Clay Foundation - West is a private independent foundation based in San Francisco, California. Established in 2004, it operates as a 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to philanthropic grantmaking. The foundation holds approximately $3.75 million in total assets and focuses its giving on arts and culture, education, and human services initiatives.
Financial Overview
From 2025 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$3.8M
+1.0% YoY
Annual Giving
$646K
+11.2% YoY
Grant Count
21
-8.7% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$31K
+21.8% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Clay Foundation - West reported a distributable amount of $217K for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation supports initiatives in the following areas:
- Arts and culture
- Education
- Human services
- Philanthropy and grantmaking
Grantmaking
The foundation typically selects grantees rather than accepting unsolicited applications. It makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations.
Grant Range
approximately $10,000
Average Grant
approximately $17,000–$106,000 depending on the year
How to Apply
**
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation concentrates its grantmaking in:
- Primary: California (including San Francisco and Oakland)
- Secondary: Massachusetts (including North Andover)
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
Assets & Revenue (2024):
- Total assets: $3,784,219
- Annual revenue: $169,323
- Annual expenses: $602,161
- Total giving: $646,200
Historical Growth:
- Total assets grew from $2.2 million in 2011 to $3.75 million in 2024
Tax Status:
- Tax-exempt since March 2004
- EIN: 33-6339800
- Contributions are tax-deductible
| Metric | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $3,784,219 | $3,747,797 | $4,180,635 |
| Revenue | $683,612 | $169,323 | $977,957 |
| Expenses | $647,190 | $602,161 | $449,830 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $646,694 | $581,619 | $442,992 |
| Net Investment Income | $674,204 | $168,782 | $977,445 |
| Distributable Amount | $216,743 | $223,209 | $200,512 |
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 2025
Grant Size Distribution
114 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2025 grants, the largest include San Francisco Playhouse ($166,200), Cinnabar Theater ($100,000), Sonoma Arts Live ($40,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Sonoma Community Center Sonoma, CA | Unrestricted operating funds. | $15,000 |
| Brooks School North Andover, MA | Unrestricted operating funds. | $20,000 |
| Sonoma Valley Mentoring Alliance Sonoma, CA | Unrestricted operating funds. | $20,000 |
| La Luz Center Sonoma, CA | Unrestricted operating funds. | $35,000 |
| Marin Theatre Company Mill Valley, CA | Unrestricted operating funds. | $15,000 |
| Cinnabar Theater Petaluma, CA | Unrestricted operating funds. | $100,000 |
| Sonoma Arts Live Sonoma, CA | Unrestricted operating funds. | $40,000 |
| San Francisco LGBT Community Center San Francisco, CA | Unrestricted operating funds. | $10,000 |
| American Conservatory Theatre San Francisco, CA | Unrestricted operating funds. | $20,000 |
| Exploratorium San Francisco, CA | Unrestricted operating funds. | $40,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
- President: Buffington Clay Miller
- Secretary: Christine Tieu
- CFO: Buckner W Clay
All leadership members serve without compensation. The foundation is governed by three officers and trustees.
Compensation Overview
From 2025 IRS filing
From 2025 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Buffington Clay Miller | President | 1 | — |
| Christine Tieu | Secretary | 1 | — |
| Buckner W Clay | CFO | 1 | — |
Subject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Clay Foundation - West fund?
The foundation supports initiatives in the following areas: • Arts and culture • Education • Human services • Philanthropy and grantmaking
How do I apply for a grant from Clay Foundation - West?
**Grant Activity:** • The foundation has made 48 grants totaling $834,000 across its history • Recent annual giving ranges from $581,000 to $646,200 • Individual grants have ranged from $5,000 to $166,200 • Median grant size: approximately $10,000 • Average grant size: approximately $17,000–$106,000 depending on the year • The foundation awarded 23 grants in 2024 **Application Process:** The foundation typically selects grantees rather than accepting unsolicited applications. It makes contribut…
Where does Clay Foundation - West make grants?
The foundation concentrates its grantmaking in: • **Primary:** California (including San Francisco and Oakland) • **Secondary:** Massachusetts (including North Andover)
What size grants does Clay Foundation - West award?
In 2025, Clay Foundation - West awarded 21 grants totaling $646K — an average of about $31K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is Clay Foundation - West required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2025, Clay Foundation - West reported a distributable amount of $217K on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is Clay Foundation - West's EIN?
Clay Foundation - West's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 33-6339800. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Clay Foundation - West'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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