Funding Amount

Not stated

Deadline

Deadline not published

Grant Type

Foundation

Deadline history & next window

Cycle
Quarterly
Tracked since
April 2026

From the program guidelines: “Full Proposal - Invite Only - Applicants will be invited via email to submit a Proposal if their Letter of Inquiry moves to the next stage.The Goldman Fund Board considers grant requests four times per year – typically once each quarter.”

Can we apply?

Check your organization against each line. Taken from the listing; confirm with the funder's guidelines.

Required status

  • 501(c)(3) tax-exempt status

Other requirements

  • Each organization may submit only one request per year for consideration.

Not eligible / not funded

  • Not eligible: In keeping with the values of the Goldman Fund’s Board of Directors, grants will not be awarded to organizations that advocate for, engage in, or endorse policies or actions that are antisemitic or question the legitimacy of Israel as a secure, independent, and democratic Jewish state.
  • Not eligible: The Fund rarely provides support for 100% of a project’s budget.
  • Not eligible: Deficit budgets
  • Not eligible: Grants to individuals
  • Not eligible: Academic research
  • Not eligible: Events
  • Not eligible: Conferences
  • Not eligible: Documentaries
  • Not eligible: Films
  • Not eligible: An organization may not apply for multiple grants at the same time.

Overview

The Lisa and Douglas Goldman Fund, established in 1992, focuses on enhancing education and literacy in the San Francisco community. It supports organizations classified as public charities with 501(c)(3) status, prioritizing projects that strengthen public education and promote civic education for grades K-12. Grant requests are by invitation only and are considered quarterly. The fund seeks to make informed, flexible grants that align with its mission to support impactful charitable projects.

NOTE:
Letter of Inquiry - if your organization and project are aligned with the priorities and interests of the Lisa and Douglas Goldman Fund. If you think your project is a good fit, submit a Letter of Inquiry according to the guidelines on this website. Full Proposal - Invite Only - Applicants will be invited via email to submit a Proposal if their Letter of Inquiry moves to the next stage.The Goldman Fund Board considers grant requests four times per year – typically once each quarter.
Within its grantmaking areas, the Fund strives to be responsive and flexible as well as to make informed and responsible grants to support qualified projects.
Education and Literacy
Goal: Strengthen public education for grades kindergarten to 12Geographic Area: San FranciscoStrategies:Promote education and literacy projects that support the strategic priorities of the San Francisco Unified School DistrictSupport community-wide literacy projects.Goal: Advance civic education for grades kindergarten to 12.Geographic Area: Projects that are implemented nationally, regionally, and/or in multiple states.This program area does not currently accept applications for projects that are implemented in a single city or state.Strategies:Promote efforts to prioritize civic education on the state and national levels.Support professional development for teachers to refresh and expand their knowledge of civics and develop skills for teaching it effectively.
The Goldman Fund considers requests by invitation only from organizations in the following fields:

  • Health & Recreation
  • San Francisco Bay Area Institutions & Projects
  • Special Projects & Initiatives

Eligibility

In order to be considered for a grant from the Lisa and Douglas Goldman Fund, an organization must be classified as a public charity and have 501(c)(3) status from the Internal Revenue Service or have a fiscal agent with 501(c)(3) status.Each organization may submit only one request per year for consideration.

Ineligibility

In keeping with the values of the Goldman Fund’s Board of Directors, grants will not be awarded to organizations that advocate for, engage in, or endorse policies or actions that are antisemitic or question the legitimacy of Israel as a secure, independent, and democratic Jewish state.The Fund rarely provides support for 100% of a project’s budget.    The Goldman Fund will not consider applications for deficit budgets, grants to individuals, academic research, events, conferences, or documentaries and films. An organization may not apply for multiple grants at the same time.

What Lisa & Douglas Goldman Fund actually gave

Source: IRS Form 990-PF, 2024

Grants in 2024
301
Total given
$14.4M
Median grant
$15K
Range
$100–$2M
  • By dollars: California 58%, District of Columbia 19%, New York 10%. Top recipient cities: San Francisco, CA; Washington, DC; Berkeley, CA.
  • 42% of grants with a stated purpose were for general or operating support.
  • 19% of recipients were new grantees, not repeat recipients.

Example grants

  • Congregation Emanu-El · San Francisco, CA

    Second installment emanu-el next

    $2M

  • San Francisco Parks Alliance - Tennis Coalition of San Francisco · San Francisco, CA

    Golden gate park teknis center phase ii

    $1M

  • University of California Berkeley Fdn · Berkeley, CA

    Gspp

    $500K

  • Corporation of the Fine Arts Museums · San Francisco, CA

    Exhibition support

    $250K

  • Jewish Community Relations Council · San Francisco, CA

    Responding to twin crises and elevating jewish identity

    $250K

IRS Form 990-PF, 2024. Amounts as reported by the funder. Full 990 history →

Focus Areas & Funding Uses

Fields of Work

  • Nonprofits
  • Education
  • Literacy
  • K-12 schools

Categories

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