The Battery Foundation
The Battery Foundation is a public charity based in San Francisco, California. Its stated mission is to increase charitable giving by connecting philanthropists with nonprofit organizations and causes addressing society’s toughest challenges.
The Battery Foundation at a glance
In short: The Battery Foundation gave $2.1M across 20 grants in 2024 (avg $103K), mostly in California. 95% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $2,066,093
- -24.4% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 20
- -20.0% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $103,305
- -5.5% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $57,044
- Total assets
- $2,182,166
- -12.8% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 95% first-time grantees (19 of 20, 2024; small sample)
- Primary geography
- California (53% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990, 2024 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990, 2024; updated September 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to The Battery Foundation
- Contact
Mailing address: 717 Battery Street, San Francisco, CA 94111
Phone: (415) 230-8000
Website: https://thebatterysf.com
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who The Battery Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was La Cocina ($250K). Together the top 10 received $2.0M.
Grant Size Distribution
152 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 77 grants of 152 (51%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2024, grant dollars went primarily to recipients in California (53%), followed by New York (18%), Colorado (12%), Washington, DC (9%), and Massachusetts (7%). San Francisco organizations received several of the largest grants, including grants supporting neighborhood economic development and community organizing.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 20 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is The Battery Foundation open to new grantees?
95%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 19 of 20 grantees (95%) were first-time recipients. With only 20 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 5 points. First grants averaged $108K; repeat grants $10K. How we count
Medians: $104K first-time, $10K repeat.
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990 filings (2020–2024). 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 2020 to 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $2.1M (2024) to $3.3M (2020). In 2024 it made 20 grants totaling $2.1M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| La Cocina San Francisco, CA | General Support | $250,100 |
| Mediators Foundation Boulder, CO | General support for the algo (algorithms and large language models for good) incubator | $250,000 |
| SF New Deal San Francisco, CA | General Support | $250,000 |
| More in Common New York, NY | General Support for the America's Shared Voice Project | $246,202 |
| Civic Space Foundation San Francisco, CA | General Support | $246,193 |
| Bipartisan Policy Center Action Washington, DC | General Support | $190,536 |
| San Francisco Housing Development Corporation San Francisco, CA | General support for economic development initiatives in sf's fillmore neighborhood | $152,168 |
| Free Press Florence, MA | General Support | $147,951 |
| Braver Angels New York, NY | General Support | $128,855 |
| Tenderloin Neighborhood Development Corporation San Francisco, CA | General Support for Tndc's Community Organizing Department | $104,088 |
Ready to take the next step with The Battery Foundation?
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
The foundation reports it was formed in 2014.
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Net Investment Income |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $2,182,166 | $2,839,004 | $2,700,192 | $2,066,093 | 20 | $80,899 |
| 2023 | $2,502,711 | $2,940,363 | $3,448,056 | $2,733,813 | 25 | $75,673 |
| 2022 | $2,802,296 | $3,829,282 | $3,474,963 | $2,909,745 | 29 | $11,859 |
| 2021 | $2,420,883 | $3,450,077 | $3,103,903 | $2,622,629 | 34 | $4,844 |
| 2020 | $2,318,114 | $3,354,019 | $4,117,411 | $3,275,764 | 44 | $28,362 |
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation’s mission is to increase charitable giving by connecting philanthropists to nonprofit organizations and causes tackling society’s toughest challenges. Its 2024 filing identifies Reunited States and San Francisco Resurgence as its grantmaking areas for that year.
The 2024 grantees included organizations working on varied issues. La Cocina describes its mission as providing affordable commercial kitchen space and hands-on technical assistance for low-income and immigrant entrepreneurs. SF New Deal says it works to strengthen neighborhoods by making it easier for under-resourced small-business owners to succeed. Mediators Foundation describes its work as supporting leaders who build bridges across social, political, and cultural divides. Civic Space Foundation says it partners with and invests in people, organizations, and projects building civic gathering spaces.
Grantmaking
In 2024, the foundation made 20 grants totaling $2,066,093. Grant amounts ranged from $10,000 to $250,100, with a median grant of $57,044. Several of the largest grants were reported as general support; others were designated for specific purposes.
Notable 2024 grants included $250,100 to La Cocina; $250,000 to SF New Deal; $250,000 to Mediators Foundation for general support of the Algo incubator; $246,202 to More in Common for general support of the America’s Shared Voice project; and $246,193 to Civic Space Foundation. Other grants included $190,536 to Bipartisan Policy Center Action, $152,168 to San Francisco Housing Development Corporation for economic development initiatives in San Francisco’s Fillmore neighborhood, and $104,088 to Tenderloin Neighborhood Development Corporation for its community organizing department.
Organizations receiving a grant in excess of $10,000 are required to submit annual narrative and financial reports, as well as final narrative and financial reports at the conclusion of the grant. The foundation also reports ongoing communication with grantees between formal reporting periods, including site visits in some cases.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Xochiltzin Birch as president; Michael Birch as treasurer; and Dan Kingsley as secretary. Directors listed were Jeni Izuel, Sara Lomelin, Sara Guillermo, and Adrian Tirtanadi. Timothy Wu was listed as executive director from May 8, 2024, and Jill Minkus as director of grants and impact and interim executive director.
The Battery Foundation is led by Jill Minkus, Director of Grants, Impact & Interim Executive Director since 2023 (on filings since 2020); 2 of 9 officers listed in 2024 are compensated.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Jill Minkus
Director of Grants, Impact & Interim Executive Director
Director of Grants & Impact → Director of Grants, Impact & Interim Executive Director, 2023
On filings since 2020
40 hrs/week
$120K (2020) → $165K (2024)
Timothy Wu
Executive Director
New on the 2024 filing
40 hrs/week
$148K (2024)
Xochiltzin Birch
President
On filings since 2020
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Jeni Izuel
Director
On filings since 2020
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Sara Lomelin
Director
On filings since 2021
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Adrian Tirtanadi
Director
On filings since 2023
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Sara Guillermo
Director
On filings since 2023
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Dan Kingsley
Secretary
Director → Secretary, 2023
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Michael Birch
Treasurer
On filings since 2020
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (4)
- Former: Colleen Gregerson (2020–2023) — Executive Director
- Former: Jamie Allison (2020–2023) — Director
- Former: Suzan Canli (2020–2023) — Secretary
- Former: Nicole Garzino (2020) — Director of Membership
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 $165K, to Jill Minkus (DIR of Grants & Impact, Interim Ed). 2 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Frequently asked questions about The Battery Foundation
How much does The Battery Foundation give each year?
The Battery Foundation gave $2.1M across 20 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990. In 2023 it gave $2.7M across 25 grants.
What is The Battery Foundation's typical grant size?
The Battery Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $57,044, and its average grant was $103,305, across 20 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990. Organizations receiving their first grant from The Battery Foundation that year got $108K on average.
Where does The Battery Foundation give grants?
The Battery Foundation gives mostly in California: 53% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990 went to recipients there. The next largest states were New York (18%) and Colorado (12%). The most frequent recipient cities were San Francisco, CA (9 grants), New York, NY (2 grants) and Oakland, CA (2 grants).
Does The Battery Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 100% of The Battery Foundation's 2024 grants with a stated purpose (20 of 20) were for general or operating support, per its 2024 IRS Form 990.
Who are The Battery Foundation's largest grantees?
The Battery Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include La Cocina ($250,100), Mediators Foundation ($250,000) and SF New Deal ($250,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990. Together they received 36% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is The Battery Foundation?
The Battery Foundation reported $2.2M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990. Its revenue that year was $2.8M.
What does The Battery Foundation fund?
The foundation’s mission is to increase charitable giving by connecting philanthropists to nonprofit organizations and causes tackling society’s toughest challenges. Its 2024 filing identifies Reunited States and San Francisco Resurgence as its grantmaking areas for that year. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The Battery Foundation?
The Battery Foundation has no public application process in the sources Grantable reviewed. Check thebatterysf.com for current guidelines, or contact the foundation directly before submitting a request.
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.
Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990 filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(6)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS November 4, 2021)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS August 8, 2022)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS June 8, 2023)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS October 31, 2024)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS November 3, 2025)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 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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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). The Battery Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 15, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/the-battery-foundation-morg_849394065b34430ba39aa681078348be
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_465476017_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{The Battery Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/the-battery-foundation-morg_849394065b34430ba39aa681078348be},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-15. 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 The Battery 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.
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