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The Michael & Susan Dell Foundation
The Michael & Susan Dell Foundation, founded in 1999, has committed $10B globally to education, health, and economic stability. Based in Austin, TX.
The Michael & Susan Dell Foundation
The Michael & Susan Dell Foundation was established in 1999 as the primary philanthropic vehicle for Michael Dell, founder of Dell Technologies, and his wife Susan. Michael Dell founded Dell Inc. from his University of Texas dorm room in 1984, and the wealth generated from the technology company underpins the foundation's endowment. The foundation is distinct from Dell Technologies and MSD Capital, the family's private investment office, and maintains a dedicated team across three continents. The foundation focuses on education, health, and family economic stability for communities in urban poverty. Its operational model favors long-term, hands-on initiatives over passive check-writing: in the US, it runs the Dell Scholars program for underserved college students; in India, it backs financial inclusion and livelihoods; in South Africa, the Dell Young Leaders program supports university success. The foundation also incubates technology infrastructure through the Ed-Fi Alliance, a data standard for education. Geographic hubs in New Delhi and Cape Town anchor local grantmaking and program teams. Publicly, the foundation states $10 billion in aggregate commitments since inception, though it does not disclose its current endowment size; Altss estimates the corpus in a $5B–$10B band. Janet Mountain leads day-to-day operations as Head of the Foundation, reporting to Michael and Susan Dell. The foundation's team, listed across 100-plus staff on its website, spans functional heads for US, India, Israel, and Africa programs, plus a dedicated legal, finance, and technology group. In May 2024, the foundation continued to expand its operating footprint, though no single transformative operational event was publicly announced in the trailing 24 months. The foundation's structure mirrors an operating company more than a traditional private foundation. It builds and runs its own programs — like the Dell Scholars and Ed-Fi Alliance — rather than solely funding external grantees. This direct-execution model, paired with a multi-geography on-the-ground presence, echoes the same bias for operational control that Michael Dell exhibited in taking Dell Technologies private in 2013 alongside Silver Lake.
General information
Firm type
Endowment / Foundation
Year founded
1999
AUM
$5B–$10B (Altss estimate)
Location
Region
North America
Country
United States
City
Austin
Corporate office
4417 Westlake Drive, Austin, TX 78746
Additional offices
New Delhi, India · Cape Town, South Africa
Principals
Michael Dell
Founder and President
Susan Dell
Co-founder and Chair of the Board
Janet Mountain
Head of Michael & Susan Dell Foundation
Sector focus
Frequently asked questions
Who runs investment decisions at The Michael & Susan Dell Foundation?
The foundation does not operate as a financial investment firm; it is a charitable private foundation. Grantmaking and program investment decisions are overseen by Janet Mountain, Head of the Foundation, and functional heads for the US, India, Israel, and Africa. Michael and Susan Dell set the strategic direction from the board level. The family's for-profit investing is handled separately by DFO Management.
How is the foundation's work structured across different geographies?
The foundation operates dedicated teams in four core regions: the United States, India, Israel, and South Africa. Each region has a country head — Brittany Urick in the US, Prachi Windlass in India, Tali Barash-Bouskila in Israel, and Dean Villet for Africa programs — who report to Janet Mountain. The foundation maintains liaison offices in New Delhi and Cape Town to support local grantmaking.
What is the relationship between The Michael & Susan Dell Foundation and Dell Technologies?
The Michael & Susan Dell Foundation is a separate legal entity from Dell Technologies and MSD Capital. The foundation's website explicitly states it is 'not affiliated with Dell Technologies and does not supply computers or related technology equipment.' The connection is historical and personal: Michael Dell founded Dell Inc. in 1984, and the family's wealth funds the foundation's endowment.
Does the foundation make direct investments or only grants?
The foundation deploys capital through a mix of grants, program-related investments, and operating initiatives. It runs direct-service programs like the Dell Scholars college-completion program and incubates technology platforms like the Ed-Fi Alliance. The foundation's US team includes a dedicated 'Loan/Credit Fund' head, indicating some use of program-related investments alongside traditional grantmaking.
Is the foundation currently seeking outside funding or co-investors?
As a private foundation funded entirely by Michael and Susan Dell, it does not seek outside capital. However, it frequently co-funds initiatives with peer organizations. The foundation has partnered with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation on education and health projects. Fundraising requests from the public are directed to the foundation's partner organizations rather than to the foundation itself.
Which sectors does The Michael & Susan Dell Foundation explicitly avoid?
The foundation's mission is tightly focused on education, health, and family economic stability for communities in urban poverty. It does not fund individuals directly, does not supply computer equipment, and is not structured to support arts, cultural institutions, or environmental causes outside its core program areas. Corporate sponsorships and general operating support for unrelated nonprofits fall outside its charter.
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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