Michael & Susan Dell Foundation

In addition to supporting education-related causes inside and outside the United States, the Dell Foundation supports Jewish and pro-Israel causes. ²

In December 2025, the Dell Foundation contributed $6.25 billion to support “Trump accounts,” investment accounts given to children established under tax and spending legislation backed by President Donald Trump. ³

Foundation Initiatives

Education Technology

The Michael and Susan Dell Foundation supports initiatives to improve digital education programs. Explaining the foundation’s priorities in this sector in May 2019, Michael Dell said: “We must apply our expertise, our technology and our giving to ensure that students everywhere have the skills to succeed, the critical thinking skills to succeed in the digital world.” ⁴

In January 2020, the foundation announced a $100 million grant to University of Texas—Austin. The grant included the foundation “integrating” its own staff into the staff at the university to provide services for students. Despite the foundation website stating it does not provide computers or “related technology equipment,” part of its partnership with the University of Texas includes gifting computers to students. ^{5 6 7} The foundation also gave $50 million in 2013 to build the UT—Austin medical school. ⁸

In October 2019, the foundation sponsored an incubation program for education technology firms in Africa to apply for financial and advisory resources. Resources include research prepared for selected candidates. ⁹

The foundation funds EdNavigator, which sells student advisor services for school and university placement. ¹⁰ It also funds Strive for College, a similar advisory service for the college application process. ^{11 12}

In 2020 the foundation gave funding to U.S.-based Nepris, which sells education technology to host virtual teaching sessions targeted at technical education and training. Part of this package includes curricula, course recommendations, and video content produced by Nepris. ¹³

Education

The Michael and Susan Dell Foundation granted $1.8 million to schools in the Knowledge is Power Program (KIPP) network, a program founded by Teach for America. ¹⁴

The Dell Foundation also gives variable interest loans to schools, designed as financial incentives to improve “student learning outcomes” and the rate of return on “social impact.” The loans are given at higher interest rates to poorly funded schools, with the possibility of a loan rebate which is contingent on a percentage increase in average student performance. ¹⁵ At least 339 schools in India are part of this program. ¹⁶

In addition to funding numerous education programs, the Dell Foundation also awards individual scholarships to some students attending universities. ²

Trump Accounts

On December 2 2025, Michael and Susan Dell announced a $6.25 billion pledge to support the rollout of “Trump Accounts,” a federal investment-account program for children created under tax legislation backed by President Donald Trump. The commitment was described as one of the largest single philanthropic gifts in recent U.S. history, and will provide a $250 deposit into the investment accounts for 25 million eligible American children under age 10, complementing the U.S. Treasury Department’s initial $1,000 deposit for newborns covered by the law. Dell stated that the initiative is intended to encourage long-term saving and broaden children’s participation in the U.S. economy. The gift, made through the Dell Foundation, reflected the couple’s expanded focus on large-scale efforts to build wealth and opportunity for low- and middle-income families ¹⁷

Jewish and Pro-Israel Causes

In addition to supporting education-related causes inside and outside the United States, the Dell Foundation supports Jewish and pro-Israel causes. ²

In 2024, the Dell Foundation awarded $200,000 to the America Israel Democracy Coalition for “raising awareness of 10/7 [the Hamas terrorist attacks of October 7, 2023] to educate and combat antisemitism.” The group funds projects in Israel and Jewish causes. ²

In 2024, the Dell Foundation awarded $1 million to the American Friends of Ogen, which supports the Israeli financial services nonprofit Ogen, which provides interest-free loans to Israelis. The Dell Foundation’s donation was specifically earmarked to provide interest-free loans to reservists called to duty in the Israel Defense Forces (IDF). ²

In 2024, the Dell Foundation awarded $200,000 to the Foundation for Jewish Camp to sponsor summer camps for Jewish young people to foster a lifelong connection to Judaism. ² That year, the Dell Foundation also awarded $300,000 to Hillel International to train higher education administrators to protect and support Jewish students. Hillel has a policy that forbids its campus chapters from affiliating with groups that oppose the State of Israel. ²

In 2024, the Dell Foundation awarded $250,000 to the Israel on Campus Coalition for “engaging faculty to ensure a positive campus climate for Jewish students.” The Israel on Campus Coalition provides support for Jewish and pro-Israel college students and helps them confront antisemitism and anti-Israel activity on college campuses. ²

In 2024, the Dell Foundation awarded $200,000 to Itrek, Inc. for “empowering American leaders to experience Israel.” Itrek, Inc. is a group that recruits what it calls “tomorrow’s leaders” and sponsors them on a one-week trip to Israel to explore the country and build support for Israel among American leaders. Dell’s donation is for “empowering American leaders to experience Israel.” ²

In 2024, the Dell Foundation gave a total of $561,102 to Shalom Austin. Of the donations, $39,102 was a matching contribution to support the group’s fundraising to support Israel. It gave $50,000 to support efforts to combat antisemitism in Texas. ²

In 2024, the Dell Foundation awarded $900,000 to the Israeli charity Sheba to help it transform Israel’s pediatric mental health system to address trauma nationwide. ²

In 2024, the Dell Foundation gave $200,000 to Tamid Israel Investment Group to help engage future business leaders to Israel. ²

In 2024, the Dell Foundation gave $200,000 to the Jewish Federations of North America (JFNA) to support the group’s commemoration of the October 7 attack on Israel by the Palestinian Islamist group Hamas both in local communities and on college campuses. ²

Other Funding

In 2024, the Dell Foundation gave $1 million to the center-left think tank Texas 2036 and $485,000 to the left-of-center Aspen Institute. ²

Financials

According to its 2024 tax form as well as reporting from Inside Philanthropy, the Michael and Susan Dell Foundation received $1.4 billion in contributions through its founders Michael Dell and his wife Susan, with its assets reported to be nearly $7.9 billion by the end of 2024. ¹⁸

In addition to contributions from Michael and Susan Dell, the Dell Foundation has received funding from the Gates Foundation, which gave $2,318,319 in 2018. ¹⁹