Metta Fund
Metta Fund is a San Francisco-based private foundation that works through grantmaking and community partnerships to advance the health and well-being of older San Franciscans. Its work emphasizes equity in aging, including racial equity and support for older adults’ health, caregiving, and social connectedness.
Metta Fund at a glance
In short: Metta Fund gave $4.0M across 52 grants in 2025 (avg $77K), mostly in California. 25% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $4,010,600
- +45.8% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 52
- +2.0% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $77,127
- +43.0% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $100,000
- Total assets
- $78,818,021
- +9.0% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 25% first-time grantees (11 of 44, 2025)
- Primary geography
- California (80% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to Metta Fund
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- Invitation Only
-
Metta Fund does not accept unsolicited requests; it makes grants through an invitation-only process to preselected charitable organizations.
- Contact
Mailing address: 101 Montgomery St 2200, San Francisco, CA 94104
Phone: (415) 660-7361
Website: https://mettafund.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Metta Fund funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was YMCA of San Francisco ($300K across 3 grants). Together the top 10 received $1.9M.
Grant Size Distribution
282 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 132 grants of 282 (47%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
Metta Fund’s stated mission and grantmaking focus are older San Franciscans and nonprofits working to improve older adults’ health and well-being across an individual recipient In filing year 2025, 80% of grant dollars went to recipients in California, 12% to New York, 6% to Washington, DC, and 2% to Louisiana.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 52 itemized grants.
Cities
Is Metta Fund open to new grantees?
25%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 11 of 44 grantees (25%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $78K; repeat grants $96K. How we count
Medians: $50K first-time, $100K repeat.
- 66% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving grew 29% from 2022 to 2025. Method
- In 2025 it paid out 162% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2019–2025). 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 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $2.5M (2021) to $4.0M (2025). In 2025 it made 52 grants totaling $4.0M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Justice in Aging Washington, DC | General Operating Support | $225,000 |
| Mission Action San Francisco, CA | San francisco immigrant legal and education network (SFILEN) and the rapid response network (RRN) | $200,000 |
| San Francisco Senior and Disability Action San Francisco, CA | General Operating Support | $200,000 |
| Cara Education Fund Oakland, CA | General Operating Support | $175,000 |
| Mujeres Unitas Y Activas San Francisco, CA | General Operating Support | $175,000 |
| Services & Advocacy for Gay Lesbian Bisexual & Transgender Elders Inc New York, NY | Diverse Elders Coalition | $175,000 |
| Richmond Neighborhood Center San Francisco, CA | Sfnct's Healthy Behaviors for Aging & Older Adults | $165,000 |
| Booker T Washington Community Service Center San Francisco, CA | Equity Community Organizing (Eco) Project in San Francisco | $110,000 |
| San Francisco African American Faith-Based Coalition San Francisco, CA | General Operating Support | $108,000 |
| Bayview Hunters Point Multipurpose Senior Services San Francisco, CA | General Operating Support | $104,000 |
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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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $78,818,021 | $10,576,333 | $5,814,901 | $4,010,600 | 52 | $5,624,224 | $9,427,725 | $3,481,663 |
| 2024 | $72,278,914 | $4,517,908 | $7,246,787 | $2,751,500 | 51 | $4,246,165 | $3,425,152 | $3,485,622 |
| 2023 | $71,673,019 | $3,765,530 | $6,111,824 | $2,765,000 | 58 | $4,276,036 | $2,728,400 | $3,375,171 |
| 2022 | $67,495,499 | $3,735,271 | $5,935,085 | $3,100,000 | 56 | $4,410,962 | $2,841,307 | $3,572,339 |
| 2021 | $84,416,735 | $6,997,012 | $4,738,091 | $2,500,000 | 65 | $3,839,111 | $5,986,540 | $3,953,483 |
| 2020 | $78,325,664 | $4,825,520 | $4,683,366 | $2,503,000 | 86 | — | $3,771,962 | $3,342,845 |
| 2019 | $72,352,671 | $3,593,217 | $5,070,208 | $2,601,500 | 79 | — | $2,609,407 | $3,343,543 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Metta Fund reported a distributable amount of $3.5M for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
Metta Fund’s mission is to advance the health and well-being of older San Franciscans through grantmaking and community partnerships. Its vision is inclusive and healthy communities where all can thrive and age with dignity and joy.
Its website identifies caregiving and social connectedness as two core grantmaking areas. It describes its approach as providing flexible funding to build organizational capacity, centering racial equity, and investing in community-driven strategies. It particularly describes partnering with organizations led by and serving people of color to improve older adults’ health and well-being.
The 2025 grantees illustrate the range of organizations supported. Justice in Aging describes its mission as advocating nationwide for the independence and well-being of low-income older and disabled Americans. Mission Action says it nurtures individual wellness and cultivates collective power among low-income and immigrant communities. Community Living Campaign describes its work as reducing isolation and barriers to aging in community, while Openhouse supports LGBTQ+ seniors through housing, direct services, and community programs.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2025, Metta Fund reported 52 grants totaling $4,010,600. Grants ranged from $1,750 to $225,000, with a median of $100,000. The largest awards included $225,000 to Justice in Aging for general operating support; $200,000 to Mission Action for the an individual recipient Immigrant Legal and Education Network and Rapid Response Network; and $200,000 to an individual recipient Senior and Disability Action for general operating support.
Other substantial awards included $175,000 each to Cara Education Fund for general operating support, Mujeres Unidas y Activas for general operating support, and Services & Advocacy for Gay Lesbian Bisexual & Transgender Elders for the Diverse Elders Coalition. Richmond Neighborhood Center received $165,000 for SFNCT’s Healthy Behaviors for Aging & Older Adults.
The foundation states that its application process is invitation-only and that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Janet Y. Spears as president and CEO; Jarmin Yeh as board chair and director; and John Woodward as vice chair and director. Sonia Melara began serving as secretary and director on May 1, 2025, succeeding Roma Guy, whose service ended April 30. Thurman White began serving as treasurer and director on May 1, 2025, succeeding Kimberly Brandon, whose service ended April 30. Other listed directors are Debra Plousha-Moore, Roberta Vargas, and Parvin Manuchehri.
Metta Fund is led by Janet Y. Spears, President & CEO since 2025 (on filings since 2019); 8 of 10 officers listed in 2025 are compensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Janet Y. Spears
President & CEO
CEO → Chief Executive Officer, 2022
Chief Executive Officer → President & CEO, 2025
On filings since 2019
40 hrs/week
$258K (2019) → $390K (2025)
Jarmin Yeh
Board Chair & Director
Director → Board Chair & Director, 2024
On filings since 2019
7 hrs/week
$23K (2019) → $20K (2025)
John Woodward
Vice Chair & Director
Treasurer & Director → Vice Chair & Director, 2024
On filings since 2019
3 hrs/week
$35K (2019) → $0 (2025)
Kimberly Brandon
Treasurer & Director
Vice Chair, Secretary & Director → Chair & Director, 2020
Chair & Director → Treasurer & Director, 2024
On filings since 2019
5 hrs/week
$37K (2019) → $7K (2025)
Roma Guy
Secretary & Director
Director → Secretary & Director, 2020
On filings since 2019
3 hrs/week
$35K (2019) → $20K (2025)
Sonia Melara
Secretary & Director
Director → Secretary & Director, 2025
On filings since 2019
4 hrs/week
$23K (2019) → $20K (2025)
Debra Plousha-Moore
Director
On filings since 2024
3 hrs/week
$15K (2024) → $20K (2025)
Thurman White
Treasurer & Director
Director → Treasurer & Director, 2025
On filings since 2024
5 hrs/week
$15K (2024) → $20K (2025)
Roberta Vargas
Director
New on the 2025 filing
3 hrs/week
$13K (2025)
Parvin Manuchehri
Director
New on the 2025 filing
3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (4)
- Former: James Loyce (2019–2024) — Director
- Former: Joe Hafey (2019–2023) — Vice Chair & Director
- Former: Beverly Hayon Termed Off April (2019) — Director
- Former: Sandra Mori Termed Off April (2019) — Director
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2019–2025. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Compensation Overview
From 2025 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2025 filing was $390K, to Janet Y Spears (President & CEO). 8 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Frequently asked questions about Metta Fund
How much does Metta Fund give each year?
Metta Fund gave $4.0M across 52 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $2.8M across 51 grants.
What is Metta Fund's typical grant size?
Metta Fund's median grant in 2025 was $100,000, and its average grant was $77,127, across 52 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Metta Fund that year got $78K on average.
Where does Metta Fund give grants?
Metta Fund gives mostly in California: 80% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest states were New York (12%) and District of Columbia (6%). The most frequent recipient cities were San Francisco, CA (37 grants), New York, NY (5 grants) and Oakland, CA (4 grants).
Does Metta Fund give general operating support?
Yes: 33% of Metta Fund's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (17 of 52) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are Metta Fund's largest grantees?
Metta Fund's largest 2025 grantees include YMCA of San Francisco ($300,000 across 3 grants), Justice in Aging ($225,000) and Mission Action ($200,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 18% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Metta Fund?
Metta Fund reported $78.8M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $5.6M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $3.5M (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does Metta Fund fund?
Metta Fund’s mission is to advance the health and well-being of older San Franciscans through grantmaking and community partnerships. Its vision is inclusive and healthy communities where all can thrive and age with dignity and joy. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Metta Fund?
Metta Fund does not accept unsolicited requests; it makes grants through an invitation-only process to preselected charitable organizations. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Metta Fund's EIN?
Metta Fund's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 94-2992640. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2025.
Does Metta Fund 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
(3)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS July 23, 2020)
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS June 29, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Metta Fund's focus areas in our free grants database
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Metta Fund funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/metta-fund-morg_3a690752ba554c55ad46724d6a212ace
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_942992640_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Metta Fund funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/metta-fund-morg_3a690752ba554c55ad46724d6a212ace},
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 Metta Fund'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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