Valhalla Foundation is a private, independent 501(c)(3) foundation established in 2003 and headquartered in Woodside, California. The foundation operates as a grantmaking organization focused on driving measurable and meaningful improvement in outcomes across six core impact areas. The foundation does not accept unsolicited funding requests and operates through an invitation-only application process.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$527.1M
-12.5% YoY
Annual Giving
$131.7M
+16.4% YoY
Grant Count
80
-2.4% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$1.6M
+19.3% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Valhalla Foundation reported a distributable amount of $28.5M for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Mission & Focus Areas
Mission: Driving measurable and meaningful improvement in outcomes that matter.
Six Core Impact Areas:
- Early Childhood Development
- K-12 Education
- Data Literacy / Data Science Education
- Medical Research & Talent
- Environmental Innovation
- Collaborative Philanthropy
Grantmaking
Grant Range
** $100,000 to $6,000,000+
Invitation Only
** Invitation only; the foundation does not accept unsolicited applications.
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
U.S. national focus with some international development work. Primary funding activity in California, New York, and the District of Columbia.
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
Total Assets: $602,326,886 (2023)
Total Liabilities: $148,000,000 (2023)
Total Revenues: $16,134,902 (2023)
Total Expenses: $133,120,208 (2023)
Total Giving: $131,719,936 (2023)
Investment Income: $15,226,323 (2023)
Assets (Alternative Source): $527,054,705
Cumulative Giving: Over $1 billion committed to date through both foundation grants and personal donations
Giving Pledge Status: Foundation is a signatory to the Giving Pledge
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $527,054,705 | $602,326,886 | $638,333,924 |
| Revenue | $14,125,198 | $16,134,902 | $12,933,665 |
| Expenses | $123,257,382 | $133,120,208 | $89,926,403 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $134,007,572 | $115,078,745 | $83,824,986 |
| Net Investment Income | $11,840,999 | $13,921,186 | $12,840,290 |
| Distributable Amount | $28,518,393 | $30,410,560 | $35,140,638 |
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
Grant Size Distribution
250 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include Blue Meridian Partners ($10,000,000), Rand Corporation ($10,000,000), Environmental Defense Fund ($8,500,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| ALLIANCE FOR EARLY SUCCESS WASHINGTON, DC | SCALING HIGH QUALITY PUBLIC SCHOOLS | $850,000 |
| AVANCE SAN ANTONIO, TX | EARLY CHILDHOOD PARENT EDUCATION SERVICES | $250,000 |
| AVINA AMERICAS WASHINGTON, DC | MAPBIOMAS | $5,000,000 |
| BABY2BABY LOS ANGELES, CA | SUPPORT FOR LOW-INCOME FAMILIES WITH YOUNG CHILDREN | $100,000 |
| BLUE MERIDIAN PARTNERS NEW YORK, NY | COLLABORATIVE PHILANTHROPY INITIATIVE | $10,000,000 |
| BOYS AND GIRLS CLUB OF THE COASTSIDE HALF MOON BAY, CA | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT - EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS | $60,000 |
| BOYS HOPE GIRLS HOPE INTERNATIONAL BRIDGETON, MO | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT - EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS | $333,334 |
| CENTER FOR POLICING EQUITY LOS ANGELES, CA | EVIDENCE-BASED APPROACHES TO SOCIAL JUSTICE, CULTURAL, AND POLICY CHANGE | $500,000 |
| CENTERING HEALTHCARE INSTITUTE BOSTON, MA | MATERNAL AND EARLY CHILDHOOD HEALTHCARE INITIATIVES | $1,256,000 |
| CHARTER SCHOOL GROWTH FUND BROOMFIELD, CO | SCALING HIGH QUALITY PUBLIC SCHOOLS | $7,000,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
- Sara Allan – President
- Amy Rodde – Executive Director
- Manisha Shah – Director, Early Learning
- Becky Jaques Hasak – Director, Early Childhood
- Dana Maclaurin Nunn – Managing Director
- Nancy Poon Lue – Managing Director
Workforce: 13 employees as of the most recent data
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| H SIGNE OSTBY | BOARD CHAIR | 4 | — |
| SCOTT D COOK | TREASURER | 2 | — |
| ALEX TERMAN | SECRETARY | 2 | — |
| AMY RODDE | INTERIM PRESIDENT (THRU 1/2024) | 40 | — |
| SARA ALLAN | PRESIDENT | 40 | — |
Recent News & Activity
Recent developments and announcements
Octave Bioscience awarded a Valhalla Foundation grant to accelerate development of the first MS disease progression test
Octave Bioscience Awarded Valhalla Foundation Grant to ...Reach Out and Read received $6 million from Valhalla Foundation (April 2024)
Octave Bioscience Awarded Valhalla Foundation Grant to ...Valhalla Foundation granted millions toward Marshall For All program at Marshall University (January 2025)
Octave Bioscience Awarded Valhalla Foundation Grant to ...Co-launched NextLadder Ventures, a $1 billion collaborative initiative with major philanthropic partners (July 2025)
Subject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Valhalla Foundation fund?
**Mission:** Driving measurable and meaningful improvement in outcomes that matter. **Six Core Impact Areas:** • Early Childhood Development • K-12 Education • Data Literacy / Data Science Education • Medical Research & Talent • Environmental Innovation • Collaborative Philanthropy
How do I apply for a grant from Valhalla Foundation?
**Grant Range:** $100,000 to $6,000,000+ **Application Process:** Invitation only; the foundation does not accept unsolicited applications. **Recent Grant Activity (2023-2024):** • Environmental Defense Fund: $11,000,000 (Methane, Agriculture, and Clean Air Initiatives) • Blue Meridian Partners: $10,000,000 (Collaborative Philanthropy Initiative) • Waterford Institute: $7,299,843 (Scaling Kindergarten Readiness Programs) • Reach Out and Read National: $6,000,000 (April 2024) **Annual Giving:** …
Where does Valhalla Foundation make grants?
U.S. national focus with some international development work. Primary funding activity in California, New York, and the District of Columbia.
What size grants does Valhalla Foundation award?
In 2024, Valhalla Foundation awarded 80 grants totaling $131.7M — an average of about $1.6M per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is Valhalla Foundation required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, Valhalla Foundation reported a distributable amount of $28.5M on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is Valhalla Foundation's EIN?
Valhalla Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 20-0478828. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Valhalla Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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Data last updated June 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
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