The Charles and Helen Schwab Foundation is a private family foundation established in 1987 by investment pioneer Charles Schwab and Helen Schwab. Based in San Francisco, California, the foundation operates independently from both the Charles Schwab Corporation and the Charles Schwab Corporate Foundation. The foundation envisions "a world in which all people lead fulfilling and choice-filled lives" and funds solutions that increase economic power and wellbeing in historically marginalized communities.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$542.3M
+1.9% YoY
Annual Giving
$34.8M
+5.1% YoY
Grant Count
96
+6.7% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$362K
-1.5% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Charles and Helen Schwab Foundation reported a distributable amount of $26.3M for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation's mission centers on funding solutions in three primary areas:
- Public Education (National) — Supporting K-12 and higher education with particular emphasis on charter schools and innovative educational approaches
- Housing and Homelessness (San Francisco Bay Area) — Addressing housing insecurity in the Bay Area with focus on underserved communities
- Employment — Supporting programs that increase economic opportunity
The foundation prioritizes innovative approaches that advance racial equity and remove systemic barriers that perpetuate generational cycles of poverty. The foundation is motivated by "working to break the correlation between the zip code of one's birth or residence and projected life outcomes."
In March 2023, the board of trustees approved a new strategic plan that refocused the foundation's work on these two primary areas: public education nationally and housing and homelessness in the San Francisco Bay Area.
Grantmaking
The foundation does not accept unsolicited grant applications and uses an invitation-only approach. General inquiries are accepted via phone or email. The foundation takes a proactive funding approach and names board and staff members on its website to facilitate networking.
Grant Range
$25,000 to $4,000,000+
Average Grant
$200,000
How to Apply
**
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
- National focus for education initiatives
- San Francisco Bay Area for housing and homelessness work
- Supports national organizations and organizations operating in other areas of the country, though these represent a smaller proportion of overall giving
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
As of 2024:
- Total assets: $542,266,970
- Annual giving: $34,755,389
- Total revenues: $14,126,433
- Total expenses: $34,685,401
As of 2023:
- Total assets: $532,000,000
- Annual giving: $33,065,074
- Revenue: $20,500,000
- Expenses: $43,500,000
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $542,266,970 | $531,977,043 | $647,981,236 |
| Revenue | $14,126,433 | $20,486,799 | $42,556,908 |
| Expenses | $34,685,401 | $43,510,541 | $26,402,819 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $37,734,090 | $35,369,357 | $32,449,710 |
| Net Investment Income | $14,126,987 | $8,475,421 | $29,840,559 |
| Distributable Amount | $26,297,631 | $24,547,316 | $30,047,872 |
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
250 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include Cambiar Education ($3,000,000), Charter School Growth Fund ($1,500,000), 3rd Street Youth Center & Clinic ($1,300,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 Open Doors San Francisco, CA | Executive Director Discretionary Grant | $25,000 |
| 3rd Street Youth Center & Clinic San Francisco, CA | Housing & Homelessness | $1,300,000 |
| 826 Valencia San Francisco, CA | Employee Matching | $529 |
| ACE Charter Schools San Jose, CA | Education | $100,000 |
| Alder Graduate School Of Education San Francisco, CA | Education | $400,000 |
| Alliance College Ready Public Schools Fou Los Angeles, CA | Education | $200,000 |
| Asian and Pacific Islander American Vote Washington, DC | Trustee | $25,000 |
| At The Crossroads San Francisco, CA | Employee Matching | $155 |
| Bay Education Fund San Francisco, CA | Education | $500,000 |
| Bellwether Education Partners Inc Boston, MA | Education | $50,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
- Charles R. Schwab — Chief Financial Officer, Treasurer, and Chairman
- Christopher Nelson — Executive Director
- Nathalie Lowenthal-Savy — Operations Manager / Grants Manager
- Gina Jackson — Executive Assistant
The foundation employs 7 staff members.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| CHARLES R SCHWAB | CFO & Treasurer | 1 | — |
| KATIE SCHWAB PAIGE | BOARD CHAIR,PRESIDENT,TRUSTEE | 2 | — |
| MATT WILSEY | Secretary & Trustee | 1 | — |
| CATHERINE MOLNAR | ASSISTANT TREASURER | 1 | — |
| April Chou | Trustee | 1 | — |
| Tomiquia Moss | Trustee | 1 | — |
| HALEY SCHWAB | TRUSTEE | 1 | — |
| CHRISTOPHER NELSON | EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR | 40 | $657,377 |
Recent News & Activity
Recent developments and announcements
The foundation has expanded its partnership with Junior Achievement USA to empower students with financial confidence. Charles and Helen Schwab were recognized as 2025 Simon-DeVos Prize winners for their innovation through giving.
Charles Schwab Foundation Expands Partnership with Junior Achievement USAContact Information
Address: 201 Mission Street, Suite 1950, San Francisco, CA 94105
Phone: (415) 795-4920
Fax: (415) 795-4921
Email: info@schwabfoundation.org
Website: schwabfoundation.org
Subject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Charles and Helen Schwab Foundation fund?
The foundation's mission centers on funding solutions in three primary areas: • **Public Education (National)** — Supporting K-12 and higher education with particular emphasis on charter schools and innovative educational approaches • **Housing and Homelessness (San Francisco Bay Area)** — Addressing housing insecurity in the Bay Area with focus on underserved communities • **Employment** — Supporting programs that increase economic opportunity The foundation prioritizes innovative approaches t…
How do I apply for a grant from Charles and Helen Schwab Foundation?
**Grant Characteristics:** • Grant range: $25,000 to $4,000,000+ • Average grant: $200,000 • Typical awards: $100,000 to $4,000,000 • Annual giving: Approximately $33-34 million **Application Process:** The foundation does not accept unsolicited grant applications and uses an invitation-only approach. General inquiries are accepted via phone or email. The foundation takes a proactive funding approach and names board and staff members on its website to facilitate networking. **Recent Grants (202…
Where does Charles and Helen Schwab Foundation make grants?
• **National focus** for education initiatives • **San Francisco Bay Area** for housing and homelessness work • Supports national organizations and organizations operating in other areas of the country, though these represent a smaller proportion of overall giving
What size grants does Charles and Helen Schwab Foundation award?
In 2024, Charles and Helen Schwab Foundation awarded 96 grants totaling $34.8M — an average of about $362K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is Charles and Helen Schwab Foundation required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, Charles and Helen Schwab Foundation reported a distributable amount of $26.3M on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is Charles and Helen Schwab Foundation's EIN?
Charles and Helen Schwab Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 94-3374170. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Charles and Helen Schwab 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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