The Michael and Sally Mayer
The Michael and Sally Mayer is a private foundation based in Hillsborough, California. It reported 16 grants totaling $90,600 in filing year 2025, supporting organizations in California, Oregon, and Michigan.
The Michael and Sally Mayer at a glance
In short: The Michael and Sally Mayer gave $91K across 16 grants in 2025 (avg $6K), mostly in California. 38% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $90,600
- +24.6% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 16
- +23.1% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $5,663
- +1.2% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $5,000
- Total assets
- $1,712,858
- -2.2% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 38% first-time grantees (6 of 16, 2025; small sample)
- Primary geography
- California (78% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to The Michael and Sally Mayer
- 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: 565 El Cerrito Avenue, Hillsborough, CA 94010
Phone: (650) 270-9203
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who The Michael and Sally Mayer funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was San Mateo Service League Hope House ($17K). Together the top 10 received $86K.
Grant Size Distribution
82 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 82 grants of 82 (100%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2025, 78% of grant dollars went to recipients in California, 18% to Oregon, and 4% to Michigan. New York accounted for 0%.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 16 itemized grants.
Cities
Is The Michael and Sally Mayer open to new grantees?
38%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 6 of 16 grantees (38%) were first-time recipients. With only 16 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 6 points. First grants averaged $3K; repeat grants $7K. How we count
Medians: $4K first-time, $6K repeat.
- 50% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2022 to 2025 (−11%). Method
- In 2025 it paid out 115% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2020–2025). 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 $57K (2023) to $116K (2021). In 2025 it made 16 grants totaling $91K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| San Mateo Service League Hope House Redwood City, CA | General Operating Expenses | $17,029 |
| Rose City Park School Portland, OR | General Operating Expenses | $16,000 |
| First Presbyterian Church of Burlingame Burlingame, CA | General Operating Expenses | $11,590 |
| Heart for Humanity Novato, CA | General Operating Expenses | $10,000 |
| Family Connections Menlo Park, CA | General Operating Expenses | $7,500 |
| Los Lomitas Education Foundation Menlo Park, CA | General Operating Expenses | $6,000 |
| Abilitypath Redwood City, CA | General Operating Expenses | $5,000 |
| San Mateo Pal San Mateo, CA | General Operating Expenses | $5,000 |
| SF SPCA San Francisco, CA | General Operating Expenses | $5,000 |
| Jewish Legacy Oak Park, MI | General Operating Expenses | $2,500 |
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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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $1,712,858 | $105,710 | $134,348 | $90,600 | 16 | $90,625 | $61,987 | $79,049 |
| 2024 | $1,750,790 | $68,483 | $89,601 | $72,710 | 13 | $72,735 | $51,617 | $58,919 |
| 2023 | $1,745,763 | $23,827 | $75,721 | $57,423 | 13 | $57,493 | $58,522 | $55,847 |
| 2022 | $2,046,404 | $58,827 | $166,436 | $102,270 | 20 | $102,338 | $33,301 | $76,338 |
| 2021 | $2,270,182 | $223,674 | $150,240 | $115,550 | 20 | $115,833 | $189,267 | $109,244 |
| 2020 | $2,415,002 | $-785,420 | $144,867 | $113,998 | 19 | — | $37,066 | $86,104 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Michael and Sally Mayer reported a distributable amount of $79K 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
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2025 grants included organizations serving people with special needs, education, community support, and animal welfare. AbilityPath, which received $5,000, describes its mission as empowering people with special needs to achieve their full potential through innovative, inclusive programs and community partnerships. Jewish Legacy Inc., which received $2,500, describes its mission as promoting Jewish values, providing educational and financial support, and fostering cultural enrichment in communities in Israel, the United States, the former Soviet Union, and other regions in Europe.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2025, the foundation gave 16 grants totaling $90,600. Grants ranged from $25 to $17,029, with a median grant of $5,000. The largest awards included $17,029 to San Mateo Service League Hope House, $16,000 to Rose City Park School, $11,590 to First Presbyterian Church of Burlingame, $10,000 to Heart for Humanity, and $7,500 to Family Connections. Each was listed for general operating expenses.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Sally Mayer as president, Michael Mayer as treasurer, and Rosemary-Mayer Hintz as secretary. Directors listed are David Mayer, Stephen Mayer, Greg Hintz, and Andrea Mayer.
The Michael and Sally Mayer is led by Sally Mayer, President on every filing since 2020; none of the 7 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Sally Mayer
President
On filings since 2020
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Andrea Mayer
Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
David Mayer
Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Greg Hintz
Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Stephen Mayer
Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Michael Mayer
Treasurer
On filings since 2020
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Rosemary-Mayer Hintz
Secretary
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
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.
Frequently asked questions about The Michael and Sally Mayer
How much does The Michael and Sally Mayer give each year?
The Michael and Sally Mayer gave $91K across 16 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $73K across 13 grants.
What is The Michael and Sally Mayer's typical grant size?
The Michael and Sally Mayer's median grant in 2025 was $5,000, and its average grant was $5,663, across 16 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from The Michael and Sally Mayer that year got $3K on average.
Where does The Michael and Sally Mayer give grants?
The Michael and Sally Mayer gives mostly in California: 78% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest state was Oregon (18%). The most frequent recipient cities were San Francisco, CA (3 grants), Redwood City, CA (2 grants), Burlingame, CA (2 grants) and Menlo Park, CA (2 grants).
Does The Michael and Sally Mayer give general operating support?
Yes: 100% of The Michael and Sally Mayer's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (16 of 16) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are The Michael and Sally Mayer's largest grantees?
The Michael and Sally Mayer's largest 2025 grantees include San Mateo Service League Hope House ($17,029), Rose City Park School ($16,000) and First Presbyterian Church of Burlingame ($11,590), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 49% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is The Michael and Sally Mayer?
The Michael and Sally Mayer reported $1.7M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $91K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $79K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does The Michael and Sally Mayer fund?
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2025 grants included organizations serving people with special needs, education, community support, and animal welfare. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The Michael and Sally Mayer?
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 Michael and Sally Mayer's EIN?
The Michael and Sally Mayer's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 20-3874924. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.
Does The Michael and Sally Mayer 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
(2)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS August 21, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Live grants for the work The Michael and Sally Mayer funds
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). The Michael and Sally Mayer funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 16, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/the-michael-and-sally-mayer-morg_57a569a25e3449659d4b36f7f2f14bbd
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_203874924_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{The Michael and Sally Mayer funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/the-michael-and-sally-mayer-morg_57a569a25e3449659d4b36f7f2f14bbd},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-16. 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 Michael and Sally Mayer'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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