The Graybird Foundation
The Graybird Foundation is a private foundation based in Half Moon Bay, California. It supports nonprofits in the San Francisco Bay Area and Idaho, providing marketing services to help organizations advance their missions.
The Graybird Foundation at a glance
In short: The Graybird Foundation gave $99K across 32 grants in 2025 (avg $3K), mostly in California. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $98,918
- +87.3% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 32
- +68.4% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $3,091
- +11.2% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $533
- Total assets
- $1,129,300
- +49.9% vs 2024
- Primary geography
- California (88% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated September 2026.
How to apply to The Graybird Foundation
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- Invitation Only
-
The foundation states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests. Its website describes a letter-of-interest and invitation process.
- Contact
Mailing address: PO Box 3053, Half Moon Bay, CA 94019
Phone: (650) 483-6201
Website: https://www.graybirdfoundation.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who The Graybird Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Coastside Hope ($16K across 3 grants). Together the top 10 received $93K.
Organizations only. It also paid 1 individual scholarship ($533), which are not listed by name.
Grant Size Distribution
66 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 66 grants of 66 (100%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
Graybird says it supports nonprofits in the San Francisco Bay Area and Idaho. In 2025, 88% of its grant dollars went to recipients in California and 12% to recipients in Idaho.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 32 itemized grants.
States
Cities
How The Graybird Foundation gives
- 53% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving grew 160% from 2022 to 2025. Method
- In 2025 it paid out 897% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (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 2020 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $20K (2020) to $99K (2025). In 2025 it made 32 grants totaling $99K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Alliance of Idaho Hailey, ID | In support of their mission to provide low-cost immigration legal services for families and to build a community that supports fairness, equality and justice. | $12,000 |
| Architects of Peace Foundation Hayward, CA | To support their mission to inspire social change by educating peace through the portraits and stories of world peacemakers. | $10,000 |
| Coastside Hope Half Moon Bay, CA | To provide necessities to enhance the quality of life for the coastal community. Their guiding principle is "necessities for today. Opportunities for tomorrow." | $10,000 |
| Senior Coastsiders Half Moon Bay, CA | To provide opportunities, services and resources that meet the needs of older adults. | $10,000 |
| Maiden Voyage Productions Half Moon Bay, CA | In support of their mission to produce and support programs designed to foster inclusion and deepen understanding of different ways to live in the world. | $10,000 |
| Ayudando Latinos a Sonar Half Moon Bay, CA | To support their mission to create a strong latino community fostering social wellness, mental health, education, immigration support, and community well being. | $10,000 |
| Sonrisas Dental Health San Mateo, CA | To provide dental healthcare to underserved patients in san Mateo county. | $7,500 |
| Coastside Womens Club Half Moon Bay, CA | Engages women on the san mateo coast to provide college scholarships for local students and to strengthen the community. | $6,000 |
| Coastside Hope Half Moon Bay, CA | To provide necessities to enhance the quality of life for the coastal community. Their guiding principle is "necessities for today. Opportunities for tomorrow." | $5,000 |
| Coastside Land Trust Half Moon Bay, CA | Dedicated to the preservation, protection and enhancement of the open space environment along the san Mateo county coast. | $5,000 |
Ready to take the next step with The Graybird 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 | $1,129,300 | $727,729 | $351,906 | $98,918 | 32 | $350,674 | $260,921 | $39,075 |
| 2024 | $753,477 | $460,957 | $307,335 | $52,809 | 19 | $298,264 | $60,548 | $23,978 |
| 2023 | $599,855 | $129,725 | $519,903 | $46,300 | 5 | $507,958 | $58,718 | $34,294 |
| 2022 | $990,033 | $384,403 | $692,158 | $38,085 | 4 | $677,596 | $297,553 | $55,386 |
| 2021 | $1,297,788 | $847,626 | $709,209 | $45,765 | 6 | $694,367 | $321,385 | $55,768 |
| 2020 | $1,224,504 | $138,902 | $788,839 | $19,538 | 2 | — | $37,419 | $71,474 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Graybird Foundation reported a distributable amount of $39K 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
Graybird states that it supports community, education, environmental, and fine arts nonprofits in the San Francisco Bay Area and Idaho. Its stated mission is to provide nonprofits with resources to achieve their goals and support their missions. Its website highlights community organizations serving underserved families, education organizations working on college access, and cultural arts organizations that educate and give back to their communities.
Examples of supported organizations illustrate these areas. Coastside Hope describes its work as providing emergency food, clothing, rental assistance or shelter, and other safety-net services to low-income Coastside residents. The Coastside Land Trust says it works to preserve and protect open space and related resources on the San Mateo County coast. Sonrisas Dental Health describes providing dental care and oral-health education to people including those facing economic, physical, or developmental challenges. These are the grantees’ stated missions, not Graybird’s.
Grantmaking
The foundation’s filings report 32 grants totaling $98,918 in 2025. Grants ranged from $80 to $12,000, with a median of $533. In 2024, it reported 19 grants totaling $52,809; in 2023, it reported 5 grants totaling $46,300.
Among the largest reported 2025 grants were $12,000 to Alliance of Idaho for low-cost immigration legal services; $10,000 each to Architects of Peace Foundation, Coastside Hope, Senior Coastsiders, Maiden Voyage Productions, and Ayudando Latinos a Sonar; and $7,500 to Sonrisas Dental Health. Coastside Hope received a second reported grant of $5,000.
The website describes Graybird’s grants as marketing services. It outlines a process in which an organization emails a letter of interest, eligible organizations may be invited to apply, and Graybird and the organization discuss and scope a marketing project. Projects typically last three to 12 months. General requirements stated on the website include 501(c)(3) tax-exempt status, service to the San Francisco Bay Area or Idaho, and work in the foundation’s listed categories.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Jill Grossman as Chairman, Helen Boyer as President, Secretary, and Treasurer, and Andrew Fradkin as Director. The foundation’s website identifies Grossman as Founder and Board Chair and Boyer as Co-founder and President. It also names Carmen Eberhardt as part of the foundation team.
The Graybird Foundation is led by Helen Boyer, President, Secretary & Trs since 2024 (on filings since 2020); 1 of 3 officers listed in 2025 is compensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Helen Boyer
President, Secretary & Trs
Secretary, Trs & Director → President, Secretary & Trs, 2024
On filings since 2020
35 hrs/week
$186K (2020) → $100K (2025)
Jill Grossman
Chairman
President & Director → Chairman, 2024
On filings since 2020
10 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Andrew Fradkin
Director
On filings since 2024
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (1)
- Former: Renee Spooner (2020–2023) — Vice President & Director
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2025. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Compensation Overview
From 2025 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2025 filing was $100K, to Helen Boyer (PRES,SEC,TRS,).
Frequently asked questions about The Graybird Foundation
How much does The Graybird Foundation give each year?
The Graybird Foundation gave $99K across 32 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $53K across 19 grants.
What is The Graybird Foundation's typical grant size?
The Graybird Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $533, and its average grant was $3,091, across 32 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
Where does The Graybird Foundation give grants?
The Graybird Foundation gives mostly in California: 88% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest state was Idaho (12%). The most frequent recipient cities were Half Moon Bay, CA (27 grants).
Does The Graybird Foundation give general operating support?
Not in 2025: none of the 32 grants with a stated purpose on The Graybird Foundation's 2025 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support.
Who are The Graybird Foundation's largest grantees?
The Graybird Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include Coastside Hope ($15,515 across 3 grants), Alliance of Idaho ($12,000) and Senior Coastsiders ($11,933 across 6 grants), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It also paid 1 individual scholarship ($533), which are not listed by name. Together they received 40% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is The Graybird Foundation?
The Graybird Foundation reported $1.1M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $351K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $39K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does The Graybird Foundation fund?
Graybird states that it supports community, education, environmental, and fine arts nonprofits in the San Francisco Bay Area and Idaho. Its stated mission is to provide nonprofits with resources to achieve their goals and support their missions. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The Graybird Foundation?
The foundation states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is The Graybird Foundation's EIN?
The Graybird Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 81-0690611. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.
Does The Graybird Foundation accept unsolicited proposals?
No, according to Grantable's research on the foundation's published guidelines. See how to apply ↑
Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(6)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS November 9, 2021)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS November 14, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS November 14, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS November 13, 2024)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS November 13, 2025)
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS May 13, 2026)
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). The Graybird Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 11, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/the-graybird-foundation-morg_ca651e10bed44c71842e17e942f64a0f
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_810690611_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{The Graybird Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/the-graybird-foundation-morg_ca651e10bed44c71842e17e942f64a0f},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-11. 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 Graybird 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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