Program Overview and Goals

The San Francisco Bay Area program includes the Betty Irene Moore Nursing Initiative, a commitment to the Betty Irene Moore School of Nursing, and two areas of focus: protecting unique and irreplaceable lands, and supporting science and technology museums. These issues reflect the Moore family’s values and priorities and have been identified as areas where the Foundation’s grant dollars can have a significant impact. Our program objective is to make measurable, long-term improvement in the quality of life in the San Francisco Bay Area.

Areas of Focus and Initiatives

Betty Irene Moore Nursing Initiative

Receiving high quality care is not guaranteed for millions of patients admitted to U.S. hospitals due to a serious and growing shortage of registered nurses (RNs); existing systems that do not consistently safeguard against dangerous and avoidable medical errors; and RN training that has not kept pace with technological advancements and the changing needs of more seriously ill patients. Nurses, who provide approximately 95 percent of patient care in hospitals, face many challenges within today’s complex hospital environment. The Foundation’s objective is to improve nursing-related patient outcomes in Bay Area adult acute-care hospitals.

Betty Irene Moore Schoolof Nursing Commitment

The Betty Irene Moore School of Nursing at the University of California, Davis, will leverage the university’s strength in intensive and immersive inter-professional curriculum to provide comprehensive education for future generations of highly skilled and well prepared nurse leaders, educators and researchers. Together, these individuals will improve patient care through positive, long-term systemic impact in healthcare across California and throughout the nation.

Land Protection

The San Francisco Bay Area is renowned for its close proximity to naturally beautiful landscapes. However, during the next 30 years an estimated 400,000 acres of open space are at risk from suburban development.  The Foundation seeks to protect the Bay Area’s unique and irreplaceable lands for future generations by making grants for land acquisition and conservation easements.

Science and Technology Museums

Science literacy in America is low and the United States lags behind other countries in graduating students with degrees in science and engineering. Statewide tests show that San Francisco Bay Area students score slightly above the average of California students, but even so, Bay Area students only average a “C” in science.  The Foundation supports a number of Bay Area science and technology museums to increase scientific awareness and literacy.