The Fat Tire Foundation
The Fat Tire Foundation is a private grantmaking foundation established in 2006 and based in Los Altos, California. As a 501(c)(3) organization, it operates as a family foundation focused on philanthropic giving across multiple cause areas.
Key facts about The Fat Tire Foundation
- EIN
- 20-8066058
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024
- Annual giving (2024)
- $3,128,017
- Grants made (2024)
- 43
- Average grant
- $72,745
- Median grant
- $25,000
- New grantees (estimate)
- 21% first-time grantees (9 of 43, 2024)
- Total assets
- $86,600,524
- Primary geography
- California (54% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated September 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology). Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who The Fat Tire Foundation funds
By grant dollars, the top recipient states for The Fat Tire Foundation's 43 itemized 2024 grants were California (54%), New York (20%) and District of Columbia (11%). The most frequent recipient cities were San Francisco, CA (12 grants), New York, NY (6 grants), Oakland, CA (4 grants) and Washington, DC (3 grants). None of its 43 grants with a stated purpose were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Environmental Preservation" (14 grants), "Wellness" (10 grants) and "Community" (8 grants).
Is The Fat Tire Foundation open to new grantees?
21%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 9 of 43 grantees (21%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $44K; repeat grants $80K. How we count
Medians: $25K first-time, $20K repeat.
- 79% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving grew 130% from 2021 to 2024. Method
- In 2024 it paid out 77% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Foundations have until the end of the next year to meet it. Method
Estimate from itemized IRS Form 990-PF grant lists (2020–2024). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.
Next steps with The Fat Tire Foundation
- How to evaluate The Fat Tire Foundation as a funder
Our grant prospecting guide: read the 990-PF, check fit, and decide whether to apply.
- Draft an LOI to The Fat Tire Foundation with AI
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- Track this opportunity in a free grant tracker
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Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$86.6M
+62.2% YoY
Annual Giving
$3.1M
+76.0% YoY
Grant Count
43
-20.4% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$73K
+121.0% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Fat Tire Foundation reported a distributable amount of $4.1M for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Mission & Focus Areas
The Fat Tire Foundation's mission encompasses four primary areas:
- Cure Type 1 Diabetes (T1D)
- Eliminate inequality in the Bay Area
- Provide increased opportunity through education
- Protect the natural world
Grantmaking
The foundation is an active grantmaker that does not accept unsolicited grant proposals. Interested organizations should contact the foundation directly at fattirefoundation@gmail.com.
Ready to take the next step with The Fat Tire Foundation?
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation maintains a primary focus on the Bay Area while also making grants nationally and internationally across its mission areas.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of all 43 itemized 2024 grant dollars.
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
As of December 2024:
- Total Assets: $86.6 million
- Total Revenue: $32.6 million
- Total Expenses: $4.29 million
- Total Liabilities: $8,390
As of December 2023:
- Total Assets: $53.4 million
- Total Revenue: $13.9 million
- Total Expenses: $2.6 million
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $86,600,524 | $53,382,035 | $47,733,421 |
| Revenue | $32,574,341 | $13,924,116 | $453,658 |
| Expenses | $4,289,575 | $2,572,689 | $2,339,682 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $3,161,857 | $1,823,271 | $1,793,518 |
| Net Investment Income | $25,847,499 | $1,511,498 | $650,079 |
| Distributable Amount | $4,094,422 | $2,762,456 | $2,802,246 |
Data update history
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
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
190 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest recipients include University of California San Francisco ($1,000,000), JDRF T1D Fund LLC ($250,000), Abortion Care Network ($200,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA SAN FRANCISCO San Francisco, CA | EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES | $1,000,000 |
| JDRF T1D FUND LLC New York, NY | WELLNESS | $250,000 |
| ABORTION CARE NETWORK Washington, DC | WELLNESS | $200,000 |
| ADVENTURE SCIENTISTS Bozeman, MT | ENVIRONMENTAL PRESERVATION | $200,000 |
| BOYS AND GIRLS CLUBS OF THE PENINSULA Menlo Park, CA | COMMUNITY | $200,000 |
| DOCTORS WITHOUT BORDERS New York, NY | WELLNESS | $200,000 |
| CENTER FOR DISASTER PHILANTHROPY Washington, DC | ENVIRONMENTAL PRESERVATION | $100,000 |
| SECOND HARVEST FOOD BANK San Jose, CA | POVERTY RELIEF | $100,000 |
| AMERICAN CIVIL LIBERTIES UNION New York, NY | COMMUNITY | $100,000 |
| CONSERVATION INTERNATIONAL Arlington, VA | COMMUNITY | $100,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Officers and directors from IRS filings
Compensation Overview
No officer or director reported compensation in the available filings.
From 2024 IRS filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jeff Jordan | Director | 0.1 | — |
| Karen Shishino Jordan | CEO | 0.5 | — |
| Alison Jordan | Secretary | 0.25 | — |
| Connor Jordan | Treasurer | 0.25 | — |
Contact Information
Address: PO Box 1707, Los Altos, CA 94023-1707
Phone: 650-845-8100
Email: fattirefoundation@gmail.com
EIN: 20-8066058
Subject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Frequently Asked Questions
What does The Fat Tire Foundation fund?
The Fat Tire Foundation's mission encompasses four primary areas: • Cure Type 1 Diabetes (T1D) • Eliminate inequality in the Bay Area • Provide increased opportunity through education • Protect the natural world
How do I apply for a grant from The Fat Tire Foundation?
The foundation is an active grantmaker that does not accept unsolicited grant proposals. Interested organizations should contact the foundation directly at fattirefoundation@gmail.com. In 2023, the foundation made 38 grants totaling approximately $1.06 million. Notable recent grants include: • Japanese American National Museum: $200,000 (Educational Resources) • Stanford University / The Board of Trustees of the Leland Stanford Junior University: $166,667 (Educational Resources) • Adventurers S…
Where does The Fat Tire Foundation make grants?
The foundation maintains a primary focus on the Bay Area while also making grants nationally and internationally across its mission areas.
What size grants does The Fat Tire Foundation award?
In 2024, The Fat Tire Foundation awarded 43 grants totaling $3.1M — an average of about $73K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is The Fat Tire Foundation required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, The Fat Tire Foundation reported a distributable amount of $4.1M on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is The Fat Tire Foundation's EIN?
The Fat Tire Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 20-8066058. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Does The Fat Tire Foundation accept unsolicited proposals?
No, according to Grantable's research on the foundation's published guidelines. See how to apply ↑
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Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.