The Krause Foundation
The Krause Foundation is a private foundation established in 1994 and based in Los Altos Hills, California. Founded by technology entrepreneur Bill Krause and his wife Gay, the foundation operates as a charitable vehicle focused on creating systemic change in education, youth development, and healthcare, particularly in the Bay Area.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$11.3M
+3.7% YoY
Annual Giving
$867K
+33.6% YoY
Grant Count
21
+16.7% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$41K
+14.5% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Krause Foundation reported a distributable amount of $718K for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation's grantmaking seeks to provide support to organizations creating systemic change across three primary areas:
- Education — including STEM education and support for community colleges
- Youth Development — youth services, community outreach, and student support
- Healthcare — supporting healthcare initiatives and community health
The foundation maintains a low public profile and does not accept unsolicited proposals or requests for funding.
Grantmaking
The foundation operates multiple grant programs including donations, innovation initiatives, quality of life improvements, youth and community support, student success, family services, and arts and culture/artist support.
Grant Range
$1,000 - $200,000
How to Apply
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
While headquartered in California, the foundation supports initiatives across multiple U.S. locations including:
- California (Los Altos, Mountain View, San Francisco, Los Altos Hills)
- South Carolina (Charleston)
- Colorado (Colorado Springs)
- Hawaii (Kamuela)
- Pennsylvania
- New York
- New Jersey
Grant Distribution by State
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
As of 2023:
- Total assets: $10,937,911
- Total revenue: $970,440
- Total expenses: $776,043
- Number of employees: 0
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $11,345,174 | $10,937,911 | $10,743,514 |
| Revenue | $1,468,206 | $970,440 | $187,427 |
| Expenses | $1,272,666 | $776,043 | $639,544 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $866,537 | $648,500 | $482,510 |
| Net Investment Income | $829,805 | $895,967 | $266,557 |
| Distributable Amount | $718,448 | $640,045 | $623,672 |
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
90 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include The Citadel Foundation ($127,907), Pennsylvania State University ($125,645), Foothill Deanza Foundation ($113,723).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| CHILDREN NOW OAKLAND, CA | TO FIGHTS FOR KIDS IN CALIFORNIA | $30,000 |
| COMPUTER HISTORY MUSEUM MOUNTAIN VIEW, CA | PRESERVE ARTIFACTS OF COMPUTING | $16,000 |
| FOOTHILL DEANZA FOUNDATION LOS ALTOS HILLS, CA | TO PROMOTE HIGHEST LEVEL OF STUDENTS | $10,000 |
| LOS ALTOS COMMUNITY FOUNDATION LOS ALTOS, CA | TO CREATE VIBRANT COMMUNITY | $23,000 |
| LOS ALTOS STAGE COMPANY LOS ALTOS, CA | CELBRATE PERFORMING ART AND ARTISTS | $8,000 |
| PALO ALTO MEDICAL FOUNDATION PALO ALTO, CA | TO ENCHANCE HEALTH OF COMMUNITY | $100,000 |
| SILLICON VALLEY COMMUNITY FNDTN MOUNTAIN VIEW, CA | PROVIDE RESOURCES FOR FAMILES IN SV | $7,000 |
| THE CITADEL FOUNDATION CHARLESTON, SC | TO PROMOTE STUDENT,FACULTY,ATHLETICS | $25,000 |
| YMCA OF SILICON VALLEY SAN JOSE, CA | PROVIDE PROGRAMS TO COMMUNITY | $25,000 |
| PENNSYLVANIA STATE UNIVERSITY UNIVERSITY PARK, PA | TO HELP STUDENT SUCCEED | $20,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
- L. Gay Krause — President; former teacher, counselor, and middle school principal; serves as executive director of the Krause Center for Innovation at Foothill College
- L. William Krause — Secretary; spent 14 years at Hewlett-Packard as general manager of the general systems division; former president and CEO of 3Com Corporation; president of LWK Ventures (private investment firm) since 1991
Both leaders serve without compensation.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| L GAY KRAUSE | PRESIDENT | 1 | — |
| L WILLIAM KRAUSE | SECRETARY / | 1 | — |
Frequently Asked Questions
What does The Krause Foundation fund?
The foundation's grantmaking seeks to provide support to organizations creating systemic change across three primary areas: • **Education** — including STEM education and support for community colleges • **Youth Development** — youth services, community outreach, and student support • **Healthcare** — supporting healthcare initiatives and community health The foundation maintains a low public profile and does not accept unsolicited proposals or requests for funding.
How do I apply for a grant from The Krause Foundation?
**Grant Activity (2023):** • Total grants awarded: 25 grants • Total giving: $648,500 • Grant range: $1,000 - $200,000 • Median grant amount: $10,000 • Giving rate: 6.0% of assets **Recent Notable Grants (2023):** • Foothill-Deanza Community Colleges Foundation: $150,000 • Lamb Fellowship of Pennsylvania State University: $135,000 • The Citadel Foundation: $126,000 **Grant Programs:** The foundation operates multiple grant programs including donations, innovation initiatives, quality of life im…
Where does The Krause Foundation make grants?
While headquartered in California, the foundation supports initiatives across multiple U.S. locations including: • California (Los Altos, Mountain View, San Francisco, Los Altos Hills) • South Carolina (Charleston) • Colorado (Colorado Springs) • Hawaii (Kamuela) • Pennsylvania • New York • New Jersey
What size grants does The Krause Foundation award?
In 2024, The Krause Foundation awarded 21 grants totaling $867K — an average of about $41K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is The Krause Foundation required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, The Krause Foundation reported a distributable amount of $718K on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is The Krause Foundation's EIN?
The Krause Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 77-0388463. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in The Krause 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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