make for-profit investments or only grants?
The foundation primarily makes grants and social investments, not traditional venture capital deals. Its flagship initiatives fund non-profit research, though its emphasis on building pipelines for early-stage biomedical research can create adjacency with for-profit investment ecosystems.
What is the Pershing Square Sohn Cancer Research Alliance?
It is the foundation's flagship program, established to accelerate cancer cures by funding early-career scientists with $250,000 per year for three years. Backed by over $58 million from the Pershing Square Foundation, the alliance bridges academic research and industry, seeking to attract further investment into promising discoveries.
Does Bill Ackman's Giving Pledge commitment shape the foundation's approach?
Yes. Ackman signed The Giving Pledge, committing to give the majority of his wealth to philanthropy. The Pershing Square Foundation is the primary vehicle for that commitment, and its focus on high-impact, scalable interventions reflects the pledge's philosophy of strategic, results-oriented giving.
How does the foundation measure impact across its diverse portfolio?
The foundation prioritizes programs with defined scientific or social milestones, such as research outputs and translational breakthroughs for its cancer prizes. It uses expert scientific review boards to evaluate grantees and outcomes, applying a rigorous selection model unconventional for family philanthropy.
Which sectors does the Pershing Square Foundation avoid?
The foundation does not publicly list exclusionary sectors, but its grantmaking portfolio shows no engagement in partisan political advocacy or religious organizations. Its capital is concentrated on health, scientific research, criminal justice reform, and education.
Profile maintained by Altss 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.
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