The Breyer Family Foundation is a private grantmaking foundation based in Palo Alto, California. Established in 2015 and granted tax-exempt status in May 2015, the foundation operates as a 501(c)(3) organization focused on philanthropic giving to educational institutions, arts and cultural organizations, and social enterprises.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
—
Annual Giving
$4.3M
-4.5% YoY
Grant Count
14
-30.0% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$307K
+36.5% YoY
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation does not maintain a publicly stated mission statement. However, based on its grantmaking patterns, the foundation prioritizes:
- Education
- Arts and cultural organizations
- Philanthropy and grantmaking
- Health care
- Historic preservation
- Creative writing
The foundation demonstrates a preference for established institutions, particularly those with personal connections to the founding family.
Grantmaking
The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests for funds. Grantmaking is conducted on an invitation-only basis, determined at the discretion of the trustees.
Grant Range
$5,000 to $1,500,000
How to Apply
**
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation's giving emphasizes institutions in:
- California
- Massachusetts
- Texas
- New York
- National (U.S.) focus
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
Assets & Giving (2024):
- Total assets: $103.9 million
- Total giving: $4.3 to $4.4 million
- Total liabilities: $809,000
Revenue & Expenses (2024):
- Revenue: $6.3 million
- Expenses: $4.68 million
- Net income: $1.62 million
Growth: The foundation has grown substantially from $14.1 million in net assets at its inception in 2015 to $103.9 million by 2024.
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | — | — | — |
| Revenue | — | — | — |
| Expenses | — | — | — |
| Qualifying Distributions | — | — | — |
| Net Investment Income | — | — | — |
| Distributable Amount | — | — | — |
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
Grant Size Distribution
78 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include American Endowment Foundation ($2,000,000), The Metropolitan Museum of Art ($925,000), Children's Hospital & Research Center Foundation ($250,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| ALL RAISE WEST HOLLYWOOD, CA | 2025 SUMMIT AND GENERAL SUPPORT | $30,000 |
| AMERICAN ENDOWMENT FOUNDATION HUDSON, OH | GENERAL SUPPORT | $2,000,000 |
| CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL & RESEARCH CENTER FOUNDATION SAN FRANCISCO, CA | THE CONCERT FOR UCSF BENIOFF CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL | $250,000 |
| COACHARTORG LOS ANGELES, CA | GENERAL SUPPORT | $25,000 |
| CODE2COLLEGE PFLUGERVILLE, TX | GENERAL SUPPORT | $100,000 |
| HIM FOR HER INC OAKLAND, CA | GENERAL SUPPORT | $60,000 |
| PRESIDENT AND FELLOWS OF HARVARD COLLEGE BOSTON, MA | HBS FUND FOR LEADERSHIP AND INNOVATION | $250,000 |
| REDF SAN FRANCISCO, CA | GENERAL SUPPORT | $200,000 |
| SAN FRANCISCO MUSEUM OF MODERN ART SAN FRANCISCO, CA | DIRECTOR'S CIRCLE, COLLECTORS' FORUM, PAINTING & SCULPTURE ACCESSIONS, ART OF TODAY FUND | $130,000 |
| THE BOARD AND TRUSTEES OF THE LELAND STANFORD JUNIOR UNIVERSITY STANFORD, CA | INTERNATIONAL PROGRAMS - FLORENCE | $20,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The foundation is guided by three key trustees:
- James W. Breyer — President/Director (founder and CEO of Breyer Capital; former managing partner at Accel Partners)
- Daniel Breyer — Treasurer
- Tom Van Loben Sels — Secretary
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| JAMES W BREYER | PRESIDENT/DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| DANIEL BREYER | TREASURER | 1 | — |
| TOM VAN LOBEN SELS | SECRETARY | 1 | — |
Contact Information
Address: 314 Lytton Avenue, Suite 200, Palo Alto, CA 94301
Phone: (650) 804-7100
Website: Not publicly available
Email: Not publicly available
Subject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Breyer Family Foundation fund?
The foundation does not maintain a publicly stated mission statement. However, based on its grantmaking patterns, the foundation prioritizes: • Education • Arts and cultural organizations • Philanthropy and grantmaking • Health care • Historic preservation • Creative writing The foundation demonstrates a preference for established institutions, particularly those with personal connections to the founding family.
How do I apply for a grant from Breyer Family Foundation?
**Grant Characteristics:** • Grant range: $5,000 to $1,500,000 • Median grant amount: $100,000 • Average annual giving: $4.3 to $4.4 million **Application Process:** The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests for funds. Grantmaking is conducted on an invitation-only basis, determined at the discretion of the trustees. **Recent Activity:** In 2024, the foundation distributed $4.3 million in charitable grants. The foundation has maintained consistent annual giving between $2 million and …
Where does Breyer Family Foundation make grants?
The foundation's giving emphasizes institutions in: • California • Massachusetts • Texas • New York • National (U.S.) focus
What size grants does Breyer Family Foundation award?
In 2024, Breyer Family Foundation awarded 14 grants totaling $4.3M — an average of about $307K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
What is Breyer Family Foundation's EIN?
Breyer Family Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 47-1114091. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Breyer Family 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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