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Patterson Family Foundation

Private foundation · Grantmaker Hockessin, DE EIN: 94-3268717 Website

Patterson Family Foundation is a private foundation based in Hockessin, Delaware. Its 2025 filing reports grants to organizations in California, Massachusetts, New York, Washington, DC, and New Hampshire, including education, civic, reproductive-rights, and arts organizations.

Key facts about Patterson Family Foundation

In short: Patterson Family Foundation gave $360K across 30 grants in 2025 (avg $12K), mostly in California. 30% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.

EIN
94-3268717
Latest 990 filing
Form 990-PF, 2025
Annual giving (2025)
$360,000
Grants made (2025)
30
Average grant
$12,000
Median grant
$6,000
New grantees (estimate)
30% first-time grantees (8 of 27, 2025)
Total assets
$9,605,865
Primary geography
California (58% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
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. Full details ↓

Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology). Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.

Financial Overview

From 2025 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing

Total Assets

$9.6M

+1512.9% YoY

Annual Giving

$360K

-27.0% YoY

Grant Count

30

-11.8% YoY

Avg Grant Size

$12K

-17.2% YoY

Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Patterson Family Foundation reported a distributable amount of $173K for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.

Is Patterson Family Foundation open to new grantees?

30%

first-time grantees, 2025

In 2025, 8 of 27 grantees (30%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $14K; repeat grants $13K. How we count

Medians: $8K first-time, $7K repeat.

  • 56% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
  • Giving fell 46% from 2022 to 2025. Method
  • In 2025 it paid out 217% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method

Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2020–2025). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.

Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated October 2026.

Mission & Focus Areas

No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2025 grants include support for a public-school fundraising organization, colleges and universities, civic and legal organizations, reproductive-rights organizations, and arts and cultural organizations. For example, SPARK SF Public Schools says its mission is to build private support and partnerships for San Francisco public schools, with priorities that include learning, equity, access, wellness, and talent. The Emile Norman Arts Foundation says it highlights Big Sur’s cultural influence and preserves and documents the artist’s work and way of life.

Grantmaking

In 2025, the foundation reported 30 grants totaling $360,000. Grants ranged from $1,000 to $75,000, with a median of $6,000. Notable grants included $75,000 to Neighbors for a Better San Francisco for its 2025 Annual Fund; $50,000 to Harvard for Professor Jeffrey Macklis’ ALS research; $50,000 to SPARK SF Public Schools for general and unrestricted support; and $20,000 to Vassar College for a capital campaign in honor of its president. The foundation also gave $15,000 each to Campaign Legal Center, the Center for Reproductive Rights, and Reproductive Freedom for All Foundation, and $10,000 each to Big Sur Food & Wine Foundation, Emile Norman Arts Foundation, Grabhorn Institute, and Keep Big Sur Wild.

How to Apply

The foundation states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds.

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Geographic Focus

Where this funder awards grants

In 2025, 58% of grant dollars went to recipients in California, 19% to Massachusetts, 14% to New York, 8% to Washington, DC, and 1% to New Hampshire.

Grant Distribution by State

12states

Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 30 itemized grants.

Cities

San FranciscoNew YorkBig SurOaklandCambridgeFishers IslandSan RafaelBostonFishers IslePortlandAmagansettCorte MaderaRedwood CitySanta CruzWashingtonPine BluffsCopakeDaly CityGarrisonNeedham

Giving Over Time

Total grant dollars and number of grants per year

$0$250K$500K$750K$1M31 grants2020 29 grants2021 35 grants2022 21 grants2023 34 grants2024 30 grants2025

From 2020 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $282K (2023) to $845K (2020). In 2025 it made 30 grants totaling $360K.

Grant Insights

How this funder distributes its grants

Top Recipients

Top 10 recipients in 2025

Neighbors for a Better San Francisco: $75KNeighbors for a Better SanFrancisco$75KPresident and Fellows of Harvard College: $60K across 2 grantsPresident and Fellows ofHarvard College$60K · 2 grantsSpark SF Public Schools: $50KSpark SF Public Schools$50KVassar College: $22K across 2 grantsVassar College$22K · 2 grantsCampaign Legal Center Inc: $15KCampaign Legal Center Inc$15KCenter for Reproductive Rights Inc: $15KCenter for Reproductive RightsInc$15KReproductive Freedom for All Foundation: $15KReproductive Freedom for AllFoundation$15KBig Sur Food & Wine Foundation Inc: $10KBig Sur Food & Wine FoundationInc$10KEmile Norman Arts Foundation Inc: $10KEmile Norman Arts FoundationInc$10KGrabhorn Institute: $10KGrabhorn Institute$10K

The largest 2025 recipient was Neighbors for a Better San Francisco ($75K). Together the top 10 received $282K.

Grant Size Distribution

149 grants across all recorded years

136<$50K8$50–100K2$100–250K3$250–500K$500K–1M$1–5M$5M+

The most common grant size was under $50K: 136 grants of 149 (91%).

Giving History

Grant recipients and amounts by year

RecipientPurposeAmount
Neighbors for a Better San Francisco San Rafael, CA2025 Annual Fund$75,000
President and Fellows of Harvard College Boston, MAProfessor Jeffrey Macklis' Research on ALS$50,000
Spark SF Public Schools San Francisco, CAGeneral & Unrestricted$50,000
Vassar College Poughkeepsie, NYCapital Campaign in Honor of President Bradley$20,000
Campaign Legal Center Inc Washington, DCGeneral & Unrestricted$15,000
Center for Reproductive Rights Inc New York, NYGeneral & Unrestricted$15,000
Reproductive Freedom for All Foundation Washington, DCGeneral & Unrestricted$15,000
Big Sur Food & Wine Foundation Inc Big Sur, CAGeneral & Unrestricted$10,000
Emile Norman Arts Foundation Inc Big Sur, CAGeneral & Unrestricted$10,000
Grabhorn Institute San Francisco, CAGeneral & Unrestricted$10,000

Financial History

Multi-year comparison from IRS filings

Filing year Assets Revenue Expenses Grants
2025 $9,605,865 $9,390,109 $385,798 $360,000
2024 $595,554 $175,445 $535,084 $493,000
2023 $955,193 $26,953 $305,138 $281,500
Revenue
Expenses
Qualifying Distributions
Net Investment Income
$0$5M$10M$15M2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025
Metric202520242023
Total Assets$9,605,865$595,554$955,193
Revenue$9,390,109$175,445$26,953
Expenses$385,798$535,084$305,138
Qualifying Distributions$375,337$525,340$293,976
Net Investment Income$416,904$209,521$15,791
Distributable Amount$172,782$165,612$243,206

Data update history

When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable

  1. Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS June 12, 2026)
  2. IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024

Leadership & Key People

Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings

The 2025 filing lists Arthur C Patterson as Chairman, Treasurer, and Director; Louise M Patterson as President and Director; and Hume R Steyer as Secretary.

Patterson Family Foundation is led by Louise M Patterson, President & Director on every filing since 2020; none of the 3 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.

Officers on the 2025 filing

  • Louise M Patterson

    President & Director

    On filings since 2020

    1 hr/week

    No compensation reported

  • Arthur C Patterson

    Chairman, Treasurer & Director

    On filings since 2020

    1 hr/week

    No compensation reported

  • Hume R Steyer

    Secretary

    On filings since 2020

    1 hr/week

    No compensation reported

Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2025. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.

Contact

Mailing address: 7234 Lancaster Pike Suite 300-A, Hockessin, DE 19707
Phone: (302) 234-5750

Frequently asked questions about Patterson Family Foundation

How much does Patterson Family Foundation give each year?

Patterson Family Foundation gave $360K across 30 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $493K across 34 grants.

What is Patterson Family Foundation's typical grant size?

Patterson Family Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $6,000, and its average grant was $12,000, across 30 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Patterson Family Foundation that year got $14K on average.

Where does Patterson Family Foundation give grants?

Patterson Family Foundation gives mostly in California: 58% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest states were Massachusetts (19%) and New York (14%). The most frequent recipient cities were San Francisco, CA (4 grants), Big Sur, CA (3 grants), Fishers Island, NY (3 grants) and San Rafael, CA (2 grants).

Does Patterson Family Foundation give general operating support?

Yes: 73% of Patterson Family Foundation's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (22 of 30) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.

Who are Patterson Family Foundation's largest grantees?

Patterson Family Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include Neighbors for a Better San Francisco ($75,000), President and Fellows of Harvard College ($60,000 across 2 grants) and Spark SF Public Schools ($50,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 51% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.

How large is Patterson Family Foundation?

Patterson Family Foundation reported $9.6M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $375K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $173K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).

What does Patterson Family Foundation fund?

No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2025 grants include support for a public-school fundraising organization, colleges and universities, civic and legal organizations, reproductive-rights organizations, and arts and cultural organizations. See mission & focus areas ↑

How do I apply for a grant from Patterson Family 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 Patterson Family Foundation's EIN?

Patterson Family Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 94-3268717. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.

Does Patterson Family 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 October 2026.

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