Leakey Foundation

The mission of The Leakey Foundation is to increase scientific knowledge, education, and public understanding of human origins, evolution, behavior, and survival.

The Leakey Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit dedicated to funding scientific research that explores the many facets of human origins and sharing the results of this research through our innovative educational programs.

We are based in San Francisco, California, and we are the only U.S. funding organization wholly committed to human origins research and education throughout the world.

The Leakey Foundation promotes a multidisciplinary approach to exploring human origins. We award more than $800,000 annually in field and laboratory grants for vital new research and long-term projects. We give special encouragement to early career scientists asking new questions and seeking innovative ways to answer these questions about human evolution. Like venture capitalists, The Leakey Foundation understands that the greatest rewards come from taking the greatest risks.