The Sanger Family Foundation John Sanger Trustee
The Sanger Family Foundation is based in San Francisco, California, and files as a private foundation on Form 990-PF. Its 2024 filing lists grants to organizations in areas including education, arts and culture, community support, and conservation.
Key facts about The Sanger Family Foundation John Sanger Trustee
In short: The Sanger Family Foundation John Sanger Trustee gave $319K across 21 grants in 2024 (avg $15K), mostly in California. 43% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- EIN
- 46-3524352
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024
- Annual giving (2024)
- $318,924
- Grants made (2024)
- 21
- Average grant
- $15,187
- Median grant
- $2,500
- New grantees (estimate)
- 43% first-time grantees (9 of 21, 2024)
- Total assets
- $819,355
- Primary geography
- California (95% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- How to apply
- The filing says the foundation does not restrict giving to preselected organizations. Full details ↓
- Deadline
- None listed.
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology). Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$819K
-15.1% YoY
Annual Giving
$319K
+15.4% YoY
Grant Count
21
-44.7% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$15K
+108.8% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Sanger Family Foundation John Sanger Trustee reported a distributable amount of $35K for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Is The Sanger Family Foundation John Sanger Trustee open to new grantees?
43%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 9 of 21 grantees (43%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $4K; repeat grants $23K. How we count
Medians: $2K first-time, $5K repeat.
- 52% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving grew 105% from 2021 to 2024. Method
- In 2024 it paid out 922% 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.
Mission & Focus Areas
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2024 grants include support for a school campaign, a museum exhibition, community services, parks and conservation, and arts organizations.
Among its grantees, Chinese American International School says it aims to inspire and empower learners to embrace Chinese, become their best selves, and contribute to a better world. Circus Bella describes its mission as producing and presenting high-quality circus arts entertainment accessible to all audiences. North Beach Citizens says it serves unhoused and extremely low-income neighbors through personalized programs intended to help people facing poverty reclaim dignity, stability, and belonging.
Grantmaking
In 2024, the foundation gave $318,924 through 21 grants. The median grant was $2,500; awards ranged from $299 to $200,000. Its largest listed grant was $200,000 to Chinese American International School for its campaign. Other large awards included $24,500 to SF MOMA for the Yayoi Kusama exhibition, $20,000 to Season of Sharing for general support, and $15,000 to Park Conservancy for general support. The foundation also gave $1,500 to Circus Bella and $750 to North Beach Citizens.
Review Cycle
None listed.
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2024, 95% of grant dollars went to recipients in California, 3% to recipients in Washington, DC, and 1% to recipients in Massachusetts. Listed grants include organizations in San Francisco, Cambridge, and Washington, DC.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 21 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2020 to 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $80K (2020) to $319K (2024). In 2024 it made 21 grants totaling $319K.
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Chinese American International School ($200K). Together the top 10 received $305K.
Grant Size Distribution
155 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 152 grants of 155 (98%).
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Chinese American International School San Francisco, CA | Campaign for Cais | $200,000 |
| SF Moma San Francisco, CA | Yayoi Kusama Exhibition | $24,500 |
| Season of Sharing San Francisco, CA | General Support | $20,000 |
| Park Conservancy San Francisco, CA | General Support | $15,000 |
| American Independent Foundation Washington, DC | General Support | $11,000 |
| SF Conservatory of Flowers San Francisco, CA | General Support | $10,300 |
| SF Jazz San Francisco, CA | General Support | $10,000 |
| SF Parks Alliance San Francisco, CA | End Hunger | $5,500 |
| Telegraph Hill Neighborhood Center San Francisco, CA | General Support | $5,000 |
| Harvard Cambridge, MA | Graduate School of Design, Law School | $3,575 |
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Grant total | Number of grants |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $318,924 | 21 |
| 2023 | $276,360 | 38 |
| 2021 | $155,480 | 31 |
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $819,355 | $965,212 | $1,030,490 |
| Revenue | $187,894 | $225,091 | $228,637 |
| Expenses | $333,751 | $289,369 | $247,071 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $320,189 | $278,078 | $232,453 |
| Net Investment Income | $146,112 | $37,714 | $18,831 |
| Distributable Amount | $34,711 | $49,717 | $47,195 |
Data update history
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS November 3, 2021)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS May 12, 2022)
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS May 15, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS May 10, 2024)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS June 2, 2025)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists John M. Sanger as trustee.
The Sanger Family Foundation John Sanger Trustee is led by John M. Sanger, Trustee on every filing since 2020 — the only officer listed, and uncompensated.
Officers on the 2024 filing
John M. Sanger
Trustee
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
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.
Contact
Application contact: John Sanger Trustee
Mailing address: 3600 Washington Street, San Francisco, CA 94118
Phone: (415) 693-9300
Email: sanger@sangerinc.com
Frequently asked questions about The Sanger Family Foundation John Sanger Trustee
How much does The Sanger Family Foundation John Sanger Trustee give each year?
The Sanger Family Foundation John Sanger Trustee gave $319K across 21 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $276K across 38 grants.
What is The Sanger Family Foundation John Sanger Trustee's typical grant size?
The Sanger Family Foundation John Sanger Trustee's median grant in 2024 was $2,500, and its average grant was $15,187, across 21 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from The Sanger Family Foundation John Sanger Trustee that year got $4K on average.
Where does The Sanger Family Foundation John Sanger Trustee give grants?
The Sanger Family Foundation John Sanger Trustee gives mostly in California: 95% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were San Francisco, CA (17 grants).
Does The Sanger Family Foundation John Sanger Trustee give general operating support?
Yes: 76% of The Sanger Family Foundation John Sanger Trustee's 2024 grants with a stated purpose (16 of 21) were for general or operating support, per its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are The Sanger Family Foundation John Sanger Trustee's largest grantees?
The Sanger Family Foundation John Sanger Trustee's largest 2024 grantees include Chinese American International School ($200,000), SF Moma ($24,500) and Season of Sharing ($20,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 77% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is The Sanger Family Foundation John Sanger Trustee?
The Sanger Family Foundation John Sanger Trustee reported $819K in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $320K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $35K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does The Sanger Family Foundation John Sanger Trustee fund?
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2024 grants include support for a school campaign, a museum exhibition, community services, parks and conservation, and arts organizations. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The Sanger Family Foundation John Sanger Trustee?
The filing says the foundation does not restrict giving to preselected organizations. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is The Sanger Family Foundation John Sanger Trustee's EIN?
The Sanger Family Foundation John Sanger Trustee's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 46-3524352. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
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