Michael Moritz launches $150 million Boundless San Francisco challenge

Billionaire venture capitalist Michael Moritz and his wife, artist Harriet Heyman, have announced the Boundless San Francisco competition through their Crankstart Foundation and nonprofit Lever for Change. The initiative will award up to $150 million in total, with three winning organizations eligible for grants of $10 million to $50 million each to develop bold, durable ideas that improve life for San Francisco residents.

Applicants from anywhere in the world can submit proposals in any field, provided the projects primarily benefit San Francisco. The process includes a readiness assessment, peer‑review stages in November‑December, and a final selection in fall 2027. Moritz said, “The best ideas rarely come from where you expect them,” emphasizing the venture‑capital style approach to civic innovation. He is known for early investments in Google, YouTube and PayPal, and this philanthropic effort aims to import that risk‑taking mindset into city‑level problem solving.