As outlined in the Statement of Founder's Intent,[3] the foundation's aim is to tackle large, important issues at a scale where it can achieve significant and measurable impacts.

According to the OECD, the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation provided USD 60 million for development in 2020 by means of grants.

[18] A proposed extremely large telescope (ELT), the Thirty Meter Telescope (TMT) is considered controversial due to its planned location on Mauna Kea, which is considered sacred land according to the native Hawaiians, on the island of Hawaii in the United States.

Native Hawaiian cultural practice and religious rights are the main points of opposition towards the construction of the Thirty Meter Telescope,[19] along with concerns over the lack of meaningful dialogue during the permitting process.

[21][22] On July 14, 2019, protesters had created an online petition titled "The Immediate Halt to the Construction of the TMT Telescope" that was posted on Change.org and directed towards the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation as well as other financial backers.