Grantseekers
Grantmaking at The San Francisco Foundation is strategic and responsive to the changing needs of the region: we reinforce communities through the thousands of grantees we support. By choosing only nonprofit organizations with exemplary records and promise for strengthening the Bay Area, we strive to make a greater impact, together.
Priorities and Strategies
We encourage you to learn about our priorities and strategies. These areas of focus are both for the near term in response to the economic downturn, and for the longer term to enhance our impact in community.
We support the Bay Area region through grants in Alameda, Contra Costa, Marin, San Francisco, and San Mateo Counties. Our approach to grantmaking values the inherent strengths of local residents and their communities and looks for systemic solutions.
The Foundation serves communities traditionally excluded from positions of power and access to resources. We invest in the region’s anchor organizations as well as supporting and building on innovative new efforts.
Applications
The San Francisco Foundation has a variety of special projects, mini-grant programs, and initiatives that may issue Requests for Proposals (RFPs) or invite proposals at different times of the year. These grantmaking efforts are narrowly tailored to promote change around a particular issue or geographic area. RFPs are released and publicized periodically through our website and through targeted communications. We encourage all interested organizations to visit our Program Area pages periodically for RFP notices, and to learn more about applying for a grant from The San Francisco Foundation.
Program Areas
The San Francisco Foundation welcomes unsolicited applications in five program areas once a year. Applications are evaluated for alignment with the Foundation’s strategic goals and objectives listed below:
- Arts and Culture Program
- Community Development Program
- Community Health Program
- Education Program
- Environment Program