Laural Foundation
The Laural Foundation is a private family foundation established in 1977 and based in San Francisco, California. The foundation makes grants to nonprofit organizations with a focus on environmental stewardship, social equity, and community welfare.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$82.9M
+11.4% YoY
Annual Giving
$18.6M
+63.6% YoY
Grant Count
84
+44.8% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$221K
+13.0% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Laural Foundation reported a distributable amount of $4.4M for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Mission & Focus Areas
The Laural Foundation supports nonprofit organizations that have demonstrated commitment to:
- Care and stewardship of the natural world
- Empowerment of women and girls
- Animal welfare
- K-12 education
- Delivery of social services to disadvantaged people
The foundation specifically seeks programs that demonstrate:
- Superior levels of integrity and transparency
- Novel and innovative approaches to complex or seemingly intractable problems
- Alignment with more than one of their interest areas
Grantmaking
The foundation made 74 total grants in 2024 totaling approximately $16.2 million.
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The Laural Foundation primarily funds nonprofit organizations in Northern California.
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
As of 2024:
- Total assets: $82,931,616
- Total revenues: $27,230,031
- Total expenses: $18,762,637
- Number of employees: 0
Funding Received: The foundation received a $2,000,000 gift from the Esb Charitable Foundation in 2023.
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $82,931,616 | $74,433,450 | $71,301,528 |
| Revenue | $27,230,031 | $14,620,100 | $16,360,652 |
| Expenses | $18,762,637 | $11,475,481 | $8,653,364 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $18,648,240 | $11,440,803 | $8,515,653 |
| Net Investment Income | $8,230,031 | $2,494,813 | $9,906,198 |
| Distributable Amount | $4,389,163 | $3,962,077 | $3,617,867 |
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
192 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include National Park Foundation ($1,000,000), Tides Foundation ($500,000), Parks California ($500,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| TIDES FOUNDATION LOS ANGELES, CA | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT FOR FAST'S MISSION TO MITIGATE SUPER POLLUTANTS | $500,000 |
| NATIONAL AUDUBON SOCIETY INC NEW YORK CITY, NY | TO SUPPORT STRATEGIC PLANNING | $250,000 |
| KUKIO HOOMANA FUND KAILUA KONA, HI | PROVIDE GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT | $12,500 |
| CALIFORNIA ENVIRONMENTAL VOTERS EDUCATION FUND OAKLAND, CA | SUPPORT OPERATIONAL EFFICIENCY AND PROVIDE LEADERSHIP TRAINING FOR CA ENVIROVOTERS STAFF | $100,000 |
| UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA SAN FRANCISCO FOUNDATION SAN FRANCISCO, CA | SUPPORTING THE JAY A. LEVY ENDOWED PROFESSORSHIP IN VIROLOGY. | $50,000 |
| ROCKEFELLER PHILANTHROPY ADVISORS INC NEW YORK CITY, NY | TO SUPPORT CLIMATE NEXUS' WATER HUB | $250,000 |
| FOUR WINDS INC DEER HARBOR, WA | SUPPORT THE SKY & SEA CAMPAIGN AND THE BUILDING OF A NEW DOCK AND LODGE. | $125,000 |
| COMMONWEALTH CLUB OF CALIFORNIA SAN FRANCISCO, CA | TO SUPPORT CLIMATE ONE | $75,000 |
| AMERICAN ACADEMY OF ARTS AND SCIENCES CAMBRIDGE, MA | SUPPORT THE PRESIDENTIAL PRIORITIES FUND | $50,000 |
| WATER FOUNDATION SACRAMENTO, CA | SUPPORT A NATIONAL CAMPAIGN PLAN FOR WATER AFFORDABILITY | $100,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Officers and directors from IRS filings
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| LAUREN B DACHS | PRESIDENT/DIRECTOR | — | — |
| ALAN M DACHS | VICE PRESIDENT/DIRECTOR | — | — |
| MARGARET FONG | DIRECTOR | — | — |
| ERIN WILMS | SECRETARY/DIRECTOR | — | — |
| SUSAN WARBURG | TREASURER/DIRECTOR | — | — |
Contact Information
- Phone: 415-284-8602
- Mailing Address: PO Box 193809, San Francisco, CA 94119-3809
- EIN: 94-2417772
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Laural Foundation fund?
The Laural Foundation supports nonprofit organizations that have demonstrated commitment to: • Care and stewardship of the natural world • Empowerment of women and girls • Animal welfare • K-12 education • Delivery of social services to disadvantaged people The foundation specifically seeks programs that demonstrate: • Superior levels of integrity and transparency • Novel and innovative approaches to complex or seemingly intractable problems • Alignment with more than one of their interest areas
How do I apply for a grant from Laural Foundation?
**Recent Grant Activity (2024):** • Made 14 grants in 2024 • Notable recent grants include: • $1,000,000 to New Venture Fund for Colorado River Sustainability Campaign • $1,000,000 to National Park Foundation for increased partnership between the National Park Foundation, National Park Service and Park Partners • $1,000,000 to Environmental Defense Fund for supporting American West Water Supply **Grant Portfolio:** The foundation made 74 total grants in 2024 totaling approximately $16.2 million.
Where does Laural Foundation make grants?
The Laural Foundation primarily funds nonprofit organizations in Northern California.
What size grants does Laural Foundation award?
In 2024, Laural Foundation awarded 84 grants totaling $18.6M — an average of about $221K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is Laural Foundation required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, Laural Foundation reported a distributable amount of $4.4M on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is Laural Foundation's EIN?
Laural Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 94-2417772. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
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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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