Pilara Family Foundation
Pilara Family Foundation is a private foundation based in San Francisco, California. It is transitioning from operating Pier 24 Photography to grantmaking focused on organizations devoted to healthcare research, education, and the arts. Pier 24 Photography, which housed the Foundation’s photography collection and offered free public access, closed to the public on February 1, 2025.
Pilara Family Foundation at a glance
In short: Pilara Family Foundation gave $6.1M across 29 grants in 2024 (avg $211K), top state New York. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $6,124,380
- +563.7% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 29
- +163.6% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $211,186
- +151.8% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $100,000
- Total assets
- $20,045,410
- -31.7% vs 2023
- Primary geography
- New York (30% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated October 2026.
How to apply to Pilara Family Foundation
- How to Apply
-
The Foundation states that it does not restrict giving to preselected organizations. Its 2024 filing lists contact, application materials, deadlines, and award restrictions as not applicable or unavailable.
- Contact
Mailing address: N/A, NA, CA 00000
Phone: (999) 999-9999
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Pilara Family Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was The Metropolitan Museum of Art ($1.8M). Together the top 10 received $5.2M.
Grant Size Distribution
48 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 24 grants of 48 (50%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The 2024 grant dollars went to recipients in New York (30%), California (29%), Georgia (15%), Texas (10%), and Nevada (7%). Listed grants also included recipients in Michigan and Wisconsin.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 29 itemized grants.
States
Cities
How Pilara Family Foundation gives
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2024). 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 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $15K (2020) to $6.1M (2024). In 2024 it made 29 grants totaling $6.1M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| The Metropolitan Museum of Art New York, NY | ART | $1,824,770 |
| High Museum of Art Atlanta, GA | ART | $916,227 |
| The Museum of Fine Arts Houston Houston, TX | ART | $641,043 |
| Nevada Museum of Art Reno, NV | ART | $411,038 |
| Asian Art Museum of SF San Francisco, CA | ART | $406,815 |
| The Fine Arts Museums Foundation San Francisco, CA | ART | $275,437 |
| Detroit Institue of Art Museum Detroit, MI | ART | $230,000 |
| UCSF Foundation San Francisco, CA | ART | $200,000 |
| Crocker Art Museum Sacramento, CA | ART | $164,209 |
| Milwaukee Art Museum Milwaukee, WI | ART | $118,765 |
Ready to take the next step with Pilara Family Foundation?
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Qualifying Distributions | Net Investment Income |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $20,045,410 | $245,779 | $9,434,225 | $6,124,380 | 29 | $9,136,558 | $470,295 |
| 2023 | $29,331,201 | $1,635,824 | $3,382,145 | $922,750 | 11 | $3,069,872 | $1,611,177 |
| 2022 | $35,219,643 | $4,879 | $3,613,084 | $1,417,130 | 2 | $3,293,733 | $8 |
| 2021 | $37,173,164 | $7,067 | $1,873,297 | $111,500 | 5 | $1,435,486 | — |
| 2020 | $37,357,232 | $1,240,742 | $1,925,776 | $15,000 | 1 | — | — |
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The Foundation’s stated direct charitable activities include presenting art exhibitions and events at a free public museum, operating the facility, and maintaining art and photographic works. Its 2023 announcement described a future grantmaking focus on healthcare research, education, and the arts. The 2024 grants listed here were designated for “ART.”
Grantees’ own descriptions illustrate the kinds of organizations supported. The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston says it connects Houston communities with art histories through collections, exhibitions, learning programs, conservation, and research. The Nevada Museum of Art describes itself as a forum for creative ideas and a cultural resource for the community. The Ellison Institute Research Foundation describes its work as advancing cancer care and wellness through translational research, education, and public health policy.
Grantmaking
In 2024, the Foundation made 29 grants totaling $6,124,380. Grants ranged from $1,023 to $1,824,770, with a median of $100,000. Notable grants included $1,824,770 to The Metropolitan Museum of Art, $916,227 to the High Museum of Art, $641,043 to The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, $411,038 to the Nevada Museum of Art, and $406,815 to the Asian Art Museum of San Francisco.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Andrew Pilara as president and director, Mary Pilara as secretary, treasurer, and director, and Chris McCall as director.
Pilara Family Foundation is led by Andrew Pilara, President & Director on every filing since 2020; 1 of 3 officers listed in 2024 is compensated.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Andrew Pilara
President & Director
On filings since 2020
25 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Chris McCall
Director
On filings since 2020
40 hrs/week
$302K (2020) → $470K (2024)
Mary Pilara
Secretary, Treasr & Director
On filings since 2020
3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2024. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2024 filing was $470K, to Chris McCall (Director).
Frequently asked questions about Pilara Family Foundation
How much does Pilara Family Foundation give each year?
Pilara Family Foundation gave $6.1M across 29 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $923K across 11 grants.
What is Pilara Family Foundation's typical grant size?
Pilara Family Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $100,000, and its average grant was $211,186, across 29 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
Where does Pilara Family Foundation give grants?
Pilara Family Foundation's top state is New York, with 30% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. The next largest states were California (29%) and Georgia (15%). The most frequent recipient cities were San Francisco, CA (8 grants), Los Angeles, CA (4 grants) and New York, NY (3 grants).
Does Pilara Family Foundation give general operating support?
Not in 2024: none of the 29 grants with a stated purpose on Pilara Family Foundation's 2024 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Art" (29 grants).
Who are Pilara Family Foundation's largest grantees?
Pilara Family Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include The Metropolitan Museum of Art ($1,824,770), High Museum of Art ($916,227) and The Museum of Fine Arts Houston ($641,043), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 55% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is Pilara Family Foundation?
Pilara Family Foundation reported $20.0M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Its revenue that year was $246K.
What does Pilara Family Foundation fund?
The Foundation’s stated direct charitable activities include presenting art exhibitions and events at a free public museum, operating the facility, and maintaining art and photographic works. Its 2023 announcement described a future grantmaking focus on healthcare research, education, and the arts. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Pilara Family Foundation?
The Foundation states that it does not restrict giving to preselected organizations. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
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.
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(1)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Pilara Family Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
Similar Funders
Funders that support many of the same organizations
The Robert Mapplethorpe Foundation Inc
New York, NY
The Robert Mapplethorpe Foundation funds photography exhibitions, acquisitions, and publications at museums and other public institutions, as well as HIV/AIDS research, prevention, and care; it does not fund individual photographers. Its 2025 grants ranged from $1,000 to $137,500, with a median of $12,500, and most funding went to New York; it currently prioritizes HIV/AIDS projects benefiting or conducted there.
Assets
$192.0M
Grants
12
Total Given
$419K
IBM International Foundation
Armonk, NY
The IBM International Foundation funds education and workforce programs that build 21st-century and technology job skills, including initiatives for underserved students and job seekers. Its 2024 grants ranged from $10,000 to $8.48 million, with a median of $100,000, and went to organizations across several U.S. states, especially Delaware and Massachusetts. It funds only preselected organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests.
Assets
$357.7M
Grants
16
Total Given
$11.7M
Ellsworth Kelly Foundation Inc
Spencertown, NY
The foundation supports the arts, historic preservation, environmental conservation, and education, including museums and heritage sites in the U.S. and Europe and community conservation efforts in Columbia County, New York. It does not publish a typical award size; listed 2023 grants included several $50,000 awards. It funds only preselected organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests.
Assets
$41.4M
Grants
36
Total Given
$4.5M
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.
Assets
$8.1M
Grants
23
Total Given
$367K
Phillip & Edith Leonian Foundation
Bronx, NY
The foundation funds photography education, documentary photography, professional development, preservation, exhibitions, and community projects in the United States, with priority for educational programs. Organizational grants typically range from $5,000 to $25,000; fiscally sponsored applicants typically receive $1,000 to $15,000. It accepts applications through an annual online process; letters of inquiry are not required.
Assets
$3.4M
Grants
54
Total Given
$693K
Helen Frankenthaler Foundation Inc
New York, NY
The Helen Frankenthaler Foundation supports visual arts exhibitions, education, research and programming, cultural organizations’ core capacity, and sustainability projects. Its 2024 grants had a median award of $30,000, with recipients in New York, elsewhere in the U.S., and internationally. It funds preselected organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests.
Assets
$173.2M
Grants
105
Total Given
$14.4M
More similar funders
More Funders in California
Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Pilara Family Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 16, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/pilara-family-foundation-morg_735d90b5d71841f59b73c089b44eb11b
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_841694739_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Pilara Family Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/pilara-family-foundation-morg_735d90b5d71841f59b73c089b44eb11b},
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 Pilara Family 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.
Pilara Family Foundation down — hundreds of funders to go?