The Pilara Family Foundation is a private 501(c)(3) grantmaking foundation established in 2005 and incorporated in Nevada and California. Based in San Francisco, California, the foundation operates as a philanthropic organization dedicated primarily to supporting art and photography initiatives. The foundation is best known for establishing and operating Pier 24 Photography, a non-profit art museum located on the Port of San Francisco beneath the San Francisco–Oakland Bay Bridge, which houses the foundation's permanent photography collection.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$20.0M
-31.7% YoY
Annual Giving
$6.1M
+563.7% YoY
Grant Count
29
+163.6% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$211K
+151.8% YoY
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation's primary mission centers on creating a free public museum through art exhibitions and events. The foundation's stated program areas include:
- Free public museum—art exhibitions and events
- Free public museum—operating the facility
- Maintenance of art and photographic works
- Museum art sale to support free public museum
The foundation's focus on photography is reflected in its support of Pier 24 Photography, which houses a collection of over 4,000 photographic works spanning the history of the medium and its international breadth. The collection was inspired by the Diane Arbus retrospective "Revelations" organized by the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art in 2003, with the foundation's first photograph acquisition being a portrait from Arbus's "Untitled" series.
Grantmaking
The foundation makes grants across multiple focus areas including education, philanthropy, voluntarism, grantmaking, and health care. Recent grant activity shows:
Grant Range
**: Ranges from $371 to $1,824,770 depending on the year
Average Grant
**: Ranges from $371 to $1,824,770 depending on the year
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation supports initiatives across multiple U.S. cities and states, including:
- California: Los Angeles, Moraga, Napa, Redwood City, San Francisco, Stanford
- New York: New York, New Shoreham
- Hawaii: Waimea
- Additional states: Wisconsin, Rhode Island
Primary geographic focus areas include California, Hawaii, New York, and Rhode Island.
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
Most Recent Financial Data (2024):
- Total Assets: $20,045,410
- Total Revenue: $245,779
- Total Expenses: $9,434,225
- Net Income: -$9,188,446
- Total Liabilities: $57
Prior Year Data (2023):
- Total Assets: $29,331,201
- Total Revenue: $1,635,824
- Total Expenses: $3,382,145
The foundation files Form 990-PF with the IRS as a private grantmaking foundation.
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $20,045,410 | $29,331,201 | $35,219,643 |
| Revenue | $245,779 | $1,635,824 | $4,879 |
| Expenses | $9,434,225 | $3,382,145 | $3,613,084 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $9,136,558 | $3,069,872 | $3,293,733 |
| Net Investment Income | $470,295 | $1,611,177 | $8 |
| Distributable Amount | — | — | — |
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
Grant Size Distribution
48 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include The Metropolitan Museum of Art ($1,824,770), High Museum of Art ($916,227), The Museum of Fine Arts Houston ($641,043).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| STANFORD LIBRARY REDWOOD CITY, CA | ART | $10,925 |
| UCSF FOUNDATION SAN FRANCISCO, CA | ART | $200,000 |
| SAINT MARY'S COLLEGE OF CALIFORNIA MORAGA, CA | ART | $100,000 |
| ELLISON INSTITUTE RESEARCH FOUNDATION LOS ANGELES, CA | ART | $100,000 |
| CREATIVITY EXPLORED SAN FRANCISCO, CA | ART | $3,000 |
| WHITNEY MUSEUM OF AMERICAN ART NEW YORK, NY | ART | $37,350 |
| DETROIT INSTITUE OF ART MUSEUM DETROIT, MI | ART | $230,000 |
| MUSEUM OF CONTEMPORARY ART LOS ANGELES LOS ANGELES, CA | ART | $5,000 |
| NERMAN MUSEUM OF CONTEMPORARY ART OVERLAND PARK, KS | ART | $87,555 |
| J PAUL GETTY MUSEUM LOS ANGELES, CA | ART | $57,362 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
- Andrew Pilara: President and Director; Founder of Pier 24 Photography
- Mary Pilara: Secretary, Treasurer, and Director; Founder of Pier 24 Photography
- Chris McCall: Director and compensated staff member ($420,000 compensation); Director of Pier 24 Photography
- Allie Haeusslein: Director of Pier 24 Photography
The foundation employs 9 staff members.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| ANDREW PILARA | PRES/DIRECTOR | 25 | — |
| MARY PILARA | SEC/TREASR/DIR | 3 | — |
| CHRIS MCCALL | DIRECTOR | 40 | $470,000 |
Recent News & Activity
Recent developments and announcements
The Pilara Family Foundation has provided renewed support to the Public Interest Law Initiative (PILI), with grants announced in multiple periods including October 2025, May 2025, and January 2026.
PILI Receives Renewed Support from Several Foundations - Public InterestPier 24 Photography, the foundation's flagship initiative, was established in 2010 and operates as the world's largest exhibition space dedicated solely to photography. The museum offers free admission by appointment and produces exhibitions, publications, and public programs. The facility is accessible via multiple public transit options including BART and Muni lines.
PILI Receives Renewed Support from Several Foundations - Public InterestSubject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Pilara Family Foundation fund?
The foundation's primary mission centers on creating a free public museum through art exhibitions and events. The foundation's stated program areas include: • Free public museum—art exhibitions and events • Free public museum—operating the facility • Maintenance of art and photographic works • Museum art sale to support free public museum The foundation's focus on photography is reflected in its support of Pier 24 Photography, which houses a collection of over 4,000 photographic works spanning …
How do I apply for a grant from Pilara Family Foundation?
The foundation makes grants across multiple focus areas including education, philanthropy, voluntarism, grantmaking, and health care. Recent grant activity shows: • **2024 Total Giving**: $6,124,380 • **2023 Total Giving**: $923,000 across 427 grants • **Average Grant Size**: Ranges from $371 to $1,824,770 depending on the year • **Recent Grantees** (2023): Queen's North Hawaii Community Hospital ($200,000), UCSF Foundation Investment Company ($150,000), and Ellison Institute Research Foundatio…
Where does Pilara Family Foundation make grants?
The foundation supports initiatives across multiple U.S. cities and states, including: • **California**: Los Angeles, Moraga, Napa, Redwood City, San Francisco, Stanford • **New York**: New York, New Shoreham • **Hawaii**: Waimea • **Additional states**: Wisconsin, Rhode Island Primary geographic focus areas include California, Hawaii, New York, and Rhode Island.
What size grants does Pilara Family Foundation award?
In 2024, Pilara Family Foundation awarded 29 grants totaling $6.1M — an average of about $211K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
What is Pilara Family Foundation's EIN?
Pilara Family Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 84-1694739. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
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Data last updated June 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
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