Akamai Foundation
/OVERVIEW: The Akamai Foundation is the philanthropic offshoot of Akamai, Inc., the Cambridge, Massachusetts-based internet content delivery provider. The foundation supports K-12 education in the STEM disciplines, women and girls and, to a lesser extent, higher education.
IP TAKE: Working mainly in K-12 STEM education, this funder prioritizes mathematics, technology and opportunities for underserved students and girls. The funder runs an open application system via its website each fall making it a relatively accessible funder. Akamai tends to prioritize organizations based in or serving Boston, while it prioritizes Poland, Costa Rica and India abroad. Whether you’re a larger, established organization or a smaller one, this is a good funder to know in the STEM space.
PROFILE: The Akamai Foundation is the philanthropic vehicle of Akamai Technologies, a leading internet content delivery service provider. The company was founded in 1998 by MIT computer scientists Tim Berners-Lee and Tom Leighton and is based in Cambridge, Massachusetts. The Akamai Foundation was established in 2000, and in 2018 its parent company established a $50 million endowment to support the foundation and expand its work. This funder is “dedicated to encouraging the next generation of technology innovators by supporting STEM education, with a focus on the pursuit of excellence in mathematics in grades K-12.” While Akamai does not name specific grantmaking programs or initiatives, its grantmaking supports K-12 education, STEM education, education and career opportunities for women and girls and, to a lesser extent, disaster and humanitarian relief efforts around the world. While the foundation does not state geographic priorities, many grants remain in the state of Massachusetts. In addition to its work in the U.S., Akamai has funded projects in Costa Rica, Poland and India.
Grants for K-12 and STEM Higher Education
Akamai’s K-12 education funding focuses on mathematics, technology and science education and the development of skills that will prepare students for study and careers in these fields. The foundation prioritizes programs that serve underserved student populations and programs that aim to close the achievement and opportunity gaps in STEM disciplines. Grants have been directed toward in-school learning at public and charter schools and out-of-school learning opportunities carried out at nonprofits, community organizations and museums. Past K-12 grantees include the Prospect Hill Academy Charter School Foundation, the Community Charter School of Cambridge and the public school district of Newton, Massachusetts, which used funding to expand an existing initiative that diminishes the achievement gap for low-income students and students of color in high school mathematics. Akamai’s out-of-school and after-school learning grantees include California’s Tech Museum of Innovation and the Hidden Genius Project, which provides technology education and mentoring for young men of color. In Poland, the foundation has supported the Children’s University of Krakow and the Foundation for the Development of Mathematical Education in Warsaw.
Although the Akamai Foundation specifies that its grantmaking focuses on K-12 education, some of its funding has been directed toward higher education, mainly in the form of scholarships. Each year, Akamai awards the first- and second-place winners of the Mathematical Association of America’s U.S.A. Mathematical Olympiad with scholarships in amounts up to $20,000. MIT, Brandeis and the Jagiellonian University in Krakow, Poland have also received funding from Akamai.
Grants for Women and Girls
Akamai has demonstrated strong interest in supporting the achievement of women and girls in STEM disciplines. The foundation partners with the Advantage Testing Foundation for its prestigious Math Prize for Girls contest, which is held each year at MIT. The foundation also supports the Girls Who Code program, which provides coding instruction and learning experiences for girls across the U.S. In Boston, Akamai sponsors a professional development and mentoring program for undergraduate women at the Boston Museum of Science. In Costa Rica, Akamai has funded Rocket Girls, a program that supports technology education and career opportunities for women and girls.
Grants for Disaster Relief and Humanitarian Aid
Akamai does not name specific goals for its disaster and humanitarian grantmaking, and this is a smaller area of giving for the foundation. Recent grants have supported All Hands and Hearts, a volunteer disaster relief organization, and chapters of the American Red Cross. The foundation also made over $1 million in donations for emergency medical response during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Important Grant Details:
Akamai Foundation grants range from $5,000 to $500,000, with an average grant size of about $25,000. The foundation tends to support organizations operating in the greater Boston area, but also works nationally and internationally, prioritizing Poland, Costa Rica and India. This funder’s grantees include large, established organizations as well as many smaller, community-based projects.
Akamai accepts unsolicited applications for funding. The foundation posts guidelines and due dates on its website each year. Applications are generally accepted in the fall for grant announcements in early spring. General inquiries are accepted via email.
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