The Diana Dollar Knowles Foundation
The Diana Dollar Knowles Foundation is a private independent foundation established in California in June 2010. Based in San Francisco, the foundation operates as a 501(c)(3) charitable organization dedicated to philanthropic grantmaking across multiple sectors.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$7.8M
-0.0% YoY
Annual Giving
$336K
-51.5% YoY
Grant Count
18
-14.3% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$19K
-43.4% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Diana Dollar Knowles Foundation reported a distributable amount of $405K for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation supports initiatives in the following primary areas:
- Education
- Religion
- Human Services
- Arts and Culture
- Environment
Grantmaking
The foundation makes grants ranging from $1,000 to $56,000, with recent grant activity showing:
How to Apply
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation supports projects primarily within the United States, with particular focus on:
- California (including Alameda, Berkeley, and San Francisco)
- Massachusetts
- New York
- North Carolina
- Washington
Grant Distribution by State
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
Assets & Revenue
- Total Assets: $7.84 million (2024)
- Total Revenue: $410,719 (2024)
- Total Expenses: $425,027 (2024)
- Total Liabilities: $33,700 (2024)
- Annual Giving Rate: 4.3% of assets
Contact Information
- Address: 1 Embarcadero Center, Suite 2200, San Francisco, CA 94111-3711
- Telephone: 415-733-3911
- EIN: 27-1747895
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $7,839,193 | $7,841,801 | $8,399,276 |
| Revenue | $410,719 | $225,245 | $420,906 |
| Expenses | $425,027 | $780,720 | $363,436 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $364,118 | $726,048 | $277,815 |
| Net Investment Income | $349,810 | $170,573 | $358,664 |
| Distributable Amount | $405,030 | $393,386 | $409,599 |
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
108 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include League to Save Lake Tahoe ($56,450), San Francisco Ballet ($50,000), Grace Cathedral ($50,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA BERKELEY FOUNDATION BERKELEY, CA | GENERAL SUPPORT | $1,500 |
| GUGULETHU BALLET PROJECT WOODSIDE, CA | GENERAL SUPPORT | $1,500 |
| WILDLIFE CONSERVATION SOCIETY BRONX, NY | GENERAL SUPPORT | $1,500 |
| SAN FRANCISCO BALLET SAN FRANCISCO, CA | GENERAL SUPPORT - $25,000NUTCRACKER SENSORY PERFORMANCE - $25,000 | $50,000 |
| BAY SCHOOL OF SAN FRANCISCO SAN FRANCISCO, CA | GENERAL SUPPORT | $3,000 |
| LEAGUE TO SAVE LAKE TAHOE SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, CA | ENVIRONMENT EDUCATION CENTER - $25,000RAISE THE PADDLE GRANT - $25,000GENERAL SUPPORT - $6,450 | $56,450 |
| GRACE CATHEDRAL SAN FRANCISCO, CA | COMMUNITY PRESCHOOL | $50,000 |
| FINE ARTS MUSEUMS OF SAN FRANCISCO SAN FRANCISCO, CA | MARY CASSATT AT WORK EXHIBITION | $50,000 |
| GIRLS ON THE RUN OF THE BAY AREA SAN FRANCISCO, CA | GENERAL SUPPORT | $15,000 |
| SAN FRANCISCO FREE CLINIC SAN FRANCISCO, CA | GENERAL SUPPORT | $35,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The foundation is governed by three unpaid trustees:
- Hilary C. Pierce
- Heidi H. Cary
- Susan S. Briggs
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| HEIDI H CARY | TRUSTEE | 1 | — |
| SUSAN S BRIGGS | TRUSTEE | 1 | — |
| HILARY C PIERCE | TRUSTEE | 1 | — |
Subject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Frequently Asked Questions
What does The Diana Dollar Knowles Foundation fund?
The foundation supports initiatives in the following primary areas: • Education • Religion • Human Services • Arts and Culture • Environment
How do I apply for a grant from The Diana Dollar Knowles Foundation?
**Grant Activity & Amounts** The foundation makes grants ranging from $1,000 to $56,000, with recent grant activity showing: • 2024: 18 grants totaling $336,000 (median grant $8,000) • 2023: 19 grants totaling $690,000 (median grant $19,000) • 2022: 20 grants totaling $249,000 (median grant $5,000) **Recent Grants (2024)** Notable recent grants include: • League To Save Lake Tahoe: $56,450 (Environment Education Center, Raise the Paddle Grant, and general support) • Fine Arts Museums of San Fra…
Where does The Diana Dollar Knowles Foundation make grants?
The foundation supports projects primarily within the United States, with particular focus on: • California (including Alameda, Berkeley, and San Francisco) • Massachusetts • New York • North Carolina • Washington
What size grants does The Diana Dollar Knowles Foundation award?
In 2024, The Diana Dollar Knowles Foundation awarded 18 grants totaling $336K — an average of about $19K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is The Diana Dollar Knowles Foundation required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, The Diana Dollar Knowles Foundation reported a distributable amount of $405K on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is The Diana Dollar Knowles Foundation's EIN?
The Diana Dollar Knowles Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 27-1747895. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
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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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