Give Forward Foundation
Give Forward Foundation is a private grantmaking foundation based in San Francisco, California. Established in 2018, the foundation supports meaningful, sustainable improvements in Bay Area K-12 district schools through strategic investments in public education systems serving under-resourced communities.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$113.3M
+369.4% YoY
Annual Giving
$11.5M
+28.8% YoY
Grant Count
75
+8.7% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$154K
+18.5% YoY
Mission & Focus Areas
The Give Forward Foundation is committed to improving public education for students living in under-resourced communities across the San Francisco/Bay Area. The foundation believes transformational change happens by strengthening the entire education system—from classroom instruction to district leadership to state policy—so that improvements are both meaningful and sustained over time.
Guiding Principles
The foundation's work is anchored in five core principles:
- Support for school leaders and educators: Investment in systems that support and empower principals and teachers, recognizing them as the most powerful levers for thriving schools
- Community voice matters: Listening to and elevating perspectives of those closest to the work, especially students, families, and teachers
- Equity at the center: Deep commitment to educational equity and improving outcomes for students in marginalized communities
- Humble learners: Active pursuit of diverse perspectives, valuing feedback, and adapting based on learning
- Impact that endures: Driving systems-level change to sustain improvement over time through long-term partnerships with grantees, community leaders, policymakers, and fellow funders
Grantmaking
The foundation operates on an **invitation-only basis** and does not accept unsolicited grant inquiries. The foundation only makes contributions to preselected charitable organizations.
Grant Range
**: $1,000 to $1,100,000
Invitation Only
The foundation operates on an **invitation-only basis** and does not accept unsolicited grant inquiries. The foundation only makes contributions to preselected charitable organizations.
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation primarily funds organizations in California, Massachusetts, and New York, with the majority of grants (88%) concentrated in California. Grantmaking reaches organizations across 12 states, with primary focus on the San Francisco/Bay Area region.
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
Assets & Revenue
- Total Assets: $113.3 million (2024)
- Total Assets: $24.1 million (2023)
- Annual Income: $206 million (2024)
- Total Revenue: $3.26 million (2023)
- Total Expenses: $10.9 million (2023)
- Total Liabilities: $9.04 million (2023)
Grant Distribution
- Total Giving: $11.5 million (2024)
- Average Grant Amount: $104,000
- Total Grants Made: 160 grants totaling $16.7 million (cumulative)
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $113,310,996 | $24,137,914 | $29,689,052 |
| Revenue | $122,811,160 | $3,260,092 | $-4,468,249 |
| Expenses | $12,234,149 | $10,920,146 | $13,133,097 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $12,153,235 | $9,056,742 | $7,701,172 |
| Net Investment Income | $29,464,801 | $1,466,897 | $232,687 |
| Distributable Amount | $4,690,605 | $1,324,755 | $1,697,198 |
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
245 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
No grants recorded for .
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
- Michelle Boyers: Chief Executive Officer
- Barbara Sullivan: Treasurer/Secretary
- Julie Mikuta: Board Member and Audit Chair
- Cristine DeBarry: Board Member
- Aida Bekele: Board Member
The foundation is governed by 4 officers and trustees with limited paid staffing.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| MICHELLE BOYERS | CEO | 1 | — |
| BARBARA SULLIVAN | TREASURER/SECRETARY | 1 | — |
| JULIE MIKUTA | BOARD MEMBER AND AUDIT CHA | 1 | — |
| CRISTINE DEBERRY | BOARD MEMBER | 1 | — |
| AIDA BEKELE | BOARD MEMBER | 1 | — |
Contact Information
- Website: https://giveforwardfoundation.org/
- Email: grants@giveforwardfoundation.org
- Phone: (415) 561-6540
- Address: 1660 Bush Street, San Francisco, CA 94109
- EIN: 82-3785197
Subject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
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Data last updated April 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
What could you do with Give Forward Foundation on Grantable?
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