Gerbode Foundation
The Gerbode Foundation is a private foundation incorporated in California in 1953 and established in 1961 by Martha Gerbode, an environmentalist, philanthropist, and volunteer in the San Francisco Bay Area and Hawaii. Based in Berkeley, California, the foundation makes grants with a strong commitment to equality and justice, cultivating a culture of risk-taking and innovation. The foundation underwent major restructuring in 2016.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$37.4M
+9.4% YoY
Annual Giving
$1.4M
+22.0% YoY
Grant Count
43
+26.5% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$32K
-3.5% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Gerbode Foundation reported a distributable amount of $1.8M for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation supports programs and projects offering potential for significant impact in the following areas:
- Arts and culture
- Environment
- Population and reproductive rights
- Citizen participation, building communities, and inclusiveness
- Strength of the philanthropic process and nonprofit sector
- Foundation-initiated special projects
The foundation also supports California artists through its Special Awards in the Arts program, which funds fresh, dynamic new work in dance, theater, and music.
Grantmaking
The foundation operates a competitive grants program for Bay Area nonprofit arts presenting organizations. Recent initiatives include:
Average Grant
amount varies by program
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation principally makes grants in the San Francisco Bay Area and Hawaii.
Grant Distribution by State
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
Most Recent Data (2024):
- Total Assets: $37,432,172
- Total Revenues: $3,915,119
- Total Expenses: $2,328,232
Previous Year (2023):
- Total Assets: $34,211,484
- Total Revenues: $1,154,077
- Total Expenses: $1,774,153
Tax Status:
- 501(c)(3) private foundation
- Tax-exempt since November 1955
- EIN: 94-6065226
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $37,432,172 | $34,211,484 | $31,208,026 |
| Revenue | $3,915,119 | $1,154,077 | $2,731,616 |
| Expenses | $2,328,232 | $1,774,153 | $2,237,157 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $1,909,147 | $1,677,102 | $2,025,744 |
| Net Investment Income | $3,055,558 | $976,209 | $2,338,155 |
| Distributable Amount | $1,776,026 | $1,597,787 | $1,625,070 |
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
222 grants across all recorded years
Open Grants
1 open opportunity from Gerbode Foundation
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include Greenbelt Alliance ($100,000), Fresh Approach ($75,000), Transgender Law Center ($75,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Asian Americans Advancing Justice San Francisco, CA | General Support | $50,000 |
| Coleman Advocates for Children Yout San Francisco, CA | General Support | $40,000 |
| Fresh Approach Concord, CA | General Support | $75,000 |
| Grantmakers in the Arts New York, NY | General Support | $5,000 |
| Transgender Law Center Oakland, CA | General Support | $75,000 |
| CubaCaribe San Francisco, CA | Support of its commission and production of a new dance work by Shefali Shah. | $25,000 |
| Alliance for Girls Oakland, CA | Support of its SF Bay Area work | $40,000 |
| Communities for a Better Environmen Huntington Park, CA | Support of its Northern California work | $30,000 |
| Northern CA Grantmakers San Francisco, CA | Arts Loan Fund | $5,000 |
| Center for Applied Research Solutio Santa Rosa, CA | California Mentoring Partnership's Racial Justice in Mentoring Initiative | $30,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
Martha Gerbode - Founder (1961); environmentalist, philanthropist, and volunteer
Tom Layton - Executive Director (1975-2014); former business executive and VP/National Director of the Coro Foundation. During his 38-year tenure, he shaped the foundation's reputation as "open, accessible and opportunistic" and helped build nonprofit sector capacity in the Bay Area.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharon Gerbode | Chair | 5 | — |
| Frank A Gerbode | V. Chair/Tres | 5 | — |
| Colin Gerbode | V.Chair/Sec | 5 | — |
| Ian Gerbode | Director | 5 | — |
| Aimee Sueko Eng | Exec Director | 40 | $200,000 |
Contact Information
Address: 1791 Solano Avenue, #F15 Berkeley, CA 94707
Phone: (510) 407-0293
Email: info@gerbode.org
Website: gerbode.org
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Gerbode Foundation fund?
The foundation supports programs and projects offering potential for significant impact in the following areas: • Arts and culture • Environment • Population and reproductive rights • Citizen participation, building communities, and inclusiveness • Strength of the philanthropic process and nonprofit sector • Foundation-initiated special projects The foundation also supports California artists through its Special Awards in the Arts program, which funds fresh, dynamic new work in dance, theater, …
How do I apply for a grant from Gerbode Foundation?
**Grant Activity & Amounts:** • Made 51 grants in the most recent reporting year • Recent grants range from $75,000 to $100,000 • Total giving in 2023: $1,112,500 • Average grant amount varies by program **Recent Grants (2024):** • Greenbelt Alliance: $100,000 (Support of Solano Together Coalition) • Transgender Law Center: $75,000 (General Support) • Fresh Approach: $75,000 (General Support) **Special Awards in the Arts Program:** The foundation operates a competitive grants program for Bay Ar…
Where does Gerbode Foundation make grants?
The foundation principally makes grants in the San Francisco Bay Area and Hawaii.
What size grants does Gerbode Foundation award?
In 2024, Gerbode Foundation awarded 43 grants totaling $1.4M — an average of about $32K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is Gerbode Foundation required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, Gerbode Foundation reported a distributable amount of $1.8M on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is Gerbode Foundation's EIN?
Gerbode Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 94-6065226. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Gerbode 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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