SOURCE OF WEALTH: Summit Partners
FUNDING AREAS: Arts, media, education & youth
OVERVIEW: Greg and Anne Avis conduct their philanthropy through the Avis Family Foundation. According to available tax filings, the foundation awarded $850,000 in grants in 2017. They support their mutual alma mater, Williams College. Other interests include arts and the media.
BACKGROUND: Greg Avis graduated with a B.A. in political economy from Williams College in 1980 and an MBA from Harvard Business School in 1984. He worked at McDonald & Company and Goldman Sachs. He co-founded Summit Partners in 1984 and has served as a director of many public and private companies.
ISSUES:
ARTS & MEDIA: Anne sits on the board of the Global Press Institute and has a special interest in local independent media around the world. She once chaired the board of KQED Public Media and was a trustee of NPR Foundation. Grantees have included NPR Foundation and Mass MOCA. NPR has received around $325,000 in cumulative grants from the foundation since 2010.
EDUCATION & YOUTH: Avis once chaired the board of Williams College, where he and Anne both graduated. The couple steadily supports Williams as well as iMentor, which received $150,000 in support from the foundation from 2014 to 2017. Other grantees include National Outdoor Leadership School and Menlo School. Avis has also taught math at Eastside College Preparatory School.
OTHER: The Avises direct money to donor-advised funds at Fidelity Charitable and Schwab Charitable, making the full scope of this couple’s giving hard to get a handle on.
LOOKING FORWARD: The couple also has ties to Montana, where they own thousands of acres. Perhaps some environmental philanthropy will take place through their foundation in future.
CONTACT:
The Avis Family Foundation
P.O. Box 10195, Dept. 35
Palo Alto, CA 94303
LINK:
