Grantmaking Guidelines
Eligibility
Geographic Scope: The Foundation funds organizations that have an impact in the San Francisco Bay Area with an emphasis on Alameda and San Francisco counties and in the Twin Cities of Minneapolis/St. Paul in Minnesota. On occasion, the Foundation funds national projects that are particularly relevant to the Foundation’s mission.
Limitations: The Foundation only accepts proposals that fall into our stated program areas and geographic regions. The Foundation does not award grants to individuals (including projects for research, attending conferences, scholarships, musical works, or film). An applying organization must have 501(c)(3) status under the Internal Revenue Code. That is, it must be incorporated as a nonprofit corporation that is not a private foundation pursuant to the 1969 Tax Reform Act. Except for those organizations that fall within the Foundation’s Jewish Culture program area, the Foundation does not award grants to sectarian organizations. Applicants must have evidence of current tax-exempt status from the Internal Revenue Service under Section 501(c)(3) or have a fiscal sponsor with such status. Each organization may submit for consideration only one application per its fiscal year.
Grant Range and Duration: Grant size varies according to the type of project and the needs of the organization. If the Foundation selects an applicant for funding, it typically awards a single annual contribution for first-time applicants. If an applicant is a previous grant recipient, the Foundation may consider a request for multi-year funding in the future. No application from an organization previously funded will be reviewed until the Foundation receives a full report on the previous grant.
Program Areas
Children, Youth, and Families: The Foundation supports programs that promote the well-being of young people (birth to age 21) and provide them with opportunities to be responsible and caring people. The Foundation focuses on the following goals in its Children, Youth, and Families program areas:
Focus: Support Early Childhood Development Programs
We support programs that advocate for and/or demonstrate best practices in the field of early childhood development.
Focus: Promote Enrichment Programs for School Age Youth
We support enrichment programs that promote the well-being of youth, including healthy living, academic enrichment, literacy, life skills, environmental education, sports, and recreational opportunities.
Focus: Reduce Domestic Violence
We support direct service and advocacy programs that work to prevent domestic violence and teen dating violence. We fund intervention programs including domestic violence shelters and services for child witnesses of domestic violence.
Focus: Improve the Welfare of Children
We support programs that focus on the welfare of foster youth, homeless youth, and runaway youth by providing advocacy, family support, housing, mental health services, job skills development, mentoring programs, or access to high quality education.
Focus: Help Prevent Teen Parenthood
We support direct service and advocacy programs that encourage delaying parenthood until adulthood by providing comprehensive reproductive health education and services to young people.
Environment: The Foundation is committed to protecting natural resources, improving the quality of the environment, and promoting environmental stewardship. The Foundation supports programs that work to reduce toxic emissions and waste, preserve open space, and educate the community about conservation and other environmental issues.
Focus: Reduce Toxic Emissions
We support organizations with a demonstrated record of effectiveness in working to strengthen environmental laws that reduce toxic emissions into the air, on the ground, and in water.
Focus: Preserve Open Space
We support programs that acquire undeveloped land for future use as public space.
Focus: Promote Sustainable Energy Policy
We support programs that advocate for a sustainable energy future, including reducing dependency on fossil fuels and encouraging use of alternative sustainable energy sources.
Democratic Values: The Foundation supports programs that foster a respect for basic democratic principles, including integrity in government, separation of church and state, protection of civil liberties, and the right to privacy.
Jewish Culture: The Foundation supports programs that foster an understanding and appreciation of Jewish culture.
Miscellaneous: While the Foundation accepts online inquiries only in the above-mentioned program areas, at its own discretion the Foundation may award grants outside of these parameters.