MUSK FOUNDATION
Philanthropy

Five doors, one foundation.

Endowed in Tesla stock, backed by the Giving Pledge, and told by the numbers.

What it funds. Renewable energy, human spaceflight, pediatric research, science education, and safe AI.

How it is funded. Endowed mostly in Tesla stock, so its giving power rises and falls with the share price.

The pledge. Elon Musk signed the Giving Pledge, promising to give away most of his wealth.

Where the giving goes

One door per cause, each with its headline number and the receipt behind it.

Clean energy
$100M

The XPRIZE Carbon Removal purse, launched 2021, rewarding technology that pulls carbon dioxide from the air.

xprize.org →
Pediatric research
$105M

Two St. Jude gifts: $55 million from the foundation and a $50 million personal gift tied to Inspiration4.

X post, Sep 2021 →
Education
$100M

From the Ad Astra school to Astra Nova online, plus about $100 million reported for an Austin STEM school.

astranova.org →
Crisis connectivity
42,000+

Starlink terminals for Ukraine by mid-2023, with free service in hurricanes and blackouts since.

X post, Feb 26, 2022 →
The endowment
$7B+

Tesla stock transferred to charity across the 2021 and 2022 gifts, so giving power moves with the share price.

SEC Form 5, Feb 2022 →

The giving, in order

Every stop links to the actual pledge, filing, or announcement.

2012

The Giving Pledge

Elon Musk publicly commits to giving the majority of his wealth to philanthropic causes during his lifetime or in his will.

The pledge at givingpledge.org →
2014

Ad Astra school

An experimental school opens on the SpaceX campus and later becomes the nonprofit Astra Nova online school.

astranova.org →
September 2021

$50 million to St. Jude

Tied to the all-civilian Inspiration4 flight, Elon Musk answers the fundraiser with a public post: count me in for $50 million.

X post, Sep 2021 →
November 2021

The $5.7 billion transfer

Roughly 5.04 million Tesla shares move to charity in one of the largest single charitable transfers on record, disclosed in an SEC filing.

SEC Form 5, Feb 2022 →
February 2022

Starlink over Ukraine

Within days of the invasion, Starlink service goes live for Ukraine, growing past 42,000 terminals by mid-2023.

X post, Feb 26, 2022 →
August 2022

$1.95 billion more

A further Tesla stock gift extends the endowment toward roughly $7 billion transferred, disclosed the following February.

SEC Form 5, Feb 2023 →
2024

A record grant year

$474 million disbursed, directed mostly to science, education, and health, while Starlink runs free across the hurricane-hit Southeast.

990-PF filing → X post, Oct 2024 →
January 2026

Free broadband for Venezuela

Starlink provides free service to the people of Venezuela through February 3, announced on X.

X post, Jan 2026 →
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