Former Sequoia Capital chairman Michael Moritz and his wife, artist Harriet Heyman, are offering up to $150 million to individuals and organizations worldwide with innovative ideas to improve San Francisco. The initiative, known as the "Boundless San Francisco" competition, is being administered through their private family foundation, Crankstart.
The competition is open to proposals in any subject area, with the premise that transformative ideas can emerge from anywhere. Successful submissions will need to present both an ambitious vision for the city's future and a credible, sustainable plan for its implementation.
The selection process will unfold in two phases. Initially, three to seven finalists will be chosen. These finalists will receive technical support and a grant pool ranging from $1 million to $3.5 million for project development. Following this refinement stage, up to three overall awardees will be selected in the fall of 2027 to receive significant funding to execute their plans.
Submissions will undergo a multi-tier evaluation process. The first stage involves a participatory review in November and December 2026, where applicants will assess peer proposals. Top-ranking entries will then advance to an Evaluation Panel Review, where experts will score projects based on four core criteria: Transformative Ambition, Viability, Evidence of Results, and Durability.
An informational webinar is scheduled for August 18, offering a platform demonstration and a live question-and-answer session. Registration details are available through the competition portal. The application window will remain open until September 11, with completed proposals due by October 9.