Sunlight Giving

Sunlight Giving

Sunlight Giving was established by Tegan and Brian Acton, the WhatsApp co-founder, as part of the Wildcard Giving umbrella alongside Acton Family Giving and Solidarity Giving. The organization's grantmaking targets nonprofits that support young children and families living in poverty in greater Silicon Valley, where safe and affordable housing, physical safety, healthy food, and quality health care remain out of reach for many. The foundation operates as a pure grantmaker, not a venture capital vehicle. Its program areas cover food security, housing stability, health care access, family support, and safe spaces, all centered on improving outcomes for children from birth to age five. Geographic focus is tightly constrained to San Mateo and Santa Clara counties. Beyond direct grantmaking, the organization maintains institutional memberships with PEAK Grantmaking, Grantmakers for Effective Organizations, and the National Center for Family Philanthropy, signaling a commitment to best practices in grantmaking operations. Tegan Acton serves as President and Co-Chair, while Brian Acton holds the roles of Secretary and Treasurer. The couple signed The Giving Pledge, publicly committing to donate the majority of their wealth. Sunlight Giving shares administrative DNA and offices at 855 El Camino Real in Palo Alto with its two sister foundations, which separately address empathy-building and social justice. Together, the three entities under Wildcard Giving coordinate on philanthropic values including transparency, general operating support, and trust in grantees. What distinguishes Sunlight Giving structurally is its hyper-local mandate within one of the nation's wealthiest corridors, paired with a co-founder wealth origin that gives it substantial financial runway without external fundraising pressure. The family runs three complementary foundations rather than consolidating into a single entity, allowing each to pursue a distinct mission while sharing operational infrastructure and a unified set of grantmaking principles.