Minnesota Street Project Foundation

The Henry Mayo Newhall Foundation

San Rafael, CA

The Henry Mayo Newhall Foundation funds nonprofits working in youth academic and cultural enrichment, agriculture and conservation, scholarships, historical preservation, and services for disadvantaged populations in San Francisco, the Santa Clarita Valley, and the Santa Maria Valley. Typical one-year grants are $5,000–$20,000, though awards can be larger; it does not accept unsolicited proposals, and new or returning applicants must first speak with staff.

Marin Community Foundation

Novato, CA

Marin Community Foundation funds equity-focused work, including affordable housing, homelessness, community resilience and power, and arts; its Buck Family Fund supports organizations serving Marin County, including those based elsewhere. Its 2025 grants had a median of $25,000 and ranged from $5,050 to $10 million; the profile does not state whether it accepts unsolicited requests.

The Bernard Osher Foundation

San Francisco, CA

The Bernard Osher Foundation funds higher education, scholarships, lifelong learning for adults 50 and older, select integrative health programs, and arts and educational organizations. In 2024, grants ranged from $3,500 to $119,000, with a median of $15,000; its programs are national in scope, while arts and education grants focus mainly on the San Francisco Bay Area and Maine. It does not accept unsolicited requests, according to its published program information.

Silicon Valley Community Foundation

Mountain View, CA

Silicon Valley Community Foundation funds work in areas such as housing, economic security, education, health, the environment, arts and culture, and civic engagement, with Community Action Grants supporting local, community-led organizations in San Mateo and Santa Clara counties. Its 2024 grants had a median of $51,716, though amounts varied widely; applications depend on the program, and SVCF states that it does not accept unsolicited proposals for advised funds.

Crankstart Foundation

San Jose, CA

Crankstart funds education, economic mobility, democracy and civil rights, housing security, the environment and basic science, with about 60% of its grants going to the San Francisco Bay Area. Its grants typically range from $100,000 to $1 million (the 2024 median was $250,000), and it does not accept unsolicited requests; proposals are by invitation only.

Kelson Foundation

San Francisco, CA

Kelson Foundation supports organizations serving overlooked and underserved people, with grants in areas including democracy, women’s civic leadership, education, and trail stewardship. Its 2024 grants ranged from $1,000 to $1 million, with a median of $50,000, and went to recipients in multiple states and Washington, DC, especially DC, NY, and CA. The profile does not state whether it accepts unsolicited requests.

The James Irvine Foundation

San Francisco, CA

The James Irvine Foundation funds initiatives that help low-income Californians advance economically, including career opportunities, worker rights, inclusive local economies, and related policies and housing affordability. Its 2024 grants ranged from $150 to $11.15 million, with a median of $10,000; its focus is California. It does not accept unsolicited funding requests or inquiries and gives only to preselected organizations.

The Buddy Taub Foundation

Los Angeles, CA

The Buddy Taub Foundation supports arts and cultural organizations, including museums, arts education, and community nonprofits, with grants also funding exhibitions, acquisitions, general support, and arts-community relief. In 2025, grants ranged from $2,500 to $50,000, with a median of $8,500; recipients were across the U.S., with the largest share of funding going to California. It funds only preselected organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests.

Lui Foundation

San Francisco, CA

California Community Foundation

Los Angeles, CA

The California Community Foundation funds work in education, health, housing, immigration, and other community needs, primarily in Los Angeles County. Its 2025 grants had a median of $50,000, though amounts varied widely; it does not accept unsolicited funding requests.

Tides Foundation

San Francisco, CA

Tides Foundation funds community-led organizations advancing equity and justice, including work on health, climate, gender equity, democracy, and immigrant communities. Its 2024 grants had a median of $50,000, though amounts varied widely, and it funds eligible organizations in the U.S. and abroad, with the most grant dollars going to California, New York, and Washington, D.C. Some programs are open or invitation-only; the Advancing Girls Fund is listed as open, but the profile does not state a general policy on unsolicited grant requests.

The William & Flora Hewlett Foundation

Menlo Park, CA

The William & Flora Hewlett Foundation funds education, climate and conservation, the arts, gender equity, governance, democracy, and philanthropy, with work in the San Francisco Bay Area, the U.S. West, nationally, and internationally. Its 2024 grants had a median of $150,000, though awards ranged from $50 to more than $11 million; it often provides long-term general operating support. It generally does not accept unsolicited requests, except through invited open processes.