Samantha and Darren Bechtel Family
Samantha and Darren Bechtel Family is a private foundation based in San Francisco, California. In its 2024 filing, it reported 23 grants totaling $690,500 to charitable organizations, with grants recorded in California, Connecticut, and New York.
Samantha and Darren Bechtel Family at a glance
In short: Samantha and Darren Bechtel Family gave $691K across 23 grants in 2024 (avg $30K), mostly in California. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $690,500
- +60.6% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 23
- +228.6% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $30,022
- -51.1% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $5,000
- Total assets
- $8,424,038
- +77.9% vs 2023
- Primary geography
- California (63% 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 Samantha and Darren Bechtel Family
- 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: PO Box 193809, San Francisco, CA 94119-3809
Phone: (415) 284-8697
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Samantha and Darren Bechtel Family funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Elizabeths Smile Foundation ($250K). Together the top 10 received $650K.
Grant Size Distribution
48 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 33 grants of 48 (69%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The 2024 filing allocates grant dollars by recipient state as follows: California, 63%; Connecticut, 36%; and New York, 1%. The listed 2024 recipients include organizations in California and Connecticut.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 23 itemized grants.
Cities
How Samantha and Darren Bechtel Family gives
- 19% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving grew 376% from 2021 to 2024. Method
- In 2024 it paid out 186% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
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 $145K (2021) to $691K (2024). In 2024 it made 23 grants totaling $691K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Elizabeths Smile Foundation Westport, CT | To support children and young adults with an incurably ill parent, before and after the parent's death. | $250,000 |
| California Liver Institute San Francisco, CA | To support cli's move and renovation of its new home at ucsf. For this grant opportunity, we have an overhead/indirect rate limit of 5% of the total grant. | $100,000 |
| Lone Mountain Childrens Center Inc San Francisco, CA | To support the school's mission and philosophy as active parents in the community and by providing meaningful and predictable financial support to the annual fund. | $50,000 |
| Thacher School Inc Ojai, CA | Thacher Annual Fund | $50,000 |
| The Exploratorium San Francisco, CA | Capital campaign to support the exploratorium stability & revitalization fund | $50,000 |
| The Board of Trustees of the Leland Stanford Junior University Stanford, CA | The Stanford Fund | $30,000 |
| The Board of Trustees of the Leland Stanford Junior University Stanford, CA | General operating supportfor the stanford graduate school of business | $30,000 |
| Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy San Francisco, CA | General Operating Support (Trustee Giving) | $25,000 |
| Marin Community Foundation Novato, CA | For the sybil sugarman memorial fund, dedicated to making a difference in the lives of children battling dipg. | $25,000 |
| The Exploratorium San Francisco, CA | General Operating Support (Trustee Giving) | $25,000 |
Ready to take the next step with Samantha and Darren Bechtel Family?
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Qualifying Distributions | Net Investment Income | Distributable Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $8,424,038 | $4,453,493 | $766,440 | $690,500 | 23 | $715,090 | $3,688,830 | $385,218 |
| 2023 | $4,736,384 | $185,396 | $452,524 | $430,000 | 7 | $448,232 | $308,784 | $211,550 |
| 2022 | $5,003,591 | $267,300 | $343,793 | $305,000 | 8 | $341,468 | $167,300 | $194,955 |
| 2021 | $5,109,714 | $3,271,094 | $186,070 | $145,000 | 5 | $155,150 | $2,219,344 | $164,485 |
| 2020 | $1,994,981 | $252,979 | $197,571 | $185,000 | 5 | — | $52,979 | $146,176 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Samantha and Darren Bechtel Family reported a distributable amount of $385K for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
No foundation mission statement is provided. Its 2024 grants show support for a range of organizations. For example, Lone Mountain Children’s Center describes its work as providing preschool for children ages two years seven months through five years six months. The Exploratorium describes itself as a public learning laboratory that creates inquiry-based experiences in science, art, and human perception.
Other 2024 recipients describe work that includes advancing equity through community philanthropy (Marin Community Foundation), preserving and enhancing the Golden Gate National Parks (Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy), and advancing poverty-fighting solutions (Tipping Point Community). These are the grantees’ descriptions of their own missions.
Grantmaking
In 2024, the foundation made 23 grants totaling $690,500. Grant amounts ranged from $1,500 to $250,000, with a median of $5,000. Notable grants included:
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Darren H. Bechtel as president and director; Riley P. Bechtel as vice president and director; Susan P. Bechtel as CFO and director; Brendan P. Bechtel and Katherine E. Thompson as directors; Amy Dunphy as secretary; and Samantha Bechtel as CFO, vice president, and director.
Samantha and Darren Bechtel Family is led by Darren H. Bechtel, President & Director on every filing since 2020; none of the 7 officers listed in 2024 report compensation.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Darren H. Bechtel
President & Director
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
Brendan P. Bechtel
Director
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
Riley P. Bechtel
Vice President & Director
Vice President & Director → Director, 2021
Director → Vice President & Director, 2022
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
Samantha Bechtel
CFO, Vice President & Director
Vice President & Director → CFO, Vice President & Director, 2024
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
Susan P. Bechtel
CFO & Director
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
Katherine E. Thompson
Director
On filings since 2021
No compensation reported
Amy Dunphy
Secretary
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
Former officers (1)
- Former: Katherine E. Bechtel (2020) — Director
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.
Frequently asked questions about Samantha and Darren Bechtel Family
How much does Samantha and Darren Bechtel Family give each year?
Samantha and Darren Bechtel Family gave $691K across 23 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $430K across 7 grants.
What is Samantha and Darren Bechtel Family's typical grant size?
Samantha and Darren Bechtel Family's median grant in 2024 was $5,000, and its average grant was $30,022, across 23 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
Where does Samantha and Darren Bechtel Family give grants?
Samantha and Darren Bechtel Family gives mostly in California: 63% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest state was Connecticut (36%). The most frequent recipient cities were San Francisco, CA (14 grants), Stanford, CA (2 grants) and St Helena, CA (2 grants).
Does Samantha and Darren Bechtel Family give general operating support?
Yes: 70% of Samantha and Darren Bechtel Family's 2024 grants with a stated purpose (16 of 23) were for general or operating support, per its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are Samantha and Darren Bechtel Family's largest grantees?
Samantha and Darren Bechtel Family's largest 2024 grantees include Elizabeths Smile Foundation ($250,000), California Liver Institute ($100,000) and The Exploratorium ($75,000 across 2 grants), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 62% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is Samantha and Darren Bechtel Family?
Samantha and Darren Bechtel Family reported $8.4M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $715K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $385K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does Samantha and Darren Bechtel Family fund?
No foundation mission statement is provided. Its 2024 grants show support for a range of organizations. For example, Lone Mountain Children’s Center describes its work as providing preschool for children ages two years seven months through five years six months. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Samantha and Darren Bechtel Family?
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 Samantha and Darren Bechtel Family's EIN?
Samantha and Darren Bechtel Family's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 20-0721636. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Does Samantha and Darren Bechtel Family 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 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
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Samantha and Darren Bechtel Family funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 4, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/samantha-and-darren-bechtel-family-morg_cb5e0f87a3d94935b98faf9875b85401
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_200721636_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Samantha and Darren Bechtel Family funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/samantha-and-darren-bechtel-family-morg_cb5e0f87a3d94935b98faf9875b85401},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-04. 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 Samantha and Darren Bechtel Family'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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