Paul L Wattis Foundation
The Paul L Wattis Foundation is a private foundation based in San Francisco, California. Its 2025 filing reports grants to charitable organizations, including organizations involved in arts and culture, health care, heritage preservation, and legal advocacy.
Paul L Wattis Foundation at a glance
In short: Paul L Wattis Foundation gave $353K across 13 grants in 2025 (avg $27K), mostly in California. 46% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $353,400
- -4.6% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 13
- +18.2% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $27,185
- -19.3% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $20,000
- Total assets
- $5,419,549
- -6.4% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 46% first-time grantees (6 of 13, 2025; small sample)
- Primary geography
- California (93% 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 Paul L Wattis 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: 180 Montgomery Street 1616, San Francisco, CA 94104
Phone: (415) 364-9700
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Paul L Wattis Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was California College of the Arts ($113K). Together the top 10 received $326K.
Organizations only. It also paid 1 grant to individuals ($20,000), which are not listed by name.
Grant Size Distribution
57 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 34 grants of 57 (60%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2025, 93% of grant dollars went to recipients in California and 7% went to recipients in New York.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 13 itemized grants.
Cities
Is Paul L Wattis Foundation open to new grantees?
46%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 6 of 13 grantees (46%) were first-time recipients. With only 13 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 8 points. First grants averaged $41K; repeat grants $16K. How we count
Medians: $26K first-time, $10K repeat.
- 15% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2022 to 2025 (+5%). Method
- In 2025 it paid out 64% 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 (2020–2025). 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 2020 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $206K (2020) to $555K (2021). In 2025 it made 13 grants totaling $353K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| California College of the Arts San Francisco, CA | Huang Matching Gift Challenge for unrestricted operating support | $112,500 |
| Sweetwater Music Hall Mill Valley, CA | General support | $50,000 |
| The Dry Dock Corporation San Francisco, CA | Support for general expenses | $50,000 |
| The Salvation Army - Golden State Division San Francisco, CA | To support the Joseph McFee Center | $31,000 |
| Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco San Francisco, CA | For acquisition of Hiba Kalache's Ecology of Violence II (2023) | $22,400 |
| 1 grant to individuals Recipients not named | — | $20,000 |
| Trisha Brown Dance Company New York, NY | To support the upcoming production in celebration of the Robert Rauschenberg Centennial | $20,000 |
| Hazel Hawkins Hospital Foundation Hollister, CA | General support | $10,000 |
| Pacific Legal Foundation Sacramento, CA | For the foundation's Annual Fund | $10,000 |
| San Benito County Heritage Foundation Tres Pinos, CA | To support the Water Project Committee with funding of a second well and water supply in the Southwest region of Bolado Park | $10,000 |
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Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
The foundation reported 13 grants in 2025, 11 in 2024, and 9 in 2023.
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Qualifying Distributions | Net Investment Income | Distributable Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $5,419,549 | $55,335 | $422,881 | $353,400 | 13 | $391,496 | $173,753 | $612,101 |
| 2024 | $5,787,095 | $1,072,651 | $422,933 | $370,500 | 11 | $409,518 | $1,059,236 | $519,804 |
| 2023 | $5,137,378 | $162,427 | $523,787 | $449,250 | 9 | $506,936 | $145,676 | $458,349 |
| 2022 | $5,498,738 | $127,580 | $451,744 | $335,000 | 7 | $411,235 | $102,071 | $483,096 |
| 2021 | $5,822,902 | $1,126,704 | $728,654 | $555,000 | 17 | $654,759 | $1,075,764 | $541,471 |
| 2020 | $5,424,852 | $987,876 | $340,737 | $206,300 | 8 | — | $944,243 | $398,389 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Paul L Wattis Foundation reported a distributable amount of $612K for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
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 show support for organizations in several fields. For example, California College of the Arts says it educates students through the practice and study of art, architecture, design, and writing; Sweetwater Music Hall says it promotes appreciation of traditional and innovative music through performances and education programs; and Hazel Hawkins Hospital Foundation says it supports health care facilities, equipment, and programs in the San Benito Health Care District.
Other 2025 grantees describe work in publishing, legal advocacy, heritage preservation, and music. An individual recipient describes itself as a nonprofit publisher of international and American literature, while Pacific Legal Foundation says it litigates to secure Americans’ rights. San Benito County Heritage Foundation says it works to preserve and enrich the heritage of the 33rd District Agricultural Association. Little Village Foundation describes itself as an arts nonprofit record company that promotes musicians who might otherwise go unheard.
Grantmaking
In 2025, the foundation reported 13 grants totaling $353,400. Grants ranged from $2,500 to $112,500, with a median grant of $20,000.
Among the reported grants, California College of the Arts received $112,500 for the Huang Matching Gift Challenge for unrestricted operating support; Sweetwater Music Hall received $50,000 for general support; and The Dry Dock Corporation received $50,000 for general expenses. The Salvation Army - Golden State Division received $31,000 to support the Joseph McFee Center, and Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco received $22,400 for an acquisition. Other listed grants include $20,000 to Trisha Brown Dance Company for an upcoming production and $10,000 each to Hazel Hawkins Hospital Foundation, Pacific Legal Foundation, and San Benito County Heritage Foundation.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Paul L Wattis III as President and Director, Paul L Wattis Jr as Treasurer and Director, and Anne M Wattis as Secretary and Director.
Paul L Wattis Foundation is led by Paul L Wattis III, President & Director on every filing since 2020; none of the 3 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Paul L Wattis III
President & Director
On filings since 2020
12 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Paul L Wattis Jr.
Treasurer & Director
Sect'y., Treasurer & Director → Treasurer & Director, 2025
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Anne M Wattis
Sect'y. & Director
Director → Sect'y. & Director, 2025
On filings since 2024
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.
Frequently asked questions about Paul L Wattis Foundation
How much does Paul L Wattis Foundation give each year?
Paul L Wattis Foundation gave $353K across 13 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $371K across 11 grants.
What is Paul L Wattis Foundation's typical grant size?
Paul L Wattis Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $20,000, and its average grant was $27,185, across 13 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Paul L Wattis Foundation that year got $41K on average.
Where does Paul L Wattis Foundation give grants?
Paul L Wattis Foundation gives mostly in California: 93% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest state was New York (7%). The most frequent recipient cities were San Francisco, CA (5 grants) and New York, NY (2 grants).
Does Paul L Wattis Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 46% of Paul L Wattis Foundation's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (6 of 13) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are Paul L Wattis Foundation's largest grantees?
Paul L Wattis Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include California College of the Arts ($112,500), Sweetwater Music Hall ($50,000) and The Dry Dock Corporation ($50,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It also paid 1 grant to individuals ($20,000), which are not listed by name. Together they received 60% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Paul L Wattis Foundation?
Paul L Wattis Foundation reported $5.4M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $391K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $612K (roughly 5% of its investment assets). Falling short in one year is not a violation: foundations have until the end of the next year to meet the minimum.
What does Paul L Wattis Foundation fund?
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2025 grants show support for organizations in several fields. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Paul L Wattis 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 Paul L Wattis Foundation's EIN?
Paul L Wattis Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 84-1624183. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.
Does Paul L Wattis 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.
Data update history
(2)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS May 12, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Live grants for the work Paul L Wattis Foundation funds
Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking Open opportunities, soonest deadline first.
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Browse active grant opportunities in Paul L Wattis Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Paul L Wattis Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 16, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/paul-l-wattis-foundation-morg_1ca81f7809b8496fb528f6d42bc18f6c
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_841624183_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Paul L Wattis Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/paul-l-wattis-foundation-morg_1ca81f7809b8496fb528f6d42bc18f6c},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-16. 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 Paul L Wattis 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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