Our mission
The Viking Global Foundation was founded with a dual mission – to deploy our time and capital to make a positive impact in the communities in which we live and work and to engage and educate Vikings about philanthropy.
Our approach
The Foundation takes a hands-on approach to further our mission, with Viking employees playing an active role.
We aim to create sustainable improvements in our communities through three main efforts.
We provide meaningful opportunities for Vikings to give their time and talent to nonprofit organizations in our communities. Each year, we organize over 30 volunteer events and charity drives. Vikings from all departments and offices participate in these events.
Service Day – We partner with local organizations, such as the New York Restoration Project, to host our annual volunteer project to build green space and contribute to urban agriculture initiatives.
We host speakers from philanthropic and nonprofit organizations so Vikings can be more informed philanthropic donors. Additionally, we aim to contribute to the inclusive environment at the firm as we learn about a diverse range of issues.
The most intensive and hands-on learning comes when Vikings join the Grants Committee. The committee members work with the Foundation for a minimum of two years so they can learn our due diligence process and how to allocate funds. They form relationships with our nonprofit partners to help them achieve their organizational goals.
We provide strategic grants that support high-impact organizations with strong leaders and proven track records. We also support the diverse charitable interests of Vikings.
Early childhood education grants – Since 2012, we have provided more than 200 grants to organizations in Connecticut, New York City, and San Francisco.
Matching gifts – We double the personal contributions that Vikings make to nonprofit organizations by providing a matching donation (1:1) for up to $5,000 annually. Last year, the Foundation supported more than 275 different nonprofits through the matching gift program.
Capacity building support – Vikings can nominate nonprofits to receive a capacity building grant to improve their effectiveness and future sustainability.
Learn about our grantmaking
Our focus
We focus our engagement and grantmaking on three core areas: educational equity, environmental sustainability, and furthering the philanthropic pursuits of individual Vikings.
Environmental sustainability
Our goal is to help create more sustainable communities. We work with nonprofit partners to improve urban agriculture, promote conservation, and provide equitable access to parks and greenspace.
Viking community
Our goal is to encourage Vikings to share their own charitable passions with each other in an inclusive environment. We recognize the diverse interests of our employees while helping nonprofits to build capacity.
Educational equity
Our goal is to increase access to education and economic opportunities for low-income families and individuals. We work with organizations to address systemic inequities and help those in some of the most marginalized communities achieve their full potential.
Service Day
Early childhood education grants
Matching gifts
Each year Viking requests our most difficult projects and without fail, Vikings work arduously and diligently with our team to improve the most densely populated and least green neighborhoods in the City.
— New York Restoration Project
Our Impact
In 2025
~300
Nonprofits
supported
~1,400
Volunteer hours
by Vikings
~100%
Vikings participated in
Foundation activities
Our 13th annual Service Day in 2025 brought together more than 180 Vikings for three days of community service with our partner New York Restoration Project (NYRP). This year, we transformed La Finca Del Sur, a community garden in the Bronx. Its mission is to strengthen community health, economic empowerment, and nutritional awareness while advocating for food justice.
Vikings began by clearing five dump-truck loads of garbage and four cubic yards of herbaceous material. The team then assembled 72 raised beds (NYRP’s most to date) and filled the beds with 75 cubic yards of soil. We also built a 16-by-12-foot shade structure, assembled six picnic tables and nine benches, resurfaced a small greenhouse, and planted 125 perennials and shrubs.
Service Day is about more than what we build, however. It’s about connecting across teams while making a meaningful impact together. We’re grateful for the opportunity to give back to the NYC community that many of us call home.
