Sandler Foundation
The Sandler Foundation is a public charity based in San Francisco, California. Its website says it was formed in 1991 by Herb and Marion Sandler and is in its final years as a spend-down foundation. The website describes its mission as investing in strategic organizations and exceptional leaders to improve people’s rights, opportunities, and well-being, especially for those who are most vulnerable and disadvantaged.
Sandler Foundation at a glance
In short: Sandler Foundation gave $353.6M across 41 grants in 2025 (avg $8.6M), mostly in California. 8% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $353,625,080
- +465.8% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 41
- -33.9% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $8,625,002
- +755.7% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $1,000,000
- Total assets
- $251,651,548
- -56.1% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 8% first-time grantees (3 of 37, 2025)
- Primary geography
- California (87% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990, 2025; updated September 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to Sandler Foundation
- Contact
Mailing address: 121 Steuart Street, San Francisco, CA 94105
Phone: (415) 777-0411
Website: https://sandlerfoundation.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Sandler Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Jewish Community Federation ($296.1M across 2 grants). Together the top 10 received $331.3M.
Grant Size Distribution
305 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was in the $1–5M range: 103 grants of 305 (34%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation’s website describes its emphasis as national, rather than local, regional, or international. In 2025, its grant dollars went primarily to recipients in California, with additional grants to recipients in Washington, DC, New York, Virginia, and North Carolina.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 41 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is Sandler Foundation open to new grantees?
8%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 3 of 37 grantees (8%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $3M; repeat grants $10M. How we count
Medians: $1.5M first-time, $1M repeat.
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990 filings (2019–2025). 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 2019 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $62.5M (2024) to $353.6M (2025). In 2025 it made 41 grants totaling $353.6M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Jewish Community Federation San Francisco, CA | Tikkun Olam Charitable Fund | $296,080,080 |
| Reset Tech Washington, DC | General Support | $7,000,000 |
| Propublica New York, NY | General Support | $6,000,000 |
| Center for American Progress Washington, DC | General Support | $4,000,000 |
| Center on Budget and Policy Priorities Washington, DC | State Fiscal Efforts and General Support | $4,000,000 |
| All Voting Is Local Washington, DC | General Support | $3,000,000 |
| Democracy Forward Foundation Washington, DC | General Support | $3,000,000 |
| University of California San Francisco Foundation San Francisco, CA | Program in Breakthrough Biomedical Research (PBBR) | $3,000,000 |
| Global Impact Alexandria, VA | Charitable Projects | $2,500,000 |
| American Civil Liberties Union New York, NY | General Support | $2,000,000 |
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Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
The 2025 filing reports 41 grants; the 2024 and 2023 filings report 62 and 64 grants, respectively.
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Net Investment Income |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $251,651,548 | $-2,171,474 | $356,183,505 | $353,625,080 | 41 | $-2,171,474 |
| 2024 | $572,968,821 | $16,621,643 | $65,066,512 | $62,496,000 | 62 | $16,495,729 |
| 2023 | $612,261,888 | $15,366,307 | $70,736,091 | $68,172,530 | 64 | $15,365,307 |
| 2022 | $672,162,748 | $40,866,490 | $67,960,612 | $65,137,473 | 64 | $16,256,754 |
| 2021 | $750,976,876 | $12,570,533 | $76,710,966 | $73,625,850 | 74 | $12,570,533 |
| 2020 | $833,555,725 | $253,171,244 | $88,209,955 | $85,329,172 | 76 | $251,247,837 |
| 2019 | $948,056,423 | $33,043,836 | $65,914,094 | $63,066,497 | 85 | $32,943,831 |
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation’s website cites opportunity, liberty, and justice, as well as the Jewish values of Tzedek, Tzedekah, and Tikkun Olam, as guiding values. Its stated areas of work include health and innovative scientific research; economic and “pocketbook” issues; children’s safety and opportunity; the environment; and American democracy. Examples it gives include asthma research, efforts to make housing more affordable, clean energy, independent journalism, civil liberties, and free and fair elections.
The website says the foundation emphasizes meaningful, long-term general support for a limited number of organizations. Its grant-category document describes a national emphasis and lists policy development and advocacy, systemic reform, and innovative scientific research and health among its areas of support. In 2025, recipients included organizations whose stated missions span these areas. For example, Reset Tech says it works to protect the public from digital threats to security, safety, and fundamental rights; the Center for Responsible Lending says it promotes financial fairness and economic opportunity and seeks to end abusive lending; and ProPublica received a grant for general support.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2025, the foundation reported 41 grants totaling $353,625,080. The median grant was $1,000,000; grants ranged from $40,000 to $296,080,080. The largest grant was $296,080,080 to the Jewish Community Federation for its Tikkun Olam Charitable Fund. Other large grants included $7,000,000 to Reset Tech for general support; $6,000,000 to ProPublica for general support; and $4,000,000 each to the Center for American Progress for general support and the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities for state fiscal efforts and general support.
Other 2025 grants included $3,000,000 each to All Voting Is Local, Democracy Forward Foundation, and the University of California San Francisco Foundation’s Program in Breakthrough Biomedical Research. The foundation also reported grants of $2,500,000 to Global Impact and $2,000,000 each to the American Civil Liberties Union, Center for Responsible Lending, and Oceana.
The foundation’s grant principles call for extensive due diligence, measurable outcomes, long-term strategic planning, regular performance reporting, and attention to grantees’ sustainability. The website also says it provides strategic and organizational support beyond funding. No application process or unsolicited-request policy is stated in the available information.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists James Sandler as director, board chair, and vice president; Steve Daetz as director, president, and assistant secretary; Joy Sisisky as treasurer and secretary; and Phyllis Cook, David Agger, and David Folkman as directors. Sergio Knaebel is listed as grants director. Jeannette Demesmin-Rodrigues and Susan Hyde are listed as executive assistants.
Sandler Foundation is led by Steve Daetz, Director, President & Ast Secretary since 2025 (on filings since 2019); 4 of 9 officers listed in 2025 are compensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Steve Daetz
Director, President & Ast Secretary
Director President & Asst.secreta → Director, President & Assistant Secretary, 2024
Director, President & Assistant Secretary → Director, President & Ast Secretary, 2025
On filings since 2019
40 hrs/week
$481K (2019) → $602K (2025)
James Sandler
Director, Board Chair & Vice President
Director, Board Chair & Vice President → Director, Board Chair & V, 2024
Director, Board Chair & V → Director, Board Chair & Vice President, 2025
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Sergio Knaebel
Grants Director
Grants Director → Vice President & Grants Director, 2023
Vice President & Grants Director → Grants Director, 2025
On filings since 2019
36 hrs/week
$174K (2019) → $263K (2025)
David Folkman
Director
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Phyllis Cook
Director
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
David Agger
Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Jeannette Demesmin-Rodrigues
Executive Assistant
On filings since 2019
32 hrs/week
$115K (2019) → $116K (2025)
Susan Hyde
Executive Assistant
On filings since 2019
32 hrs/week
$110K (2019) → $116K (2025)
Joy Sisisky
Treasurer & Secretary
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (4)
- Former: Vivian Chang (2019–2024) — Grants Director
- Former: Susan Sandler (2019–2023) — Director & Board Chair
- Former: Herbert M. Sandler (2019) — President & Director to June
- Former: Robert Friend (2019) — Director
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2019–2025. "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 $602K, to Steve Daetz (DIRECTOR,PRESIDENT,AST Sec). 4 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Frequently asked questions about Sandler Foundation
How much does Sandler Foundation give each year?
Sandler Foundation gave $353.6M across 41 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. In 2024 it gave $62.5M across 62 grants.
What is Sandler Foundation's typical grant size?
Sandler Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $1,000,000, and its average grant was $8,625,002, across 41 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Organizations receiving their first grant from Sandler Foundation that year got $3M on average.
Where does Sandler Foundation give grants?
Sandler Foundation gives mostly in California: 87% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990 went to recipients there. The next largest state was District of Columbia (9%). The most frequent recipient cities were Washington, DC (13 grants), San Francisco, CA (12 grants), New York, NY (5 grants) and Sacramento, CA (2 grants).
Does Sandler Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 56% of Sandler Foundation's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (23 of 41) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990. Recurring purposes include "Charitable Projects" (3 grants).
Who are Sandler Foundation's largest grantees?
Sandler Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include Jewish Community Federation ($296,130,080 across 2 grants), Reset Tech ($7,000,000) and Propublica ($6,000,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. Together they received 87% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Sandler Foundation?
Sandler Foundation reported $251.7M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990.
What does Sandler Foundation fund?
The foundation’s website cites opportunity, liberty, and justice, as well as the Jewish values of Tzedek, Tzedekah, and Tikkun Olam, as guiding values. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Sandler Foundation?
Sandler Foundation has no public application process in the sources Grantable reviewed. Check sandlerfoundation.org for current guidelines, or contact the foundation directly before submitting a request.
What is Sandler Foundation's EIN?
Sandler Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 94-3147856. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2025.
Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990 filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(8)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS May 12, 2021)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS May 11, 2022)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS April 11, 2024)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS May 13, 2025)
- Added Form 990 for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS May 15, 2020)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS April 5, 2023)
- Added Form 990 for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS May 14, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Sandler Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Sandler Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 10, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/sandler-foundation-morg_c1c567e8f7fd40dab3fa13dcce874e82
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_943147856_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Sandler Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/sandler-foundation-morg_c1c567e8f7fd40dab3fa13dcce874e82},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-10. 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 Sandler 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.
Sandler Foundation down — hundreds of funders to go?