Updated Oct 28, 2026
Private foundations based in California
4,147 grantmaking foundations headquartered in California, holding $223B in assets. Ranked by grants paid in their latest 990-PF; 17 on this page say they accept applications. For foundations ranked by where their grants went, see local funders.
| Foundation | Based in | Grants paid | Median grant | Accepts applications | Assets |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sergey Brin Family Foundationsince 2015 | San Francisco, CA | $699M170 grants · 2024 | $1.0M | Preselected only | $4.1B |
| William & Flora Hewlett Foundationsince 1968 | Menlo Park, CA | $625M2,001 grants · 2024 | $150K | Yes | $13B |
| Gordon E and Betty I Moore Foundationsince 2001 | Palo Alto, CA | $403M920 grants · 2024 | $200K | Preselected only | $8.8B |
| David and Lucile Packard Foundationsince 1964 | Los Altos, CA | $350M1,029 grants · 2024 | $150K | Yes | $8.3B |
| Good Ventures Foundationsince 2013 | Palo Alto, CA | $307M565 grants · 2024 | $154K | Preselected only | $5.9B |
| Conrad N Hilton Foundationsince 1990 | Westlake Vlg, CA | $288M1,339 grants · 2024 | $76K | Yes | $7.1B |
| Carl Victor Page Memorial Foundationsince 2006 | Palo Alto, CA | $285M17 grants · 2024 | $2.0M | Preselected only | $6.3B |
| Waverley Street Foundationsince 2016 | Palo Alto, CA | $282M144 grants · 2024 | $1.0M | Preselected only | $3.1B |
| The Eric and Wendy Schmidt Fund for Strategic Innovationsince 2014 | Palo Alto, CA | $244M379 grants · 2024 | $100K | Preselected only | $1.4B |
| Chan Zuckerberg Initiative Foundationsince 2012 | Palo Alto, CA | $235M53 grants · 2024 | $1.2M | Preselected only | $6.3B |
| Crankstart Foundationsince 2002 | San Jose, CA | $201M435 grants · 2024 | $250K | Preselected only | $3.9B |
| The Annenberg Foundationsince 1958 | Los Angeles, CA | $201M2023 | — | Not stated | $1.5B |
| The Schmidt Family Foundationsince 2007 | Palo Alto, CA | $185M695 grants · 2024 | $130K | Yes | $1.8B |
| H&h Evergreen Foundationsince 2015 | Menlo Park, CA | $178M5 grants · 2025 | $78K | Preselected only | $4.2B |
| Gerson Bakar Foundationsince 1984 | San Francisco, CA | $169M33 grants · 2024 | $20K | Preselected only | $2.5B |
| James Irvine Foundationsince 1939 | San Francisco, CA | $154M654 grants · 2024 | $10K | Preselected only | $3.3B |
| The Heising-Simons Foundationsince 2007 | Los Altos, CA | $150M671 grants · 2024 | $148K | Preselected only | $810M |
| Broad Foundationsince 1999 | Los Angeles, CA | $148M126 grants · 2024 | $128K | Preselected only | $1.8B |
| Wellcome Leap Incsince 2020 | San Diego, CA | $146M171 grants · 2024 | $687K | Preselected only | $732M |
| The California Endowmentsince 1996 | Los Angeles, CA | $141M845 grants · 2024 | $100K | Preselected only | $4.3B |
| Valhalla Foundationsince 2004 | Woodside, CA | $132M80 grants · 2024 | $650K | Preselected only | $527M |
| Jen-Hsun & Lori Huang Foundationsince 2008 | Palo Alto, CA | $126M15 grants · 2024 | $517K | Preselected only | $3.4B |
| Astera Institutesince 2020 | Berkeley, CA | $83M4 grants · 2024 | $19M | Preselected only | $2.0B |
| Koum Family Foundationsince 2016 | Palo Alto, CA | $81M156 grants · 2024 | $350K | Preselected only | $2.3B |
| Skyline Foundationsince 2001 | Palo Alto, CA | $80M194 grants · 2024 | $250K | Preselected only | $1.0B |
| W M Keck Foundationsince 1959 | Los Angeles, CA | $70M260 grants · 2024 | $10K | Yes | $1.6B |
| Sobrato Family Foundationsince 1994 | Mountain View, CA | $69M526 grants · 2024 | $75K | Yes | $886M |
| The Ahmanson Foundationsince 1955 | Beverly Hills, CA | $69M470 grants · 2024 | $50K | Yes | $1.2B |
| Shimon Ben Joseph Foundationsince 2005 | San Francisco, CA | $63M264 grants · 2024 | $49K | Preselected only | $1.4B |
| Hobson Lucas Family Foundationsince 2007 | San Rafael, CA | $57M336 grants · 2024 | $5,000 | Yes | $1.2B |
| Conrad Prebys Foundationsince 2007 | San Diego, CA | $55M392 grants · 2024 | $100K | Yes | $1.1B |
| The California Wellness Foundationsince 1991 | Los Angeles, CA | $49M681 grants · 2024 | $7,500 | Yes | $1.0B |
| Skoll Foundationsince 2003 | San Francisco, CA | $45M157 grants · 2024 | $100K | Yes | $847M |
| Perenchio Foundationsince 2011 | Pasadena, CA | $44M121 grants · 2024 | $191K | Preselected only | $696M |
| Aphorism Foundationsince 2014 | San Francisco, CA | $43M27 grants · 2024 | $1.0M | Preselected only | $1.1B |
| Hellman Foundationsince 2012 | San Francisco, CA | $43M1 grants · 2024 | $43M | Preselected only | $626M |
| Weingart Foundationsince 1952 | Los Angeles, CA | $38M540 grants · 2024 | $10K | Yes | $909M |
| John H and Regina K Scully Foundationsince 2013 | San Rafael, CA | $38M29 grants · 2024 | $100K | Preselected only | $724M |
| Xie Foundationsince 2010 | Sunnyvale, CA | $38M13 grants · 2024 | $200K | Preselected only | $725M |
| Charles and Helen Schwab Foundationsince 2001 | San Francisco, CA | $35M96 grants · 2024 | $250K | Preselected only | $542M |
| Gene Haas Foundationsince 1999 | Oxnard, CA | $30M1 grants · 2024 | $30M | Yes | $806M |
| Arnold and Mabel Beckman Foundationsince 2021 | Irvine, CA | $29M318 grants · 2024 | $26K | Yes | $775M |
| Elbridge Stuart Foundationsince 2004 | San Francisco, CA | $29M1 grants · 2024 | $29M | Yes | $520M |
| Diane and Guilford Glazer Foundationsince 2020 | Beverly Hills, CA | $27M192 grants · 2024 | $100K | Yes | $606M |
| The Hearthland Foundationsince 1982 | Los Angeles, CA | $27M91 grants · 2024 | $225K | Preselected only | $513M |
| Evelyn and Walter Haas Jr Fundsince 1954 | San Francisco, CA | $25M180 grants · 2024 | $33K | Preselected only | $484M |
| Clif Bar Family Foundationsince 2023 | Saint Helena, CA | $24M459 grants · 2024 | $20K | Yes | $571M |
| Sunlight Givingsince 2015 | Palo Alto, CA | $23M332 grants · 2024 | $55K | Preselected only | $502M |
| Kenneth Rainin Foundationsince 1998 | Oakland, CA | $22M294 grants · 2024 | $25K | Preselected only | $642M |
| Anne Wojcicki Foundationsince 2015 | Los Altos, CA | $22M51 grants · 2024 | $100K | Preselected only | $593M |
| Gross Family Charitable Foundationsince 2018 | Laguna Beach, CA | $18M59 grants · 2024 | $150K | Preselected only | $571M |
| Kavli Foundationsince 2001 | Los Angeles, CA | $17M107 grants · 2024 | $66K | Preselected only | $604M |
| College Futures Foundationsince 1990 | Oakland, CA | $17M181 grants · 2024 | $20K | Preselected only | $562M |
| H N and Frances C Berger Foundationsince 1996 | Palm Desert, CA | $17M117 grants · 2024 | $15K | Preselected only | $471M |
| Maxwell Hanrahan Foundationsince 2019 | San Francisco, CA | $14M1 grants · 2024 | $14M | Preselected only | $561M |
| King Philanthropies Incsince 2016 | Menlo Park, CA | $10M4 grants · 2024 | $875K | Preselected only | $554M |
| Rivian Foundationsince 2023 | Irvine, CA | $6.6M54 grants · 2025 | $60K | Preselected only | $656M |
| Henry T Nicholas III Foundationsince 2008 | Aliso Viejo, CA | $6.5M1 grants · 2024 | $6.5M | Preselected only | $589M |
| William and Barbara Martin Foundationsince 2024 | Los Angeles, CA | — | — | Preselected only | $874M |
| Annenberg Foundation Trust at Sunnylandssince 2004 | Rancho Mirage, CA | — | — | Preselected only | $696M |
Sources: IRS Business Master File (assets), ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer and IRS 990-PF e-file (grants paid, application policy). "Accepts applications" reflects the foundation's own Part XV checkbox.
Open grant programs in California
All 168| Deadline | Grant | Funder | Award ceiling |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 292 days | Increased Recycling of Empty Glass Beverage Containers Grant Program, FY 2026-27CaliforniaDepartment of Resources Recycling and Recovery | Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery | Up to $4.0M |
| Oct 303 days | 2026-27 Digital Divide Grant Program Round 4CaliforniaPublic Utilities Commission | Public Utilities Commission | Up to $100K |
| Oct 303 days | Division of Boating and Waterways Aquatic Center Boating Safety Education Grant FY26CaliforniaDepartment of Parks and Recreation | Department of Parks and Recreation | Up to $62K |
| Oct 303 days | LA County TECH (CEA-LAT) Grant – Round 3CaliforniaPublic Utilities Commission | Public Utilities Commission | Not listed |
| Oct 303 days | Rice Incentive ProgramCaliforniaSacramento-San Joaquin Delta Conservancy | Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta Conservancy | Not listed |
| Nov 26 days | Local Highway Safety Improvement Program (HSIP)CaliforniaDepartment of Transportation | Department of Transportation | Up to $10M |
Common questions
How many private foundations are based in California?
Our directory lists 4,147 private grantmaking foundations in California with at least $1 million in assets, holding a combined $223B. The data comes from the IRS Exempt Organizations Business Master File and Form 990-PF.
How do I get a grant from a private foundation?
Start with foundations that already fund organizations like yours nearby. Read the grantee list on each profile, check whether the foundation accepts applications (it says so on its 990-PF), and lead with a short letter of inquiry. Many family foundations fund only organizations they already know; an introduction through a shared grantee or board member works better than a cold proposal.
Can you help us approach foundations?
Yes. Our grant writers research foundation prospects, write letters of inquiry, and build a foundation fundraising plan. Request a free consultation.