Margaret Pillsbury Foundation
Margaret Pillsbury Foundation is a private foundation based in Bishop, California. Its 2023 filing reports grants to charitable organizations for purposes including food assistance, health equipment, student support, and education-related programs.
Margaret Pillsbury Foundation at a glance
In short: Margaret Pillsbury Foundation gave $60K across 10 grants in 2023 (avg $6K), mostly in California. 20% of 2023 grantees were new. Source: 2023 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2023)
- $60,000
- -9.8% vs 2022
- Grants made (2023)
- 10
- +25.0% vs 2022
- Average grant
- $6,000
- -27.8% vs 2022
- Median grant
- $5,000
- Total assets
- $605,800
- -5.3% vs 2022
- New grantees (estimate)
- 20% first-time grantees (2 of 10, 2023; small sample)
- Primary geography
- California (100% of itemized 2023 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2023 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2023; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to Margaret Pillsbury Foundation
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds.
- Contact
Mailing address: 621 W Line Street 207, Bishop, CA 93514
Phone: (760) 872-4431
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Margaret Pillsbury Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2023
The largest 2023 recipient was United Methiodist Social Services ($14K). Together the top 10 received $60K.
Grant Size Distribution
34 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 34 grants of 34 (100%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
All grant dollars reported for 2023 went to recipients in California.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2023 grant dollars across all 10 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is Margaret Pillsbury Foundation open to new grantees?
20%
first-time grantees, 2023
In 2023, 2 of 10 grantees (20%) were first-time recipients. With only 10 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 10 points. First grants averaged $4K; repeat grants $7K. How we count
Medians: $4K first-time, $6K repeat.
- 70% of 2023 grantees were also funded in 2022. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2020 to 2023 (−2%). Method
- In 2021 it paid out 94% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Foundations have until the end of the next year to meet it. Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2020–2023). 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 2020 to 2023, annual grant giving ranged from $60K (2023) to $82K (2021). In 2023 it made 10 grants totaling $60K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| United Methiodist Social Services Bishop, CA | Support for Free 3X Weekly Soup Kitchen and Related Programs | $14,000 |
| Ronald McDonald House at Stanford Palo Alto, CA | One Month Direct Food Cost at Ronald McDonald House Stanford | $10,000 |
| Northern Inyo Hospital Auxiliary Bishop, CA | Purchase 2 new Cardiopulmonary Monitors | $7,500 |
| First Southern Baptist Church Bishop, CA | Purchase firewall forward kit and engine for small plane construction program. | $6,000 |
| Eastside Student Center Bishop, CA | Provides supervised after school academic and social support for students | $5,000 |
| Wild Iris Family Services Bishop, CA | Training for CASA Volunteers and direct assistance to with Foster Youth | $5,000 |
| Salvation Army Bishop CA Bishop, CA | Food, social services & motel assistance | $4,000 |
| Eastern Siera Foundation Bishop, CA | Junior College Scholarships and Books for Inyo County students | $3,000 |
| Altrusa Foundation Bishop, CA | Suport Agriculture mechanics program. To purchase CAD Laser Printer. | $3,000 |
| Foundation for Excellence Bishop, CA | Suport Agriculture mechanics program. To purchase CAD Laser Printer | $2,500 |
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Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Qualifying Distributions | Net Investment Income | Distributable Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | $605,800 | $65,225 | $98,832 | $60,000 | 10 | $61,500 | $63,613 | — |
| 2022 | $639,537 | $25,869 | $105,604 | $66,500 | 8 | $67,500 | $24,753 | — |
| 2021 | $720,063 | $97,521 | $120,860 | $81,500 | 9 | $82,500 | $95,759 | $87,507 |
| 2020 | $742,481 | $32,802 | $103,814 | $61,500 | 7 | — | $31,040 | $68,613 |
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2023 grants show support for organizations serving people through food and social services, health care, after-school support, foster-youth assistance, scholarships, and educational programs.
Among the grantees, Eastside Student Center describes its mission as providing after-school care for students in grades 5–12. Foundation for Excellence describes its mission as providing financial assistance to financially needy students in India so they can continue and complete higher professional education.
Grantmaking
In 2023, the foundation gave $60,000 through 10 grants. Grants ranged from $2,500 to $14,000, with a median grant of $5,000.
Notable 2023 grants included $14,000 to United Methiodist Social Services for a soup kitchen and related programs; $10,000 to Ronald McDonald House at Stanford for a month of direct food costs; and $7,500 to Northern Inyo Hospital Auxiliary for cardiopulmonary monitors. Other recipients included First Southern Baptist Church ($6,000), Eastside Student Center ($5,000), Wild Iris Family Services ($5,000), Salvation Army Bishop CA ($4,000), Eastern Siera Foundation ($3,000), Altrusa Foundation ($3,000), and Foundation for Excellence ($2,500).
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2023 filing lists John T Cocherell as CEO Secretary, Sandra A Hall as Treasurer, and Peter E Tracy and Melinda DeCoster as directors.
Margaret Pillsbury Foundation is led by John T Cocherell, CEO Secretary since 2022 (on filings since 2020); 2 of 4 officers listed in 2023 are compensated.
Officers on the 2023 filing
John T Cocherell
CEO Secretary
CEO & Secretary → CEO Secretary, 2022
On filings since 2020
4 hrs/week
$24K (2020) → $24K (2023)
Melinda DeCoster
Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Peter E Tracy
Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Sandra A Hall
Treasurer
Vice President → Treasurer, 2022
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
$6K (2020) → $6K (2023)
Former officers (1)
- Former: Tina M Cocherell (2020–2021) — CFO
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2023. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Compensation Overview
From 2023 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2023 filing was $24K, to John T Cocherell (CEO Secretary). 2 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Frequently asked questions about Margaret Pillsbury Foundation
How much does Margaret Pillsbury Foundation give each year?
Margaret Pillsbury Foundation gave $60K across 10 grants in 2023, according to its 2023 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2022 it gave $67K across 8 grants.
What is Margaret Pillsbury Foundation's typical grant size?
Margaret Pillsbury Foundation's median grant in 2023 was $5,000, and its average grant was $6,000, across 10 grants on its 2023 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Margaret Pillsbury Foundation that year got $4K on average.
Where does Margaret Pillsbury Foundation give grants?
Margaret Pillsbury Foundation gives mostly in California: 100% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2023 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Bishop, CA (9 grants).
Does Margaret Pillsbury Foundation give general operating support?
Not in 2023: none of the 10 grants with a stated purpose on Margaret Pillsbury Foundation's 2023 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support.
Who are Margaret Pillsbury Foundation's largest grantees?
Margaret Pillsbury Foundation's largest 2023 grantees include United Methiodist Social Services ($14,000), Ronald McDonald House at Stanford ($10,000) and Northern Inyo Hospital Auxiliary ($7,500), according to its 2023 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 53% of its itemized 2023 grant dollars.
How large is Margaret Pillsbury Foundation?
Margaret Pillsbury Foundation reported $606K in total assets on its 2023 IRS Form 990-PF. Its revenue that year was $65K.
What does Margaret Pillsbury Foundation fund?
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2023 grants show support for organizations serving people through food and social services, health care, after-school support, foster-youth assistance, scholarships, and educational programs. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Margaret Pillsbury Foundation?
The foundation states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Margaret Pillsbury Foundation's EIN?
Margaret Pillsbury Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 94-3103001. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2023.
Does Margaret Pillsbury 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
(1)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2023
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Figures come from Margaret Pillsbury 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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