In a significant development, the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative (CZI), the philanthropic organization led by Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg and his wife Priscilla Chan, has undertaken a restructuring effort resulting in the layoff of 48 employees. This move was confirmed by a CZI spokesperson in response to inquiries from Business Insider.
The CZI, founded and directed by the prominent couple, has been a key player in philanthropy and social impact initiatives. The organization notably provided substantial financial support, often referred to as “Zuckbucks,” to the Center for Tech and Civic Life (CTCL). The CTCL utilized these funds during the 2020 elections to assist in the administration of electoral processes, primarily in Democratic districts across several states. Critics contended that this funding strategy was aimed at bolstering voter turnout.
An inside source described the atmosphere following the layoffs as a “bloodbath,” as reported by Business Insider. The employee reductions are part of CZI’s broader efforts to restructure its approach to philanthropic grants and focus on advancing education, as outlined by The 74 Million.
A CZI spokesperson corroborated these developments, confirming the details outlined in The 74 Million’s reporting through a statement provided to Business Insider. The reorganization reflects CZI’s commitment to refining its strategies for social impact and philanthropic endeavors.
✨ Big News ✨We’re launching a new research hub in Chicago. #CZBiohubCHI will bring together scientists + engineers at @UChicago, @NorthwesternU & @UofIllinois to build new tech + gain insights into how inflammation impacts our cells pic.twitter.com/74KdUObang
— Chan Zuckerberg Initiative (@ChanZuckerberg) March 2, 2023
“Guided by insights from our grantees, research, and educators, our work in education continues to evolve, and the structure of our teams has changed as a result,” she added.
Left-wing billionaire George Soros’ Open Society Foundations also recently announced plans to lay off 40% of their worldwide employees, according to The Associated Press. It is the nonprofit organization’s second significant staff reduction in three years.
The CTCL obtained hundreds of millions of dollars in funding from Zuckerberg and Chan in 2020 “to promote safe and reliable voting.” CTCL spent the money on assisting the likely Democratic districts in enlisting additional poll workers, adding more ballot drop boxes and expanding mail-in vote processing.
CZI did not immediately respond to the DCNF’s request for comment.
