Billionaire duo offers up to $150 million for ideas to revitalize San Francisco

Venture-capitalist Michael Moritz and artist Harriet Heyman have launched the “Boundless San Francisco” contest, offering as much as $150 million via their Crankstart family foundation to organizations proposing transformative ideas for the city. Up to three winners could receive between $10 million and $50 million, while three to seven finalists will first get technical assistance and a shared grant pool of $1-3.5 million.

The selection will proceed in two phases, beginning with a peer-review in November-December 2026, followed by an expert panel scoring proposals on ambition, viability, evidence and durability. Applications remain open through September 11, with full proposals due by October 9, and the final award decisions expected in fall 2027. An informational webinar on August 18 will provide a platform demo and live Q&A. The initiative aims to attract ideas from any sector worldwide to make San Francisco more livable.