The Joseph and Vera Long Foundation
The Joseph and Vera Long Foundation is a private family foundation established in 1966 through the merger of The JM Long Foundation (created by Joseph M. Long, co-founder of Longs Drug Stores) and The Vera M. Long Foundation (established by Vera M. Long, a philanthropist and board activist). Headquartered in Walnut Creek, California, the foundation operates with a small staff of 2 employees and provides financial support to qualified not-for-profit organizations.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$122.5M
+6.4% YoY
Annual Giving
$5.2M
-1.0% YoY
Grant Count
75
+5.6% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$69K
-6.3% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Joseph and Vera Long Foundation reported a distributable amount of $5.9M for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation seeks to improve the health and wellbeing of residents in Northern California and Hawaii. The foundation supports organizations working across four core program areas:
- Connecting Youth with Nature
- Fostering Creativity Through the Arts
- Maternal Healthcare Access and Education
- Strengthening Communities (supporting organizations dedicated to responsible and effective use of foundation assets)
The foundation's broader vision is to cultivate a society that safeguards natural resources, fosters flourishing opportunities for children and youth, ensures compassionate care for the vulnerable, and champions support for women.
Grantmaking
The foundation operates two annual grant cycles with varying award amounts:
Review Cycle
with varying award amounts:
How to Apply
- Organizations may submit only ONE application per calendar year
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation funds qualified not-for-profit organizations in Northern California and Hawaii exclusively.
Grant Distribution by State
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
As of December 2024:
- Total Assets: $122,548,627
- Total Revenues: $9,219,381
- Total Expenses: $3,859,310
- Investment Income and Dividends: $4,343,508
- Net Gain from Sale of Non-Inventory Assets: $4,873,890
As of December 2023:
- Total Assets: $115,000,000
- Total Revenues: $4,650,000
- Total Expenses: $10,800,000
The foundation is tax-exempt under Section 501(c)(3) status, with tax-exempt status granted in June 1967 (EIN: 94-1643626).
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $122,548,627 | $115,200,377 | $107,113,229 |
| Revenue | $9,219,381 | $4,647,016 | $3,849,529 |
| Expenses | $3,859,310 | $10,824,954 | $3,591,712 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $5,535,512 | $5,567,145 | $5,643,737 |
| Net Investment Income | $9,035,901 | $4,372,156 | $3,420,148 |
| Distributable Amount | $5,887,223 | $5,436,978 | $5,514,622 |
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
250 grants across all recorded years
Open Grants
1 open opportunity from The Joseph and Vera Long Foundation
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include Climateworks Foundation ($800,000), Multiplier ($800,000), Windward Fund ($800,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| ASHBY VILLAGE BERKELEY, CA | TRANSFORMING HOW WE AGE | $75,000 |
| COMMUNITY FOUNDATION OF MENDOCINO COUNTY UKIAH, CA | THE FUND FOR ROUND VALLEY | $20,000 |
| DESTINY ARTS CENTER OAKLAND, CA | DESTINY ARTS IN SCHOOLS | $30,000 |
| THE OAKLAND PUBLIC EDUCATION FUND OAKLAND, CA | YOUTH BEAT: MEDIA ARTS ENGAGEMENT | $25,000 |
| THE TRUST FOR PUBLIC LAND SAN FRANCISCO, CA | THE OAKLAND GREEN SCHOOLYARDS PROGRAM | $40,000 |
| UCSF FOUNDATION SAN FRANCISCO, CA | COALITION FOR OLDER ADULTS SOCIAL CONNECTEDNESS | $100,000 |
| YES NATURE TO NEIGHBORHOODS RICHMOND, CA | BASE CAMP CAPITAL CAMPAIGN | $125,000 |
| CLIMATEWORKS FOUNDATION SAN FRANCISCO, CA | FORESTS, PEOPLE, CLIMATE INITIATIVE | $800,000 |
| MULTIPLIER SAN FRANCISCO, CA | CLEAN GRID INITIATIVE | $800,000 |
| WINDWARD FUND WASHINGTON, DC | GLOBAL METHANE HUB | $800,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
- Nick Piediscalzi - Board Chair
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| LANI MACKENZIE | TRUSTEE | 0.5 | — |
| LISA PIEDISCALZI | TRUSTEE | 0.5 | — |
| MICHELLE HOLSTEIN | TREASURER | 0.5 | — |
| MILTON E LONG | EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR | 32 | $168,000 |
| NAN L GEFEN | SECRETARY | 0.5 | — |
| NICHOLAS PIEDISCALZI | BOARD CHAIR | 1 | — |
Recent News & Activity
Recent developments and announcements
The foundation has been actively awarding grants to organizations across its priority areas. Recent grantees have included organizations focused on senior services, environmental conservation, and arts programming in Northern California and Hawaii.
AMWA\u2019s Senior Fusion Awarded Joseph and Vera Long Foundation GrantSubject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Frequently Asked Questions
What does The Joseph and Vera Long Foundation fund?
The foundation seeks to improve the health and wellbeing of residents in Northern California and Hawaii. The foundation supports organizations working across four core program areas: • **Connecting Youth with Nature** • **Fostering Creativity Through the Arts** • **Maternal Healthcare Access and Education** • **Strengthening Communities** (supporting organizations dedicated to responsible and effective use of foundation assets) The foundation's broader vision is to cultivate a society that safe…
How do I apply for a grant from The Joseph and Vera Long Foundation?
The foundation operates two annual grant cycles with varying award amounts: **Spring Cycle (April deadline):** • $60,000 to $150,000 for established partners and recent grantees • Available to all qualified organizations in some program areas **Fall Cycle (September deadline):** • $10,000 to $40,000 (recommended for first-time applicants) • $25,000 to $30,000 for certain program areas • Available to all qualified organizations • Organizations may submit only ONE application per calendar year • …
Where does The Joseph and Vera Long Foundation make grants?
The foundation funds qualified not-for-profit organizations in Northern California and Hawaii exclusively.
What size grants does The Joseph and Vera Long Foundation award?
In 2024, The Joseph and Vera Long Foundation awarded 75 grants totaling $5.2M — an average of about $69K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is The Joseph and Vera Long Foundation required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, The Joseph and Vera Long Foundation reported a distributable amount of $5.9M on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is The Joseph and Vera Long Foundation's EIN?
The Joseph and Vera Long Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 94-1643626. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in The Joseph and Vera Long Foundation'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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