General Service Foundation
General Service Foundation (GSF) is a private foundation based in San Ramon, California. It supports organizations working toward racial and gender justice, particularly efforts that build the power of communities most affected by injustice.
General Service Foundation at a glance
In short: General Service Foundation gave $4.8M across 58 grants in 2024 (avg $84K), top state California. 17% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $4,844,015
- +1.7% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 58
- -9.4% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $83,518
- +12.3% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $70,000
- Total assets
- $65,459,462
- -3.7% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 17% first-time grantees (9 of 53, 2024)
- Primary geography
- California (27% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to General Service Foundation
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
GSF’s website says it is not currently taking on new grants through open intake. The foundation states that it does not accept unsolicited requests for funds and makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations. Its 2024 filing says it was not accepting new letters of inquiry; invited grantees submit proposals online. The filing states that grants support U.S. organizations advancing racial and gender justice through organizing, alliance-building, cultural and narrative work, and leadership development.
- Review Cycle
- The 2024 filing lists October 1 and March 1 as due dates for invited proposals.
- Deadline
- The 2024 filing lists October 1 and March 1 as due dates for invited proposals.
- Contact
Application contact: General Service Foundation
Mailing address: 3001 Bishop Drive Ste 300, San Ramon, CA 94583
Phone: (510) 679-3876
Website: https://generalservice.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who General Service Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors ($400K across 2 grants). Together the top 10 received $2.2M.
Grant Size Distribution
323 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was in the $50–100K range: 120 grants of 323 (37%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The 2024 filing states that GSF makes grants to organizations in the United States. In 2024, the largest shares of grant dollars went to recipients in California (27%), New York (25%), Washington, DC (16%), Georgia (8%), and Minnesota (5%).
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 58 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is General Service Foundation open to new grantees?
17%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 9 of 53 grantees (17%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $71K; repeat grants $96K. How we count
Medians: $100K first-time, $70K repeat.
- 55% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2021 to 2024 (−20%). Method
- In 2024 it paid out 181% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2019–2024). 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 2019 to 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $3.6M (2019) to $6.0M (2021). In 2024 it made 58 grants totaling $4.8M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Groundswell Fund Oakland, CA | General Support | $310,000 |
| Neighborhood Funders Group Washington, DC | Amplify Fund | $210,000 |
| New Venture Fund Washington, DC | General Support | $200,000 |
| Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors New York, NY | Pop Culture Collab | $200,000 |
| Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors New York, NY | Collective Future Fund | $200,000 |
| National Domestic Workers Alliance New York, NY | General Support | $180,000 |
| Borealis Philanthropy Minneapolis, MN | Black-Led Movement Fund | $160,000 |
| People's Action Institute Chicago, IL | General Support | $150,000 |
| Kairos Fellowship Detroit, MI | General Support | $140,000 |
| Bold Future New Mexico Albuquerque, NM | General Support | $125,000 |
Ready to take the next step with General Service 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $65,459,462 | $227,272 | $6,485,817 | $4,844,015 | 58 | $6,062,368 | — | $3,345,385 |
| 2023 | $67,949,321 | $1,867,588 | $7,932,124 | $4,761,000 | 64 | $5,782,796 | $1,395,558 | $3,332,514 |
| 2022 | $65,790,837 | $7,548,690 | $5,431,250 | $3,881,000 | 52 | $5,462,287 | $6,955,830 | $3,578,626 |
| 2021 | $84,245,569 | $7,530,033 | $7,668,133 | $6,050,000 | 71 | $7,365,565 | $6,445,111 | $3,932,710 |
| 2020 | $77,016,525 | $3,471,730 | $8,074,046 | $4,655,000 | 78 | — | $2,811,823 | $3,477,663 |
| 2019 | $80,176,396 | $3,828,343 | $5,173,071 | $3,609,000 | 69 | — | $2,868,668 | $3,758,044 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, General Service Foundation reported a distributable amount of $3.3M for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
GSF says it uses its resources to bring about a more just and sustainable world. Its main program areas are Building Voice and Power, Healing Justice, and the Lani Shaw Movement Award.
Through Building Voice and Power, GSF supports organizations contributing to an intersectional movement for racial and gender justice. It emphasizes work led by communities most affected by injustice, including organizing, alliance-building, cultural and narrative work, and leadership development. The foundation says it has shifted away from issue-specific funding toward supporting broader power-building efforts, while continuing to support many longtime grantees.
GSF’s Healing Justice work supports organizations offering healing and resilience services, training, or other supports to social justice leaders and organizations. It also offers supplemental healing justice stipends to core grantee partners; the website describes these as grants of up to $10,000 per organization for staff well-being.
The annual Lani Shaw Movement Award recognizes campaigns and exceptional leadership aligned with Lani Shaw’s intersecting social justice passions. The website says the award is intended to spotlight emergent, risk-taking movement work that has not received the recognition it deserves.
Examples from 2024 illustrate the range of organizations GSF supported. Groundswell Fund describes its mission as strengthening U.S. movements for reproductive and social justice by resourcing intersectional grassroots organizing. National Domestic Workers Alliance says it works to win respect, dignity, and labor protections for domestic workers. People’s Action Institute describes its work as advancing racial, economic, and gender justice by investing in state and local organizations and campaigns.
Grantmaking
GSF reported 58 grants totaling $4,844,015 in 2024. Grant amounts ranged from $1,015 to $310,000, with a median of $70,000. The foundation says it makes grants twice a year, in spring and fall, and prioritizes multi-year grants for long-term partners.
Among the largest 2024 grants were $310,000 to Groundswell Fund for general support; $210,000 to Neighborhood Funders Group for the Amplify Fund; and $200,000 each to New Venture Fund for general support and Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors for the Pop Culture Collab and Collective Future Fund. Other notable grants included $180,000 to National Domestic Workers Alliance for general support and $160,000 to Borealis Philanthropy for the Black-Led Movement Fund.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Robin Snidow as chair, Griff Foxley as vice chair, Marcie J Musser as secretary, and Peter Halby as treasurer. Trustees listed are Annabel Snidow, Eliot Estrin, Jesse Estrin, Gabrelle Zhuang-Estrin, Zoe Foxley, and Will Halby.
General Service Foundation is led by Desiree Flores, Executive Director on every filing since 2023; 2 of 13 officers listed in 2024 are compensated.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Desiree Flores
Executive Director
On filings since 2023
40 hrs/week
$278K (2023) → $286K (2024)
Robin Snidow
Chair
President → Chair, 2022
On filings since 2019
15 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Eliot Estrin
Trustee
On filings since 2019
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Jesse Estrin
Trustee
On filings since 2019
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Robert Musser
Trustee
On filings since 2019
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Will Halby
Trustee
On filings since 2019
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Zoe Foxley
Trustee
On filings since 2019
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Annabel Snidow
Trustee
On filings since 2021
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Gabrelle Zhuang-Estrin
Trustee
On filings since 2021
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
William M. Repplinger
CFO
CFO & Assistant Treasurer → CFO, 2022
On filings since 2019
40 hrs/week
$195K (2019) → $273K (2024)
Griff Foxley
Vice Chair
Vice President → Vice Chair, 2022
On filings since 2019
3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Marcie J. Musser
Secretary
On filings since 2019
4 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Peter Halby
Treasurer
On filings since 2019
3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (5)
- Former: Dimple Abichandani (2019–2022) — Executive Director
- Former: Carmen Rojas (2019–2021) — Trustee
- Former: Kierra Johnson (2019–2021) — Trustee
- Former: Rajavini Bhansali (2021) — Trustee
- Former: Mary L Estrin (2019–2020) — Trustee
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2019–2024. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2024 filing was $286K, to Desiree Flores (Ed). 2 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Frequently asked questions about General Service Foundation
How much does General Service Foundation give each year?
General Service Foundation gave $4.8M across 58 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $4.8M across 64 grants.
What is General Service Foundation's typical grant size?
General Service Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $70,000, and its average grant was $83,518, across 58 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from General Service Foundation that year got $71K on average.
Where does General Service Foundation give grants?
General Service Foundation's top state is California, with 27% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. The next largest states were New York (25%) and District of Columbia (16%). The most frequent recipient cities were Oakland, CA (13 grants), Washington, DC (10 grants), New York, NY (9 grants) and Atlanta, GA (5 grants).
Does General Service Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 64% of General Service Foundation's 2024 grants with a stated purpose (37 of 58) were for general or operating support, per its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Recurring purposes include "Membership Dues" (8 grants).
Who are General Service Foundation's largest grantees?
General Service Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors ($400,000 across 2 grants), Groundswell Fund ($310,000) and Solidaire Network ($235,000 across 2 grants), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 20% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is General Service Foundation?
General Service Foundation reported $65.5M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $6.1M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $3.3M (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does General Service Foundation fund?
GSF says it uses its resources to bring about a more just and sustainable world. Its main program areas are Building Voice and Power, Healing Justice, and the Lani Shaw Movement Award. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from General Service Foundation?
GSF’s website says it is not currently taking on new grants through open intake. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is General Service Foundation's EIN?
General Service Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 36-6018535. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2024.
Does General Service 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
(7)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS September 9, 2020)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS August 10, 2021)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS August 10, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS September 12, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS August 22, 2024)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS August 28, 2025)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2019–2024
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Browse active grant opportunities in General Service Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). General Service Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/general-service-foundation-morg_faf0da53b2a54208bef165435e161922
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_366018535_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{General Service Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/general-service-foundation-morg_faf0da53b2a54208bef165435e161922},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-12. 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 General Service 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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