Kelson Foundation
San Francisco, CA · EIN 81-3588323. Reported 417 grants totalling $29.2M to 173 recipients across tax years 2021-2024. This foundation told the IRS it does not accept unsolicited requests: it contributes only to organizations it selects itself.
Does this foundation accept applications?
No -- on its own tax return. Form 990-PF asks every private foundation to check a box if it "only makes contributions to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds". Kelson Foundation checked it on its most recent filing, as 78% of the 91,758 foundations in our data that made a grant and answered did. An unsolicited request is unlikely to go anywhere.
Organizations it funds that make grants of their own
4 of the organizations Kelson Foundation funded make grants themselves, and it reported 9 grants totalling $446,000 to them. That is 2% of the $22.6M of its giving we could match to a registered organization. Each is classified by the IRS as a philanthropy or grantmaking organization, reported grants to at least 25 organizations of its own, and has at least 10 funders behind it.
All of them file Form 990, which never asks whether an organization funds only groups it picks, so there is no answer on record either way.
What that does not mean. It does not mean an application to any of them reaches this foundation's money. A private foundation's grant to a community foundation or a federated campaign is often a donor-advised fund or a gift designated for a purpose the foundation chose, and has nothing to do with any open programme the receiving organization runs. Its return's purpose text sometimes names a family fund or a designated purpose, which is the plainest case of money no applicant can reach; where it names none, neither return says which. The list is who this foundation paid that also makes grants. Whether any of them would fund you is a question for its own page.
| Grantmaker | Kind | State | Received | Grants | Years | Last | Only funds organizations it picks? |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Community Initiatives | grantmaking organization | California | $385,000 | 6 | 4 | 2024 | Its form does not ask |
| North Valley Community Foundation | community foundation | California | $50,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 | Its form does not ask |
| Montana Community Foundation Inc | community foundation | Montana | $10,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 | Its form does not ask |
| The San Francisco Foundation | grantmaking organization | California | $1,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 | Its form does not ask |
A floor, not a full list. A grantmaker appears here only where this foundation's return named it clearly enough for us to match the name to an EIN, which we manage for about two thirds of 990-PF grant rows, and only where that grantmaker has a page on this site. There may be more. Dollars here are summed by EIN across every spelling on its returns, so a figure can differ from the matching row in the full list below, which groups names as written. And the IRS classification cannot tell a grantmaker from a funders' association or a donor-advised fund sponsor, so a payment to one of these may be dues or an account rather than support for a grants programme.
How big are its grants?
The median grant is $25,000. Half of everything it gave fell between $10,000 and $100,000; the smallest was $1,000 and the largest $1,000,000.
Every organization it funded
This is the complete list from its filings, largest first. Recipients are grouped by name and state as they were written on the returns, so an organization entered under two different names appears twice. Years funded is the number of separate tax years in which that name received money.
| Organization | Location | Total received | Grants | Years funded | Last |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Middlebury College | Middlebury, VT | $3,200,000 | 5 | 4 | 2024 |
| Amalgamated Charitable Foundation | Washington, DC | $1,500,000 | 2 | 2 | 2024 |
| New Venture Fund | Washington, DC | $1,250,000 | 4 | 3 | 2023 |
| Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights of the San Francisco Bay Area | San Francisco, CA | $850,000 | 3 | 3 | 2023 |
| Neo Philanthropy Inc | New York, NY | $700,000 | 6 | 3 | 2024 |
| Youth Employment Partnership Inc | Oakland, CA | $700,000 | 4 | 4 | 2024 |
| Rhode Island School of Design | Providence, RI | $620,000 | 4 | 3 | 2023 |
| Sierra Buttes Trail Stewardship | Quincy, CA | $560,000 | 4 | 4 | 2024 |
| Brady Center to Prevent Gun Violence | Washington, DC | $550,000 | 2 | 2 | 2024 |
| East Bay Community Law Center | Berkeley, CA | $550,000 | 3 | 2 | 2022 |
| George Washington University | Washington, DC | $500,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Protect Democracy Project | Washington, DC | $500,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Representwomen Inc | Silver Spring, MD | $500,000 | 2 | 2 | 2024 |
| The Nature Conservancy | San Francisco, CA | $500,000 | 2 | 2 | 2022 |
| Transportation Alternatives Inc | New York, NY | $500,000 | 3 | 3 | 2024 |
| Community Initiatives | Oakland, CA | $385,000 | 6 | 4 | 2024 |
| Center for Furniture Craftsmanship | Rockport, ME | $375,000 | 4 | 4 | 2024 |
| Ideoorg | San Francisco, CA | $350,000 | 4 | 4 | 2024 |
| Make the Road New York | Brooklyn, NY | $350,000 | 4 | 4 | 2024 |
| Reading Partners | Oakland, CA | $350,000 | 3 | 3 | 2024 |
| Rutgers University Foundation | New Brunswick, NJ | $350,000 | 2 | 1 | 2024 |
| The Crucible | Oakland, CA | $350,000 | 4 | 4 | 2024 |
| National Interscholastic Cycling Association | Petaluma, CA | $307,500 | 10 | 3 | 2023 |
| Everytown for Gun Safety Support Fund Inc | New York, NY | $300,000 | 3 | 2 | 2023 |
| Ufw Foundation | Los Angeles, CA | $300,000 | 3 | 3 | 2023 |
| University Settlement Society of New York | New York, NY | $300,000 | 2 | 2 | 2022 |
| Vote Mama Foundation Inc | Amityville, NY | $300,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Vote Run Lead | Hartsdale, NY | $300,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Anti-Defamation League | New York, NY | $250,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Cornell University | Ithaca, NY | $250,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| President and Fellows of Harvard College | Cambridge, MA | $250,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Homeless Prenatal Program | San Francisco, CA | $210,000 | 2 | 2 | 2022 |
| American Civil Liberties Union Foundation Inc | New York, NY | $200,000 | 2 | 2 | 2023 |
| Educators for Excellence | New York, NY | $200,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Learning Policy Institute | Palo Alto, CA | $200,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Native American Health Center Inc | Oakland, CA | $200,000 | 2 | 2 | 2022 |
| New Venture Fund | Burbank, CA | $200,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Panorama Global | Seattle, WA | $200,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Public Counsel | Los Angeles, CA | $200,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Teach Plus Incorporated | Boston, MA | $200,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Texas Organizing Project Education Fund | San Antonio, TX | $200,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| The Alameda County Community Food Bank Inc | Oakland, CA | $200,000 | 2 | 2 | 2022 |
| The Education Trust | Washington, DC | $200,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Truckee Dirt Union | Truckee, CA | $200,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| University of Washington | Seattle, WA | $200,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Youth Radio | Oakland, CA | $200,000 | 2 | 2 | 2022 |
| City and County of San Francisco Public Defenders Office | San Francisco, CA | $190,000 | 2 | 2 | 2022 |
| Center for Democracy and Technology | Washington, DC | $187,500 | 3 | 2 | 2023 |
| Prx Incorporated | Cambridge, MA | $180,000 | 4 | 4 | 2024 |
| Way to Rise | Washington, DC | $162,500 | 2 | 1 | 2023 |
| Outdoor Afro | Oakland, CA | $160,000 | 4 | 4 | 2024 |
| The Exploratorium | San Francisco, CA | $160,000 | 4 | 4 | 2024 |
| World Bicycle Relief | Chicago, IL | $160,000 | 4 | 4 | 2024 |
| California Trails Foundation | Forestville, CA | $150,000 | 2 | 2 | 2024 |
| Center for Civic Design | Cambridge, MD | $150,000 | 2 | 2 | 2023 |
| Centro Legal De La Raza Inc | Oakland, CA | $150,000 | 2 | 2 | 2022 |
| Giffords Law Center to Prevent Gun Violence | San Francisco, CA | $150,000 | 3 | 3 | 2023 |
| Girls Garage | Berkeley, CA | $150,000 | 3 | 3 | 2024 |
| Running Start | Washington, DC | $150,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| San Francisco Food Bank | San Francisco, CA | $150,000 | 3 | 3 | 2023 |
| Southern Poverty Law Center Inc | Montgomery, AL | $150,000 | 2 | 2 | 2022 |
| Tahoe Food Hub | Truckee, CA | $135,000 | 4 | 3 | 2023 |
| Hamilton Families | San Francisco, CA | $126,000 | 4 | 4 | 2024 |
| Oficina Legal Del Pueblo Unido Inc Dba Texas Civil Rights Project | Austin, TX | $125,000 | 3 | 3 | 2023 |
| Democracy Works | Brooklyn, NY | $106,500 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| 826 Valencia | San Francisco, CA | $100,000 | 2 | 2 | 2022 |
| Airbnb Org Inc | San Francisco, CA | $100,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| American National Red Cross | San Francisco, CA | $100,000 | 3 | 3 | 2023 |
| Borealis Philanthropy | Minneapolis, MN | $100,000 | 4 | 2 | 2022 |
| Bvm Capacity Building Institute | Atlanta, GA | $100,000 | 4 | 2 | 2022 |
| BYP100 Education Fund | Chicago, IL | $100,000 | 4 | 2 | 2022 |
| Canal Alliance | San Rafael, CA | $100,000 | 2 | 2 | 2022 |
| Chinese Progressive Association | San Francisco, CA | $100,000 | 4 | 2 | 2022 |
| Civicorps | Oakland, CA | $100,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Collective Impact | San Francisco, CA | $100,000 | 2 | 2 | 2022 |
| Common Counsel Foundation | Oakland, CA | $100,000 | 4 | 2 | 2022 |
| Foodcorps | Portland, OR | $100,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Givethx | Greenbrae, CA | $100,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Highlander Research and Education Center | New Market, TN | $100,000 | 4 | 2 | 2022 |
| Illuminate the Arts | San Francisco, CA | $100,000 | 4 | 3 | 2023 |
| Jewish Community Center of San Francisco | San Francisco, CA | $100,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Kqed Inc | San Francisco, CA | $100,000 | 2 | 2 | 2022 |
| North Bay Organizing Project | Graton, CA | $100,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Samaritan Neighborhood Center | Oakland, CA | $100,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| San Francisco Public Health Foundation | San Francisco, CA | $100,000 | 2 | 2 | 2022 |
| St Mary's Center | Oakland, CA | $100,000 | 2 | 2 | 2022 |
| State Voices | Washington, DC | $100,000 | 4 | 2 | 2022 |
| The Praxis Project Inc | Oakland, CA | $100,000 | 4 | 2 | 2022 |
| Tides Center | San Francisco, CA | $100,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Transgender Law Center | Oakland, CA | $100,000 | 4 | 2 | 2022 |
| Woonasquatucket River Watershed Council | Providence, RI | $100,000 | 2 | 2 | 2022 |
| Healthright 360 | San Francisco, CA | $95,000 | 4 | 4 | 2024 |
| Be Good Foundation Inc | Ketchum, ID | $88,750 | 4 | 4 | 2024 |
| East Bay Children's Law Offices Incorporated | Oakland, CA | $80,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Soma West Community Benefit District | San Francisco, CA | $80,000 | 4 | 4 | 2024 |
| Asian American Federation | New York, NY | $75,000 | 2 | 2 | 2022 |
| Eames Institute | Petaluma, CA | $75,000 | 3 | 3 | 2023 |
| Kelly S Brush Foundation | Burlington, VT | $75,000 | 3 | 3 | 2024 |
| Minnesota Street Project Foundation | San Francisco, CA | $75,000 | 3 | 3 | 2023 |
| Museum of the African Diaspora (moad) | San Francisco, CA | $75,000 | 3 | 3 | 2023 |
| Board of Trustees of the Glide Foundation | San Francisco, CA | $70,000 | 3 | 3 | 2023 |
| Corporation of the Fine Arts Museums | San Francisco, CA | $60,000 | 4 | 4 | 2024 |
| International Mountain Bicycling Association | Boulder, CO | $60,000 | 3 | 3 | 2023 |
| Marin Agricultural Land Trust | Pt Reyes Station, CA | $60,000 | 4 | 4 | 2024 |
| National Public Radio Inc | Baltimore, MD | $60,000 | 4 | 4 | 2024 |
| Northern California High School Cycling League | Petaluma, CA | $60,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| San Francisco Free Clinic | San Francisco, CA | $60,000 | 2 | 2 | 2022 |
| Donorschoose Org | New York, NY | $50,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| For the People | Oakland, CA | $50,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Fund for Public Education | Jackson, WY | $50,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Giffords Law Center to Prevent Gun Violence | Washinton, DC | $50,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Legal Services for Children Inc | San Francisco, CA | $50,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Medecins Sans Frontiers USA Inc (doctors Without Borders - Usa) | New York, NY | $50,000 | 2 | 2 | 2022 |
| National Philanthropic Trust | Jenkintown, PA | $50,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| North Valley Community Foundation | Chico, CA | $50,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Project H Design Dba Girls Garage | Berkeley, CA | $50,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Room to Read | San Francisco, CA | $50,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| The Nea Foundation | Washington, DC | $50,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Museum of Craft and Design | San Francisco, CA | $40,000 | 4 | 4 | 2024 |
| New York Public Radio | New York, NY | $40,000 | 2 | 2 | 2022 |
| Bolinas Volunteer Firefighters Association Inc | Bolinas, CA | $35,000 | 3 | 3 | 2023 |
| Marin County Bicycle Coalition | Fairfax, CA | $35,000 | 4 | 4 | 2024 |
| San Francisco Bicycle Coalition Education Fund | San Francisco, CA | $35,000 | 4 | 4 | 2024 |
| American Alpine Club | Golden, CO | $30,000 | 3 | 3 | 2023 |
| American Precision Museum Association | Windsor, VT | $30,000 | 3 | 3 | 2023 |
| Concerned Off-Road Bicyclists Assoc | Los Angeles, CA | $30,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| French American International School | San Francisco, CA | $30,000 | 3 | 3 | 2023 |
| Kalw Public Media Inc | San Francisco, CA | $30,000 | 3 | 3 | 2023 |
| Petersen Automotive Museum Foundation | Los Angeles, CA | $30,000 | 3 | 3 | 2023 |
| The Owls Head Transportation Museum | Owls Head, ME | $30,000 | 3 | 3 | 2023 |
| San Francisco Parks Alliance | San Francisco, CA | $29,000 | 6 | 3 | 2023 |
| Call of the Sea | Sausalito, CA | $25,000 | 4 | 4 | 2024 |
| Corba-Concerned Off Road Bicyclists Assoc | Los Angeles, CA | $25,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Glide Foundation | San Francisco, CA | $25,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Humanitarian Social Innovations | Bethlehem, PA | $25,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Medecins Sans Frontiers USA Inc | New York, NY | $25,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| San Francisco Museum of Modern Art | San Francisco, CA | $25,000 | 4 | 4 | 2024 |
| Friends of Alta Inc | Alta, UT | $20,000 | 4 | 4 | 2024 |
| Friends of China Camp Inc | San Rafael, CA | $20,000 | 4 | 4 | 2024 |
| Santa Cruz Mountains Trail Stewardship | Santa Cruz, CA | $20,000 | 2 | 2 | 2023 |
| Save the Redwoods League | San Francisco, CA | $20,000 | 3 | 3 | 2023 |
| Sierra Avalanche Center | Truckee, CA | $20,000 | 4 | 4 | 2024 |
| Smithsonian Institute | New York, NY | $20,000 | 3 | 3 | 2023 |
| Ucsf Foundation | San Francisco, CA | $20,000 | 4 | 4 | 2024 |
| Bay Area Scores | San Francisco, CA | $15,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| California Academy of Sciences | San Francisco, CA | $15,000 | 3 | 3 | 2023 |
| The David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust USA Inc | Laguna Hills, CA | $15,000 | 3 | 3 | 2023 |
| New England Mountain Bike Association Inc | Acton, MA | $14,000 | 3 | 3 | 2023 |
| Vermont Mountain Bike Advocate Inc | South Burlington, VT | $14,000 | 3 | 3 | 2023 |
| Bolinas Community Land Trust Inc | Bolinas, CA | $11,000 | 2 | 2 | 2023 |
| Challenged Athletes Inc | San Diego, CA | $10,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Crisis Intervention Services Dba Sierra Community House | Kings Beach, CA | $10,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Montana Community Foundation Inc | Helena, MT | $10,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Mountain Bikers of Santa Cruz | Santa Cruz, CA | $10,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Rising Sun Center for Opportunity | Oakland, CA | $10,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| San Francisco Arts Education Project | San Francisco, CA | $10,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| The Andrew K Dwyer Foundation | Bedford, NY | $10,000 | 2 | 2 | 2024 |
| The United Council of Human Services | San Francisco, CA | $10,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Water Org Inc | Kansas City, MO | $10,000 | 2 | 2 | 2022 |
| Bolinas Museum | Bolinas, CA | $7,000 | 3 | 3 | 2023 |
| City of Dreams | San Francisco, CA | $5,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Millinocket Memorial Library | Millinocket, ME | $5,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| New World Symphony | Miami Beach, FL | $5,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Sf Parks Alliance | San Francisco, CA | $5,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Marin Museum of Bicycling | Fairfax, CA | $4,000 | 4 | 4 | 2024 |
| Alive & Free | San Francisco, CA | $1,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Cultura Y Arte Nativa De Las Americas | San Francisco, CA | $1,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Mission Asset Fund | San Francisco, CA | $1,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Mission Economic Development Agency | San Francisco, CA | $1,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Rubicon Programs Incorporated | Richmond, CA | $1,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| San Francisco Foundation | San Francisco, CA | $1,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Spanish-Speaking Unity Council of Alameda County Inc | Oakland, CA | $1,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| YMCA of San Francisco | San Francisco, CA | $1,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
107 of 173 (62%) received money in more than one year over the 4 years we hold.
Measured the way we measure every foundation -- what share of one year's grantees are funded again the next -- this one retains 63%, across 3 year-to-year transitions. The median foundation retains about 67%, so this one is about typical. This measures how often it paid the same organizations again. It says nothing about whether it would consider a new one, and this foundation told the IRS it does not.
What the money was for
Taken verbatim from the purpose field of its filings. This is the closest thing to a statement of what this foundation cares about, in its own words.
- Amalgamated Charitable Foundation
DEMOCRACY FRONTLINES FUND - Middlebury College
THE ELIZABETH HACKETT ROBINSON '84 INNOVATION HUB ENDOWED FUND - New Venture Fund
GENERAL SUPPORT FOR INSTITUTE FOR RESPONSIVE GOVERNMENT - George Washington University
GENERAL SUPPORT TO GW SCHOOL OF LAW MULTI-RACIAL DEMOCRACY PROJECT - Neo Philanthropy Inc
GENERAL SUPPORT TO MORE EQUITABLE DEMOCRACY - Cornell University
GENERAL SUPPORT TO MGGG REDISTRICTING LAB
What kind of organizations it funds
By the activity category the IRS assigns each recipient, for the 328 grants where we could match the recipient to a registered organization. The categories are the IRS's. The match, made from the name and address on the return, is ours.
Giving by year
| Tax year | Grants | Total | Median grant |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 137 | $5,733,000 | $25,000 |
| 2022 | 119 | $6,524,250 | $25,000 |
| 2023 | 96 | $8,700,000 | $47,500 |
| 2024 | 65 | $8,218,500 | $50,000 |
Tax years, not calendar years, and the most recent year is usually incomplete -- filings arrive about a year late, so a low final year means late paperwork rather than a foundation winding down.
Already committed for future years
Form 990-PF has a separate schedule for grants approved but not yet paid. Kelson Foundation has 6 of them, worth $4,905,000. This is the one part of the filing that looks forward rather than back.
| Organization | Location | Approved |
|---|---|---|
| Middlebury College | Middlebury, VT | $4,000,000 |
| Sierra Buttes Trail Stewardship | Quincy, CA | $500,000 |
| The Nature Conservancy | San Francisco, CA | $250,000 |
| Ufw Foundation | Los Angeles, CA | $100,000 |
| Room to Read | San Francisco, CA | $50,000 |
| The Andrew K Dwyer Foundation | Bedford, NY | $5,000 |
Where its money goes
41% of its giving went to organizations in California.
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Funders that support the same organizations
These funders gave to organizations this one also funded -- some private foundations, some community foundations and other grantmaking charities. Shared grantees are a sign of overlapping priorities and nothing more. Unlike this foundation, none of them is on record as funding only organizations it picks, and each page says what its filings show.
Related guides
Where these numbers come from
Everything above is taken from Kelson Foundation's own Form 990-PF filings, which the IRS publishes in bulk. We used 4 returns (tax years 2021-2024). Grant figures are from its returns. Matching recipients to registered organizations, their IRS classifications, the retention rate and the funders that support the same organizations are our own calculations, described in how we build this.
Address of record on the latest return: 1660 Bush St Suite 300, San Francisco, CA, 94109. This is the address the foundation gave the IRS.
EIN 81-3588323 · See the original filings on ProPublica · How we build this
Is something here wrong about your foundation? Email [email protected] and we will correct it.