Sam Francis Foundation
The Sam Francis Foundation is a private foundation based in Glendale, California. Its grants support charitable organizations, including arts and cultural organizations, museums, and organizations working in areas such as food security and civil rights.
Sam Francis Foundation at a glance
In short: Sam Francis Foundation gave $96K across 28 grants in 2025 (avg $3K), mostly in California. 68% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $95,876
- +12.1% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 28
- +7.7% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $3,424
- +4.1% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $528
- Total assets
- $419,399
- -48.3% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 68% first-time grantees (19 of 28, 2025)
- Primary geography
- California (95% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated September 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to Sam Francis Foundation
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests for funds and states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations.
- Contact
Mailing address: 1146 North Central Avenue 523, Glendale, CA 91202
Phone: (818) 246-5455
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Sam Francis Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was 18TH Street Arts ($50K). Together the top 10 received $89K.
Grant Size Distribution
105 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 102 grants of 105 (97%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2025, 95% of grant dollars went to recipients in California. The filing also reports shares for Massachusetts (2%), an unspecified state (2%), Oregon (1%), and New York (1%).
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 28 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is Sam Francis Foundation open to new grantees?
68%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 19 of 28 grantees (68%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $2K; repeat grants $7K. How we count
Medians: $175 first-time, $2K repeat.
- 25% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving grew 692% from 2022 to 2025. Method
- In 2025 it paid out 740% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2021–2025). 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 2021 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $12K (2022) to $105K (2021). In 2025 it made 28 grants totaling $96K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| 18TH Street Arts Santa Monica, CA | Charitable | $50,350 |
| San Mateo County Office of Arts and Culture Redwood City, CA | Charitable | $10,500 |
| J Paul Getty Trust Los Angeles, CA | Charitable | $10,000 |
| Japanese American Cultural & Community Center Los Angeles, CA | Charitable | $5,000 |
| The Mesa Refuge Point Reyes Station, CA | Charitable | $3,500 |
| Armory Center for the Arts Pasadena, CA | Charitable | $3,500 |
| Sfai Legacy Foundation San Francisco, CA | Charitable | $2,075 |
| Adopt-a-Village Weymouth, MA | Charitable | $1,531 |
| Jung Institute Los Angeles, CA | Charitable | $1,500 |
| Calpoly Pomona Pomona, CA | Charitable | $1,500 |
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Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Qualifying Distributions | Net Investment Income | Distributable Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $419,399 | $137,081 | $523,928 | $95,876 | 28 | $518,040 | $36,568 | $69,961 |
| 2024 | $810,787 | $154,400 | $548,869 | $85,527 | 26 | $541,217 | $46,654 | $50,656 |
| 2023 | $1,203,962 | $262,521 | $585,718 | $58,819 | 21 | $565,292 | $173,880 | $65,557 |
| 2022 | $1,526,364 | $968,397 | $527,058 | $12,107 | 17 | $518,271 | $840,026 | $34,300 |
| 2021 | $1,096,457 | $294,730 | $605,446 | $105,050 | 13 | $595,105 | $109,633 | $51,279 |
| 2020 | $1,454,144 | $142,869 | $738,824 | — | — | — | $58,206 | $63,538 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Sam Francis Foundation reported a distributable amount of $70K for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation’s stated mission is to further understanding of Sam Francis’s art and ideas through educational programs and activities that inform people and encourage new thinking about creativity in society.
Its 2025 grantees describe a range of work. The Armory Center for the Arts says its mission is to nurture its community and young people through art to advance equity and social justice. Project Angel Food describes its work as improving health and fighting food insecurity through medically tailored meals and nutrition counseling. Public Counsel describes its mission as advancing civil rights and racial and economic justice through legal advocacy.
Grantmaking
In 2025, the foundation gave $95,876 through 28 grants. Grant amounts ranged from $50 to $50,350, with a median of $528. Notable grants included $50,350 to 18th Street Arts, $10,500 to San Mateo County Office of Arts and Culture, $10,000 to J Paul Getty Trust, and $5,000 to Japanese American Cultural & Community Center.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Nancy Mozur, John Seed, Jenkins Shannon, and Louise Steinman as directors. Debra Burchett-Lere is listed as president and director.
Sam Francis Foundation is led by Debra Burchett-Lere, President & Director on every filing since 2020; all 5 officers listed in 2025 are compensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Debra Burchett-Lere
President & Director
On filings since 2020
$153K (2020) → $145K (2025)
Jenkins Shannon
Director
On filings since 2020
$4K (2020) → $3K (2025)
John Seed
Director
On filings since 2020
$4K (2020) → $3K (2025)
Louise Steinman
Director
On filings since 2020
$4K (2020) → $3K (2025)
Nancy Mozur
Director
On filings since 2020
$4K (2020) → $3K (2025)
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.
Compensation Overview
From 2025 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2025 filing was $145K, to Debra Burchett-Lere (President/Director). 5 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Frequently asked questions about Sam Francis Foundation
How much does Sam Francis Foundation give each year?
Sam Francis Foundation gave $96K across 28 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $86K across 26 grants.
What is Sam Francis Foundation's typical grant size?
Sam Francis Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $528, and its average grant was $3,424, across 28 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Sam Francis Foundation that year got $2K on average.
Where does Sam Francis Foundation give grants?
Sam Francis Foundation gives mostly in California: 95% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Los Angeles, CA (9 grants), Santa Barbara, CA (2 grants) and New York, NY (2 grants).
Does Sam Francis Foundation give general operating support?
Not in 2025: none of the 28 grants with a stated purpose on Sam Francis Foundation's 2025 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Charitable" (28 grants).
Who are Sam Francis Foundation's largest grantees?
Sam Francis Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include 18TH Street Arts ($50,350), San Mateo County Office of Arts and Culture ($10,500) and J Paul Getty Trust ($10,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 74% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Sam Francis Foundation?
Sam Francis Foundation reported $419K in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $518K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $70K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does Sam Francis Foundation fund?
The foundation’s stated mission is to further understanding of Sam Francis’s art and ideas through educational programs and activities that inform people and encourage new thinking about creativity in society. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Sam Francis Foundation?
The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests for funds and states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Sam Francis Foundation's EIN?
Sam Francis Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 95-4336984. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.
Does Sam Francis Foundation accept unsolicited proposals?
No, according to Grantable's research on the foundation's published guidelines. See how to apply ↑
Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(6)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS May 18, 2021)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS May 9, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS May 9, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS May 9, 2024)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS May 8, 2025)
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS May 11, 2026)
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Sam Francis Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 15, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/sam-francis-foundation-morg_aa7c1eb617d54de7bc90988d04569505
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_954336984_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Sam Francis Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/sam-francis-foundation-morg_aa7c1eb617d54de7bc90988d04569505},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-15. 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 Sam Francis 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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