The Diana Dollar Knowles Foundation
The Diana Dollar Knowles Foundation is a private foundation based in San Francisco, California. Its 2025 grants supported California organizations working in areas including the arts, environmental protection, health care, education, and recreation.
The Diana Dollar Knowles Foundation at a glance
In short: The Diana Dollar Knowles Foundation gave $532K across 10 grants in 2025 (avg $53K), mostly in California. 0% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $531,504
- +58.4% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 10
- -44.4% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $53,150
- +185.2% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $50,950
- Total assets
- $7,919,814
- +1.0% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 0% first-time grantees (0 of 10, 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 October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to The Diana Dollar Knowles Foundation
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests for funds and makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations.
- Contact
Mailing address: 1 Embarcadero Ctr 2200, San Francisco, CA 94111-3711
Phone: (415) 733-3911
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who The Diana Dollar Knowles Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was San Francisco Ballet ($125K). Together the top 10 received $532K.
Grant Size Distribution
91 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 72 grants of 91 (79%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
All reported 2025 grant dollars went to recipients in California.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 10 itemized grants.
Cities
Is The Diana Dollar Knowles Foundation open to new grantees?
0%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 0 of 10 grantees (0%) were first-time recipients. With only 10 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 10 points. How we count
- 90% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving grew 113% from 2022 to 2025. Method
- In 2025 it paid out 139% 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 $250K (2022) to $691K (2023). In 2025 it made 10 grants totaling $532K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| San Francisco Ballet San Francisco, CA | Education - $100,000; General Support - $25,000 | $125,000 |
| Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco San Francisco, CA | Education purposes - $50,000; manet and morisot exhibit - $50,000 | $100,000 |
| Grace Cathedral San Francisco, CA | Community Preschool - $25,000; Arts Programs - $60,000 | $85,000 |
| San Francisco Opera Association San Francisco, CA | Boheme out of box - $50,000; adler fellowship program - $25,000 | $75,000 |
| League to Save Lake Tahoe South Lake Tahoe, CA | Environment education center - $25,000; raise the paddle grant - $35,000; general support - $6,900 | $66,900 |
| San Francisco Free Clinic San Francisco, CA | General Support | $35,000 |
| Achieve Tahoe Alpine Meadows, CA | General Support | $19,604 |
| Moving Forward Toward Independence Napa, CA | General Support | $10,000 |
| Girls on the Run of the Bay Area San Francisco, CA | General Support | $10,000 |
| Bethesda Teaching Ministry El Cajon, CA | General Support | $5,000 |
Ready to take the next step with The Diana Dollar Knowles 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 | $7,919,814 | $721,510 | $634,089 | $531,504 | 10 | $567,545 | $658,766 | $409,586 |
| 2024 | $7,839,193 | $410,719 | $425,027 | $335,500 | 18 | $364,118 | $349,810 | $405,030 |
| 2023 | $7,841,801 | $225,245 | $780,720 | $691,150 | 21 | $726,048 | $170,573 | $393,386 |
| 2022 | $8,399,276 | $420,906 | $363,436 | $249,500 | 21 | $277,815 | $358,664 | $409,599 |
| 2021 | $8,327,706 | $1,034,132 | $737,826 | $644,250 | 21 | $667,706 | $964,012 | $459,729 |
| 2020 | $8,024,200 | $24,046 | $731,915 | $633,145 | 27 | — | $57,884 | $423,810 |
| 2019 | $8,738,869 | $459,148 | $482,947 | $382,250 | 23 | — | $397,421 | $446,966 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Diana Dollar Knowles Foundation reported a distributable amount of $410K 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
No mission statement is provided. The foundation’s 2025 grants included support for arts and education programs, environmental education and conservation, a free clinic, a community preschool, and inclusive recreational activities.
Among its grantees, San Francisco Free Clinic describes its mission as providing free, high-quality comprehensive primary care to medically uninsured people in San Francisco, along with health education and enabling services. Achieve Tahoe says it provides affordable, inclusive physical and recreational activities that build health and confidence. The League to Save Lake Tahoe says it works to protect and restore the Lake Tahoe Basin’s environmental health, sustainability, and scenic beauty. These are grantees’ stated missions, not the foundation’s.
Grantmaking
In 2025, the foundation reported 10 grants totaling $531,504. Grants ranged from $5,000 to $125,000, with a median of $50,950. In 2024, it reported 18 grants totaling $335,500; in 2023, it reported 21 grants totaling $691,150.
Among its 2025 grants, San Francisco Ballet received $125,000, including support for education and general support; the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco received $100,000 for education purposes and an exhibition; Grace Cathedral received $85,000 for a community preschool and arts programs; San Francisco Opera Association received $75,000 for *Boheme Out of Box* and the Adler Fellowship Program; and the League to Save Lake Tahoe received $66,900 for an environmental education center, a Raise the Paddle grant, and general support.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists these trustees: Heidi H Cary, Susan S Briggs, Hilary C Pierce, Joseph C Hickingbotham IV, Darayn Hickingbotham, and Leslie Buerger.
The Diana Dollar Knowles Foundation's 2025 filing lists 6 officers; none of the 6 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Heidi H. Cary
Trustee
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Hilary C. Pierce
Trustee
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Susan S. Briggs
Trustee
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Darayn Hickingbotham
Trustee
New on the 2025 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Joseph C. Hickingbotham IV
Trustee
New on the 2025 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Leslie Buerger
Trustee
New on the 2025 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
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.
Frequently asked questions about The Diana Dollar Knowles Foundation
How much does The Diana Dollar Knowles Foundation give each year?
The Diana Dollar Knowles Foundation gave $532K across 10 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $336K across 18 grants.
What is The Diana Dollar Knowles Foundation's typical grant size?
The Diana Dollar Knowles Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $50,950, and its average grant was $53,150, across 10 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
Where does The Diana Dollar Knowles Foundation give grants?
The Diana Dollar Knowles 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 Francisco, CA (6 grants).
Does The Diana Dollar Knowles Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 70% of The Diana Dollar Knowles Foundation's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (7 of 10) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are The Diana Dollar Knowles Foundation's largest grantees?
The Diana Dollar Knowles Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include San Francisco Ballet ($125,000), Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco ($100,000) and Grace Cathedral ($85,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 58% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is The Diana Dollar Knowles Foundation?
The Diana Dollar Knowles Foundation reported $7.9M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $568K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $410K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does The Diana Dollar Knowles Foundation fund?
No mission statement is provided. The foundation’s 2025 grants included support for arts and education programs, environmental education and conservation, a free clinic, a community preschool, and inclusive recreational activities. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The Diana Dollar Knowles Foundation?
The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests for funds and makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
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 2019–2025.
Does The Diana Dollar Knowles 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 September 2026.
Data update history
(3)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS August 21, 2020)
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS May 10, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in The Diana Dollar Knowles Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). The Diana Dollar Knowles Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 13, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/the-diana-dollar-knowles-foundation-morg_f65afd3156f643b286d352fee79f91d3
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_271747895_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{The Diana Dollar Knowles Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/the-diana-dollar-knowles-foundation-morg_f65afd3156f643b286d352fee79f91d3},
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 Diana Dollar Knowles 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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