The San Francisco Foundation
The San Francisco Foundation is a grantmaking public charity based in an individual recipient, California. Founded in 1948, it supports work in the Bay Area through grants, loans, leadership programs, and awards, with an agenda focused on racial equity and economic inclusion.
The San Francisco Foundation at a glance
In short: The San Francisco Foundation gave $218.4M across 1,707 grants in 2025 (avg $128K), mostly in California. 26% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $218,428,405
- +15.5% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 1,707
- +5.2% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $127,960
- +9.8% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $26,000
- Total assets
- $1,921,030,669
- +10.6% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 26% first-time grantees (439 of 1,707, 2025)
- Primary geography
- California (76% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990, 2025; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to The San Francisco Foundation
- Invitation Only
-
Review the eligibility, application requirements, and deadlines for each funding opportunity. The equity grants program is invitation-only; the Bay Area Community Impact Fund accepts loan applications on a rolling basis.
- Deadline
- Rolling
- Contact
Mailing address: One Embarcadero Center 1400, San Francisco, CA 94111
Phone: (415) 733-8500
Website: https://sff.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Open Grants
6 open opportunities from The San Francisco Foundation
Bay Area Community Impact Fund Grant
The San Francisco Foundation
Amount
US $250,000 - US $3,500,000
Deadline
Deadline not published
FAITHS Community Partners Grant Program
The San Francisco Foundation
Amount
Up to US $25,000
Deadline
Deadline not published
Koshland Young Leader Awards Grant
The San Francisco Foundation
Amount
US $14,000
Deadline
Deadline not published
Who The San Francisco Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was East Bay Community Foundation ($21.1M). Together the top 10 received $54.1M.
Grant Size Distribution
7,671 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 4,642 grants of 7,671 (61%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation’s funding opportunities serve Alameda, Contra Costa, Marin, an individual recipient, and San Mateo counties. In 2025, 76% of grant dollars went to recipients in California, followed by 4% each in New York and Massachusetts, 3% in the District of Columbia, and 1% in North Carolina.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 1,707 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is The San Francisco Foundation open to new grantees?
26%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 439 of 1,707 grantees (26%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $56K; repeat grants $153K. How we count
Medians: $15K first-time, $35K repeat.
- 59% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2022 to 2025 (−6%). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990 filings (2019–2025). 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 2019 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $153.3M (2019) to $232.2M (2022). In 2025 it made 1,707 grants totaling $218.4M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| East Bay Community Foundation Oakland, CA | For General and Project Support | $21,128,283 |
| Harvard University Boston, MA | For General and Project Support | $5,685,000 |
| Uc Berkeley Foundation Berkeley, CA | For General and Project Support | $4,846,820 |
| George Washington High School Alumni Association San Francisco, CA | For General and Project Support | $4,189,735 |
| San Francisco General Hospital Foundation San Francisco, CA | For General Support | $3,925,075 |
| Duke University Durham, NC | For General and Project Support | $3,160,500 |
| UCSF Foundation San Francisco, CA | For General and Project Support | $3,072,294 |
| Wadhwani Institute for Artificial Intelligence Foundation Los Altos, CA | For General Support | $3,000,000 |
| Committee on the Shelterless Petaluma, CA | For General and Project Support | $2,601,000 |
| Cate School Carpinteria, CA | For General and Project Support | $2,532,000 |
Ready to take the next step with The San Francisco Foundation?
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
The foundation’s 2025 filing reports assets of $1.92 billion, revenue of $358.6 million, and expenses of $254.7 million.
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Net Investment Income |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $1,921,030,669 | $358,598,652 | $254,652,764 | $218,428,405 | 1,707 | $129,128,871 |
| 2024 | $1,736,547,510 | $200,001,839 | $236,282,932 | $189,116,769 | 1,623 | $87,631,255 |
| 2023 | $1,718,316,930 | $159,316,562 | $212,475,588 | $174,197,299 | 1,546 | $17,696,334 |
| 2022 | $1,634,801,767 | $297,436,709 | $270,104,827 | $232,193,483 | 1,493 | $114,640,421 |
| 2021 | $1,912,451,253 | $318,173,727 | $200,326,726 | $162,654,757 | 1,302 | $132,834,467 |
| 2020 | $1,529,601,920 | $341,484,551 | $254,307,023 | $221,023,212 | 1,554 | $115,559,188 |
| 2019 | $1,517,425,708 | $190,328,961 | $196,618,739 | $153,332,343 | 1,317 | $69,062,501 |
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated October 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation’s mission is to mobilize resources and act as a catalyst for change to build strong communities, foster civic leadership, and promote philanthropy in the an individual recipient Bay Area. Its equity agenda aims to help Bay Area residents achieve economic security, live in vibrant communities, and have a voice in decisions that affect them.
Its equity grantmaking is organized around People, Place, Power, and Policy & Innovation. The foundation describes these areas as supporting economic security and opportunity, anchoring neighborhoods and addressing housing challenges, strengthening residents’ political voice, and advancing policy solutions for systemic change.
The foundation offers funding opportunities for nonprofits and fiscally sponsored organizations, including grants for congregations and faith-based organizations and quick-turnaround grants for frontline social justice organizations. Its Bay Area Community Impact Fund provides low-interest, long-term loans to nonprofit organizations and social enterprises. Some of its other offerings are leadership programs and awards rather than grants to outside organizations.
Examples of 2025 recipients include the East Bay Community Foundation, which describes its work as mobilizing resources and community leadership in the East Bay; the an individual recipient General Hospital Foundation, which says it supports patient care and innovation at Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital and Trauma Center; and the Committee on the Shelterless, which says it helps people experiencing homelessness find and keep housing.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2025, the foundation reported 1,707 grants totaling $218,428,405. Grant amounts ranged from $5,250 to $21,128,283, with a median grant of $26,000.
Among its largest reported grants were $21,128,283 to the East Bay Community Foundation; $5,685,000 to Harvard University; $4,846,820 to the UC Berkeley Foundation; $4,189,735 to the George Washington High School Alumni Association; and $3,925,075 to the an individual recipient General Hospital Foundation. The listed purposes were generally support, project support, or both.
The foundation’s website says its equity grants program is invitation-only and directs applicants to its funding opportunities for open application cycles. The FAITHS Community Partners Grant Program supports faith-based organizations and congregations; its page says applications are closed. For the Bay Area Community Impact Fund, the website says loan applications are accepted on a rolling basis and advises organizations whose project meets the application criteria to contact the foundation.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
Officers and directors listed on the 2025 filing include Robert Friedman, chair; David Ib nale, vice-chair; and trustees Abdi Soltani, Sergio Garcia, Yvette Radford, Molly Ford, Justina Lai, Justin Steele, and Robert Uyeki. Kimberly Wicoff is listed as a trustee through November 11, 2024.
The San Francisco Foundation is led by Fred Blackwell, CEO on every filing since 2019; 11 of 26 officers listed in 2025 are compensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Fred Blackwell
CEO
On filings since 2019
37.5 hrs/week
$449K (2019) → $567K (2025)
Robert Friedman
Chair
Trustee → Vice Chair, 2022
Vice Chair → Chair, 2024
On filings since 2019
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Sengsouvanh S. Leshnick
Senior Director, Strategic Learning & Eval.
New on the 2025 filing
37.5 hrs/week
$201K (2025)
Abdi Soltani
Trustee
On filings since 2019
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Kimberly Wicoff
Trustee
On filings since 2019
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Yvette Radford
Trustee
On filings since 2019
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Justin Steele
Trustee
On filings since 2021
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Justina Lai
Trustee
On filings since 2021
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Molly Ford
Trustee
On filings since 2021
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Holly Kernan
Trustee
On filings since 2023
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Lateefah Simon
Trustee
On filings since 2023
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Miguel Bustos
Trustee
On filings since 2023
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Robert Uyeki
Trustee
On filings since 2024
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Sergio Garcia
Trustee
On filings since 2024
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Kimberly Brandon
Trustee
New on the 2025 filing
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Peter Bratt
Trustee
New on the 2025 filing
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Judith Bell
CIO
Vice President Programs → Chief Impact Officer, 2020
Chief Impact Officer → CIO, 2021
On filings since 2019
37.5 hrs/week
$260K (2019) → $322K (2025)
Sonja Velez
CFO
On filings since 2019
37.5 hrs/week
$292K (2019) → $363K (2025)
Galen Maness
COO
On filings since 2021
37.5 hrs/week
$211K (2021) → $291K (2025)
Michael Bankert
Controller
On filings since 2021
37.5 hrs/week
$171K (2021) → $220K (2025)
Valerie Goode
Chief Marketing Officer
On filings since 2021
37.5 hrs/week
$225K (2021) → $293K (2025)
Khanh Russo
Vice President, Policy & Innovation
Vice President of Policy & Innovation → Vice President, Policy & Innovation, 2025
On filings since 2022
37.5 hrs/week
$193K (2022) → $243K (2025)
Rehana Abbas
Cpo
On filings since 2023
37.5 hrs/week
$283K (2023) → $293K (2025)
Raquiba Labrie
Vice President & Programs
On filings since 2024
37.5 hrs/week
$221K (2024) → $243K (2025)
Ayanna Reed
Vice President, Hr & Administration
New on the 2025 filing
37.5 hrs/week
$219K (2025)
David Ibnale
Vice Chair
Trustee → Vice Chair, 2024
On filings since 2019
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (25)
- Former: Mark Doherty (2020–2024) — Senior Director of Investments
- Former: Pamela Doherty (2021–2024) — Senior Director of Planned Giving
- Former: Duncan Robertson (2019–2023) — Trustee
- Former: Ophelia Basgal (2019–2023) — Chair
- Former: Bob Uyeki (2022–2023) — Trustee
- Former: Patrick O'Sullivan (2023) — Senior Director of It
- Former: Myra Chow (2019–2022) — Senior Director & Power Pathway
- Former: Sam Ruiz (2019–2022) — Trustee
- Former: Sheryl Wong (2019–2022) — Chair
- Former: Brandi Howard (2022) — Chief of Staff
- Former: Catherine Fernandez (2019–2021) — Vice President of Policy & Innovation
- Former: Landon Williams (2019–2021) — Former Senior Director & Place Pathway
- Former: Ruben Orduna (2019–2021) — Cpo
- Former: Elena Chavez Quezada (2020–2021) — Vice President of Programs
- Former: Dee Dee Brantley (2021) — COO
- Former: Eric McDonnell (2021) — Senior Director
- Former: Francesca Vietor (2019–2020) — Senior Advisor on the Environment
- Former: Gail Fuller (2019–2020) — Former Director of Communications
- Former: Idelia Brantley (2019–2020) — COO
- Former: Mike Bankert (2020) — Controller
- Former: Andrew Ballard (2019) — Trustee
- Former: Edward McDermott (2019) — Trustee
- Former: Kurt Organista (2019) — Trustee
- Former: Sarah Stein (2019) — Trustee
- Former: Sindy Lee Craig (2019) — Director of Planned Giving
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.
Compensation Overview
From 2025 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2025 filing was $567K, to Fred Blackwell (CEO). 11 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Frequently asked questions about The San Francisco Foundation
How much does The San Francisco Foundation give each year?
The San Francisco Foundation gave $218.4M across 1,707 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. In 2024 it gave $189.1M across 1,623 grants.
What is The San Francisco Foundation's typical grant size?
The San Francisco Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $26,000, and its average grant was $127,960, across 1,707 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Organizations receiving their first grant from The San Francisco Foundation that year got $56K on average.
Where does The San Francisco Foundation give grants?
The San Francisco Foundation gives mostly in California: 76% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990 went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were San Francisco, CA (404 grants), Oakland, CA (177 grants), New York, NY (98 grants) and Washington, DC (88 grants).
Does The San Francisco Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 73% of The San Francisco Foundation's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (1,241 of 1,707) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990. Recurring purposes include "For Project Support" (466 grants).
Who are The San Francisco Foundation's largest grantees?
The San Francisco Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include East Bay Community Foundation ($21,128,283), Harvard University ($5,685,000) and Uc Berkeley Foundation ($4,846,820), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. Together they received 14% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is The San Francisco Foundation?
The San Francisco Foundation reported $1.9B in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Its revenue that year was $358.6M.
What does The San Francisco Foundation fund?
The foundation’s mission is to mobilize resources and act as a catalyst for change to build strong communities, foster civic leadership, and promote philanthropy in the an individual recipient Bay Area. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The San Francisco Foundation?
Review the eligibility, application requirements, and deadlines for each funding opportunity. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is The San Francisco Foundation's EIN?
The San Francisco Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 01-0679337. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2025.
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990 filings. Research dossier generated October 2026.
Data update history
(8)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS May 16, 2021)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS May 11, 2022)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS May 10, 2023)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS May 14, 2024)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS May 13, 2025)
- Added Form 990 for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS June 2, 2020)
- Added Form 990 for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS May 12, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Live grants for the work The San Francisco Foundation funds
Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking Open opportunities, soonest deadline first.
- Nixa Affiliate Grantmaking Program Up to US $10,000 · Due October 19, 2026
- Community and School Grants $28,000 total pool; 10-15 grants expected · Due October 19, 2026
- Mary Pinola/Crescenta Valley Chamber Education Fund $500 - $5,000 for ongoing programs; up to $15,000 for Strategic Initiative Grants · Due October 19, 2026
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in The San Francisco Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
Similar Funders
Funders that support many of the same organizations
Bothin Foundation
San Francisco, CA
The Bothin Foundation funds durable capital projects—such as building improvements, vehicles, equipment, furnishings, and technology—for eligible nonprofits serving disadvantaged children and youth, low-income families with children, or people with disabilities; eligible K–12 schools must exclusively serve children with learning differences. Grants are typically around $30,000 (2025 awards ranged from $5,000 to $50,000), for organizations and projects in San Francisco, Marin, Sonoma, or San Mateo counties. It accepts unsolicited requests through its online portal during posted application windows.
Assets
$48.3M
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Total Given
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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
McNabb Foundation
Wilmington, DE
The McNabb Foundation’s website describes support for behavioral health and social services in East Tennessee, while its 2024 grants went to organizations with varied missions, mostly in California. Grants ranged from $500 to $5,000, with a median of $1,000. It does not accept unsolicited requests and gives only to preselected charitable organizations.
Assets
$4.8M
Grants
328
Total Given
$358K
East Bay Community Foundation
Oakland, CA
East Bay Community Foundation funds arts and culture for social justice, racial-equity capacity building, community organizing and movement building, and inclusive economic models, prioritizing communities affected by structural inequities. Its 2025 grants had a median of $25,000, though amounts varied widely, and generally support organizations in Alameda and Contra Costa counties. Most strategy-guided grants are by invitation, with applications opened periodically; donor-advised fund grants may also be made without an application.
Assets
$514.0M
Grants
842
Total Given
$62.8M
The Zellerbach Family Foundation
San Francisco, CA
The Zellerbach Family Foundation funds arts and culture, community safety and belonging, and efforts to build community power and transform public systems, with a focus on Alameda, Contra Costa, and San Francisco counties. In 2024, grants ranged from $2,500 to $170,000, with a median of $10,000; its Community Arts program offers grants of $5,000, $10,000, or $15,000. It accepts unsolicited applications only through the Community Arts program; other grants are by invitation.
Assets
$163.6M
Grants
224
Total Given
$6.0M
Crankstart Foundation
San Jose, CA
Crankstart funds education, economic mobility, democracy and civil rights, housing security, the environment and basic science, with about 60% of its grants going to the San Francisco Bay Area. Its grants typically range from $100,000 to $1 million (the 2024 median was $250,000), and it does not accept unsolicited requests; proposals are by invitation only.
Assets
$4.4B
Grants
435
Total Given
$201.3M
More similar funders
More Funders in California
Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). The San Francisco Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 18, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/the-san-francisco-foundation-morg_e486966e7cbb49bc9f5c4fab294def84
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_010679337_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{The San Francisco Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/the-san-francisco-foundation-morg_e486966e7cbb49bc9f5c4fab294def84},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-18. 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 San Francisco Foundation'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.
The San Francisco Foundation down — hundreds of funders to go?