Grant Guidelines

While the Foundation reserves the right to make exceptions, it has adopted the following criteria as a guide to making grants:

1. All grants will be awarded on a non-discriminatory basis.
2. Grants will be made only for programs in five Bay Area counties: Alameda, Contra Costa, Marin, San Francisco, and San Mateo.
3. Grants will be made only to 501(c)(3) qualified charitable corporations.
4. Grants will be made only to organizations which have at least a three-year record of activity.
5. Grants will be made only for a single fiscal year (i.e., no multi-year grants).
6. No commitments will be made for consecutive or future year's grants.
7. Grants will not be made to any grantee for more than three successive years.
8. Grants will not be made to organizations which themselves mainly distribute grants to other organizations.
9. Grants will not be made for essentially artistic or aesthetic programs.
10. Grants will not be made to support or sponsor events or activities such as receptions, banquets, displays, shows, or other similar programs.
11. Requests for grants by national or regional organizations are disfavored, but may be considered for programs centered in one or more of the five Bay Area counties.
12. Requests for grants to fund positions for which the source of future funding is not apparent will be disfavored.
13. Requests for grants for programs where the Foundation is the sole or principal source of funding will be disfavored.
14. Requests for grants for capital expenditures are generally disfavored but will be considered in special situations.