The Davidson Family Foundation
The Davidson Family Foundation is a private family foundation established in 1992 in California and granted tax-exempt status in April 1993. Based in San Jose, California, the foundation was founded by Charles W. Davidson, a legendary Silicon Valley developer and philanthropist known for pioneering affordable housing development in the Bay Area. The foundation continues to operate as a private family foundation following Davidson's death in 2021 at age 90, now managed by Davidson's children and grandchildren.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$50.7M
+23.4% YoY
Annual Giving
$3.4M
+15.9% YoY
Grant Count
64
+8.5% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$53K
+6.8% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Davidson Family Foundation reported a distributable amount of $2.4M for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation gives primarily for:
- Housing – Affordable housing initiatives for low-income individuals
- Education – Including significant support for educational institutions and K-12 schools
- Health organizations – Healthcare access for underserved populations and medical research
- Children and youth services – Including childcare and development programs
- Animal welfare – Protection and welfare programs, animal shelters, and pet adoption
- Community services – Supporting low-income and disadvantaged families
- Religious organizations
Grantmaking
No public application process has been identified. The foundation only makes contributions to preselected charitable organizations.
Grant Range
s:**
Average Grant
amount varies by program area (ranging from $16,500 for religious organizations to $92,073 for education)
How to Apply
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation's grantmaking is concentrated in California, particularly the San Jose and Santa Clara County area. According to available records, the foundation primarily supports organizations in California, Florida, and Oklahoma, which account for 84% of all grants. Grantmaking reaches organizations across 13 states.
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
Assets & Income (2024):
- Total assets: $50,720,329
- Total revenue: $3,603,795
- Total expenses: $3,917,234
- Annual income: $24.9M
Historical Growth:
- Total assets have grown from $13.3M in 2010 to $41.1M in 2022
- Annual giving has grown from $1.8M in 2020 to $2.9M in 2023
- Grantmaking activity was highest in 2022 with $5.5M distributed across 122 grants
Giving Rate: 7.4%
Tax Status: 501(c)(3) organization; contributions are tax-deductible
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $50,720,329 | $41,099,685 | $48,677,103 |
| Revenue | $3,603,795 | $1,846,100 | $3,867,999 |
| Expenses | $3,917,234 | $3,344,325 | $3,201,399 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $3,413,000 | $2,945,280 | $2,759,200 |
| Net Investment Income | $2,199,177 | $1,445,929 | $3,424,743 |
| Distributable Amount | $2,372,624 | $2,192,845 | $2,772,946 |
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
247 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include Tower Foundation - Sjsu ($355,000), Common Sense Childbirth ($200,000), The Tech Museum of Innovation ($125,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| YMCA OF SILICON VALLEY SANTA CLARA, CA | COMMUNITY SERVICE | $105,000 |
| HUMANE SOCIETY of SILICON VALLEY MILPITAS, CA | COMMUNITY SERVICE | $75,000 |
| DOWNTOWN COLLEGE PREP SAN JOSE, CA | EDUCATION | $50,000 |
| BOYS AND GIRLS CLUBS MILPITAS, CA | COMMUNITY SERVICE | $50,000 |
| SAN JOSE CONSERVATION CORPS SAN JOSE, CA | EDUCATION | $100,000 |
| KQED INC SAN FRANSISCO, CA | COMMUNITY SERVICE | $20,000 |
| PETA NORFOLK, VA | COMMUNITY SERVICE | $20,000 |
| PAWSPERFORMING ANIMAL WELFARE GALT, CA | COMMUNITY SERVICE | $50,000 |
| NEXT DOOR TO VIOLENCE SAN JOSE, CA | COMMUNITY SERVICE | $10,000 |
| COMMON SENSE CHILDBIRTH WINTER GARDEN, FL | COMMUNITY SERVICE | $200,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
- Charles W. Davidson Jr. – President (0.25 hrs/week)
- Stephanie L. Davidson – Director (0.25 hrs/week)
- Judy Bush – Treasurer (5 hrs/week, $50,000 compensation)
- Michele Tigue – Vice President (10 hrs/week, $82,755 compensation)
- Michael Robins – Director (0.25 hrs/week)
- Gloria K. Chiang – Principal Officer
The foundation is governed by 5 officers and trustees.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| CHARLES W DAVIDSON JR | President | 0.25 | — |
| STEPHANIE L DAVIDSON | Director | 0.25 | — |
| JUDY BUSH | Treasurer | 5 | $50,000 |
| MICHELE TIGUE | Vice President | 10 | $82,755 |
| MICHAEL ROBINS | Director | 0.25 | — |
Contact Information
Address: 2025 Gateway Pl Ste 270, San Jose, CA 95110-1007
Phone: (408) 491-7733
Note: The foundation does not appear to have a public website or published contact information for grant inquiries.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does The Davidson Family Foundation fund?
The foundation gives primarily for: • **Housing** – Affordable housing initiatives for low-income individuals • **Education** – Including significant support for educational institutions and K-12 schools • **Health organizations** – Healthcare access for underserved populations and medical research • **Children and youth services** – Including childcare and development programs • **Animal welfare** – Protection and welfare programs, animal shelters, and pet adoption • **Community services** – S…
How do I apply for a grant from The Davidson Family Foundation?
**Grant Activity:** • Total giving (2024): $3,413,000 • Total giving (2023): $2,945,280 • Grants awarded (2024): 85 grants • Grants awarded (2023): 59 awards • Grants awarded (2022): 61 awards **Grant Sizes:** • Grant range: $2,500 – $660,000 • Median grant amount: $28,333 • Average grant amount varies by program area (ranging from $16,500 for religious organizations to $92,073 for education) **Application Process:** No public application process has been identified. The foundation only makes c…
Where does The Davidson Family Foundation make grants?
The foundation's grantmaking is concentrated in California, particularly the San Jose and Santa Clara County area. According to available records, the foundation primarily supports organizations in California, Florida, and Oklahoma, which account for 84% of all grants. Grantmaking reaches organizations across 13 states.
What size grants does The Davidson Family Foundation award?
In 2024, The Davidson Family Foundation awarded 64 grants totaling $3.4M — an average of about $53K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is The Davidson Family Foundation required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, The Davidson Family Foundation reported a distributable amount of $2.4M on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is The Davidson Family Foundation's EIN?
The Davidson Family Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 77-0325599. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in The Davidson Family 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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