Michael & Susan Dell Foundation Grants 2026: How to Apply
Updated 4 official sources
Quick Answer: If you're a nonprofit hoping for Michael & Susan Dell Foundation grants, there's no deadline to meet: its apply-for-funding page says "We don't have open grant cycles" and that most partnerships begin with the foundation's own outreach.
Full answer and how we checked it
You can still submit its Share a Project form, which asks for your focus area, strategy and evidence of impact. According to its Form 990-PF for 2024 (EIN 36-4336415), the Austin foundation paid $163.8 million; after setting aside per-student scholarships and matching gifts, 262 grants worth $155.8 million had a median of $221,640, and Texas groups received 90 of them.
Who this is for: This guide is for nonprofits in Texas and especially Greater Austin, U.S. education and economic mobility groups, and organizations in India and South Africa that want to know whether the Michael & Susan Dell Foundation will consider them. It covers how to get in front of the foundation, what it won't fund, and what its own return shows about grant sizes and grantees. Grantsights isn't affiliated with the foundation or with Dell Technologies.
Data note: Grant figures come from the foundation's own Form 990-PF for calendar year 2024, read from the e-filed return on ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer on November 10, 2026. Grantsights parsed all 836 lines of the grants-paid list, and they add up exactly to the return's total of $163,778,073. Grantsights set aside 574 lines, net $8,026,308: 568 scholarship lines paid to colleges for named students ($8,063,296), 2 "Dell Scholars Program" lines to a 529 college savings plan in Salt Lake City ($203,230) and Scholarship America (a negative $827,526 adjustment), and 4 lines to Blackbaud Giving Fund for employee matching gifts, recognition awards and an honorarium ($587,308). Those reach individual students or staff choices, not organizations that applied. That leaves 262 grants worth $155,751,765, median $221,640.
Last updated: 2026-11-10.
In this guide
- Michael & Susan Dell Foundation grants open now: 0 grant cycles, 1 inquiry form
- What the Share a Project form asks and who fits
- Who Michael & Susan Dell Foundation grants actually fund
- How to approach the Dell Foundation, step by step
- What Dell's Funding Page Doesn't Tell You
- Where to look alongside the Dell Foundation
- How Grantsights Checked This Guide
- Sources
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Michael & Susan Dell Foundation grants open now: 0 grant cycles, 1 inquiry form
Grantsights checked 2 foundation pages on November 10, 2026. There were 0 open grant cycles and 1 way to introduce a project.
| Route | What it is | Who it's for | Status on November 10, 2026 | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share a Project form | Online form: organization, contact, country, U.S. states, focus area, strategy and 4 written questions | Nonprofits and companies working in the foundation's focus areas and regions | Open, no deadline. Reviewed, but the foundation replies only "if there is a strong fit" | Apply for funding (opens in a new tab) |
| Grants by invitation | Most partnerships start with the foundation's outreach | Organizations the foundation finds | No open cycle ("We don't have open grant cycles") | Apply for funding (opens in a new tab) |
| Impact investments | Equity, debt, convertible notes and pay-for-performance tools | For-profit companies, typically Series A or B, with measurable impact | By foundation choice | Apply for funding (opens in a new tab) |
The honest read: the form is a real door, and the page says the foundation is "genuinely open to organizations we haven't yet met." But with no cycle, no deadline and no promise of a reply, treat it as an introduction, not an application.
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What the Share a Project form asks and who fits
The apply-for-funding page asks for 4 kinds of information beyond contact details: the country and, for U.S. work, the states; the focus area and strategy, with a confirmation that the project fits that strategy's scope; and 4 written answers about the project and the change it creates, how you measure impact now, your scale and reach, and any past work with a Dell Foundation grantee.
The page asks for "concrete, verifiable evidence" of change, such as improved learning, employment, income or health, rather than activity counts. That's the single most important line on the page.
Focus areas and regions
According to the home page, the foundation works in 7 focus areas: Quality Schools, Classroom Supports, University Success, Jobs and Livelihoods, Financial Services, Health Innovation and Strong Communities. Its regions are Africa, India, Israel, Texas and the United States, and it names Greater Austin and the Jewish community as communities it serves. The apply-for-funding page says "Texas is home and where we invest most deeply."
What it won't fund
The apply-for-funding page lists 7 exclusions:
- individuals;
- medical research projects;
- event fundraisers or sponsorships;
- lobbying of any kind;
- endowments;
- infrastructure or capital campaigns;
- computers, laptops, tablets or other hardware.
The page also says the foundation isn't affiliated with Dell Technologies and doesn't supply hardware.
Common mistake: asking the Dell Foundation for donated laptops. It's the most predictable misunderstanding given the name, and the page rules it out twice. Tech for a school belongs with a corporate giving program or a local education fund.
Who Michael & Susan Dell Foundation grants actually fund
According to Grantsights analysis of the 2024 return, 262 grants worth $155.8 million went to 209 differently named organizations. The median was $221,640, and the middle half ran from $100,000 to $495,047. U.S. organizations received 186 grants worth $131.1 million (84.2%), and 76 grants worth $24.6 million went to South Africa ($10.6 million, 41 grants), India ($9.8 million, 27 grants), the United Kingdom ($2.6 million), Israel ($1.6 million) and Kenya ($63,000).
| Dell grant size, 2024 | Grants | Dollars | Share of $155.8 million |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under $50,000 | 35 | $805,340 | 0.5% |
| $50,000 to $99,999 | 29 | $1,991,265 | 1.3% |
| $100,000 to $249,999 | 73 | $12,070,297 | 7.7% |
| $250,000 to $499,999 | 61 | $21,159,403 | 13.6% |
| $500,000 to $999,999 | 45 | $29,662,030 | 19.0% |
| $1 million to $4,999,999 | 16 | $23,984,491 | 15.4% |
| $5 million or more | 3 | $66,078,939 | 42.4% |
| Analyzed grants | 262 | $155,751,765 | 100% |
One grant dominates. Charter School Growth Fund in Denver received $50,000,000 to launch the "Dell Catalyst Fund to Drive Quality Charter School Growth," plus $2,000,000 for quality school growth in Texas. That's why Colorado shows $52.0 million (33.4% of the analyzed dollars) from 2 grants, more than Texas's 90 grants worth $44.0 million (28.3%).
Top recipients on the 2024 return
| Recipient (2024) | Grants | Total paid |
|---|---|---|
| Charter School Growth Fund, Denver | 2 | $52,000,000 |
| University of Texas at Austin | 11 | $15,003,001 |
| Mobile Loaves & Fishes, Austin | 1 | $7,586,321 |
| United Jewish Appeal, New York | 2 | $2,800,000 |
| The British Asian Trust | 3 | $2,427,017 |
| Education Analytics | 2 | $1,865,000 |
| Communities Foundation of Texas, Dallas | 1 | $1,774,968 |
| United Way for Greater Austin | 4 | $1,751,692 |
| Click Foundation, Johannesburg | 3 | $1,584,437 |
| New Leaders Foundation, Johannesburg | 1 | $1,551,429 |
Most of UT Austin's total is scholarship support run through the university: $8,492,618 for "UT For Me Powered by Dell Scholars" in 2024-25, and 3 Dell Scholars cohort lines of $2,106,020, $2,085,748 and $983,310.
Austin and Texas, with named examples
According to the 2024 return data, Austin-area addresses received 70 grants worth $36.2 million. The largest went to one nonprofit in Austin, Mobile Loaves & Fishes, which received $7,586,321 to scale Community First! Village "to combat homelessness." SAFE Alliance received $600,000 and $400,000 for services for a safer Austin, Communities in Schools of Central Texas received $600,000 and $535,000, Breakthrough Central Texas received $495,000 and $445,000 for first-generation student success, and CASA of Travis County received $370,800 for child advocacy and family finding.
Statewide education systems get large grants too. For example, Region 4 Education Service Center in Houston received $1,521,000 to speed adoption of the Texas Education Exchange, and Texas 2036 in Dallas received $1,000,000 for work on economic mobility and health outcomes.
India and South Africa
Overseas grants are mostly education and employment. For example, Teach For India received $1,322,451 for student outcomes in low-income communities, Magic Bus received $841,051 to expand employability training, and Avanti Fellows received $806,588 for college entrance test coaching. In South Africa, Apex Education Group received $1,053,708 for blended learning schools and Click Foundation received $830,510 for early grade literacy.
2023 for comparison
According to the 2023 return data, the foundation listed 877 grant lines and $116,292,647 paid, so total giving rose by about $47.5 million in 2024, most of it the $50 million charter school fund. The 2024 return lists $142,081,110 in grants approved for future payment and assets of $7.77 billion at fair market value.
How to approach the Dell Foundation, step by step
These 7 steps come from the apply-for-funding page and home page as checked November 10, 2026.
- Confirm your region. U.S. (Texas first), India, Israel or Africa. Work elsewhere doesn't fit the page's priorities.
- Pick one focus area and strategy. The form makes you choose and confirm fit, so match your project to a named strategy before you start.
- Lead with outcome evidence. The page wants "concrete, verifiable evidence" of changes in learning, employment, income or health. Put your best numbers in the first answer.
- Show scale. One question asks about scale and reach. Grants on the return are large, so a single-site program needs a credible path to grow.
- Name any connection. The form asks whether you've worked with a Dell Foundation grantee. A partnership with a current grantee is worth mentioning.
- Submit once and wait. The page says the foundation reviews submissions but will contact you directly only if there's a strong fit.
- Keep other funders moving. With no cycle and no reply promised, don't hold a budget line open for Dell.
What Dell's Funding Page Doesn't Tell You
Grantsights checked the funding page against the foundation's 2 most recent returns, and 5 things stood out.
Small grants are rare. Only 35 of 262 grants were under $50,000, and the median was $221,640. A small nonprofit asking for $15,000 is outside the pattern; the realistic Dell grantee runs a program at scale.
One fund took a third of the money. The $50 million Charter School Growth Fund grant was 32.1% of the analyzed dollars on its own. Don't read the $155.8 million total as money spread across hundreds of nonprofits.
Scholarships are a large hidden share. 568 lines worth $8.1 million paid colleges for named students, and UT Austin's Dell Scholars lines added $13.7 million more. Those are the foundation's own programs, not open grants.
Austin is the home market. 70 of 186 U.S. grants went to Austin-area addresses. That's an honest advantage for Central Texas groups and a red flag for anyone expecting national reach from a local pitch.
A much bigger commitment sits outside the grant list. A banner on the home page on November 10, 2026 described a $6.25 billion commitment to put $250 into Trump Accounts for 25 million children, linking to a separate site. It isn't a grant program nonprofits can apply to, and it doesn't appear on the 2024 grant list.
Where to look alongside the Dell Foundation
Most nonprofits won't hear back, so build a pipeline around it.
Texas funders: see Texas nonprofit grants, the Austin grants guide and Texas education grants for state and local sources.
Education and charter schools: the Walton Family Foundation grants guide covers another big charter school funder, and best grants for charter schools and grants for education nonprofits list more. The Gates Foundation grants guide covers a funder with similar U.S. education and India interests. Use the Grantsights grant search to check open federal and state programs you qualify for.
Federal options: search open federal opportunities on Grants.gov's search page (opens in a new tab). Most foundation and federal grants need 501(c)(3) status, which the IRS page on 501(c)(3) exemption requirements (opens in a new tab) explains.
Grantsights tools: the Michael & Susan Dell Foundation funder page summarizes the grants on its recent 990-PF filings, and Grantsights' education funder lists group private foundations that gave for education by state, drawn from the grants on their own returns.
How Grantsights Checked This Guide
Grantsights checked 2 foundation pages and 2 of its returns on November 10, 2026. ProPublica's record and the return header both show EIN 36-4336415 for the Michael & Susan Dell Foundation in Austin, Texas.
| Dell source | What it shows | Your move |
|---|---|---|
| Apply-for-funding page | No open grant cycles; Share a Project form; exclusions; reply only on a strong fit | Submit once, then move on |
| Home page | 7 focus areas; regions; not affiliated with Dell Technologies; $6.25 billion Trump Accounts banner | Match your work to an area |
| Form 990-PF, 2024 | 836 lines, $163,778,073 paid; $142,081,110 approved for future payment | Find peers and amounts |
| Form 990-PF, 2023 | 877 lines, $116,292,647 paid | Compare years |
The grant list is public because federal law requires it. According to IRS guidance on the private foundation annual return (opens in a new tab), every private foundation files Form 990-PF by the 15th day of the 5th month after its year ends, which is May 15 for a calendar-year foundation; the 2025 return wasn't on ProPublica when Grantsights checked. The IRS page on public charities (opens in a new tab) explains why a family foundation like this one files a different return from charities with broad public support. To read the grant list yourself, see how to read a 990-PF.
Sources
- Michael & Susan Dell Foundation: Home page (opens in a new tab)
- Michael & Susan Dell Foundation: Apply for Funding (Share a Project) (opens in a new tab)
- ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer: Michael & Susan Dell Foundation filings (opens in a new tab)
- IRS: Private Foundation Annual Return (opens in a new tab)
- IRS: Public Charities (opens in a new tab)
- IRS: Exemption Requirements for 501(c)(3) Organizations (opens in a new tab)
- Grants.gov: Search Grants (opens in a new tab)
Frequently Asked Questions
Does the Michael & Susan Dell Foundation accept grant applications?
Not in a grant cycle. Its apply-for-funding page says, 'We don't have open grant cycles,' and that most partnerships start with its own outreach. It does say it's open to organizations it hasn't met and offers a Share a Project form. The foundation says it can't answer every inquiry and will contact you only if there's a strong fit.
How big is a Michael & Susan Dell Foundation grant?
Large by most standards. Grantsights analysis of the 2024 Form 990-PF found 262 grants to organizations worth $155.8 million after setting aside per-student scholarships and matching gifts. The median was $221,640, and the middle half ran from $100,000 to $495,047. Only 35 grants were under $50,000.
What does the Dell Foundation fund?
Its home page lists 7 focus areas: Quality Schools, Classroom Supports, University Success, Jobs and Livelihoods, Financial Services, Health Innovation and Strong Communities. Its regions are the United States (with Texas and Greater Austin as home), India, Israel and Africa. It also invests in for-profit companies, typically at Series A or B, when they show measurable impact.
What won't the Dell Foundation fund?
The apply-for-funding page rules out individuals, medical research, event fundraisers or sponsorships, lobbying, endowments, infrastructure or capital campaigns, and requests for computers, laptops, tablets or other hardware. It also says it isn't affiliated with Dell Technologies and doesn't supply hardware.
Does the Dell Foundation fund nonprofits in Austin?
Yes, more than anywhere else in the U.S. by number. According to the 2024 return, Texas organizations received 90 grants worth $44.0 million, and Austin-area addresses took 70 of them, worth $36.2 million. Examples include Mobile Loaves & Fishes ($7,586,321), SAFE Alliance, Communities in Schools of Central Texas, Breakthrough Central Texas and United Way for Greater Austin.
Is the Michael & Susan Dell Foundation part of Dell Technologies?
No. The foundation's site says it isn't affiliated with Dell Technologies. This guide covers the Michael & Susan Dell Foundation in Austin, Texas, EIN 36-4336415, a private foundation that files Form 990-PF. Requests for donated computers should go elsewhere.
Last updated November 10, 2026. Published by Grantsights from public sources. See our editorial policy, how we build and check guides, corrections and how we make money.
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