The Swanson Foundation is a private foundation focused on Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking, based in BURLINGAME, CA. IRS filing data is available from 2020 through 2024. As of 2024, the organization holds $21.1M in total assets. In 2024, it awarded 8 grants totaling $1.6M. Net investment income was $804K.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$21.1M
-0.2% YoY
Annual Giving
$1.6M
+4.8% YoY
Grant Count
8
+14.3% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$197K
-8.3% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Swanson Foundation reported a distributable amount of $1.2M for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
About The Swanson Foundation
Based on IRS filings
The Swanson Foundation is a private foundation focused on Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking, based in BURLINGAME, CA. IRS filing data is available from 2020 through 2024. As of 2024, the organization holds $21.1M in total assets. In 2024, it awarded 8 grants totaling $1.6M. Net investment income was $804K.
Focus Areas
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
Grant Distribution by State
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $21,122,751 | $21,173,499 | $22,060,598 |
| Revenue | $1,985,933 | $727,317 | $1,295,334 |
| Expenses | $1,616,828 | $1,614,386 | $1,301,583 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $1,572,000 | $1,500,000 | $1,249,998 |
| Net Investment Income | $804,059 | $755,878 | $799,001 |
| Distributable Amount | $1,166,030 | $1,062,233 | $1,068,749 |
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 8 recipients in 2024
Grant Size Distribution
24 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include Mit - Ras (1969) Biotech Center of the Koch Inst of Integ Cancer Research ($500,000), Kqed ($300,000), San Francisco Ballet ($250,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| DAMON RUNYON CANCER RESEARCH FOUNDATION NEW YORK, NY | HEALTH CARE | $72,000 |
| KQED SAN FRANCISCO, CA | PUBLIC SERVICE | $300,000 |
| MILLS PENINSULA HOSPITAL FOUNDATION BURLINGAME, CA | HEALTH CARE | $50,000 |
| MIT - RAS (1969) BIOTECH CENTER OF THE KOCH INST OF INTEG CANCER RESEARCH CAMBRIDGE, MA | EDUCATION | $500,000 |
| PENINSULA FAMILY SERVICE SAN MATEO, CA | EDUCATION | $150,000 |
| SAN FRANCISCO BALLET SAN FRANCISCO, CA | EDUCATION | $250,000 |
| TAHOE TRUCKEE COMMUNITY FOUNDATION TRUCKEE, CA | PUBLIC SERVICE | $50,000 |
| THE TECH SAN JOSE, CA | TECHNOLOGY AND EDUCATION | $200,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Officers and directors from IRS filings
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| JUDY C SWANSON | CEO/PRESIDENT | 2 | — |
| TRACY GEDENBERG | SECRETARY | 0.5 | — |
| ALEXANDRIA BREITMAN | CFO/TREASURER | 0.5 | — |
| CHRISTINE SHERRY | VICE PRESIDENT | 0.5 | — |
| ERICA SWANSON GORSKI | DIRECTOR | 0.5 | — |
Subject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Frequently Asked Questions
What is The Swanson Foundation?
The Swanson Foundation is a private foundation focused on Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking, based in BURLINGAME, CA. It holds $21.1M in total assets as of 2024.
How large is The Swanson Foundation?
As of 2024, The Swanson Foundation holds $21.1M in total assets with $2.0M in annual revenue. It awarded 8 grants totaling $1.6M in 2024.
Where does The Swanson Foundation operate?
The Swanson Foundation has awarded grants in California, Massachusetts, New York.
What size grants does The Swanson Foundation award?
In 2024, The Swanson Foundation awarded 8 grants totaling $1.6M — an average of about $197K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is The Swanson Foundation required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, The Swanson Foundation reported a distributable amount of $1.2M on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is The Swanson Foundation's EIN?
The Swanson Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 94-3211277. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in The Swanson Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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Data last updated April 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings.
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