The Nicholson Family Foundation
Petaluma, CA · EIN 77-0444787. Reported 237 grants totalling $1,645,270 to 125 recipients across tax years 2021-2025. This foundation did not tell the IRS it funds only preselected organizations.
Does this foundation accept applications?
Yes -- on its own tax return. Form 990-PF asks every private foundation whether it makes grants only to organizations it selects itself. Of the 91,758 foundations in our data that made a grant and answered, 78% said yes -- and applying to those is wasted effort. The Nicholson Family Foundation did not check that box on its most recent filing, which puts it in the minority that is at least open to being approached.
How big are its grants?
The median grant is $5,000. Half of everything it gave fell between $5,000 and $10,000; the smallest was $670 and the largest $70,000. If you are asking for materially more than the top of that range, you are asking the wrong foundation.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| George Mark Children's House | San Leandro, CA | $245,000 | 5 | 5 | 2025 |
| Vista Center for the Blind | Palo Alto, CA | $40,000 | 5 | 5 | 2025 |
| Artogether | Oakland, CA | $32,500 | 4 | 4 | 2025 |
| Berkeley Arts Center | Berkeley, CA | $30,000 | 3 | 3 | 2023 |
| Beyond Emancipation | Oakland, CA | $30,000 | 3 | 3 | 2024 |
| Camping Unlimited | Boulder Creek, CA | $30,000 | 3 | 3 | 2025 |
| Digital Nest | Watsonville, CA | $30,000 | 3 | 3 | 2024 |
| First Graduate | San Francisco, CA | $30,000 | 4 | 4 | 2025 |
| Hospice of Santa Cruz | Scotts Valley, CA | $30,000 | 3 | 3 | 2025 |
| Leap Arts in Education | San Francisco, CA | $30,000 | 3 | 3 | 2023 |
| Music in Schools Today | San Francisco, CA | $30,000 | 3 | 3 | 2023 |
| Oakland Leaf | Oakland, CA | $30,000 | 3 | 3 | 2024 |
| Pajaro Valley Arts | Watsonville, CA | $30,000 | 3 | 3 | 2023 |
| San Francisco Youth Theatre | San Francisco, CA | $30,000 | 4 | 4 | 2025 |
| Shine Together | Milpitas, CA | $30,000 | 3 | 3 | 2024 |
| Survivors Healing Center | Santa Cruz, CA | $30,000 | 3 | 3 | 2025 |
| Teen Kitchen Project | Soquel, CA | $30,000 | 4 | 4 | 2025 |
| Judicial District VII CASA Program | Idaho Falls, ID | $25,000 | 5 | 5 | 2025 |
| New Life Center | Goodyear, AZ | $25,000 | 5 | 5 | 2025 |
| Be a Mentor Inc | Hayward, CA | $20,000 | 3 | 3 | 2025 |
| Coastal Kids Home Care | Salinas, CA | $20,000 | 2 | 2 | 2022 |
| Food What | Santa Cruz, CA | $20,000 | 3 | 3 | 2024 |
| Hack the Hood | Oakland, CA | $20,000 | 3 | 3 | 2025 |
| My New Red Shoes | Redwood City, CA | $20,000 | 2 | 2 | 2022 |
| Oasis for Girls | San Francisco, CA | $20,000 | 2 | 2 | 2022 |
| Performing Arts Workshop | San Francisco, CA | $20,000 | 2 | 2 | 2025 |
| Project Commotion | San Francisco, CA | $20,000 | 4 | 4 | 2025 |
| Zaccho Dance Theatre | San Francisco, CA | $20,000 | 4 | 4 | 2025 |
| Destiny Arts Center | Oakland, CA | $15,000 | 3 | 3 | 2024 |
| Diversity Center of Santa Cruz | Santa Cruz, CA | $15,000 | 3 | 3 | 2024 |
| Down Syndrome Connection | Danville, CA | $15,000 | 2 | 2 | 2023 |
| Golden Gate Performing Arts | San Francisco, CA | $15,000 | 3 | 3 | 2025 |
| O'neill Sea Odyssey | Santa Cruz, CA | $15,000 | 2 | 2 | 2023 |
| Tides Center Oasis for Girls First Exposures | San Francisco, CA | $15,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Ultimate Impact | Oakland, CA | $15,000 | 2 | 2 | 2025 |
| Building for Generations | Santa Cruz, CA | $13,100 | 2 | 2 | 2022 |
| Aspire Education | Oakland, CA | $10,000 | 2 | 2 | 2025 |
| Berkeley Art Center | Berkeley, CA | $10,000 | 1 | 1 | 2025 |
| Cantare Con Vivo | Oakland, CA | $10,000 | 2 | 2 | 2023 |
| Children Rising | Oakland, CA | $10,000 | 2 | 2 | 2025 |
| Coastal Watershed Council | Santa Cruz, CA | $10,000 | 2 | 2 | 2025 |
| Cycles of Change | Oakland, CA | $10,000 | 2 | 2 | 2022 |
| Farm Discovery at Live Earth | Watsonville, CA | $10,000 | 2 | 2 | 2025 |
| Fit Kids Foundation | Menlo Park, CA | $10,000 | 2 | 2 | 2024 |
| Foodwise | San Francisco, CA | $10,000 | 2 | 2 | 2024 |
| Girl Ventures | Oakland, CA | $10,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Hospice of Santa Cruz County | Scotts Valley, CA | $10,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Jacob's Heart | Watsonville, CA | $10,000 | 2 | 2 | 2024 |
| Mission Bit | San Francisco, CA | $10,000 | 2 | 2 | 2025 |
| Old Skool Cafe | San Francisco, CA | $10,000 | 2 | 2 | 2023 |
| Pajaro Valley Loaves and Fishes | Watsonville, CA | $10,000 | 5 | 5 | 2025 |
| Partnership for Children | Salinas, CA | $10,000 | 2 | 2 | 2024 |
| Piedmont Community Church | Piedmont, CA | $10,000 | 5 | 5 | 2025 |
| San Francisco Mime Troupe | San Francisco, CA | $10,000 | 1 | 1 | 2025 |
| Second Harvest Food Bank | Watsonville, CA | $10,000 | 5 | 5 | 2025 |
| Teen Success Inc | Milpitas, CA | $10,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Tides Center First Exposures | San Francisco, CA | $10,000 | 1 | 1 | 2025 |
| Trips for Kids Bay Area | San Rafael, CA | $10,000 | 2 | 2 | 2024 |
| United Roots | Oakland, CA | $10,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Valley Churches United | Ben Lomond, CA | $10,000 | 5 | 5 | 2025 |
| Young Audiences of Northern California | San Francisco, CA | $10,000 | 2 | 2 | 2025 |
| 1 Grain to 1000 Grains | Menlo Park, CA | $7,500 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| High Fives Foundation | Truckee, CA | $6,000 | 3 | 3 | 2025 |
| Ala Costa Centers | Berkeley, CA | $5,000 | 1 | 1 | 2025 |
| Alive | Castro Valley, CA | $5,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Animal Assisted Happiness Inc | Sunnyvale, CA | $5,000 | 1 | 1 | 2025 |
| Arts Council Santa Cruz | Santa Cruz, CA | $5,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Bay Area Wilderness Training | Berkeley, CA | $5,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Baycat | San Francisco, CA | $5,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Both Sides of the Conversation | San Francisco, CA | $5,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Boys & Girls Club Coastside | Half Moon Bay, CA | $5,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Branciforte Middle School | Santa Cruz, CA | $5,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Cabrillo Festival of Contemporary Music | Santa Cruz, CA | $5,000 | 1 | 1 | 2025 |
| CASA of Santa Cruz County | Watsonville, CA | $5,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Catalyst Youth Network | Oakland, CA | $5,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| City Surf Project | San Francisco, CA | $5,000 | 1 | 1 | 2025 |
| Community Music Center | San Francisco, CA | $5,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Community Resources for Science | Berkeley, CA | $5,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Cutting Ball Theater | San Francisco, CA | $5,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Dientes Community Dental | Santa Cruz, CA | $5,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Elevate Tutoring | Mountain View, CA | $5,000 | 1 | 1 | 2025 |
| Endwell Foundation | Healdsburg, CA | $5,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Environmental Traveling Compainions | San Francisco, CA | $5,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Environmental Traveling Companions | San Francisco, CA | $5,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Family Connections Centers | San Francisco, CA | $5,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| First Exposures | San Francisco, CA | $5,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Foodwhat Inc | Santa Cruz, CA | $5,000 | 1 | 1 | 2025 |
| Girlventures | Oakland, CA | $5,000 | 1 | 1 | 2025 |
| Hip Hop for Change Inc | Oakland, CA | $5,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Jw House | Ste San Jose, CA | $5,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Kala Art Institute | Berkeley, CA | $5,000 | 1 | 1 | 2025 |
| Literacy for Environmental Justice | San Francisco, CA | $5,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Loved Twice | Oakland, CA | $5,000 | 1 | 1 | 2025 |
| Magic Theatre | San Francisco, CA | $5,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Mindful Life Project | Richmond, CA | $5,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Monterey Bay Nat'l Marine Sanctuary | Monterey, CA | $5,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Musically Minded Academy | Oakland, CA | $5,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| National Center for Pediatric Pallative Care Homes | Scottsdale, AZ | $5,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Oakland Children's Fairyland | Oakland, CA | $5,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Oakland Elizabeth House | Oakland, CA | $5,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Oakland Public Education Fund | Ste Oakland, CA | $5,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Pajaro Valley Shelter Services | Watsonville, CA | $5,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Prescott Circus Theatre | Oakland, CA | $5,000 | 1 | 1 | 2025 |
| Put Me in | San Francisco, CA | $5,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Radical Monarchs | San Francisco, CA | $5,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Safe Families for Children of Monterey Bay | Santa Cruz, CA | $5,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| San Francisco Children's Art Center | San Francisco, CA | $5,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| San Francisco Gay Mens Chorus | San Francisco, CA | $5,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Santa Cruz Museum of Art & History | Santa Cruz, CA | $5,000 | 1 | 1 | 2025 |
| Shipyard Trust for the Arts | San Francisco, CA | $5,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Skills of Life Cafe | Capitola, CA | $5,000 | 1 | 1 | 2025 |
| Students Making a Change | San Francisco, CA | $5,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Sustainability and Community Health Initiative | Sunnyvale, CA | $5,000 | 1 | 1 | 2025 |
| The Reach Foundation | Palo Alto, CA | $5,000 | 1 | 1 | 2025 |
| Triumph Educational Center | Oakland, CA | $5,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Unchained | Soquel, CA | $5,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Voice of Witness | San Francisco, CA | $5,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Volunteer Center of Santa Cruz County Watsonville Volunteer Center | Santa Cruz, CA | $5,000 | 3 | 3 | 2023 |
| Wildmind | Half Moon Bay, CA | $5,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Young Steamers | Fremont, CA | $5,000 | 1 | 1 | 2025 |
| Volunteer Center of Santa Cruz County | Santa Cruz, CA | $4,000 | 2 | 2 | 2025 |
| Pacifica Resource Center | Pacifica, CA | $3,000 | 2 | 2 | 2022 |
| World Central Kitchen Inc | Washington, DC | $2,500 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Independent Arts & Media | San Francisco, CA | $1,000 | 1 | 1 | 2025 |
| Exponent Philanthropy | Washington, DC | $670 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
57 of 125 (46%) received money in more than one year over the 5 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 50%, across 4 year-to-year transitions. The median foundation retains about 67%, so this one is less consistent than most. This measures how often it paid the same organizations again. It says nothing about whether it would consider a new one.
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.
- George Mark Children's House
GENERAL OPERATING EXPENSES. PEDIATRIC HOSPICE. - Tides Center Oasis for Girls First Exposures
GENERAL OPERATING EXPENSES. OASIS FOR GIRLS $5,000. FIRST EXPOSURES MULTI-YEAR GRANT $10,000. YOUTH SOCIAL & ARTS LEADERSHIP PROGRAMS. - Berkeley Arts Center
GENERAL OPERATING EXPENSES. MULTI-YEAR GRANT. ARTS PROGRAMS. - Beyond Emancipation
GENERAL OPERATING EXPENSES. MULTI-YEAR GRANT. SUPPORTIVE PROGRAM FOR TRANSITIONING FROM FOSTER CARE YOUTH. - Camping Unlimited
GENERAL OPERATING EXPENSES. MULTI-YEAR GRANT. SOCIAL ENRICHMENT FOR DISABLED YOUTH. - Digital Nest
GENERAL OPERATING EXPENSES. MULTI-YEAR GRANT. ARTS & EDUCATION PROGRAMS.
What kind of organizations it funds
By the activity category the IRS assigns each recipient, for the 169 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 | 47 | $346,550 | $5,000 |
| 2022 | 48 | $326,050 | $5,000 |
| 2023 | 48 | $322,670 | $5,000 |
| 2024 | 45 | $337,000 | $5,000 |
| 2025 | 49 | $313,000 | $5,000 |
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.
Where its money goes
96% of its giving went to organizations in California. If your organization is based elsewhere, look in the recipient list for grants to your area before writing.
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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: they do not show that any of these funders would consider a new organization. Each page says what its filings show.
How to approach this foundation
- Check you are its size. The median grant is $5,000. A request many times that size asks for something it has rarely or never given.
- Check you are in its geography. Its giving is concentrated in California.
- Read the recipient list above for organizations like yours. If nothing on it resembles your work, that is a real answer, and a cheap one to get.
- Look up the current filing before writing. The 990-PF names the foundation's officers and, where one exists, its application procedure. We link it below.
Related guides
Where these numbers come from
Everything above is taken from The Nicholson Family Foundation's own Form 990-PF filings, which the IRS publishes in bulk. We used 5 returns (tax years 2021-2025). 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: 120-4TH St Pmb 2775, Petaluma, CA, 94953. This is the address the foundation gave the IRS; many small foundations file through an accountant or a bank trust department, so it may not be where post to a programme officer should go.
EIN 77-0444787 · See the original filings on ProPublica · How we build this
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