The Margaret Liu Foundation
The Margaret Liu Foundation is a private foundation focused on Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking, based in Novato, CA. IRS filing data is available from 2019 through 2025. As of 2025, the organization holds $784K in total assets. In 2025, it awarded 5 grants totaling $1.5M. Net investment income was $802K.
Key facts about The Margaret Liu Foundation
In short: The Margaret Liu Foundation gave $1.5M across 5 grants in 2025 (avg $295K), mostly in California. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- EIN
- 94-3269896
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025
- Annual giving (2025)
- $1,473,333
- Grants made (2025)
- 5
- Average grant
- $294,667
- Median grant
- $25,000
- Total assets
- $783,820
- Primary geography
- California (100% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated September 2026.
Financial Overview
From 2025 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$784K
+957.2% YoY
Annual Giving
$1.5M
+5175.1% YoY
Grant Count
5
+150.0% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$295K
+2010.0% YoY
How The Margaret Liu Foundation gives
- Giving grew 73567% from 2022 to 2025. Method
From the foundation's IRS Form 990-PF filings. Methodology.
Ready to take the next step with The Margaret Liu Foundation?
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
Grant Distribution by State
Share of all 5 itemized 2025 grant dollars.
States
Cities
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 5 recipients in 2025
Grant Size Distribution
13 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| UCSF FOUNDATION San Francisco, CA | GENERAL | $1,333,333 |
| SAN FRANCISCO OPERA San Francisco, CA | GENERAL | $100,000 |
| SAN FRANCISO SYMPHONY San Francisco, CA | GENERAL | $25,000 |
| U CHANNEL FOUNDATION Santa Clara, CA | GENERAL | $10,000 |
| MERI CROULEY MINISTRY Westlake Village, CA | GENERAL | $5,000 |
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Metric | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $783,820 | $74,143 | $88,539 |
| Revenue | $802,393 | $14,780 | $40,831 |
| Expenses | $1,474,553 | $29,176 | $22,054 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $1,473,333 | $27,930 | $22,000 |
| Net Investment Income | $802,393 | $7,780 | $40,489 |
| Distributable Amount | — | — | — |
Data update history
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS August 14, 2020)
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS May 13, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Leadership & Key People
Officers and directors from IRS filings
The Margaret Liu Foundation is led by Margaret Liu, President on every filing since 2019 — the only officer listed, and uncompensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Margaret Liu
President
On filings since 2019
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2019–2025. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Frequently asked questions about The Margaret Liu Foundation
How much does The Margaret Liu Foundation give each year?
The Margaret Liu Foundation gave $1.5M across 5 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $28K across 2 grants.
What is The Margaret Liu Foundation's typical grant size?
The Margaret Liu Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $25,000, and its average grant was $294,667, across 5 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
Where does The Margaret Liu Foundation give grants?
The Margaret Liu Foundation gives mostly in California: 100% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were San Francisco, CA (3 grants).
Does The Margaret Liu Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 100% of The Margaret Liu Foundation's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (5 of 5) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are The Margaret Liu Foundation's largest grantees?
The Margaret Liu Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include Ucsf Foundation ($1,333,333), San Francisco Opera ($100,000) and San Franciso Symphony ($25,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 99% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is The Margaret Liu Foundation?
The Margaret Liu Foundation reported $784K in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Its revenue that year was $802K.
What is The Margaret Liu Foundation?
The Margaret Liu Foundation is a private foundation focused on Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking, based in Novato, CA. It holds $784K in total assets as of 2025.
What is The Margaret Liu Foundation's EIN?
The Margaret Liu Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 94-3269896. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2025.
Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings.
Here's the math on researching The Margaret Liu Foundation by hand.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in The Margaret Liu Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
Similar Funders
Funders that support many of the same organizations
Schnitzer-Novack Foundation
San Francisco, CA
Assets
—
Grants
14
Total Given
$315K
The Encrantz Family Foundation
Menlo Park, CA
Assets
$170K
Grants
14
Total Given
$1.2M
Chauncey and Marion D McCormick
Chicago, IL
The foundation supports social services, education, arts and humanities, health, and other areas, with recent giving concentrated in Illinois and grants also reaching Virginia, Michigan, California, and New York. Its 2025 grants ranged from $2,500 to $350,000, with a median of $50,000; the 2024 filing says giving is not restricted to preselected organizations, but does not clearly state whether unsolicited requests are accepted.
Assets
—
Grants
68
Total Given
$4.2M
Womenserve
Sebastopol, CA
Assets
$1.8M
Grants
7
Total Given
$181K
J-P Conte Family Foundation
San Francisco, CA
The J-P Conte Family Foundation funds education, health, and community development, with a focus on first-generation college students, conservation, and immigration reform. Its 2024 grants ranged from $500 to $1.5 million, with a median of $50,000; most funding went to California, with additional grants in Massachusetts, New Jersey, and New York. It does not accept unsolicited requests and gives only to preselected organizations.
Assets
$91.1M
Grants
25
Total Given
$5.2M
Staley Family Foundation
Avon, CO
The Staley Family Foundation supports organizations working in housing, poverty alleviation, food systems, education, and services for families with critically ill children. In 2025, grants ranged from $2,500 to $350,000, with a median of $10,000, and funding went to organizations in several states, especially Minnesota, Illinois, Colorado, and California. It gives only to preselected organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests.
Assets
$36.4M
Grants
133
Total Given
$3.8M
Silicon Valley Community Foundation
Mountain View, CA
Silicon Valley Community Foundation funds work in areas such as housing, economic security, education, health, the environment, arts and culture, and civic engagement, with Community Action Grants supporting local, community-led organizations in San Mateo and Santa Clara counties. Its 2024 grants had a median of $51,716, though amounts varied widely; applications depend on the program, and SVCF states that it does not accept unsolicited proposals for advised funds.
Assets
$12.3B
Grants
3,576
Total Given
$3.2B
Tides Foundation
San Francisco, CA
Tides Foundation funds community-led organizations advancing equity and justice, including work on health, climate, gender equity, democracy, and immigrant communities. Its 2024 grants had a median of $50,000, though amounts varied widely, and it funds eligible organizations in the U.S. and abroad, with the most grant dollars going to California, New York, and Washington, D.C. Some programs are open or invitation-only; the Advancing Girls Fund is listed as open, but the profile does not state a general policy on unsolicited grant requests.
Assets
$534.5M
Grants
2,110
Total Given
$382.1M
California Community Foundation
Los Angeles, CA
The California Community Foundation funds work in education, health, housing, immigration, and other community needs, primarily in Los Angeles County. Its 2025 grants had a median of $50,000, though amounts varied widely; it does not accept unsolicited funding requests.
Assets
$2.3B
Grants
2,174
Total Given
$326.6M
The William & Flora Hewlett Foundation
Menlo Park, CA
The William & Flora Hewlett Foundation funds education, climate and conservation, the arts, gender equity, governance, democracy, and philanthropy, with work in the San Francisco Bay Area, the U.S. West, nationally, and internationally. Its 2024 grants had a median of $150,000, though awards ranged from $50 to more than $11 million; it often provides long-term general operating support. It generally does not accept unsolicited requests, except through invited open processes.
Assets
$14.2B
Grants
2,001
Total Given
$625.0M
Marin Community Foundation
Novato, CA
Marin Community Foundation funds equity-focused work, including affordable housing, homelessness, community resilience and power, and arts; its Buck Family Fund supports organizations serving Marin County, including those based elsewhere. Its 2025 grants had a median of $25,000 and ranged from $5,050 to $10 million; the profile does not state whether it accepts unsolicited requests.
Assets
$1.3B
Grants
1,573
Total Given
$186.1M
Sempra Foundation
San Diego, CA
The Sempra Foundation funds climate action and resilience, inclusion, economic empowerment and workforce development, community engagement, and disaster preparedness in communities where Sempra employees live and work, including California, Texas, Washington, D.C., and Mexico. In 2024, grants ranged from $4 to $100,000, with a median of $260. It awards grants by invitation only and does not accept unsolicited requests.
Assets
$11.5M
Grants
1,501
Total Given
$1.8M
More Funders in California
The Margaret Liu Foundation down — hundreds of funders to go?