Skywords Family Foundation Inc
Skywords Family Foundation Inc is a private foundation, based in Tiburon, CA. IRS filing data is available from 2020 through 2024. As of 2024, the organization holds $92.0M in total assets. In 2024, it awarded 4 grants totaling $2.5M. Net investment income was $2.3M.
Skywords Family Foundation Inc at a glance
In short: Skywords Family Foundation Inc gave $2.5M across 4 grants in 2024 (avg $629K), mostly in California. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $2,515,000
- -1.7% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 4
- -55.6% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $628,750
- +121.3% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $657,500
- Total assets
- $92,016,330
- -1.2% vs 2023
- Primary geography
- California (64% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated September 2026.
Who Skywords Family Foundation Inc funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 4 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Vanguard Charitable ($900K). Together the top 4 received $2.5M.
Grant Size Distribution
40 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 18 grants of 40 (45%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 4 itemized grants.
Cities
How Skywords Family Foundation Inc gives
- Giving fell 31% from 2021 to 2024. Method
- In 2024 it paid out 100% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Foundations have until the end of the next year to meet it. Method
From the foundation's IRS Form 990-PF filings. Methodology.
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2020 to 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $2.5M (2024) to $3.7M (2021). In 2024 it made 4 grants totaling $2.5M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Vanguard Charitable Warwick, RI | To further charitable and educational purposes in the local community. | $900,000 |
| Canobie Films Inc Tiburon, CA | To further charitable and educational purposes in the local community. | $845,000 |
| Chadwick Library Press Foundation Tiburon, CA | To further charitable and educational purposes in the local community. | $470,000 |
| Ginungagap Foundation Tiburon, CA | To further charitable and educational purposes in the local community. | $300,000 |
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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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $92,016,330 | $2,555,264 | $3,702,649 | $2,515,000 | 4 | $4,012,299 | $2,315,992 | $4,028,522 |
| 2023 | $93,165,927 | $1,931,453 | $3,839,303 | $2,557,566 | 9 | $4,153,440 | $2,563,829 | $3,952,430 |
| 2022 | $96,004,261 | $29,859 | $4,147,697 | $3,151,500 | 10 | $4,294,472 | $2,117,486 | $4,159,201 |
| 2021 | $100,121,408 | $2,804,857 | $4,937,824 | $3,652,000 | 7 | $4,974,628 | $2,490,958 | $4,566,550 |
| 2020 | $102,305,790 | $4,423,474 | $4,217,722 | $2,771,501 | 10 | — | $4,129,070 | $4,759,223 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Skywords Family Foundation Inc reported a distributable amount of $4.0M for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Leadership & Key People
Officers and directors from IRS filings
Skywords Family Foundation Inc is led by Michael Davis, President on every filing since 2020; 1 of 2 officers listed in 2024 is compensated.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Michael Davis
President
On filings since 2020
38 hrs/week
$38K (2021) → $108K (2024)
Janet Jyll Johnstone
Secretary & Treasurer
On filings since 2020
4 hrs/week
No compensation reported
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.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2024 filing was $108K, to Michael Davis (President).
Frequently asked questions about Skywords Family Foundation Inc
How much does Skywords Family Foundation Inc give each year?
Skywords Family Foundation Inc gave $2.5M across 4 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $2.6M across 9 grants.
What is Skywords Family Foundation Inc's typical grant size?
Skywords Family Foundation Inc's median grant in 2024 was $657,500, and its average grant was $628,750, across 4 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
Where does Skywords Family Foundation Inc give grants?
Skywords Family Foundation Inc gives mostly in California: 64% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest state was Rhode Island (36%). The most frequent recipient cities were Tiburon, CA (3 grants).
Does Skywords Family Foundation Inc give general operating support?
Not in 2024: none of the 4 grants with a stated purpose on Skywords Family Foundation Inc's 2024 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support.
How large is Skywords Family Foundation Inc?
Skywords Family Foundation Inc reported $92.0M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $4.0M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $4.0M (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 is Skywords Family Foundation Inc's EIN?
Skywords Family Foundation Inc's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 20-1247525. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings.
Data update history
(1)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Live grants for the work Skywords Family Foundation Inc funds
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Browse active grant opportunities in Skywords Family Foundation Inc's focus areas in our free grants database
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