Foundations that fund organizations in San Mateo, California
Worked out from where the grants went, not where the foundations sit.
Funding landscape for San Mateo nonprofits
309 private foundations gave $81M to San Mateo organizations in their latest filings; 21 of the 100 that say either way accept applications.
490 grants in total, with a typical foundation's median grant to San Mateo around $50K. 63 of these funders are based in California; the rest give here from elsewhere.
- Foundations giving here
- 309
- Accept applications
- 21
- of 100 that state a policy
- Dollars to San Mateo
- $81M
- latest filings
- Grants
- 490
- Typical median grant
- $50K
- Based in CA
- 63%
- of funders listed
Funders, by dollars given to San Mateo organizations
| Foundation | Based in | Grants here | Dollars here | Median | Accepts applications | Typical purposes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Roberts Foundation | San Mateo, CA | 1 | $50M | $50M | Preselected only | See Attachment |
| Gates Foundation | Seattle, WA | 1 | $6.5M | $6.5M | Yes | Maternal, newborn, child nutrition and health |
| Fredrick W Petri Foundation | Pleasanton, CA | 1 | $4.1M | $4.1M | Preselected only | Stock |
| The George and Judy Marcus Family Foundation II | Palo Alto, CA | 2 | $2.0M | $1.0M | Preselected only | General fund |
| The Leona M and Harry B Helmsley Charitable Trust | New York, NY | 3 | $1.8M | $600K | Preselected only | Capacity building support |
| The Sobrato Family Foundation | Mountain View, CA | 11 | $1.0M | $100K | Yes | General operating support; Employee matching gift; Core operating support |
| The Grove Foundation | Los Altos, CA | 3 | $910K | $300K | Preselected only | General support; Capital campaign, general support; General support, power building convening smc |
| Sunlight Giving | Palo Alto, CA | 10 | $885K | $83K | Preselected only | General support, $115,000 per year for three years; General support, $75,000 per year for three years; General support, $10,000 per year for two years |
| Jt Tai & Co Foundation Inc | Little Neck, NY | 1 | $717K | $717K | Preselected only | Programs support |
| Gilead Foundation | Foster City, CA | 3 | $675K | $125K | Preselected only | Empowering Youth for a Healthier Future: The U4Y-YEEE! Init…; General Operating Support; Promoting Healthy Futures |
| Sterling Redman Trust | Winston, OR | 1 | $616K | $616K | Preselected only | Scholarship |
| The Koum Family Foundation | Palo Alto, CA | 1 | $600K | $600K | Preselected only | General charity |
| Sergey Brin Family Foundation C/O Pacific Foundation Services | San Francisco, CA | 2 | $550K | $275K | Preselected only | General operating support |
| The David and Lucile Packard Foundation | Los Altos, CA | 5 | $530K | $100K | Yes | Families and Communities |
| Theresa & Edward O'Toole Foundation | Pittsburgh, PA | 1 | $500K | $500K | Preselected only | General operating |
| The William & Flora Hewlett Foundation | Menlo Park, CA | 4 | $455K | $27K | Yes | Matching gift of staff and board members; For accelerating subnational decarbonization across china; For general operating support |
| This Is Kari & Philip's Foundation | Wilmington, DE | 3 | $425K | $200K | Preselected only | General & Unrestricted; 2025-2026 Annual Fund |
| Sandberg Goldberg Bernthal Family Charitable Foundation | San Francisco, CA | 1 | $325K | $325K | Preselected only | Support education of low-income and historically marginaliz… |
| Sand Hill Foundation | Menlo Park, CA | 5 | $315K | $60K | Yes | Family centered mental health program; Self sufficiency program; General support |
| Thelma Doelger Charitable Trust | Daly City, CA | 8 | $305K | $18K | Yes | Charitable Contribution to support charity's mission to pro…; Charitable Contribution to support charity's mission to sup…; Charitable Contribution to support charity's mission to hel… |
| Atkinson Foundation C/O Pacific Foundation Services | San Francisco, CA | 16 | $266K | $13K | Yes | General support; Outings and field trips for san mateo county families; Inclusion and accessibility programs |
| Ramsay Family Foundation | San Francisco, CA | 2 | $265K | $133K | Preselected only | For the capital campaign; Support for the annual fund |
| Ronald & Ann Williams Charitable Foundat | San Francisco, CA | 2 | $255K | $128K | Preselected only | Quality and compassionate care |
| Zief Family Foundation Inc | San Mateo, CA | 1 | $230K | $230K | Preselected only | To provide operational funds and improvements to buildings,… |
| The Tow Foundation Inc | New Canaan, CT | 1 | $212K | $212K | Preselected only | General operating support |
| Solid Rock Foundation | San Francisco, CA | 1 | $200K | $200K | Preselected only | Provide families in need with food, clothing, school suppli… |
| The Fortive Foundation | Everett, WA | 1 | $200K | $200K | Preselected only | Support of discover fund |
| Tomlinson Family Foundation | Wilmington, DE | 1 | $200K | $200K | Preselected only | General & Unrestricted |
| The William G Irwin Charity Foundation | San Francisco, CA | 1 | $195K | $195K | Yes | Samaritan houses free clinic of san mateo renovation project |
| The Ezrah Charitable Trust | Charlotte, NC | 1 | $172K | $172K | Preselected only | Contribution to Team4Tech's "AI Skill-building for Communit… |
| George H Sandy Foundation Co US Bankna | Milwaukee, WI | 3 | $165K | $70K | Yes | To provide safety, support and healing to battered women an…; To support homelessness prevention program and services for…; To assist in general funding for their programs |
| Lillian Lincoln Foundation C/O Lincoln Howell | Hillsborough, CA | 5 | $162K | $25K | Preselected only | Support religion; Food assistance; Healthcare |
| The Silver Lining Foundation | San Francisco, CA | 1 | $150K | $150K | Preselected only | To support education outcome improvement |
| Justin Jacobs Jr Charitable Trust C/O Farella Braun Martel Llp | San Francisco, CA | 1 | $150K | $150K | Preselected only | Voting rights |
| Cdr Johnson Family Foundation Inc | Palm Beach, FL | 3 | $130K | $25K | Preselected only | General support |
| McKeever Family Trust Tua | St Louis, MO | 1 | $119K | $119K | Preselected only | General purpose |
| John and Marcia Goldman Foundation | San Francisco, CA | 3 | $115K | $10K | Yes | 2024 annual grant; 30th anniversary founders fund |
| Pam and Rich Nuccitelli Foundation | Reston, VA | 2 | $110K | $55K | Preselected only | The purchase of equipment that would improve the learning e…; Kcsm general support |
| Tosa Foundation C/O Tashia Morgridge | Portola Valley, CA | 3 | $106K | $5,000 | Preselected only | Conservation; Education; Us aid |
| Delta Dental Community Care Foundation | San Francisco, CA | 2 | $103K | $51K | Preselected only | Community giving- dental; Community giving- general |
| Pichai Family Foundation | San Francisco, CA | 1 | $100K | $100K | Preselected only | General operating support |
| Ce Johnson Foundation | Reno, NV | 1 | $100K | $100K | Preselected only | General support |
| Hollyjolly Foundation Inc | New York, NY | 1 | $100K | $100K | Preselected only | General purpose grant |
| Wells Fargo Foundation | Minneapolis, MN | 2 | $90K | $45K | Preselected only | Resource Connect Solano; General Operating Support |
| The Khachaturian Foundation | Redwood City, CA | 3 | $85K | $25K | Yes | General purpose |
| Bella Vista Foundation | San Francisco, CA | 2 | $75K | $38K | Yes | Bilingual support groups for victims of domestic violence a…; To support parenting workshops at the san mateo early learn… |
| Outrageous Foundation Inc C/O Robert McGrath | San Francisco, CA | 2 | $75K | $38K | Preselected only | For general operating support |
| The Comis Foundation 2423-00-48 | Philadelphia, PA | 1 | $75K | $75K | Preselected only | Enhance stem programming |
| Tracy and Greg Johnson Foundation Inc | New York, NY | 2 | $75K | $38K | Preselected only | General support |
| Saga Foundation | Kalamazoo, MI | 1 | $70K | $70K | Preselected only | Operating support |
| The Ronald P and Susan E Lynch Foundation C/O Milton Kain | New York, NY | 2 | $70K | $35K | Preselected only | Support organization's programs & activities |
| The Eucalyptus Foundation | San Francisco, CA | 2 | $62K | $31K | Preselected only | General operating support; Memorial county park nature center renovations project |
| Urbanek Family Foundation | Menlo Park, CA | 2 | $60K | $30K | Preselected only | Unrestricted charitable donation |
| Arrillaga Foundation | Palo Alto, CA | 2 | $60K | $30K | Preselected only | General support |
| Tomkat Foundation | San Francisco, CA | 1 | $60K | $60K | Preselected only | General operating support |
| So Inclined Philanthropic Foundation | San Francisco, CA | 1 | $60K | $60K | Preselected only | Supporting medical clinics |
| Shoreline Family Foundation | Danville, CA | 1 | $60K | $60K | Preselected only | General support |
| Jin and Xiaqing Wu Family Foundation | Hillsborough, CA | 1 | $58K | $58K | Preselected only | religion |
| Jh Robbins Foundation | San Mateo, CA | 7 | $58K | $10K | Yes | Gereral support; Gereral supportgereral support; General support |
| Eugene and Edna Palmuth | St Louis, MO | 1 | $56K | $56K | Preselected only | General operating |
| The Sujata and Sanjiv Narayan Foundation Sanjiv Narayan Et Al Trustees | Boston, MA | 1 | $55K | $55K | Preselected only | General |
| Cynthia and Merrill Magowan Family Foundation | Hillsborough, CA | 2 | $55K | $27K | Preselected only | Support 501(c)3 organization; Support 501(c)(3) organization |
| Xelay Foundation | San Mateo, CA | 6 | $54K | $7,387 | Preselected only | To further the organization's exempt purpose |
| Lachman Family Foundation Inc | Palm Beach, FL | 1 | $53K | $53K | Preselected only | General charitable support |
| The Draper Foundation | San Mateo, CA | 3 | $52K | $1,000 | Yes | Education program; Community outreach |
| Gerri and Rich Wong Family Foundation | Wilmington, DE | 3 | $50K | $20K | Preselected only | General & Unrestricted; Building Hope Campaign |
| Maky and Shaun Zanganeh Foundation Inc | Miami, FL | 1 | $50K | $50K | Preselected only | General |
| Jeangerard Foundation | Madera, CA | 1 | $50K | $50K | Preselected only | General Purpose Funds |
| The Ida C & Morris Falk Foundation | New York, NY | 1 | $50K | $50K | Preselected only | General support |
| The Morris Foundation | Carefree, AZ | 1 | $50K | $50K | Preselected only | For use in general tax exempt functions |
| Dame Jillian and Dr Arthur M Sackler Fdn for the Arts Sciences & Humanities | New York, NY | 1 | $50K | $50K | Preselected only | To provide support for the arthur m. sackler museum of art… |
| Choong & Hsia Foundation | Los Altos Hills, CA | 1 | $50K | $50K | Preselected only | Donation |
| Rong Rong Family Foundation | Cupertino, CA | 1 | $50K | $50K | Preselected only | Charitable |
| Dpr Foundation | Santa Clara, CA | 1 | $50K | $50K | Preselected only | General & Unrestricted |
| Bothin Foundation | San Francisco, CA | 1 | $50K | $50K | Yes | Purchase and install wireless access points, zoom equipment… |
| Julie Handley Foundation | Palo Alto, CA | 2 | $45K | $23K | Preselected only | Fund a dream scholarship benefit; Transforms the lives of highly motivated, low income studen… |
| The James Irvine Foundation | San Francisco, CA | 3 | $43K | $12K | Preselected only | For support of the FHAR Adventure Club; For general operating support; To support a Capital Campaign |
| Jenny Johnson Family Foundation Inc | New York, NY | 3 | $42K | $10K | Yes | 4th annual chuck johnson memorial golf; Daphne & raoul melendez pledge; General budget |
| Donahue Charitable Foundation | Charlotte, NC | 1 | $40K | $40K | Preselected only | Philanthopic education |
| Franklin Templeton Charitable Foundation Inc | San Mateo, CA | 2 | $40K | $20K | Yes | General purpose grant/contributions |
| Robert N Chang Foundation | Pennington, NJ | 1 | $40K | $40K | Preselected only | Unrestricted general |
| Ten Talents Foundation | St Louis, MO | 1 | $32K | $32K | Preselected only | Help join god's work though our philanthropy, investments,… |
| Blume Foundation | San Mateo, CA | 2 | $30K | $15K | Preselected only | To support the organization's exempt function |
| Lindsay & Alex Ramsay Foundation | San Francisco, CA | 2 | $30K | $15K | Preselected only | To support the here we grow capital campaign.; For the annual fund |
| Conrad N Hilton Foundation | Westlake Village, CA | 1 | $30K | $30K | Yes | For general operating support |
| The Adam J Weissman Foundation | Wilmington, DE | 1 | $30K | $30K | Preselected only | General & Unrestricted |
| The Moca Foundation | Gilroy, CA | 1 | $30K | $30K | Preselected only | Home Sharing Program |
| Mz Foundation Attn Myron Zimmerman President | San Francisco, CA | 1 | $30K | $30K | Yes | Education |
| Intrepid Philanthropy Foundation | San Francisco, CA | 2 | $30K | $15K | Yes | Plc global ambassadors - college park elementary; Equity for smhs science students |
| Blanket Fort Foundation | Towson, MD | 1 | $26K | $26K | Preselected only | General need |
| Quest Foundation | Danville, CA | 1 | $25K | $25K | Preselected only | General operating support |
| Niebla Foundation Inc | San Francisco, CA | 1 | $25K | $25K | Preselected only | For general operating support |
| Gordon E and Betty I Moore Foundation | Palo Alto, CA | 1 | $25K | $25K | Preselected only | In support of general operations. |
| Synopsys Silicon Valley Science and Technology Outreach Foundation | Los Gatos, CA | 1 | $25K | $25K | Preselected only | Spring into STEM - Materials & Programs |
| Roger and Clarissa Lee Family Foundation C/O Battery Global Advisors | Boston, MA | 1 | $25K | $25K | Preselected only | Education funding |
| Crankstart Foundation | San Jose, CA | 1 | $25K | $25K | Preselected only | For kcsm radio |
| Leo M Shortino Family Foundation | San Jose, CA | 1 | $25K | $25K | Yes | Families and schools together (fast) |
| Howard & Betty White Foundation | Menlo Park, CA | 2 | $25K | $13K | Preselected only | General |
| Freston Family Foundation | New York, NY | 1 | $25K | $25K | Preselected only | General |
| Greene van Arsdale Foundation Co Kkr Accounting Services LLC | San Mateo, CA | 1 | $25K | $25K | Preselected only | To promote the work of the organization |
Source: IRS Form 990-PF Part XV, latest electronic return per foundation (2026-10-28). "Accepts applications" reflects the foundation's own checkbox on Part XV line 2. Grants to individuals excluded.
Common questions
Which foundations give to nonprofits in San Mateo, California?
The Roberts Foundation, Gates Foundation, Fredrick W Petri Foundation, The George and Judy Marcus Family Foundation II, The Leona M and Harry B Helmsley Charitable Trust and 95 others reported grants to San Mateo organizations on their latest Form 990-PF.
How do I approach a foundation that doesn't accept applications?
A foundation that checks "contributes only to preselected organizations" on its 990-PF won't review a cold proposal. Look at who it funds, find a shared board member, grantee or advisor, and ask for an introduction. Foundations that accept applications usually list a contact and deadlines in Part XV; we show that text on each foundation's page.
Is this list complete?
No. It covers private foundations (Form 990-PF filers) whose latest electronic return lists at least one grant to an organization in San Mateo. Community foundations and corporate giving programs file different forms and are not included yet.