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Sequoia Foundation
The Sequoia Foundation was established in 1983 by William T. Weyerhaeuser, a descendant of the Weyerhaeuser timber dynasty, and operates as a California...
Sequoia Foundation
The Sequoia Foundation was established in 1983 by William T. Weyerhaeuser, a descendant of the Weyerhaeuser timber dynasty, and operates as a California nonprofit dedicated to applied public health and climate research. The foundation's work is organized around three pillars: environmental epidemiology, community-engaged health interventions, and renewable-energy policy. Unlike endowed foundations that primarily outsource program execution, Sequoia maintains an in-house, multi-disciplinary team of public health professionals who conduct field research directly for public-agency clients across the United States and abroad. The foundation funds and executes projects spanning climate change monitoring, health impact assessments, biomonitoring, and community choice energy programs. Its work has taken teams to Superfund sites for exposure studies and to underserved communities for participatory health initiatives. Sequoia's energy-transition advocacy operates through initiatives like KyotoUSA and Community Choice Energy support—directly engaging municipal utilities to reshape power procurement, an unusual posture for a family-linked foundation. Geographic coverage includes domestic fieldwork in California and Washington, alongside cross-cultural environmental research in international settings. Sequoia's governance remains tightly held by the Weyerhaeuser family: founder William T. Weyerhaeuser serves as president and treasurer, with Gail T. Weyerhaeuser and W. Drew Weyerhaeuser on the board. Day-to-day operations are led by Executive Director Brian F. Boyd, while John Petterson directs the Berkeley office and Jeff Sanchez oversees environmental health and air quality. The foundation's investable assets include a BNY Mellon Managed Securities Portfolio, and its institutional affiliations extend to the Investor Group on Climate Change and the Greater Tacoma Community Foundation. No recent fund closes or AUM figures are publicly disclosed, reflecting the foundation's posture as a privately funded operating entity rather than a fundraising institution. What separates Sequoia from a conventional endowed foundation is its hybrid model: it functions simultaneously as a grantmaker and as a direct-service contractor to public agencies. This dual identity allows it to embed scientific staff inside government-led health and climate projects, a structure that originated from the Weyerhaeuser family's decision to apply philanthropic capital through operational expertise rather than arms-length grant cycles. The foundation's four California offices—Tacoma headquarters, Berkeley, La Jolla, and Monterey Park—serve as field stations that reinforce this applied, community-anchored mandate.
General information
Firm type
Foundation
Year founded
1983
Location
Region
North America
Country
United States
City
Tacoma
Corporate office
Tacoma, California, United States
Additional offices
Berkeley, CA · La Jolla, CA · Monterey Park, CA
Principals
William T. Weyerhaeuser
President and Treasurer
Gail T. Weyerhaeuser
Director
W. Drew Weyerhaeuser
Vice President
Brian F. Boyd
Executive Director
John Petterson
Director, Berkeley Office
Jeff Sanchez
Deputy Director, Environmental Health and Air Quality
Sector focus
Frequently asked questions
Who runs the Sequoia Foundation's day-to-day operations?
Brian F. Boyd serves as Executive Director, overseeing the foundation's applied research portfolio and interdisciplinary team of public health professionals. Founder William T. Weyerhaeuser remains president and treasurer, maintaining direct governance authority. John Petterson directs the Berkeley field office, and Deputy Director Jeff Sanchez leads the environmental health and air quality practice.
Where does the underlying wealth for the Sequoia Foundation come from?
The foundation's endowment originates from the Weyerhaeuser family fortune, built through the Weyerhaeuser Company—one of the largest private timberland owners in North America. William T. Weyerhaeuser, a direct descendant of founder Frederick Weyerhaeuser, established the foundation in 1983 to direct a portion of that wealth toward public health and climate research.
Does the Sequoia Foundation invest in venture capital, private equity, or hedge funds?
The foundation's publicly acknowledged investable asset is a BNY Mellon Managed Securities Portfolio, suggesting a traditional marketable-securities allocation. There is no public evidence of venture capital, private equity direct deals, or hedge fund commitments. Sequoia's primary capital deployment vehicle is grantmaking to its own operating programs and to partner institutions, not fund investments.
How does the Sequoia Foundation source and execute its projects?
Sequoia functions as a direct-service contractor to public agencies, deploying its in-house team of epidemiologists, social scientists, and health educators onto government-led research and community engagement projects. It does not accept unsolicited grant proposals through a public RFP process. Its work spans environmental health impact assessments, health-disparities field research, and climate monitoring, often conducted in partnership with municipal and county health departments.
What is the foundation's connection to the Berkeley, La Jolla, and Monterey Park offices?
Those offices serve as project field stations that embed Sequoia staff closer to the communities and public agencies they serve. The Berkeley office at 800 Hearst Avenue, directed by John Petterson, anchors the foundation's work in environmental health informatics and climate policy. The La Jolla and Monterey Park locations support field research and community engagement across Southern California.
Does the Sequoia Foundation operate any philanthropic vehicles beyond its direct grantmaking?
The Sequoia Foundation partners with the Greater Tacoma Community Foundation for regional philanthropy in Washington state and provides financial support to the Investor Group on Climate Change for climate investment initiatives. It does not maintain a separate donor-advised fund structure or private operating foundation subsidiary under a different name.
Which sectors does the Sequoia Foundation explicitly target with its grantmaking?
The foundation concentrates on environmental epidemiology, climate change monitoring and policy, renewable energy procurement, health impact assessments, and community health engagement—particularly with underserved and indigenous populations. Its thematic focus is narrow: applied public health and energy transition, with no mandate for education, arts, or general poverty alleviation.
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