The Gifford Foundation Inc
The Gifford Foundation Inc is a private foundation established in 1998 and located in Palo Alto, California. The foundation is dedicated to stewardship of its funds and uses its financial and human resources to build the capacity of individuals and organizations to enhance quality of life in the communities it serves.
Financial Overview
From 2025 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$9.2M
-1.9% YoY
Annual Giving
$878K
+59.2% YoY
Grant Count
16
+6.7% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$55K
+49.2% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Gifford Foundation Inc reported a distributable amount of $471K for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation is committed to using its financial and human resources to build the capacity of individuals and organizations to enhance the quality of life for the community it serves. Primary funding interests include:
- University academic scholarships
- Baseball and golf programs
- Social services
- Education
- Philanthropy, voluntarism, and grantmaking
- Human services
Grantmaking
The foundation offers multiple pathways for organizations and individuals to access support:
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation primarily funds organizations in California, Pennsylvania, and Utah.
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
As of Fiscal Year Ending May 2025:
- Total assets: $9,212,903
- Total revenue: $463,485
- Total expenses: $952,403
- Net income: -$488,918
- Total liabilities: $0
Historical Assets:
- FY 2024: $9,390,090
| Metric | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $9,212,903 | $9,390,090 | $8,811,653 |
| Revenue | $463,485 | $7,513 | $-971,405 |
| Expenses | $952,403 | $623,473 | $618,127 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $878,124 | $551,755 | $556,897 |
| Net Investment Income | $339,063 | $126,554 | $134,386 |
| Distributable Amount | $470,921 | $434,167 | $431,375 |
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 2025
Grant Size Distribution
87 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2025 grants, the largest include Leland Stanford Junior University ($500,000), East Palo Alto Tennis Tutoring ($106,000), UCLA Foundation ($100,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Cal Poly State University San Luis Obispo, CA | Scholarship | $20,233 |
| East Palo Alto Tennis Tutoring Stanford, CA | General Fund-sports & education | $106,000 |
| The Cal Athletics Fund Berkeley, CA | General Support | $2,261 |
| Indiana University of Pennsylvania Indiana, PA | Scholarship | $18,573 |
| Junipero Serra High School San Mateo, CA | Volleyball program | $10,000 |
| RAC Gift Fund Palo Alto, CA | General Support | $5,000 |
| University Impact Provo, UT | General Support | $500 |
| Old Spanish Trail Durango, CO | General fund | $200 |
| Silicon Valley Community Foundation Mountain View, CA | General support | $1,000 |
| UCLA Foundation Los Angeles, CA | Men's Baseball | $100,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
- Rhodine R Gifford — President/Trustee (5 hours per week)
Compensation Overview
From 2025 IRS filing
From 2025 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rhodine R Gifford | President | 5 | — |
Recent News & Activity
Recent developments and announcements
The foundation has celebrated recent accomplishments including:
**ADVANS 6 Graduates** — The foundation congratulated graduates from its ADVANS program
Congratulating our ADVANS 6 Graduates - The Gifford Foundation**"What If" Mini Grants Record Year** — The foundation reported a record year for its "What If..." Mini Grants program
What If Mini Grants: A Record Year - The Gifford FoundationThe foundation has distributed over $45 million in grants to nonprofits since its inception in 1954 (note: sources indicate both 1954 and 1998 as founding dates).
CoFo Awarded $1.5 Million GIFT IX Community Support Grant | Community FoundationSubject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Frequently Asked Questions
What does The Gifford Foundation Inc fund?
The foundation is committed to using its financial and human resources to build the capacity of individuals and organizations to enhance the quality of life for the community it serves. Primary funding interests include: • University academic scholarships • Baseball and golf programs • Social services • Education • Philanthropy, voluntarism, and grantmaking • Human services
How do I apply for a grant from The Gifford Foundation Inc?
**Grant Amounts & Activity:** • Typical awards range from $100–$500,000 • Total giving in fiscal year 2025: $878,124 • Total giving in fiscal year 2024: $551,755 • The foundation made 21 grants in the most recent year • Median grant amount: $15,000 • Giving rate: 6.1% **Recent Grants (2025):** • Stanford University / The Board of Trustees of the Leland Stanford Junior University: $500,000 (Head Men's Coaches Tennis Office Naming) • East Palo Alto Tennis and Tutoring: $106,000 (General Fund-Spor…
Where does The Gifford Foundation Inc make grants?
The foundation primarily funds organizations in California, Pennsylvania, and Utah.
What size grants does The Gifford Foundation Inc award?
In 2025, The Gifford Foundation Inc awarded 16 grants totaling $878K — an average of about $55K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is The Gifford Foundation Inc required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2025, The Gifford Foundation Inc reported a distributable amount of $471K on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is The Gifford Foundation Inc's EIN?
The Gifford Foundation Inc's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 94-3303273. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2021–2025.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in The Gifford Foundation Inc'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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