The Leonard & Sophie Davis Fund
The Leonard & Sophie Davis Fund is a private foundation based in San Francisco, California. Its 2024 filing lists 51 grants totaling $24,304,250; the listed purposes chiefly describe support for social service or educational programs.
The Leonard & Sophie Davis Fund at a glance
In short: The Leonard & Sophie Davis Fund gave $24.3M across 51 grants in 2024 (avg $477K), top state California. 53% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $24,304,250
- +20.7% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 51
- -63.0% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $476,554
- +226.7% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $160,000
- Total assets
- $200,671,805
- +2.9% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 53% first-time grantees (27 of 51, 2024)
- Primary geography
- California (43% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to The Leonard & Sophie Davis Fund
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds.
- Contact
Mailing address: Co Alan Davis PO Box 590723, San Francisco, CA 94159
Phone: (212) 245-5900
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who The Leonard & Sophie Davis Fund funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Tides Foundation ($4.6M). Together the top 10 received $16.4M.
Grant Size Distribution
600 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 284 grants of 600 (47%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The 2024 grant dollars were distributed primarily to recipients in California (43%), the District of Columbia (16%), New York (13%), Florida (12%), and Pennsylvania (5%).
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 51 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is The Leonard & Sophie Davis Fund open to new grantees?
53%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 27 of 51 grantees (53%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $413K; repeat grants $548K. How we count
Medians: $160K first-time, $165K repeat.
- 25% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving grew 33% from 2021 to 2024. Method
- In 2024 it paid out 256% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2020–2024). 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 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $18.3M (2021) to $24.3M (2024). In 2024 it made 51 grants totaling $24.3M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Tides Foundation San Francisco, CA | Support for Social Service Programs or Educational Programs | $4,605,000 |
| The University of Southern California (USC) Leonard Davis School of Geronto Los Angeles, CA | Support for Social Service Programs or Educational Programs | $2,500,000 |
| The San Francisco Foundation San Francisco, CA | Support for Social Service Programs or Educational Programs | $1,550,000 |
| Pa Alliance Foundation Philadelphia, PA | Support for Social Service Programs or Educational Programs | $1,240,000 |
| The Raymond F Kravis Center West Palm Beach, FL | Support for Social Service Programs or Educational Programs | $1,125,000 |
| State Democracy Project Brooklyn, NY | Support for Social Service Programs or Educational Programs | $1,120,000 |
| Accelerate Change Inc Boston, MA | Support for Social Service Programs or Educational Programs | $1,100,000 |
| Focus for Democracy Fund Washington, DC | Support for Social Service Programs or Educational Programs | $1,100,000 |
| Excessive Wealth Disorder Institute New York, NY | Support for Social Service Programs or Educational Programs | $1,050,000 |
| Amalgamated Foundation Washington, DC | Support for Social Service Programs or Educational Programs | $1,000,000 |
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Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Qualifying Distributions | Net Investment Income | Distributable Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $200,671,805 | $30,682,133 | $26,026,595 | $24,304,250 | 51 | $24,945,069 | $23,440,269 | $9,755,954 |
| 2023 | $194,971,782 | $17,289,445 | $21,589,334 | $20,132,020 | 138 | $20,757,268 | $10,202,041 | $9,206,484 |
| 2022 | $183,885,714 | $20,338,373 | $22,693,511 | $20,505,000 | 121 | $21,112,492 | $13,194,830 | $9,478,100 |
| 2021 | $227,558,478 | $35,284,803 | $19,642,514 | $18,310,000 | 153 | $18,754,262 | $28,145,429 | $9,968,291 |
| 2020 | $181,442,219 | $19,022,956 | $20,770,028 | $19,221,000 | 137 | — | $12,011,237 | $8,245,451 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Leonard & Sophie Davis Fund reported a distributable amount of $9.8M for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
No mission statement for the fund itself is provided. Its 2024 grant list includes support for social service and educational programs, as well as a grant to the Corporation of the Fine Arts Museums for efforts to acquire contemporary works by emerging underrepresented artists.
Grantees’ own descriptions show the range of organizations supported. Tides Foundation describes its work as advancing equity and shifting resources and power to communities historically denied both. PA Alliance Foundation says it focuses on civic engagement and democracy advancement in Pennsylvania, including expanding ballot access through nonpartisan voter education and mobilization. State Democracy Project describes work to encourage citizen participation and more responsive government. Accelerate Change says it develops and tests models for citizen organizing, particularly in communities of color. Other supported organizations include community foundations, a Jewish community organization, and art museums.
Grantmaking
In 2024, the fund reported 51 grants totaling $24,304,250. Grants ranged from $5,000 to $4,605,000, with a median award of $160,000.
Among the largest 2024 grants were $4,605,000 to Tides Foundation, $2,500,000 to the University of Southern California’s Leonard Davis School of Gerontology, $1,550,000 to The San Francisco Foundation, and $1,240,000 to PA Alliance Foundation. Other notable awards included $1,120,000 to State Democracy Project, $1,100,000 each to Accelerate Change and Focus for Democracy Fund, and $991,250 to the Corporation of the Fine Arts Museums.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Alan S Davis as chief executive officer, Mary Lou Davis as chief financial officer, and James Hassan as director.
The Leonard & Sophie Davis Fund is led by Alan S. Davis, Chief Executive Officer on every filing since 2020; none of the 3 officers listed in 2024 report compensation.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Alan S. Davis
Chief Executive Officer
On filings since 2020
10 hrs/week
$11K (2020) → $0 (2024)
James Hassan
Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
$11K (2020) → $0 (2024)
Mary Lou Davis
Chief Financial Officer
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
$11K (2020) → $0 (2024)
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2024. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Compensation Overview
From 2023 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2023 filing was $5K, to Alan S Davis (Chief Executive Officer). 3 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Frequently asked questions about The Leonard & Sophie Davis Fund
How much does The Leonard & Sophie Davis Fund give each year?
The Leonard & Sophie Davis Fund gave $24.3M across 51 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $20.1M across 138 grants.
What is The Leonard & Sophie Davis Fund's typical grant size?
The Leonard & Sophie Davis Fund's median grant in 2024 was $160,000, and its average grant was $476,554, across 51 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from The Leonard & Sophie Davis Fund that year got $413K on average.
Where does The Leonard & Sophie Davis Fund give grants?
The Leonard & Sophie Davis Fund's top state is California, with 43% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. The next largest states were District of Columbia (16%) and New York (13%). The most frequent recipient cities were Washington, DC (12 grants), New York, NY (8 grants), San Francisco, CA (7 grants) and West Palm Beach, FL (4 grants).
Does The Leonard & Sophie Davis Fund give general operating support?
Not in 2024: none of the 51 grants with a stated purpose on The Leonard & Sophie Davis Fund's 2024 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Support for Social Service Programs or Educational Programs" (50 grants).
Who are The Leonard & Sophie Davis Fund's largest grantees?
The Leonard & Sophie Davis Fund's largest 2024 grantees include Tides Foundation ($4,605,000), The University of Southern California (USC) Leonard Davis School of Geronto ($2,500,000) and The San Francisco Foundation ($1,550,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 36% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is The Leonard & Sophie Davis Fund?
The Leonard & Sophie Davis Fund reported $200.7M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $24.9M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $9.8M (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does The Leonard & Sophie Davis Fund fund?
No mission statement for the fund itself is provided. Its 2024 grant list includes support for social service and educational programs, as well as a grant to the Corporation of the Fine Arts Museums for efforts to acquire contemporary works by emerging underrepresented artists. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The Leonard & Sophie Davis Fund?
The foundation states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is The Leonard & Sophie Davis Fund's EIN?
The Leonard & Sophie Davis Fund's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 94-3402266. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Does The Leonard & Sophie Davis Fund accept unsolicited proposals?
No, according to Grantable's research on the foundation's published guidelines. See how to apply ↑
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(1)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Live grants for the work The Leonard & Sophie Davis Fund funds
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). The Leonard & Sophie Davis Fund funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 23, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/the-leonard-and-sophie-davis-fund-morg_c4ad4655b1c44cbe8ec5ad4c113401db
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_943402266_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{The Leonard \& Sophie Davis Fund funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/the-leonard-and-sophie-davis-fund-morg_c4ad4655b1c44cbe8ec5ad4c113401db},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-23. 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 Leonard & Sophie Davis Fund'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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