Fleishhacker Foundation
The Fleishhacker Foundation is a San Francisco-based family foundation established in 1947 to improve the quality of life in the San Francisco Bay Area. The foundation was founded by Mortimer Fleishhacker Sr., a banker and businessman active in Bay Area philanthropy. It is designated as a 501(c)(3) organization and has been tax-exempt since November 1949.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$23.2M
+5.0% YoY
Annual Giving
$893K
-6.7% YoY
Grant Count
125
+0.8% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$7K
-7.4% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Fleishhacker Foundation reported a distributable amount of $1.1M for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation's work is rooted in core values of equity, fairness, and a commitment to "repairing the world" in the spirit of tikkun olam. The foundation advances its mission by making grants to local artists and community-based organizations in two primary areas:
Arts & Culture: The foundation values the arts as a means to promote understanding, strengthen community, and increase connection among diverse groups. It supports small to mid-sized visual and performing arts organizations and filmmakers in the Bay Area.
Social Justice: The foundation has a long history of directing resources toward people and groups that have been historically marginalized and denied access to opportunity. The foundation currently focuses its social justice grantmaking on Bay Area organizations offering programming and services for LGBTQ+ youth.
Grantmaking
The foundation maintains a streamlined application process. Prospective grantees can reach out to Executive Director David Blazevich with inquiries. Board members occasionally make discretionary grants to programs of special interest, though these are by invitation-only.
Grant Range
$2,500 to $5,000
Review Cycle
s annually with deadlines generally January 15 (spring) and July 15 (fall)
Invitation Only
The foundation maintains a streamlined application process. Prospective grantees can reach out to Executive Director David Blazevich with inquiries. Board members occasionally make discretionary grants to programs of special interest, though these are by invitation-only.
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation focuses its grantmaking on the San Francisco Bay Area, with specific emphasis on:
- San Francisco
- Alameda County
- Contra Costa County
Grant Distribution by State
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
Based on 2023 Form 990 tax filings:
- Total Assets: $22 million
- Total Revenue: $1.72 million
- Total Expenses: $1.43 million
- Total Liabilities: $554,000
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $23,156,271 | $22,046,466 | $20,375,469 |
| Revenue | $1,665,782 | $1,724,899 | $1,683,742 |
| Expenses | $1,216,055 | $1,434,963 | $1,605,754 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $1,201,542 | $1,279,571 | $1,222,532 |
| Net Investment Income | $1,522,227 | $1,665,917 | $1,610,516 |
| Distributable Amount | $1,122,165 | $1,006,178 | $1,044,419 |
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
103 grants across all recorded years
Open Grants
6 open opportunities from Fleishhacker Foundation
Arts & Culture - Arts Performance and Exhibition Spaces Grant
Fleishhacker Foundation
Amount
US $10,000 - US $15,000
Deadline
Rolling / Open
Arts & Culture - Special Arts Grants
Fleishhacker Foundation
Amount
Varies
Deadline
Rolling / Open
Arts & Culture – Small Arts Grants- For Filmmakers
Fleishhacker Foundation
Amount
US $5,000 - US $10,000
Deadline
Rolling / Open
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include Heesoo Kwon ($17,500), Brava for Women in the Arts ($15,000), ODC Theater ($15,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| 826 NYC Inc Brooklyn, NY | Board Discretionary Grant for General Support | $2,000 |
| Alameda County Community Food Bank Oakland, CA | Board Discretionary Grant for General Support | $2,500 |
| Anthony Manning Kunin Foundation San Francisco, CA | General support for Young Performer's Theatre | $1,000 |
| Asian Pacific Islander Cultural Cen San Francisco, CA | General Support | $5,000 |
| Berkeley Film Foundation Berkeley, CA | General Support | $12,000 |
| Brava for Women in the Arts San Francisco, CA | General Support | $15,000 |
| Children Rising Oakland, CA | To support Succeeding by Reading tutoring services for 2nd and 3rd grade students at 11 public schools in Oakland and one in San Pablo. | $5,000 |
| Children's Theater Association San Francisco, CA | Board Discretionary Grant for General Support | $1,500 |
| Congregation Kol Emeth Palo Alto, CA | Board Discretionary Grant for General Support | $1,000 |
| Cuba Caribe San Francisco, CA | General Support | $5,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
David Blazevich - Executive Director
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| John Ehrlich | President | 1 | — |
| Robin Strawbridge | Vice President | 1 | — |
| Laura Sloss | Secretary | 1 | — |
| William Fleishhacker | Treasurer | 1 | — |
| David Ehrlich | Trustee | 1 | — |
| Jodi Ehrlich | Trustee | 1 | — |
| Jeffrey Fleishhacker | Trustee | 1 | — |
| Erin McFarland | Trustee | 1 | — |
| Rebecca Randall | Trustee | 1 | — |
| Edie F Rindal | Trustee | 1 | — |
| Deborah Sloss | Trustee | 1 | — |
| David Blazevich | Executive Dir. | 40 | $160,062 |
Recent News & Activity
Recent developments and announcements
**2026-2028 Eureka Fellows Program**
Announcing the 2026-2028 Eureka Fellows - Fleishhacker FoundationThe foundation announced the 2026-2028 cohort of Eureka Fellows, continuing its commitment to providing unrestricted support for visual artists in the Bay Area.
Why the Fleishhacker Foundation Went All-in on Unrestricted Grants ...**Program Sunset**
The foundation sunset its K-5 and K-12 education programs at the end of 2024, having previously supported literacy initiatives in grades K-5 for disadvantaged students. The Social Justice program now joins arts funding as a primary grantmaking pillar.
Eureka Fellowship Program - Fleishhacker Foundation**Commitment to Unrestricted Grants**
The foundation has emphasized its commitment to providing unrestricted support to arts organizations and artists, recognizing challenges including cuts to National Endowment for the Arts funding and the high cost of living in the Bay Area.
Why the Fleishhacker Foundation Went All-in on Unrestricted Grants ...Frequently Asked Questions
What does Fleishhacker Foundation fund?
The foundation's work is rooted in core values of equity, fairness, and a commitment to "repairing the world" in the spirit of tikkun olam. The foundation advances its mission by making grants to local artists and community-based organizations in two primary areas: **Arts & Culture:** The foundation values the arts as a means to promote understanding, strengthen community, and increase connection among diverse groups. It supports small to mid-sized visual and performing arts organizations and f…
How do I apply for a grant from Fleishhacker Foundation?
**Small Arts Grants** • Provides general, unrestricted support to small and mid-sized arts and culture organizations • Typical grant size: $2,500 to $5,000 • Eligible organizations: Nonprofits with annual expense budgets between $100,000 and $499,999, or fiscally sponsored organizations with budgets under $500,000 • Supports organizations in San Francisco, Alameda, and Contra Costa counties • Disciplines supported: dance, music, theater, visual arts, interdisciplinary arts, and film • Two revie…
Where does Fleishhacker Foundation make grants?
The foundation focuses its grantmaking on the San Francisco Bay Area, with specific emphasis on: • San Francisco • Alameda County • Contra Costa County
What size grants does Fleishhacker Foundation award?
In 2024, Fleishhacker Foundation awarded 125 grants totaling $893K — an average of about $7K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is Fleishhacker Foundation required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, Fleishhacker Foundation reported a distributable amount of $1.1M on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is Fleishhacker Foundation's EIN?
Fleishhacker Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 94-6051048. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Fleishhacker 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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