Bradford M Freeman Foundation
The Bradford M Freeman Foundation is a private foundation located in Sherman Oaks, California. Established in 1985, the foundation operates as a family foundation with a focus on philanthropic giving across multiple sectors including education, cultural institutions, and athletics.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$41.0M
+6.6% YoY
Annual Giving
$8.0M
+48.1% YoY
Grant Count
5
-37.5% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$1.6M
+137.0% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Bradford M Freeman Foundation reported a distributable amount of $2.9M for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Grantmaking
The foundation made 12 grants in 2023. Recent grants include:
Grant Range
s ranging from $10,000 to $5 million.
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
As of December 31, 2023:
- Total Assets: $38,465,075
- Total Revenues: $3,327,967
- Total Expenses: $6,749,610
- Number of Employees: 0
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $40,987,920 | $38,465,075 | $51,740,812 |
| Revenue | $4,971,407 | $3,327,967 | $3,328,296 |
| Expenses | $9,580,543 | $6,749,610 | $5,333,938 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $8,046,055 | $5,445,366 | $3,473,284 |
| Net Investment Income | $3,963,009 | $1,893,139 | $1,564,357 |
| Distributable Amount | $2,876,228 | $2,814,213 | $3,558,752 |
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 5 recipients in 2024
Grant Size Distribution
50 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include Leland Stanford Junior University ($5,001,683), The George and Barbara Bush Foundation ($2,913,761), The George and Barbara Bush Foundation ($25,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| LELAND STANFORD JUNIOR UNIVERSITY STANFORD, CA | CONTRIBUTION | $5,001,683 |
| UNITED IN HARMONY LOS ANGELES, CA | CONTRIBUTION | $10,000 |
| NAVY SEAL FOUNDATION VIRGINIA BEACH, VA | CONTRIBUTION | $500 |
| THE GEORGE AND BARBARA BUSH FOUNDATION COLLEGE STATION, TX | CONTRIBUTION | $25,000 |
| THE GEORGE AND BARBARA BUSH FOUNDATION COLLEGE STATION, TX | CONTRIBUTION | $2,913,761 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
Trustees:
- Bradford M Freeman (Founder)
- Ronald P Spogli
- Elizabeth C Freeman
Bradford M Freeman is the foundation's principal founder and trustee. He is a General Partner of Freeman Spogli & Co., a private equity firm co-founded in 1983 with offices in Los Angeles and New York. Freeman holds an AB degree in economics from Stanford University (1964) and an MBA from Harvard Business School (1966). He serves on multiple boards including Edison International, CB Richard Ellis, The Smithsonian Institution, The Center for the Study of the Presidency, USC Annenberg School for Communication, and the NCAA Foundation.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| BRADFORD M FREEMAN | TRUSTEE | 1 | — |
| RONALD P SPOGLI | TRUSTEE | 1 | — |
| ELIZABETH C FREEMAN | TRUSTEE | 1 | — |
Recent News & Activity
Recent developments and announcements
In October 2025, Bradford M Freeman made a transformational $50 million gift to Stanford University to benefit the Stanford football program. Freeman, a former Stanford football player and university trustee (1995-2005), made this gift during a period of significant change in college athletics, including developments such as Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) regulations, the transfer portal, and the House v. NCAA settlement. University leadership noted the gift will help recruit top talent and support success across Stanford's 36 varsity sports programs.
Stanford football receives $50 million gift from Bradford M. FreemanFrequently Asked Questions
How do I apply for a grant from Bradford M Freeman Foundation?
The foundation made 12 grants in 2023. Recent grants include: | Grantee | Amount | Year | |---------|--------|------| | Stanford University | $5,000,000 | 2023 | | Smithsonian Institution | $330,000 | 2023 | | United in Harmony | $10,000 | 2023 | The foundation demonstrates significant support for higher education and cultural institutions, with grant sizes ranging from $10,000 to $5 million.
What size grants does Bradford M Freeman Foundation award?
In 2024, Bradford M Freeman Foundation awarded 5 grants totaling $8.0M — an average of about $1.6M per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is Bradford M Freeman Foundation required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, Bradford M Freeman Foundation reported a distributable amount of $2.9M on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is Bradford M Freeman Foundation's EIN?
Bradford M Freeman Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 95-6040946. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Bradford M Freeman Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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Data last updated June 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
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