Saw Island Foundation Inc
Saw Island Foundation Inc is a private foundation based in Woodside, California. The foundation was incorporated in 1974 in New York and received its tax-exempt status in October 1975. It operates as a 501(c)(3) charitable organization dedicated to empowering innovative and high-impact institutions to improve existing programs and pioneer new approaches to solving problems and inefficiencies across multiple sectors.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$34.6M
+7.7% YoY
Annual Giving
$1.5M
+6.7% YoY
Grant Count
20
-4.8% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$77K
+12.0% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Saw Island Foundation Inc reported a distributable amount of $1.6M for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Mission & Focus Areas
Vision Statement: The foundation is confident that individuals working alone and within local, national and global organizations can solve immense challenges including poverty, disease, environmental threats, and political and religious conflict. The focus of Saw Island Foundation is to empower individuals and organizations through education, research, and general program support to contribute to their communities and find solutions to pressing issues.
Primary Funding Areas:
- Education (including scholarships and targeted programs within educational communities)
- Health and health care
- Social services delivery
- Philanthropy, voluntarism, and grantmaking
Grantmaking
The foundation awarded 40 grants in its most recent filing period, with 2 live grant opportunities currently available.
Grant Range
$160 to $1,647,650
Average Grant
amount varies by program
How to Apply
**
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation primarily supports nonprofit organizations in the San Francisco Bay Area of California, with additional funding interests in New York and Idaho.
Grant Distribution by State
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Metric | Amount |
|---|---|
| Total Assets | $34,630,800 |
| Total Giving | $1,530,540 |
| Total Revenue | $1,815,158 |
| Total Expenses | $1,671,775 |
| Giving Rate | 4.6% |
Financial Position: The foundation ranks in the top 10% of foundations by assets and holds approximately $677 million in total assets among 46 foundations in Woodside, California.
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $34,630,800 | $32,155,341 | $29,375,731 |
| Revenue | $1,815,158 | $2,573,494 | $3,277,330 |
| Expenses | $1,671,775 | $1,557,281 | $1,569,088 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $1,531,290 | $1,435,920 | $1,490,910 |
| Net Investment Income | $958,218 | $1,106,896 | $1,141,030 |
| Distributable Amount | $1,598,853 | $1,533,949 | $1,446,186 |
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
82 grants across all recorded years
Open Grants
2 open opportunities from Saw Island Foundation Inc
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include Leland Stanford Junior University ($1,367,540), Dartmouth College ($25,000), Ragazzi Boys Chorus ($25,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| AMERICAN ENTERPRISE INSTITUTE WASHINGTON, DC | PUBLIC POLICY THINK TANK DEDICATED TO DEFENDING HUMAN DIGNITY, EXPANDING HUMAN POTENTIAL, AND BUILDING A FREER AND SAFER WORLD. | $2,500 |
| AMERICAN THEATRE WING NEW YORK, NY | TO INSPIRE ARTISTS AND AUDIENCES AND NURTURE THE ENTIRE THEATRE COMMUNITY. | $12,500 |
| CASTILLEJA SCHOOL PALO ALTO, CA | TO PROVIDE EDUCATIONAL FINANCIAL AID | $2,500 |
| CHAPEL & YORK US FOUNDATION NEW YORK, NY | FAMILY OF FOUNDATIONS TO HELP INCREASE THE FLOW OF PHILANTHROPIC FUNDS TO ORGANIZATIONS WORLDWIDE. | $2,000 |
| DARTMOUTH COLLEGE HANOVER, NH | TO PROVIDE EDUCATIONAL FINANCIAL AID | $25,000 |
| HOOVER INSTITUTION NORTH CANTON, OH | SEEKING TO IMPROVE THE HUMAN CONDITION BY ADVANCING IDEAS THAT PROMOTE ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY AND PROSPERITY WHILE SECURING AND SAFEGUARDING PEACE FOR AMERICA AND ALL MANKIND. | $20,000 |
| HUNGER COALITION BELLEVUE, ID | TO END HUNGER IN THE COMMUNITY BY PROVIDING WHOLESOME FOOD TO THOSE IN NEED AND BY PROMOTING SOLUTIONS TO THE UNDERLYING CAUSES OF HUNGER THROUGH COLLABORATION, EDUCATION AND ADVOCACY. | $2,500 |
| LELAND STANFORD JUNIOR UNIVERSITY STANFORD, CA | TO ADVANCE KNOWLEDGE ABOUT THE CONDITIONS FOR INTERACTIONS AMONG DEMOCRACY, BROAD-BASED ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, HR, AND THE LAW. | $1,367,540 |
| MEMORIAL SLOAN KETTERING CANCER CENTER NEW YORK, NY | TO SUPPORT HEAD AND NECK CANCER RESEARCH PROGRAMS | $10,000 |
| MENLO SCHOOL ATHERTON, CA | TO PROVIDE EDUCATIONAL FINANCIAL AID | $2,500 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
- R. Bruce Mosbacher – President (20 hours/week, unpaid)
- Nancy Ditz Mosbacher – Vice President (20 hours/week, unpaid)
- John Ryan Mosbacher – Secretary and Director (0.5 hours/week, unpaid)
- Emily Adams Mosbacher – Treasurer and Director (0.5 hours/week, unpaid)
The foundation operates with limited paid staffing, relying primarily on board members.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| R BRUCE MOSBACHER | PRESIDENT | 20 | — |
| NANCY DITZ MOSBACHER | VICE PRESIDENT | 20 | — |
| JOHN RYAN MOSBACHER | SECRETARY AND DIRECTOR | 0.5 | — |
| EMILY ADAMS MOSBACHER | TREASURER AND DIRECTOR | 0.5 | — |
Contact Information
- Phone: 650-851-9990
- Website: sawisland.org
- Address: 524 Moore Road A, Woodside, CA 94062-1109
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Saw Island Foundation Inc fund?
**Vision Statement:** The foundation is confident that individuals working alone and within local, national and global organizations can solve immense challenges including poverty, disease, environmental threats, and political and religious conflict. The focus of Saw Island Foundation is to empower individuals and organizations through education, research, and general program support to contribute to their communities and find solutions to pressing issues. **Primary Funding Areas:** • Education…
How do I apply for a grant from Saw Island Foundation Inc?
**Grant Amounts:** • Typical awards range from $500 to $1,367,540 • Median grant amount: $5,000 • Grant range: $160 to $1,647,650 • Average grant amount varies by program **Grant Programs:** • Education, Science and Health Grant • Social Change, Faith-Based and Special Grants • Educational financial aid and scholarships (averaging $12,000) • Child welfare and youth development programs (averaging $2,500) • Sports and education initiatives (averaging $30,000) • Civic engagement and human rights …
Where does Saw Island Foundation Inc make grants?
The foundation primarily supports nonprofit organizations in the San Francisco Bay Area of California, with additional funding interests in New York and Idaho.
What size grants does Saw Island Foundation Inc award?
In 2024, Saw Island Foundation Inc awarded 20 grants totaling $1.5M — an average of about $77K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is Saw Island Foundation Inc required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, Saw Island Foundation Inc reported a distributable amount of $1.6M on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is Saw Island Foundation Inc's EIN?
Saw Island Foundation Inc's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 23-7454106. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2021–2024.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Saw Island Foundation Inc's focus areas in our free grants database
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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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