The Battery Foundation
The Battery Foundation, also known as Battery Powered, is a 501(c)(3) public foundation based in San Francisco, California. Established in 2014, the organization operates as the philanthropy program of the Battery, a social club in San Francisco. The foundation activates charitable giving by connecting philanthropists with nonprofit organizations addressing society's most pressing challenges.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$2.2M
-12.8% YoY
Annual Giving
$2.1M
-24.4% YoY
Grant Count
20
-20.0% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$103K
-5.5% YoY
Mission & Focus Areas
Mission: To increase charitable giving by connecting philanthropists with nonprofit organizations and causes that are tackling some of society's toughest challenges.
The foundation operates through an annual thematic approach, selecting three focus areas each year based on community input. Recent and historical focus areas have included:
- Homelessness
- Ocean conservation
- Addiction
- Childhood nutrition
- Education
- Climate action
- Mental health
- Reunited States (overcoming political polarization for a stronger democracy and society)
- San Francisco Resurgence (accelerating San Francisco's revival as a culturally vibrant, economically robust, and livable city)
Grantmaking
The Battery Foundation distributes grants through a collective giving model that facilitates more impactful contributions from donors. Key characteristics of their grantmaking:
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation primarily funds organizations and initiatives in San Francisco, California, with a particular emphasis on local community impact and revival.
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
2024 Financial Data:
- Total Revenue: $2,839,004
- Total Expenses: $2,700,192
- Total Assets: $2,182,166
2023 Financial Data:
- Revenue: $2.94 million
- Expenses: $3.45 million
- Total Assets: $2.5 million
- Total Liabilities: $1.5 million
Tax Status: Tax-exempt since October 2014 (EIN: 46-5476017)
Rating: Four-Star rating with 95% score, reflecting strong accountability and financial practices
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $2,182,166 | $2,502,711 | $2,802,296 |
| Revenue | $2,839,004 | $2,940,363 | $3,829,282 |
| Expenses | $2,700,192 | $3,448,056 | $3,474,963 |
| Qualifying Distributions | — | — | — |
| Net Investment Income | $80,899 | $75,673 | $11,859 |
| Distributable Amount | — | — | — |
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
152 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include La Cocina ($250,100), Mediators Foundation ($250,000), Sf New Deal ($250,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| BIPARTISAN POLICY CENTER ACTION WASHINGTON, DC | GENERAL SUPPORT | $190,536 |
| BRAVER ANGELS NEW YORK, NY | GENERAL SUPPORT | $128,855 |
| CHINESE CULTURE FOUNDATION OF SAN FRANCISCO SAN FRANCISCO, CA | GENERAL SUPPORT | $10,000 |
| CIVIC SPACE FOUNDATION SAN FRANCISCO, CA | GENERAL SUPPORT | $246,193 |
| FREE PRESS FLORENCE, MA | GENERAL SUPPORT | $147,951 |
| INNER SUNSET PARK NEIGHBORS SAN FRANCISCO, CA | GENERAL SUPPORT | $10,000 |
| LA COCINA SAN FRANCISCO, CA | GENERAL SUPPORT | $250,100 |
| LATINO MEDIA COLLABORATIVE LOS ANGELES, CA | GENERAL SUPPORT | $10,000 |
| MEDIATORS FOUNDATION BOULDER, CO | GENERAL SUPPORT FOR THE ALGO (ALGORITHMS AND LARGE LANGUAGE MODELS FOR GOOD) INCUBATOR | $250,000 |
| MORE IN COMMON NEW YORK, NY | GENERAL SUPPORT FOR THE AMERICA'S SHARED VOICE PROJECT | $246,202 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
Executive Director: Timothy Wu
Staff Size: 5 employees (as of 2024)
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| XOCHILTZIN BIRCH | PRESIDENT | 0.5 | — |
| MICHAEL BIRCH | TREASURER | 0.5 | — |
| DAN KINGSLEY | SECRETARY | 1 | — |
| JENI IZUEL | DIRECTOR | 0.5 | — |
| SARA LOMELIN | DIRECTOR | 0.5 | — |
| SARA GUILLERMO | DIRECTOR | 0.5 | — |
| ADRIAN TIRTANADI | DIRECTOR | 0.5 | — |
| TIMOTHY WU | EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR (FROM 5/8/24) | 40 | $148,307 |
| JILL MINKUS | DIR OF GRANTS & IMPACT, INTERIM ED | 40 | $164,725 |
Contact Information
Address: 717 Battery Street, San Francisco, CA 94111-1515
Phone: 415-230-8000
Website: www.thebatterysf.com/batterypowered
Subject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Frequently Asked Questions
What does The Battery Foundation fund?
**Mission:** To increase charitable giving by connecting philanthropists with nonprofit organizations and causes that are tackling some of society's toughest challenges. The foundation operates through an annual thematic approach, selecting three focus areas each year based on community input. Recent and historical focus areas have included: • Homelessness • Ocean conservation • Addiction • Childhood nutrition • Education • Climate action • Mental health • Reunited States (overcoming political …
How do I apply for a grant from The Battery Foundation?
The Battery Foundation distributes grants through a collective giving model that facilitates more impactful contributions from donors. Key characteristics of their grantmaking: • **Grant Distribution Timeline:** Donor contributions are deployed into communities within 12 months of receipt • **Grant Structure:** Assets are distributed as collective grants • **2024 Grantmaking:** Provided $2.07 million in donor education and new grants across two focus areas **Recent Grants (2024):** • La Cocina:…
Where does The Battery Foundation make grants?
The foundation primarily funds organizations and initiatives in San Francisco, California, with a particular emphasis on local community impact and revival.
What size grants does The Battery Foundation award?
In 2024, The Battery Foundation awarded 20 grants totaling $2.1M — an average of about $103K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
What is The Battery Foundation's EIN?
The Battery Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 46-5476017. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in The Battery Foundation'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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