The Bravo Foundation
The Bravo Foundation is a private foundation based in San Francisco, California. Its 2025 filing reports grants to charitable organizations, all of them in California; the foundation’s website also describes support for pre-K–12 scholarships through Pennsylvania’s Educational Improvement Tax Credit program.
The Bravo Foundation at a glance
In short: The Bravo Foundation gave $398K across 17 grants in 2025 (avg $23K), mostly in California. 6% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $397,500
- -36.1% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 17
- -50.0% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $23,382
- +27.7% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $25,000
- Total assets
- $13,819,723
- +8.7% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 6% first-time grantees (1 of 17, 2025; small sample)
- Primary geography
- California (100% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated September 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to The Bravo 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: PO Box 460909, San Francisco, CA 94146
Phone: (619) 889-1244
Website: https://thebravofoundation.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who The Bravo Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Orange County Rescue Mission ($50K). Together the top 10 received $320K.
Grant Size Distribution
135 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 131 grants of 135 (97%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
All grant dollars reported for 2025 went to recipients in California. Separately, the foundation’s website describes scholarships for students across Pennsylvania through the state’s Educational Improvement Tax Credit program.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 17 itemized grants.
Cities
Is The Bravo Foundation open to new grantees?
6%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 1 of 17 grantees (6%) were first-time recipients. With only 17 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 6 points. First grants averaged $10K; repeat grants $24K. How we count
Medians: $10K first-time, $25K repeat.
- 41% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving grew 98% from 2022 to 2025. Method
- In 2025 it paid out 106% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2019–2025). 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 2019 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $200K (2022) to $623K (2024). In 2025 it made 17 grants totaling $398K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Orange County Rescue Mission Tustin, CA | Program Support | $50,000 |
| Project Mercy Poway, CA | Program Support | $50,000 |
| Big Brothersbig Sisters San Diego San Diego, CA | Program Support | $30,000 |
| Ocean Discovery Institute San Diego, CA | Program Support | $30,000 |
| Emilio Nares Foundation San Diego, CA | Program Support | $30,000 |
| Red Cross of San Diego San Diego, CA | Program Support | $30,000 |
| Homeboy Industries Los Angeles, CA | Program Support | $25,000 |
| Proyecto Pastoral at Delores Mission Los Angeles, CA | Program Support | $25,000 |
| Outdoor Outreach San Diego, CA | Program Support | $25,000 |
| Women in Animation Los Angeles, CA | Program Support | $25,000 |
Ready to take the next step with The Bravo 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $13,819,723 | $979,264 | $750,943 | $397,500 | 17 | $694,675 | $931,418 | $652,303 |
| 2024 | $12,718,639 | $986,454 | $1,027,737 | $622,500 | 34 | $946,961 | $936,572 | $723,902 |
| 2023 | $12,489,534 | $1,045,443 | $928,890 | $595,500 | 41 | $881,180 | $971,107 | $621,063 |
| 2022 | $11,795,924 | $469,181 | $543,654 | $200,432 | 18 | $501,532 | $353,326 | $693,500 |
| 2021 | $14,106,236 | $384,066 | $641,028 | $319,000 | 25 | $507,020 | $332,563 | $680,442 |
| 2020 | $13,231,606 | $522,510 | $669,962 | $379,600 | 30 | — | $481,240 | $584,122 |
| 2019 | $12,564,528 | $526,069 | $690,843 | $409,000 | 30 | — | $479,151 | $605,018 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Bravo Foundation reported a distributable amount of $652K for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation’s website says it works to ensure household economics are not a barrier to a child’s education and describes providing scholarships since 2003. Its 2025 filing lists grants for program support to organizations with varied missions. For example, Orange County Rescue Mission describes providing services including shelter, food, education, and job training; Emilio Nares Foundation describes supporting families navigating a child’s cancer or other life-threatening disease; and Outdoor Outreach describes connecting youth with the outdoors. These are the grantees’ stated missions, not stated missions of the foundation.
Grantmaking
In 2025, the foundation reported 17 grants totaling $397,500. Grants ranged from $2,500 to $50,000, with a median of $25,000. Notable grants included $50,000 each to Orange County Rescue Mission and Project Mercy; $30,000 each to Big Brothers Big Sisters San Diego, Ocean Discovery Institute, Emilio Nares Foundation, and Red Cross of San Diego; and $25,000 each to Homeboy Industries, Proyecto Pastoral at Dolores Mission, Outdoor Outreach, and Women in Animation.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Michael J. Lopez as president and CEO; Wind Ralston as treasurer; Beatriz B. Ramirez as secretary; and Robert Tauler and Argenta Lopez-Cornejo as directors.
The Bravo Foundation is led by Michael J. Lopez, President & CEO on every filing since 2019; all 5 officers listed in 2025 are compensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Michael J. Lopez
President & CEO
On filings since 2019
40 hrs/week
$161K (2019) → $249K (2025)
Argenta Lopez-Cornejo
Director
New on the 2025 filing
1 hr/week
$400 (2025)
Robert Tauler
Director
New on the 2025 filing
1 hr/week
$800 (2025)
Beatriz B. Ramirez
Secretary
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
$800 (2019) → $1K (2025)
Wind Ralston
Treasurer
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
$1K (2019) → $1K (2025)
Former officers (2)
- Former: Jesus Varela (2019–2021) — Director
- Former: Zeke Lopez (2019–2021) — Chairman
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2019–2025. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Compensation Overview
From 2025 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2025 filing was $249K, to Michael J Lopez (President & CEO). 5 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Frequently asked questions about The Bravo Foundation
How much does The Bravo Foundation give each year?
The Bravo Foundation gave $398K across 17 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $623K across 34 grants.
What is The Bravo Foundation's typical grant size?
The Bravo Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $25,000, and its average grant was $23,382, across 17 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from The Bravo Foundation that year got $10K on average.
Where does The Bravo Foundation give grants?
The Bravo Foundation gives mostly in California: 100% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were San Diego, CA (8 grants) and Los Angeles, CA (4 grants).
Does The Bravo Foundation give general operating support?
Not in 2025: none of the 17 grants with a stated purpose on The Bravo Foundation's 2025 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Program Support" (17 grants).
Who are The Bravo Foundation's largest grantees?
The Bravo Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include Orange County Rescue Mission ($50,000), Project Mercy ($50,000) and Big Brothersbig Sisters San Diego ($30,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 33% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is The Bravo Foundation?
The Bravo Foundation reported $13.8M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $695K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $652K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does The Bravo Foundation fund?
The foundation’s website says it works to ensure household economics are not a barrier to a child’s education and describes providing scholarships since 2003. Its 2025 filing lists grants for program support to organizations with varied missions. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The Bravo 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 The Bravo Foundation's EIN?
The Bravo Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 95-2160081. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2025.
Does The Bravo Foundation accept unsolicited proposals?
No, according to Grantable's research on the foundation's published guidelines. See how to apply ↑
Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(7)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS February 28, 2025)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS May 11, 2026)
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS May 6, 2020)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS May 10, 2021)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS May 6, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS June 15, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS September 18, 2024)
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in The Bravo Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
Similar Funders
Funders with grantees in common, and similar funders in California
Price Philanthropies Foundation
La Jolla, CA
Price Philanthropies Foundation supports opportunities for underserved youth and families, including early education and childcare, youth mental health, and organizations that strengthen San Diego communities; it offers general operating, program, and capital grants. Its 2024 grants ranged from $1,000 to $19.1 million, with a median of $22,410, and funding is primarily focused on San Diego—especially City Heights—with additional stated interests in PriceSmart communities in Latin America and the Caribbean and Israel. The foundation says it does not accept unsolicited grant requests at this time.
Assets
$446.8M
Grants
246
Total Given
$33.8M
The Conrad Prebys Foundation
San Diego, CA
The Conrad Prebys Foundation funds visual and performing arts, youth success, healthcare, and medical research, primarily in San Diego County. Its 2024 grants ranged from $200 to $3 million, with a median of $100,000. It offers opportunities throughout the year, including open applications and requests for proposals, but may also use invitation-only or community-led processes.
Assets
$1.1B
Grants
392
Total Given
$54.9M
The Nordson Corporation Foundation
Westlake, OH
The Nordson Corporation Foundation primarily funds education, especially programs that build job readiness and pathways to higher education, while also supporting arts, culture, and human welfare. Its 2025 grants ranged from $7,500 to $601,500, with a median of $20,000, and focused on communities near Nordson facilities, particularly in Ohio. It accepts applications by invitation only and does not accept unsolicited requests.
Assets
$35.9M
Grants
159
Total Given
$5.5M
The Parker Foundation
Carlsbad, CA
The Parker Foundation funds charitable organizations serving San Diego County across social services, arts, community, and education. In 2025, grants ranged from $2,500 to $300,000, with a median of $30,000. It accepts proposals; the next listed deadline is October 2, 2026.
Assets
$50.4M
Grants
65
Total Given
$2.6M
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
California Community Foundation
Los Angeles, CA
The California Community Foundation supports nonprofits through discretionary and donor-directed grants, with discretionary priorities including education, health, housing and immigration, alongside other areas such as arts, civic engagement and economic opportunity. Its 2025 grants had a median of $50,000, and its work is focused on Los Angeles County; prospective discretionary applicants are asked to contact the relevant program officer before submitting a letter of intent.
Assets
$2.3B
Grants
2,174
Total Given
$326.6M
More similar funders
More Funders in California
Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). The Bravo Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 13, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/the-bravo-foundation-morg_c787417bc8af476f93611bd4497b0fe8
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_952160081_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{The Bravo Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/the-bravo-foundation-morg_c787417bc8af476f93611bd4497b0fe8},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-13. 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 Bravo 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.
The Bravo Foundation down — hundreds of funders to go?