The Foundation

Simple exchanges can break down the walls between us, for when people come together and speak to one another and share a common experience, then their common humanity is revealed.”
– Barack Obama

The Foundation


Guiding Principles

  • The Hefner Foundation is driven by the interests and passions of Robert and MeiLi Hefner.
  • We fund projects in the areas of: Foreign Affairs, Environment & Global Ecosystem, Education, Culture and Clean Energy.
  • We build long-term positive relations between the United States and China – a relationship we believe to be the defining global relationship for centuries to come.
  • The necessity of unbounded thinking so that our research can take us wherever nature leads.