William K Bowes Jr Foundation
The William K. Bowes, Jr. Foundation is a private foundation established in 1991 by William K. Bowes, Jr., a pioneering venture capitalist who co-founded U.S. Venture Partners and served as founding shareholder and first Chairman of Amgen. Based in San Francisco, California, the foundation operates as a 501(c)(3) organization and maintains a venture philanthropy approach to grantmaking.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$236.8M
+2.3% YoY
Annual Giving
$18.0M
-26.0% YoY
Grant Count
48
+0.0% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$375K
-26.0% YoY
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.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation supports nonprofit organizations working across several funding priorities, including:
- Arts
- College access
- Medical research
- Civic institutions
- Education
The foundation's strategic approach reflects William K. Bowes, Jr.'s venture capital philosophy of "venture philanthropy," which includes start-up investments, financing initiatives inside established institutions, and larger transformative investments in institutions at inflection points in their missions.
Grantmaking
Grant Range
$100,000 - $6,200,000
Invitation Only
** The foundation operates by invitation only and does not accept unsolicited letters of interest or unsolicited proposals. Grants are not made to individuals.
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation primarily focuses on California, with particular emphasis on the San Francisco Bay Area.
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
As of 2024:
- Total assets: $237,000,000
- Revenue: $15,539,775
- Expenses: $11,864,149
- Net income: $3,675,626
- Net assets: $214,941,586
- Total liabilities: $21,800,000
Tax-exempt status: January 1992 (EIN: 94-3148482)
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $236,755,476 | $231,390,225 | $235,253,719 |
| Revenue | $15,539,775 | $16,366,525 | $5,855,939 |
| Expenses | $11,864,149 | $12,136,135 | $14,800,904 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $18,442,897 | $24,809,147 | $26,102,918 |
| Net Investment Income | $12,925,152 | $9,175,277 | $4,510,827 |
| Distributable Amount | $11,789,226 | $11,511,596 | $12,717,808 |
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
246 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include Ucsf Foundation ($5,833,333), J David Gladstone Institutes ($2,000,000), Episcopal Diocese of California ($1,000,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| ACHIEVEMENT REWARDS FOR COLLEGE SCIENTISTS FOUNDATION INC SAN FRANCISCO, CA | STANFORD UNIVERSITY SCHOLAR | $20,000 |
| ALS THERAPY DEVELOPMENT FOUNDATION WATERTOWN, MA | TO SUPPORT THE ALS CAPSULE | $100,000 |
| ASIAN ART MUSEUM FOUNDATION OF SAN FRANCISCO SAN FRANCISCO, CA | THE WILLIAM K. BOWES, JR. FOUNDATION FUND FOR EDUCATION AND RESEARCH | $200,000 |
| 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 |
| BOLINAS MUSEUM BOLINAS, CA | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT | $5,000 |
| BOYS & GIRLS CLUBS OF SAN FRANCISCO SAN FRANCISCO, CA | CITYWIDE EDUCATION PROGRAMMING | $100,000 |
| CANARY FUND WOODSIDE, CA | TO SUPPORT NEW DIRECTIONS: TECHNIQUES AND TECHNOLOGIES TO DETECT CANCER EARLY AND IDENTIFY HIGH RISK INDIVIDUALS | $333,334 |
| CANCER RESEARCH FUND OF THE DAMON RUNYON - WALTER WINCHELL FOUNDATION NEW YORK, NY | DAMON RUNYON CLINICAL INVESTIGATOR CONTINUATION GRANT | $166,666 |
| CLEARITY FOUNDATION SAN DIEGO, CA | OVARIAN CANCER SUPPORT | $50,000 |
| COLLEGE TRACK OAKLAND, CA | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT | $50,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
- Executive Director: Derek Aspacher (daspacher@pfs-llc.net, 415.561.6540 ext. 249)
- Grants Manager: Tatiana Gordon (tgordon@pfs-llc.net, 415.561.6540 ext. 280)
- Administrative Partner: Pacific Foundation Services
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| UTE BOWES | PRESIDENT | 1 | — |
| CHRIS PERKINS | VP, SECRETARY-TREASURER, CFO | 3 | $80,000 |
| DOUGLAS TINKER | VP, AUDIT CHAIR | 2 | — |
Contact Information
Address: 1660 Bush Street, Suite 300, San Francisco, CA 94109-5308
Phone: 415-561-6540
Website: www.wkbowesjrfoundation.org
Frequently Asked Questions
What does William K Bowes Jr Foundation fund?
The foundation supports nonprofit organizations working across several funding priorities, including: • Arts • College access • Medical research • Civic institutions • Education The foundation's strategic approach reflects William K. Bowes, Jr.'s venture capital philosophy of "venture philanthropy," which includes start-up investments, financing initiatives inside established institutions, and larger transformative investments in institutions at inflection points in their missions.
How do I apply for a grant from William K Bowes Jr Foundation?
**Application Process:** The foundation operates by invitation only and does not accept unsolicited letters of interest or unsolicited proposals. Grants are not made to individuals. **Grant Activity (2023):** • Total annual giving: $24,361,008 • Number of grants: 48 • Grant range: $100,000 - $6,200,000 • Median grant: $200,000
Where does William K Bowes Jr Foundation make grants?
The foundation primarily focuses on California, with particular emphasis on the San Francisco Bay Area.
What size grants does William K Bowes Jr Foundation award?
In 2024, William K Bowes Jr Foundation awarded 48 grants totaling $18.0M — an average of about $375K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is William K Bowes Jr Foundation required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, William K Bowes Jr Foundation reported a distributable amount of $11.8M on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
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.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in William K Bowes Jr 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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