Ernest Gallo Foundation
The Ernest Gallo Foundation is a private foundation based in Modesto, California. Its 2024 filing reports grants to nine organizations, including a university, a children’s health foundation, and organizations serving local communities.
Key facts about Ernest Gallo Foundation
In short: Ernest Gallo Foundation gave $3.7M across 9 grants in 2024 (avg $412K), mostly in Indiana. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- EIN
- 94-6061537
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024
- Annual giving (2024)
- $3,708,000
- Grants made (2024)
- 9
- Average grant
- $412,000
- Median grant
- $50,000
- Total assets
- $43,280,460
- Primary geography
- Indiana (54% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to apply
- The foundation states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds. Full details ↓
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated September 2026. Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$43.3M
-1.5% YoY
Annual Giving
$3.7M
+96.2% YoY
Grant Count
9
+0.0% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$412K
+96.2% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Ernest Gallo Foundation reported a distributable amount of $3.0M for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
How Ernest Gallo Foundation gives
- Giving grew 180% from 2021 to 2024. Method
- In 2024 it paid out 125% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
From the foundation's IRS Form 990-PF filings. Methodology.
Mission & Focus Areas
No foundation mission statement is provided. The 2024 grants show support for organizations with varied purposes. For example, John Burton Advocates for Youth says it works to improve the quality of life for California youth who have experienced foster care or homelessness through advocacy, training, and research. United Samaritans Foundation says it provides food and related assistance to poor and homeless people in Stanislaus County. Gallo Center for the Arts describes its work as providing cultural opportunities in the Central Valley.
Other 2024 recipients describe missions related to children and families and medical research (Jordan’s Guardian Angels), education at Central Catholic High School (Mark Stephen Gallo Memorial Fund), and vocational education and employment opportunities for adults with autism (Autism Trust USA).
Grantmaking
In 2024, the foundation reported nine grants totaling $3,708,000. Grant amounts ranged from $500 to $2,000,000, with a median grant of $50,000. The largest grants were $2,000,000 to the University of Notre Dame and $1,400,000 to the Lucile Packard Foundation for Children’s Health. Other grants included $100,000 each to John Burton Advocates for Youth and Jordan’s Guardian Angels, and $50,000 to the Mark Stephen Gallo Memorial Fund.
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The 2024 grants went to recipients in Indiana, California, and Texas. The reported shares of grant dollars were 54% to Indiana, 46% to California, and 0% to Texas. California recipients included organizations in Modesto, San Francisco, Palo Alto, Sacramento, and Turlock.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of all 9 itemized 2024 grant dollars.
States
Cities
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 9 recipients in 2024
Grant Size Distribution
36 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| UNIVERSITY OF NOTRE DAME Notre Dame, IN | GENERAL OPERATIONS | $2,000,000 |
| LUCILE PACKARD FOUNDATION FOR CHILDREN'S HEALTH Palo Alto, CA | GENERAL OPERATIONS | $1,400,000 |
| JOHN BURTON ADVOCATES FOR YOUTH San Francisco, CA | GENERAL OPERATIONS | $100,000 |
| JORDAN'S GUARDIAN ANGELS Sacramento, CA | GENERAL OPERATIONS | $100,000 |
| MARK STEPHEN GALLO MEMORIAL FUND Modesto, CA | GENERAL OPERATIONS | $50,000 |
| UNITED SAMARITANS FOUNDATION Turlock, CA | GENERAL OPERATIONS | $30,000 |
| GALLO CENTER FOR THE ARTS Modesto, CA | GENERAL OPERATIONS | $25,000 |
| STANISLAUS COMMUNITY FOUNDATION Modesto, CA | GENERAL OPERATIONS | $2,500 |
| AUTISM TRUST USA Austin, TX | GENERAL OPERATIONS | $500 |
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $43,280,460 | $2,829,753 | $4,084,475 | $3,708,000 |
| 2023 | $43,935,182 | $1,768,918 | $2,276,437 | $1,889,500 |
| 2022 | $44,442,701 | $4,647,656 | $1,935,275 | $1,631,000 |
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $43,280,460 | $43,935,182 | $44,442,701 |
| Revenue | $2,829,753 | $1,768,918 | $4,647,656 |
| Expenses | $4,084,475 | $2,276,437 | $1,935,275 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $3,730,847 | $1,915,832 | $1,658,624 |
| Net Investment Income | $2,958,228 | $1,274,209 | $4,355,320 |
| Distributable Amount | $2,975,797 | $2,707,939 | $2,747,211 |
Data update history
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Joseph E Gallo as president, Matthew I Friedrich as secretary, Mary C Gallo as treasurer, and Ernest J Gallo and Christopher D Gallo as vice presidents.
Ernest Gallo Foundation is led by Joseph E. Gallo, President on every filing since 2020; none of the 5 officers listed in 2024 report compensation.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Joseph E. Gallo
President
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
Christopher D. Gallo
Vice President
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
Ernest J. Gallo
Vice President
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
Mary C. Gallo
Treasurer
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
Matthew I. Friedrich
Secretary
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2024. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Contact
Mailing address: PO Box 1130, Modesto, CA 95353
Phone: (209) 341-3395
Frequently asked questions about Ernest Gallo Foundation
How much does Ernest Gallo Foundation give each year?
Ernest Gallo Foundation gave $3.7M across 9 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $1.9M across 9 grants.
What is Ernest Gallo Foundation's typical grant size?
Ernest Gallo Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $50,000, and its average grant was $412,000, across 9 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
Where does Ernest Gallo Foundation give grants?
Ernest Gallo Foundation gives mostly in Indiana: 54% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest state was California (46%). The most frequent recipient cities were Modesto, CA (3 grants).
Does Ernest Gallo Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 100% of Ernest Gallo Foundation's 2024 grants with a stated purpose (9 of 9) were for general or operating support, per its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are Ernest Gallo Foundation's largest grantees?
Ernest Gallo Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include University of Notre Dame ($2,000,000), Lucile Packard Foundation for Children's Health ($1,400,000) and John Burton Advocates for Youth ($100,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 94% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is Ernest Gallo Foundation?
Ernest Gallo Foundation reported $43.3M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $3.7M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $3.0M (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does Ernest Gallo Foundation fund?
No foundation mission statement is provided. The 2024 grants show support for organizations with varied purposes. For example, John Burton Advocates for Youth says it works to improve the quality of life for California youth who have experienced foster care or homelessness through advocacy, training, and research. United Samaritans Foundation says it provides food and related assistance to poor and homeless people in Stanislaus County. Gallo Center for the Arts describes its work as providing c…
How do I apply for a grant from Ernest Gallo Foundation?
The foundation states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Ernest Gallo Foundation's EIN?
Ernest Gallo Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 94-6061537. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Does Ernest Gallo Foundation accept unsolicited proposals?
No, according to Grantable's research on the foundation's published guidelines. See how to apply ↑
Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
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