Visa Foundation is a private corporate foundation based in San Francisco, California, established in 2017. The foundation works to uplift communities globally through economic inclusion and creative solutions, focusing on financial inclusion and community impact initiatives.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$435.9M
+7.5% YoY
Annual Giving
$35.8M
+2.1% YoY
Grant Count
89
+36.9% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$402K
-25.5% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Visa Foundation reported a distributable amount of $26.1M for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation's mission centers on promoting thriving communities for all through economic inclusion. Primary funding areas include:
- Financial Inclusion: Delivering access to the digital economy and business resources to support women-owned and underserved entrepreneurs worldwide
- Community Impact: Addressing critical needs and empowering local communities
- Humanitarian Assistance: Delivering resources, support, and care in times of crisis
- Employee Giving Programs: Visa Foundation Gives (supporting local social issues) and Visa Foundation Matches (matching employee donations)
The foundation prioritizes growth of gender-diverse and inclusive small and micro businesses, with particular emphasis on women-owned enterprises.
Grantmaking
Invitation only; the foundation does not accept unsolicited proposals. The foundation operates through strategic partnerships, working closely with organizations that align with their mission.
Grant Range
$1,000 to $7,400,000
How to Apply
**
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation has global reach, operating in 60+ countries. Specific geographic focus areas include California, New York, Delaware, the San Francisco Bay Area, the United Kingdom, Sub-Saharan Africa, and international markets.
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
- Total Assets: $435,934,988 (2024)
- Total Giving: $35,777,048 (2024)
- Total Revenue: $70,248,317 (2024)
- Total Expenses: $39,763,158 (2024)
Historical asset growth shows the foundation has maintained substantial assets since its establishment, ranging from approximately $207 million in 2017 to over $435 million by 2024.
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $435,934,988 | $405,449,829 | $433,267,579 |
| Revenue | $70,248,317 | $9,980,232 | $12,486,969 |
| Expenses | $39,763,158 | $37,797,982 | $31,339,247 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $40,050,388 | $35,942,942 | $40,979,540 |
| Net Investment Income | $5,258,735 | $8,297,859 | $10,190,091 |
| Distributable Amount | $26,143,926 | $19,620,269 | $22,415,892 |
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
211 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include American Online Giving Foundation Inc ($4,168,725), Gudina Tumsa Foundation ($1,500,000), American Online Giving Foundation Inc ($1,164,875).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| 2X GLOBAL LIMITED | to support growing membership base and promote gender lens investing in the market | $500,000 |
| 2X GLOBAL LIMITED | the Climate Gender Equity Fund (CGEF) | $1,000,000 |
| AFRICAN PRIVATE EQUITY AND VENTURE CAPITAL ASSOCIA | Expenditure Responsibility | $150,000 |
| AMERICAN CORPORATE PARTNERS NEW YORK, NY | To support creating an entrepreneurship mentorship program for post-9/11 veterans | $150,000 |
| AMERICAN FRIENDS OF MAGEN DAVID ADOM NEW YORK, NY | To support Humanitarian Assistance efforts in Israel | $1,000,000 |
| AMERICAN HEART ASSOCIATION OAKLAND, CA | To support the American Heart Association's Go Red for Women program | $250,000 |
| AMERICAN NATIONAL RED CROSS SAN FRANCISCO, CA | To support the Kenya Red Cross Society (KRCS) emergency appeal and the Tanzania Red Cross (TRC) emergency appeal, to deliver assistance and support the recovery of people affected by the devastating floods caused by the El NiNo rains across both Kenya and Tanzania | $250,000 |
| AMERICAN NATIONAL RED CROSS SAN FRANCISCO, CA | the American Red Cross' Annual Disaster Giving Program (ADGP) - to support global economies impacted by disasters, through financial assistance, relief supplies, recovery support etc | $500,000 |
| AMERICAN NATIONAL RED CROSS SAN FRANCISCO, CA | To support the Bangladesh Red Crescent Society's emergency appeal, to deliver assistance and support the recovery of people affected by Cyclone Remal in Bangladesh | $100,000 |
| AMERICAN ONLINE GIVING FOUNDATION INC NEWARK, DE | General & Unrestricted | $242,436 |
Leadership & Key People
Officers and directors from IRS filings
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brooke D Arena | Sec | 1 | — |
| Frank Cooper | Dir | 1 | — |
| Oliver Jenkyn | Dir | 1 | — |
| Kathleen Kavanagh | Dir | 1 | — |
| Alfred F Kelly Jr | Dir, Chair of the Board | 1 | — |
| Graham Macmillan | Pres, Dir | 1 | — |
| Ryan McInerney | Dir | 1 | — |
| Colleen Ostrowski | Treas | 1 | — |
| Chris Suh | Dir | 1 | — |
| Kelly Mahon Tullier | Dir, Chair of the Board | 1 | — |
Recent News & Activity
Recent developments and announcements
Visa Foundation committed $12 million to a new Tipping Point Community program addressing youth homelessness in the San Francisco Bay Area
Visa Foundation fuels 500 UK women-led businesses with new support programmeThe foundation fueled 500 UK women-led businesses with new support programming and funding
Visa Foundation fuels 500 UK women-led businesses with new support programmeVisa and Global Fashion Agenda partnered to back emerging designers with a circular fashion programme
Visa and Global Fashion Agenda Back Emerging Designers with Circular FashionThe foundation committed to uplifting women entrepreneurs across Sub-Saharan Africa through its Equitable Access Initiative
Visa Foundation fuels 500 UK women-led businesses with new support programmeContact Information
- Email: VisaFoundation@visa.com
- Phone: (800) 839-1754
- Address: 300 Toni Stone Crossing, 2nd Floor, San Francisco, CA 94158-2586
- Website: corporate.visa.com/en/sites/visa-foundation.html
Subject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Visa Foundation fund?
The foundation's mission centers on promoting thriving communities for all through economic inclusion. Primary funding areas include: • **Financial Inclusion**: Delivering access to the digital economy and business resources to support women-owned and underserved entrepreneurs worldwide • **Community Impact**: Addressing critical needs and empowering local communities • **Humanitarian Assistance**: Delivering resources, support, and care in times of crisis • **Employee Giving Programs**: Visa F…
How do I apply for a grant from Visa Foundation?
**Grant Activity:** • Annual giving: $35.1 million (2023) • Grant range: $1,000 to $7,400,000 • Median grant: $250,000 • Made 34-65 grants annually in recent years • Total committed: $350+ million since 2017 across 150+ global partners **Application Process:** Invitation only; the foundation does not accept unsolicited proposals. The foundation operates through strategic partnerships, working closely with organizations that align with their mission. **Recent Grant Recipients Include:** • Americ…
Where does Visa Foundation make grants?
The foundation has global reach, operating in 60+ countries. Specific geographic focus areas include California, New York, Delaware, the San Francisco Bay Area, the United Kingdom, Sub-Saharan Africa, and international markets.
What size grants does Visa Foundation award?
In 2024, Visa Foundation awarded 89 grants totaling $35.8M — an average of about $402K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is Visa Foundation required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, Visa Foundation reported a distributable amount of $26.1M on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is Visa Foundation's EIN?
Visa Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 81-4503596. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
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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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