The Bernard Osher Foundation
The Bernard Osher Foundation is a private foundation based in San Francisco, California. Founded in 1977, it supports higher education and the arts through grants and endowment gifts to colleges, universities, and other nonprofit organizations.
The Bernard Osher Foundation at a glance
In short: The Bernard Osher Foundation gave $3.6M across 132 grants in 2024 (avg $27K), mostly in California. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $3,622,500
- -69.9% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 132
- -9.0% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $27,443
- -66.9% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $15,000
- Total assets
- $28,343,012
- -10.3% vs 2023
- Primary geography
- California (80% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated October 2026.
How to apply to The Bernard Osher Foundation
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The Foundation does not accept unsolicited requests for its local arts and educational program at present. Its 2024 filing states that applicants should contact Jeanie Hirokane; there is no required format, but an applicant must show financial need and indicate that it is a qualified nonprofit organization. The filing lists no restrictions on awards.
- Review Cycle
- None is listed on the 2024 filing.
- Deadline
- None is listed on the 2024 filing.
- Contact
Application contact: Jeanie Hirokane
Mailing address: One Market Plaza Steuart Towerste, 1000, San Francisco, CA 94105
Phone: (415) 677-5927
Website: https://osherfoundation.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Open Grants
1 open opportunity from The Bernard Osher Foundation
Who The Bernard Osher Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Regents of University of California Berkeley ($175K across 2 grants). Together the top 10 received $1.1M.
Organizations only. It also paid 1 grant to individuals ($25,000), which are not listed by name.
Grant Size Distribution
563 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 442 grants of 563 (79%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The Foundation describes scholarships, lifelong learning, and integrative health support as national in scope. Its arts and educational program focuses on the San Francisco Bay Area and the State of Maine. In 2024, California recipients accounted for 80% of grant dollars; Illinois accounted for 6%, Oregon 2%, Texas 1%, and Missouri 1%.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 132 itemized grants.
States
Cities
How The Bernard Osher Foundation gives
- 75% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving fell 85% from 2021 to 2024. Method
- In 2024 it paid out 206% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (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 $3.6M (2024) to $24.6M (2021). In 2024 it made 132 grants totaling $3.6M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Northwestern University - NRC Chicago, IL | Lifelong Learning Institutes | $119,000 |
| San Francisco Symphony San Francisco, CA | Lifelong Learning Institutes | $115,000 |
| Asian Art Museum San Francisco, CA | Lifelong Learning Institutes | $100,000 |
| UCSF Community Care Fund San Francisco, CA | Lifelong Learning Institutes | $100,000 |
| Regents of University of California Berkeley Berkeley, CA | Lifelong Learning Institutes | $100,000 |
| California Academy of Sciences San Francisco, CA | Lifelong Learning Institutes | $100,000 |
| The Exploratorium San Francisco, CA | Lifelong Learning Institutes | $100,000 |
| Fine Arts Museum of San Francisco San Francisco, CA | Lifelong Learning Institutes | $100,000 |
| Kqed San Francisco, CA | Lifelong Learning Institutes | $100,000 |
| San Francisco Ballet San Francisco, CA | Lifelong Learning Institutes | $100,000 |
Ready to take the next step with The Bernard Osher Foundation?
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
The Foundation’s reported financials for the three most recent filing years provided are below.
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Qualifying Distributions | Net Investment Income | Distributable Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $28,343,012 | $1,054,980 | $9,670,435 | $3,622,500 | 132 | $4,881,115 | $906,326 | $2,369,868 |
| 2023 | $31,589,307 | $9,368,016 | $13,004,006 | $12,034,505 | 145 | $13,311,881 | $710,144 | $2,295,171 |
| 2022 | $35,195,679 | $1,698,857 | $10,816,491 | $8,155,500 | 127 | $9,593,672 | $1,527,263 | $1,891,049 |
| 2021 | $47,238,965 | $743,749 | $26,103,146 | $24,594,638 | 156 | $25,620,402 | $574,210 | $2,759,022 |
| 2020 | $73,331,423 | $37,325,910 | $8,625,810 | $7,126,750 | 3 | — | $1,338,735 | $3,429,053 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Bernard Osher Foundation reported a distributable amount of $2.4M for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated October 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The Foundation says it seeks to improve quality of life through support for higher education and the arts. Its programs include scholarships at colleges and universities, Osher Lifelong Learning Institutes offering non-credit learning for adults aged 50 or older, select integrative health programs, and local arts and educational organizations.
For its local arts and educational program, the Foundation has supported performing arts groups, museums, literary programs, educational and environmental groups, and social service organizations. Examples among its 2024 grantees illustrate this range: the San Francisco Symphony describes its work as inspiring and serving audiences through musical performance; the Exploratorium describes itself as a public learning laboratory using science, art, and human perception; and Summer Search says it supports low-income high school students through mentoring, summer experiences, college advising, and a support network.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2024, the Foundation reported 132 grants totaling $3,622,500. Grant amounts ranged from $3,500 to $119,000, with a median of $15,000. The largest grant was $119,000 to Northwestern University’s National Resource Center for the Osher Lifelong Learning Institutes. The San Francisco Symphony received $115,000. The Asian Art Museum, UCSF Community Care Fund, Regents of the University of California at Berkeley, California Academy of Sciences, Exploratorium, Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco, KQED, San Francisco Ballet, and San Francisco Museum of Modern Art each received $100,000. Summer Search received $85,000.
The Foundation’s website says there is no open application process for scholarships, lifelong learning, and integrative health programs. For its local arts and educational program, it says it is not accepting unsolicited letters of inquiry and is focusing on the resilience and sustainability of its current grantees. The Foundation accepts inquiries and applications from 501(c)(3) organizations and does not make grants to individuals.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Mary Bitterman as president, Jeanie Hirokane as secretary, Barbro Osher as chairman, and Bernard Osher as treasurer. It also lists David Agger, Phyllis Cook, Robert Friend, John Gallo, Laura Lauder, and John Pritzker as directors.
The Bernard Osher Foundation is led by Mary Bitterman, President on every filing since 2020; 5 of 11 officers listed in 2024 are compensated.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Mary Bitterman
President
On filings since 2020
40 hrs/week
$325K (2020) → $368K (2024)
Barbro Osher
Chairman
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
David Agger
Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
$800 (2020) → $400 (2024)
John Gallo
Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
$800 (2020) → $400 (2024)
Laura Lauder
Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
$800 (2020) → $400 (2024)
Phyllis Cook
Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
$800 (2020) → $0 (2024)
John Pritzker
Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Robert Friend
Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Jeanie Hirokane
Secretary
On filings since 2020
40 hrs/week
$100K (2020) → $116K (2024)
Bernard Osher
Treasurer
On filings since 2020
15 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Kris Marney
CFO
On filings since 2023
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (2)
- Former: Harold Moffett (2022) — CFO
- Former: Thomas Moffett (2020–2021) — CFO
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 $368K, to Mary Bitterman (President). 5 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Frequently asked questions about The Bernard Osher Foundation
How much does The Bernard Osher Foundation give each year?
The Bernard Osher Foundation gave $3.6M across 132 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $12.0M across 145 grants.
What is The Bernard Osher Foundation's typical grant size?
The Bernard Osher Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $15,000, and its average grant was $27,443, across 132 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
Where does The Bernard Osher Foundation give grants?
The Bernard Osher Foundation gives mostly in California: 80% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest state was Illinois (6%). The most frequent recipient cities were San Francisco, CA (67 grants), Berkeley, CA (16 grants), Oakland, CA (8 grants) and Chicago, IL (3 grants).
Does The Bernard Osher Foundation give general operating support?
Not in 2024: none of the 132 grants with a stated purpose on The Bernard Osher Foundation's 2024 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Arts and Humanities" (101 grants), "Lifelong Learning Institutes" (21 grants) and "Environmental Education" (8 grants).
Who are The Bernard Osher Foundation's largest grantees?
The Bernard Osher Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include Regents of University of California Berkeley ($175,000 across 2 grants), Northwestern University - NRC ($158,000 across 2 grants) and San Francisco Symphony ($115,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It also paid 1 grant to individuals ($25,000), which are not listed by name. Together they received 12% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is The Bernard Osher Foundation?
The Bernard Osher Foundation reported $28.3M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $4.9M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $2.4M (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does The Bernard Osher Foundation fund?
The Foundation says it seeks to improve quality of life through support for higher education and the arts. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The Bernard Osher Foundation?
The Foundation does not accept unsolicited requests for its local arts and educational program at present. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is The Bernard Osher Foundation's EIN?
The Bernard Osher Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 94-2506257. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Does The Bernard Osher 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 October 2026.
Data update history
(1)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Explore Open Grants
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). The Bernard Osher Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/the-bernard-osher-foundation-morg_6de7a71605594932ab0bce09c33e5ba7
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_942506257_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{The Bernard Osher Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/the-bernard-osher-foundation-morg_6de7a71605594932ab0bce09c33e5ba7},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-12. 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 Bernard Osher 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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