William K Bowes Jr Foundation
The William K. Bowes, Jr. Foundation is a private foundation based in San Francisco, California, established by William K. Bowes, Jr. and incorporated in California in 1991. It supports nonprofit organizations across several funding priorities, including the arts, college access, and medical research.
William K Bowes Jr Foundation at a glance
In short: William K Bowes Jr Foundation gave $18.0M across 48 grants in 2024 (avg $375K), mostly in California. 0% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $18,019,500
- -26.0% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 48
- +0.0% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $375,406
- -26.0% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $183,333
- Total assets
- $236,755,476
- +2.3% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 0% first-time grantees (0 of 47, 2024)
- Primary geography
- California (84% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to William K Bowes Jr Foundation
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests. Grants are not made to individuals.
- Contact
Mailing address: 1660 Bush St 300, San Francisco, CA 94109
Phone: (415) 561-6540
Website: https://wkbowesjrfoundation.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who William K Bowes Jr Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was UCSF Foundation ($5.8M). Together the top 10 received $13.4M.
Grant Size Distribution
282 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was in the $100–250K range: 72 grants of 282 (26%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2024, 84% of grant dollars went to recipients in California. Other recipient states included New York (6%), Massachusetts (3%), Texas (2%), and Oregon (1%).
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 48 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is William K Bowes Jr Foundation open to new grantees?
0%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 0 of 47 grantees (0%) were first-time recipients. How we count
- 100% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving fell 50% from 2021 to 2024. Method
- In 2024 it paid out 156% 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.
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2020 to 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $18.0M (2024) to $48.6M (2020). In 2024 it made 48 grants totaling $18.0M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| UCSF Foundation San Francisco, CA | Establish the william k. Bowes, jr. Biomedical investigator program, ucsf discovery fellows, cardiology council, osher center research support, the neural code of speech | $5,833,333 |
| J David Gladstone Institutes San Francisco, CA | To be used at the discretion of the president deepak srivastava, general support | $2,000,000 |
| Episcopal Diocese of California San Francisco, CA | Expanding Horizons Campaign | $1,000,000 |
| The Exploratorium San Francisco, CA | Exploratorium Gallery Renewal | $1,000,000 |
| Board of Trustees of the Leland Stanford Junior University Stanford, CA | William k. Bowes, jr. Foundation: stanford bio-x bowes fellows, ute and bill bowes, jr. Library and the department of art and art history in the school of humanities and sciences | $850,000 |
| Episcopal Diocese of California San Francisco, CA | Annual Fund | $500,000 |
| Harvard University Boston, MA | For the Grant Seed Program | $500,000 |
| Kipp Bay Area Schools Oakland, CA | General operating support for kipp public schools northern California | $500,000 |
| Uc Berkeley Foundation Berkeley, CA | Uc Berkeley Fiat Lux Scholarships, Bowes Faculty Fellows | $500,000 |
| The University of Texas Foundation Inc Austin, TX | Alzheimer's Research, EMT STEM Cells Research | $375,000 |
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Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Qualifying Distributions | Net Investment Income | Distributable Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $236,755,476 | $15,539,775 | $11,864,149 | $18,019,500 | 48 | $18,442,897 | $12,925,152 | $11,789,226 |
| 2023 | $231,390,225 | $16,366,525 | $12,136,135 | $24,361,008 | 48 | $24,809,147 | $9,175,277 | $11,511,596 |
| 2022 | $235,253,719 | $5,855,939 | $14,800,904 | $25,611,166 | 51 | $26,102,918 | $4,510,827 | $12,717,808 |
| 2021 | $286,251,836 | $24,735,393 | $12,067,112 | $35,977,000 | 56 | $36,473,134 | $25,715,739 | $14,140,071 |
| 2020 | $283,562,212 | $15,233,813 | $19,040,254 | $48,606,333 | 79 | — | $13,457,164 | $14,039,243 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, William K Bowes Jr Foundation reported a distributable amount of $11.8M for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation’s stated purpose is to support nonprofit organizations working across the arts, college access, and medical research. Its 2024 grants included support for universities, schools, arts and science organizations, and medical research institutions.
Grantees’ own descriptions illustrate this range: the Exploratorium describes itself as a public learning laboratory exploring science, art, and human perception; KIPP Bay Area Schools describes its work as operating inclusive, community-focused, college-preparatory schools; and Sansum Diabetes Research Institute says it works to improve the lives of people impacted by diabetes through research, education, and care.
Grantmaking
In 2024, the foundation reported 48 grants totaling $18,019,500. Grants ranged from $5,000 to $5,833,333, with a median of $183,333.
Among the largest 2024 grants were $5,833,333 to UCSF Foundation for several initiatives, including the William K. Bowes, Jr. Biomedical Investigator Program and UCSF Discovery Fellows; $2,000,000 to J. David Gladstone Institutes for general support and use at the president’s discretion; and $1,000,000 each to the Episcopal Diocese of California for its Expanding Horizons Campaign and the Exploratorium for gallery renewal. Other grants included $850,000 to the Board of Trustees of Leland Stanford Junior University for several named programs and $500,000 to KIPP Bay Area Schools for general operating support.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing listed Ute Bowes as president; Chris Perkins as vice president, secretary-treasurer, and CFO; and Douglas Tinker as vice president and audit chair.
William K Bowes Jr Foundation is led by Ute Bowes, President on every filing since 2020; 1 of 3 officers listed in 2024 is compensated.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Ute Bowes
President
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Douglas Tinker
Vice President & Audit Chair
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Chris Perkins
Vice President, Secretary-Treasurer & CFO
On filings since 2020
3 hrs/week
$80K (2020) → $80K (2024)
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.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2024 filing was $80K, to Chris Perkins (VP, Secretary-Treasurer, CFO).
Frequently asked questions about William K Bowes Jr Foundation
How much does William K Bowes Jr Foundation give each year?
William K Bowes Jr Foundation gave $18.0M across 48 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $24.4M across 48 grants.
What is William K Bowes Jr Foundation's typical grant size?
William K Bowes Jr Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $183,333, and its average grant was $375,406, across 48 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
Where does William K Bowes Jr Foundation give grants?
William K Bowes Jr Foundation gives mostly in California: 84% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest state was New York (6%). The most frequent recipient cities were San Francisco, CA (20 grants), New York, NY (5 grants), Stanford, CA (2 grants) and Santa Barbara, CA (2 grants).
Does William K Bowes Jr Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 40% of William K Bowes Jr Foundation's 2024 grants with a stated purpose (19 of 48) were for general or operating support, per its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are William K Bowes Jr Foundation's largest grantees?
William K Bowes Jr Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include UCSF Foundation ($5,833,333), J David Gladstone Institutes ($2,000,000) and Episcopal Diocese of California ($1,500,000 across 2 grants), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 52% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is William K Bowes Jr Foundation?
William K Bowes Jr Foundation reported $236.8M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $18.4M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $11.8M (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does William K Bowes Jr Foundation fund?
The foundation’s stated purpose is to support nonprofit organizations working across the arts, college access, and medical research. Its 2024 grants included support for universities, schools, arts and science organizations, and medical research institutions. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from William K Bowes Jr Foundation?
The foundation makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is William K Bowes Jr Foundation's EIN?
William K Bowes Jr Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 94-3148482. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Does William K Bowes Jr Foundation accept unsolicited proposals?
No, according to Grantable's research on the foundation's published guidelines. See how to apply ↑
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(1)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). William K Bowes Jr Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 14, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/william-k-bowes-jr-foundation-morg_59dbbdeda9484b21995b2342ac81ee8d
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_943148482_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{William K Bowes Jr Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/william-k-bowes-jr-foundation-morg_59dbbdeda9484b21995b2342ac81ee8d},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-14. 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 William K Bowes Jr 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.
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