Ernest Gallo Foundation
The Ernest Gallo Foundation is a private foundation based in Modesto, California. Its 2025 filing reports grants to charitable organizations in California and Indiana, with all listed grants designated for general operations.
Ernest Gallo Foundation at a glance
In short: Ernest Gallo Foundation gave $2.5M across 10 grants in 2025 (avg $254K), mostly in Indiana. 30% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $2,536,000
- -31.6% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 10
- +11.1% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $253,600
- -38.4% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $65,000
- Total assets
- $44,871,200
- +3.7% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 30% first-time grantees (3 of 10, 2025; small sample)
- Primary geography
- Indiana (67% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to Ernest Gallo Foundation
- 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.
- Contact
Mailing address: PO Box 1130, Modesto, CA 95353
Phone: (209) 341-3395
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Ernest Gallo Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was University of Notre Dame ($1.7M). Together the top 10 received $2.5M.
Grant Size Distribution
41 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 16 grants of 41 (39%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2025, 67% of grant dollars went to recipients in Indiana and 33% to recipients in California.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 10 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is Ernest Gallo Foundation open to new grantees?
30%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 3 of 10 grantees (30%) were first-time recipients. With only 10 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 10 points. First grants averaged $50K; repeat grants $341K. How we count
Medians: $50K first-time, $80K repeat.
- 70% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving grew 55% from 2022 to 2025. Method
- In 2025 it paid out 79% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Foundations have until the end of the next year to meet it. Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2020–2025). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2020 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $1.3M (2021) to $3.7M (2024). In 2025 it made 10 grants totaling $2.5M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| University of Notre Dame Notre Dame, IN | General Operations | $1,700,000 |
| Lucile Packard Foundation for Children's Health Palo Alto, CA | General Operations | $400,000 |
| Church for Tomorrow Stockton, CA | General Operations | $100,000 |
| Jordan's Guardian Angels Sacramento, CA | General Operations | $100,000 |
| Stanislaus Community Foundation Modesto, CA | General Operations | $80,000 |
| Hoover House Stanford, CA | General Operations | $50,000 |
| John Burton Advocates for Youth San Francisco, 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 |
| De Marillac Academy San Francisco, CA | General Operations | $1,000 |
Ready to take the next step with Ernest Gallo Foundation?
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Qualifying Distributions | Net Investment Income | Distributable Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $44,871,200 | $5,093,086 | $2,902,346 | $2,536,000 | 10 | $2,558,992 | $4,446,487 | $3,254,298 |
| 2024 | $43,280,460 | $2,829,753 | $4,084,475 | $3,708,000 | 9 | $3,730,847 | $2,958,228 | $2,975,797 |
| 2023 | $43,935,182 | $1,768,918 | $2,276,437 | $1,889,500 | 9 | $1,915,832 | $1,274,209 | $2,707,939 |
| 2022 | $44,442,701 | $4,647,656 | $1,935,275 | $1,631,000 | 8 | $1,658,624 | $4,355,320 | $2,747,211 |
| 2021 | $41,730,320 | $5,999,764 | $1,772,106 | $1,325,000 | 5 | — | $5,808,570 | $2,912,274 |
| 2020 | $37,502,662 | $1,486,507 | $2,406,425 | $2,175,000 | 5 | — | $1,403,928 | $2,449,699 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Ernest Gallo Foundation reported a distributable amount of $3.3M for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation’s own mission is not stated in the available information. Its 2025 grantees include organizations with varied missions. Jordan’s Guardian Angels says it supports charitable giving for needy children and families and medical research. John Burton Advocates for Youth says it works to improve the quality of life for California youth who have been in foster care or experienced homelessness through advocacy, training, and research. United Samaritans Foundation says it provides food and related assistance to people in poverty and people experiencing homelessness in Stanislaus County. The Gallo Center for the Arts says it provides cultural activities and opportunities in the Central Valley.
Grantmaking
In 2025, the foundation reported 10 grants totaling $2,536,000. Grant amounts ranged from $1,000 to $1,700,000, with a median of $65,000. The largest awards were $1,700,000 to the University of Notre Dame and $400,000 to the Lucile Packard Foundation for Children’s Health. Other grants included $100,000 each to Church for Tomorrow and Jordan’s Guardian Angels, and $80,000 to Stanislaus Community Foundation. All ten grants were listed for general operations.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 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 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 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, 2020–2025. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Frequently asked questions about Ernest Gallo Foundation
How much does Ernest Gallo Foundation give each year?
Ernest Gallo Foundation gave $2.5M across 10 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $3.7M across 9 grants.
What is Ernest Gallo Foundation's typical grant size?
Ernest Gallo Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $65,000, and its average grant was $253,600, across 10 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Ernest Gallo Foundation that year got $50K on average.
Where does Ernest Gallo Foundation give grants?
Ernest Gallo Foundation gives mostly in Indiana: 67% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest state was California (33%). The most frequent recipient cities were Modesto, CA (2 grants) and San Francisco, CA (2 grants).
Does Ernest Gallo Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 100% of Ernest Gallo Foundation's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (10 of 10) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are Ernest Gallo Foundation's largest grantees?
Ernest Gallo Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include University of Notre Dame ($1,700,000), Lucile Packard Foundation for Children's Health ($400,000) and Church for Tomorrow ($100,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 87% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Ernest Gallo Foundation?
Ernest Gallo Foundation reported $44.9M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $2.6M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $3.3M (roughly 5% of its investment assets). Falling short in one year is not a violation: foundations have until the end of the next year to meet the minimum.
What does Ernest Gallo Foundation fund?
The foundation’s own mission is not stated in the available information. Its 2025 grantees include organizations with varied missions. Jordan’s Guardian Angels says it supports charitable giving for needy children and families and medical research. See mission & focus areas ↑
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 2020–2025.
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 October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(2)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS August 27, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Ernest Gallo Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 18, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/ernest-gallo-foundation-morg_72301adedf7641268ef1c999d2f71498
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_946061537_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Ernest Gallo Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/ernest-gallo-foundation-morg_72301adedf7641268ef1c999d2f71498},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-18. Data licensed CC BY 4.0}
}The figures on this page are open data under CC BY 4.0: reuse them with credit to Grantable and a link. Download the data.
Figures come from Ernest Gallo Foundation's IRS filings (methodology). AI-written summaries, news items and logos are not covered by the open licence. Spot an error? Email hello@grantable.co.
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