Schnitzer-Novack Foundation
The Schnitzer-Novack Foundation is a private foundation based in San Francisco, California. Its 2024 grants supported organizations working in areas including arts and culture, education, child safety, recovery services, and health care.
Schnitzer-Novack Foundation at a glance
In short: Schnitzer-Novack Foundation gave $315K across 14 grants in 2024 (avg $22K), mostly in California. 50% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $314,500
- -66.0% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 14
- -12.5% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $22,464
- -61.2% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $10,000
- Total assets
- $9,711,318
- +8.8% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 50% first-time grantees (7 of 14, 2024; small sample)
- Primary geography
- California (76% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to Schnitzer-Novack Foundation
- 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: 220 Jackson Street Floor 2, San Francisco, CA 94111
Phone: (415) 362-5990
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Schnitzer-Novack Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Napa Valley Festival ($109K). Together the top 10 received $297K.
Grant Size Distribution
34 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 29 grants of 34 (85%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2024, 76% of grant dollars went to recipients in California, 16% to Oregon, 5% to Colorado, and 3% to Virginia.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 14 itemized grants.
Cities
Is Schnitzer-Novack Foundation open to new grantees?
50%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 7 of 14 grantees (50%) were first-time recipients. With only 14 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 7 points. First grants averaged $8K; repeat grants $37K. How we count
Medians: $8K first-time, $20K repeat.
- 50% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- In 2024 it paid out 72% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Foundations have until the end of the next year to meet it. Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2022–2024). 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 2022 to 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $21K (2022) to $926K (2023). In 2024 it made 14 grants totaling $315K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Napa Valley Festival Napa, CA | To Support Artistic and Cultural Activities | $109,100 |
| California College of the Arts San Francisco, CA | To Support Artistic and Cultural Activities | $50,000 |
| The Caitlin Gabel School Portland, OR | To Support Education and Love of Learning | $50,000 |
| Uc Berkeley Foundation Berkeley, CA | To Support Uc Berkeley's Core Endeavors | $20,000 |
| Fort Lewis College Foundation Durango, CO | To Support Educational and Cultural Opportunities | $15,000 |
| St Helena Preschool for All Inc St Helena, CA | To Support Early Childhood Education | $14,400 |
| Corporation of Fine Arts San Francisco, CA | To Support the Arts | $10,000 |
| Special Operations - Finding Kids Los Altos, CA | To Support Keeping Kids Safe from Predators | $10,000 |
| Worldstrides Charlottesville, VA | To support students through travel and study abroad programs | $10,000 |
| Parisi House on the Hill San Jose, CA | To Support Women in Recovering from Substance Use | $8,000 |
Ready to take the next step with Schnitzer-Novack Foundation?
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 | $9,711,318 | $1,262,734 | $486,205 | $314,500 | 14 | $419,704 | $882,197 | $583,179 |
| 2023 | $8,925,068 | $807,258 | $1,032,744 | $926,040 | 16 | $992,065 | $359,492 | $504,963 |
| 2022 | $9,150,554 | $9,419,036 | $91,466 | $21,000 | 4 | $62,939 | $97,552 | $113,836 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Schnitzer-Novack Foundation reported a distributable amount of $583K 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 mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2024 grants included support for artistic and cultural activities, education and early childhood education, student travel and study abroad, child safety, recovery services, and health care.
The grantees describe their own work in varied terms. California College of the Arts says it educates students in art, architecture, design, and writing, while cultivating innovation, community engagement, and social and environmental responsibility. The Fort Lewis College Foundation says it supports educational and cultural opportunities through gifts for scholarships, programs, and facilities. St Helena Preschool For All says it funds preschool scholarships for children ages three to five and provides parent education. Special Operations – Finding Kids describes work locating missing and exploited children and supporting children and families. Parisi House on the Hill says it provides counseling and education for women with addiction and their children.
Grantmaking
In 2024, the foundation made 14 grants totaling $314,500. Grants ranged from $3,000 to $109,100, with a median of $10,000.
Largest reported grants included $109,100 to Napa Valley Festival for artistic and cultural activities; $50,000 to California College of the Arts for artistic and cultural activities; $50,000 to The Caitlin Gabel School for education and love of learning; and $20,000 to UC Berkeley Foundation for UC Berkeley’s core endeavors. Other notable grants were $15,000 to Fort Lewis College Foundation for educational and cultural opportunities and $14,400 to St Helena Preschool For All for early childhood education.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Deborah S Novack as chief executive officer, Melanie Piziali as chief financial officer, and Kenneth M Novack as secretary.
Schnitzer-Novack Foundation is led by Deborah S. Novack, Chief Executive Officer on every filing since 2022; none of the 3 officers listed in 2024 report compensation.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Deborah S. Novack
Chief Executive Officer
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Kenneth M. Novack
Secretary
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Melanie Piziali
Chief Financial Officer
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2022–2024. "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 Schnitzer-Novack Foundation
How much does Schnitzer-Novack Foundation give each year?
Schnitzer-Novack Foundation gave $315K across 14 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $926K across 16 grants.
What is Schnitzer-Novack Foundation's typical grant size?
Schnitzer-Novack Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $10,000, and its average grant was $22,464, across 14 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Schnitzer-Novack Foundation that year got $8K on average.
Where does Schnitzer-Novack Foundation give grants?
Schnitzer-Novack Foundation gives mostly in California: 76% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest state was Oregon (16%). The most frequent recipient cities were San Francisco, CA (4 grants).
Does Schnitzer-Novack Foundation give general operating support?
Not in 2024: none of the 14 grants with a stated purpose on Schnitzer-Novack Foundation's 2024 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support.
Who are Schnitzer-Novack Foundation's largest grantees?
Schnitzer-Novack Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include Napa Valley Festival ($109,100), California College of the Arts ($50,000) and The Caitlin Gabel School ($50,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 66% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is Schnitzer-Novack Foundation?
Schnitzer-Novack Foundation reported $9.7M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $420K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $583K (roughly 5% of its investment assets). Falling short in one year is not a violation: foundations have until the end of the next year to meet the minimum.
What does Schnitzer-Novack Foundation fund?
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2024 grants included support for artistic and cultural activities, education and early childhood education, student travel and study abroad, child safety, recovery services, and health care. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Schnitzer-Novack Foundation?
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 Schnitzer-Novack Foundation's EIN?
Schnitzer-Novack Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 38-4230538. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2022–2024.
Does Schnitzer-Novack Foundation 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
(4)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS November 16, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS November 10, 2024)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS November 13, 2025)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2022–2024
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Schnitzer-Novack Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
Similar Funders
Funders that support many of the same organizations
Silicon Valley Community Foundation
Mountain View, CA
Silicon Valley Community Foundation funds work in areas such as housing, economic security, education, health, the environment, arts and culture, and civic engagement, with Community Action Grants supporting local, community-led organizations in San Mateo and Santa Clara counties. Its 2024 grants had a median of $51,716, though amounts varied widely; applications depend on the program, and SVCF states that it does not accept unsolicited proposals for advised funds.
Assets
$12.3B
Grants
3,576
Total Given
$3.2B
The Fletcher Jones Foundation
Pasadena, CA
The Fletcher Jones Foundation primarily funds high-priority projects at private colleges and universities in California, including facilities, scholarships, endowed positions, and academic programs. Its typical regular grants are $250,000 to $1 million, though smaller directed grants are also made. It does not accept unsolicited requests; prospective applicants should first discuss a proposal with the Executive Director.
Assets
$175.8M
Grants
51
Total Given
$8.1M
Jewish Community Federation of San Francisco the Peninsula Marin & Sonoma
San Francisco, CA
The Federation funds Jewish life and identity, antisemitism response, crisis relief, human services, and justice and inclusion, with work in the Bay Area, Israel, and beyond. Its 2025 grants ranged from $5,050 to $2,405,915, with a median of $22,750. It frequently issues requests for proposals and welcomes inquiries about new Bay Area programs; no current organization grant opportunities were listed.
Assets
$2.0B
Grants
1,032
Total Given
$94.5M
Los Altos Mountain View Community Foundation
Los Altos, CA
It supports nonprofits and community initiatives in areas such as housing, education, arts, climate, and social justice, primarily in Los Altos, Los Altos Hills, and Mountain View. Its Spring 2025 community grants were typically $20,000; the reported 2025 grant median was $10,500, though awards varied widely. The profile does not state whether it accepts unsolicited requests.
Assets
$64.1M
Grants
103
Total Given
$77.5M
Mardi Schnitzer Spitzer Foundation
Lake Oswego, OR
Assets
$7K
Grants
9
Total Given
$58K
McNabb Foundation
Wilmington, DE
The McNabb Foundation’s website describes support for behavioral health and social services in East Tennessee, while its 2024 grants went to organizations with varied missions, mostly in California. Grants ranged from $500 to $5,000, with a median of $1,000. It does not accept unsolicited requests and gives only to preselected charitable organizations.
Assets
$4.8M
Grants
328
Total Given
$358K
More similar funders
More Funders in California
Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Schnitzer-Novack Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 11, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/schnitzer-novack-foundation-morg_2da635fbabb248b8bf4cb70cb7d94154
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_384230538_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Schnitzer-Novack Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/schnitzer-novack-foundation-morg_2da635fbabb248b8bf4cb70cb7d94154},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-11. 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 Schnitzer-Novack 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.
Schnitzer-Novack Foundation down — hundreds of funders to go?