The 5 Ryan Foundation concentrates philanthropic support in the San Francisco Bay Area, favoring organizations that provide public green-space stewardship and youth-serving programs. Recent grants show a twin emphasis on botanical/park institutions and youth development through sports and education, with examples including repeat support to a youth soccer program and large gifts to major San Francisco gardens. The foundation gives relatively few, sizable grants to place-based organizations that combine community access, education, and outdoor or recreational programming.
5 Ryan Foundation’s recent giving is defined by a two-track pattern: support for San Francisco Bay Area public gardens and park stewardship, and recurring funding for youth-serving organizations that use sport or education to support access and integration. The largest recent grants in the record went to San Francisco Botanical Garden and Gardens of Golden Gate Park, each at $50,000, signaling sustained backing for place-based green-space institutions in San Francisco. Alongside that environmental emphasis, the foundation has repeatedly supported Soccer Without Borders, a youth soccer organization that received $30,000 in both 2023 and 2024, and Rivet School, which was awarded $30,000 in 2023 and $20,000 in 2024. That combination suggests a funder interested in community-serving organizations with clear educational or recreational roles rather than broad, sector-wide philanthropy. The grant list also includes support for science, family services, and scholarship recipients, but the strongest pattern is a relatively concentrated set of grants to organizations tied to public access, youth development, and Bay Area civic life.
Environmental and botanical work is a central lane for 5 Ryan Foundation. In 2023, the foundation gave $50,000 to San Francisco Botanical Garden for general support, and in 2024 it gave $50,000 to Gardens of Golden Gate Park for general support. It also supported California Academy of Sciences with $26,000 in 2023 and $28,000 in 2024, both for general support, reinforcing a science-and-public-nature theme. Youth development appears in a separate cluster. Soccer Without Borders received $30,000 in both 2023 and 2024 for general support, while Rivet School received $30,000 in 2023 and $20,000 in 2024. The foundation also gave $25,000 to Adopt a Family of Marin in 2023 and $20,000 in 2024, showing additional interest in place-based community support.
The typical grant size is modest but not small: p25 is $1,000, median grant size is $5,000, and p75 is $8,000. The recent record shows a mix of one-time and repeated support, with several recipients appearing in consecutive years, including Soccer Without Borders, Rivet School, California Academy of Sciences, Adopt a Family of Marin, St John’s Episcopal Church Ross, Marin County Bicycle Coalition, Sweetwater Spectrum, and scholarship recipients at multiple schools. The foundation is classified as a Regular Funder and also funds individuals, with scholarships appearing in the grant list. Grants are mostly for general support, with scholarship awards as a secondary pattern.
$408K
$6M
$648K
$473K
Most grants fall between $1K and $8K, with a median of $5K.
25th Percentile
$1K
Median
$5K
75th Percentile
$8K
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Concentrated, relatively small portfolio of 4–6 larger grants per cycle focused locally; prefers multi-thousand-dollar gifts to a few organizations with some repeat funding rather than many small one-off grants.
Notable grantees: Soccer Without Borders, Gardens of Golden Gate Park, San Francisco Botanical Garden, Rivet School
Grantmaking is heavily California-centered: 69% of grants go to recipients in the foundation’s HQ state. San Francisco appears repeatedly, including San Francisco Botanical Garden, Gardens of Golden Gate Park, California Academy of Sciences, and St Ignatius College Preparatory. Other recurring Bay Area locations include Oakland, Richmond, Marin County communities such as San Rafael, Fairfax, and Ross, plus Sonoma. Outside California, the list includes Ketchum, Idaho; Honolulu, Hawaii; Bethlehem, Pennsylvania; Midland, Michigan; Cambridge, Massachusetts; and San Diego, California.
The recent record centers on San Francisco Bay Area public gardens and park stewardship, plus youth-serving organizations. Examples include San Francisco Botanical Garden and Gardens of Golden Gate Park for general support, as well as Soccer Without Borders and Rivet School for youth development and education.
Its grant size distribution is centered in the low thousands: p25 is $1,000, median grant size is $5,000, and p75 is $8,000. The record also includes larger awards such as $50,000 grants to San Francisco Botanical Garden and Gardens of Golden Gate Park.
Yes. Several recipients appear in multiple years, including Soccer Without Borders with $30,000 in both 2023 and 2024, Rivet School with $30,000 in 2023 and $20,000 in 2024, and California Academy of Sciences with $26,000 in 2023 and $28,000 in 2024.
Most grants go to California recipients, and 69% of grants are to organizations in the HQ state. San Francisco is a repeated destination, and the broader Bay Area shows up often through Oakland, Richmond, San Rafael, Fairfax, Ross, and Sonoma.
Yes. The foundation funds individuals through scholarships, including awards to St Ignatius College Preparatory, Lehigh University, The Midland Area Community Foundation, Loyola Marymount University, and Harvard Business School in the recent grant list.
2026
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2026.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| GARDENS OF GOLDEN GATE PARK | SAN FRANCISCO, CA | $60,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| CALIFORNIA ACADEMY OF SCIENCES | SAN FRANCISCO, CA | $39,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| SOCCER WITHOUT BORDERS | OAKLAND, CA | $39,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| ADOPT A FAMILY OF MARIN | SAN RAFAEL, CA | $25,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| RIVET SCHOOL | RICHMOND, CA | $25,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| MARIN COUNTY BICYCLE COALITION | FAIRFAX, CA | $24,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| ST JOHN'S EPISCOPAL CHURCH ROSS | ROSS, CA | $22,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| THE CALIFORNIA FIRE FOUNDATION | SACRAMENTO, CA | $15,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| ST IGNATIUS COLLEGE PREPARATORY | SAN FRANCISCO, CA | $12,000 | 2026 | SCHOLARSHIP |
| SWEETWATER SPECTRUM | SONOMA, CA | $12,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| THE MIDLAND AREA COMMUNITY FOUNDATION | MIDLAND, MI | $12,000 | 2026 | SCHOLARSHIP |
| LEHIGH UNIVERSITY | BETHLEHEM, PA | $12,000 | 2026 | SCHOLARSHIP |
| LOYOLA MARYMOUNT UNIVERSITY | LOS ANGELES, CA | $12,000 | 2026 | SCHOLARSHIP |
| MAKING WAVES FOUNDATION | RICHMOND, CA | $10,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| RAD CAMP | IRVINE, CA | $10,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| ROTARUN SKI CLUB INC | HAILEY, ID | $10,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| CHALLENGED ATHLETES FOUNDATION | SAN DIEGO, CA | $10,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| DENVER ZOOLOGICAL FOUNDATION | DENVER, CO | $7,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| HIGHER GROUND SUN VALLEY | KETCHUM, ID | $6,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| MARINE MAMMAL CENTER | SAUSALITO, CA | $5,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| FAR & WISE | HAILEY, ID | $5,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| NATUREBRIDGE | SAUSALITO, CA | $5,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| PASADENA HUMANE | PASADENA, CA | $5,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| CITY SURF PROJECT | SAN FRANCISCO, CA | $3,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| THE NEPHROTIC SYNDROME FOUNDATION | ALAMO, CA | $3,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| OAKLAND LACROSSE CLUB | OAKLAND, CA | $2,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| TAHOE AREA MOUNTAIN BIKING ASSOCIATION | SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, CA | $2,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| SURFRIDER FOUNDATION | SAN CLEMENTE, CA | $2,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| MARIN GARDEN CLUB | ROSS, CA | $2,000 | 2026 | SCHOLARSHIP |
| BRADY CENTER TO PREVENT GUN VIOLENCE | WASHINGTON, DC | $1,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| FRED'S TEAM MEMORIAL SLOAN KETTERING CANCER CENTER | NEW YORK, NY | $1,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| SUMMER SEARCH | OAKLAND, CA | $1,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| BLAINE COUNTY RECREATION DISTRICT | HAILEY, ID | $1,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| BELVEDERE TIBURON LANDMARKS SOCIETY | TIBURON, CA | $1,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| BRASS AVALANCHE | HOLLADAY, UT | $1,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| KETCHUMSUN VALLEY VOLUNTEER FIREFIGHTER'S ASSOCIATION | KETCHUM, ID | $1,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| MARIN COMMUNITY FOUNDATION | NOVATO, CA | $1,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| BRIDGE THE GAP COLLEGE FUND | SAUSALITO, CA | $1,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| WIKIMEDIA FOUNDATION INC | WASHINGTON, DC | $500 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| FRIENDS OF THE SAWTOOTH AVALANCHE CENTER | KETCHUM, ID | $500 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| BELVEDERE TIBURON LIBRARY FOUNDATION | TIBURON, CA | $500 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| PRESERVATION SOCIETY OF HUNTINGTON BEACH DOG BEACH | HUNTINGTON BEACH, CA | $500 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| FRIENDS OF CHINA CAMP | SAN RAFAEL, CA | $500 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| GARDENS OF GOLDEN GATE PARK | SAN FRANCISCO, CA | $60,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| SOCCER WITHOUT BORDERS | OAKLAND, CA | $37,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| CALIFORNIA ACADEMY OF SCIENCES | SAN FRANCISCO, CA | $34,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| RIVET SCHOOL | RICHMOND, CA | $24,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| ADOPT A FAMILY OF MARIN | SAN RAFAEL, CA | $24,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| ST JOHN'S EPISCOPAL CHURCH ROSS | ROSS, CA | $22,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| MARIN COUNTY BICYCLE COALITION | FAIRFAX, CA | $19,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
CALIFORNIA ACADEMY OF SCIENCES
$39,000GENERAL SUPPORT
RIVET SCHOOL
$25,000GENERAL SUPPORT
GENERAL SUPPORT
ST JOHN'S EPISCOPAL CHURCH ROSS
$22,000GENERAL SUPPORT
ST IGNATIUS COLLEGE PREPARATORY
$12,000SCHOLARSHIP
MAKING WAVES FOUNDATION
$10,000GENERAL SUPPORT
RAD CAMP
$10,000GENERAL SUPPORT
ROTARUN SKI CLUB INC
$10,000GENERAL SUPPORT
PASADENA HUMANE
$5,000GENERAL SUPPORT
THE NEPHROTIC SYNDROME FOUNDATION
$3,000GENERAL SUPPORT
SURFRIDER FOUNDATION
$2,000GENERAL SUPPORT
MARIN GARDEN CLUB
$2,000SCHOLARSHIP
FRED'S TEAM MEMORIAL SLOAN KETTERING CANCER CENTER
$1,000GENERAL SUPPORT
BLAINE COUNTY RECREATION DISTRICT
$1,000GENERAL SUPPORT
BELVEDERE TIBURON LANDMARKS SOCIETY
$1,000GENERAL SUPPORT
BRASS AVALANCHE
$1,000GENERAL SUPPORT
KETCHUMSUN VALLEY VOLUNTEER FIREFIGHTER'S ASSOCIATION
$1,000GENERAL SUPPORT
BRIDGE THE GAP COLLEGE FUND
$1,000GENERAL SUPPORT
WIKIMEDIA FOUNDATION INC
$500GENERAL SUPPORT
FRIENDS OF THE SAWTOOTH AVALANCHE CENTER
$500GENERAL SUPPORT
PRESERVATION SOCIETY OF HUNTINGTON BEACH DOG BEACH
$500GENERAL SUPPORT
FRIENDS OF CHINA CAMP
$500GENERAL SUPPORT
CALIFORNIA ACADEMY OF SCIENCES
$34,000GENERAL SUPPORT
RIVET SCHOOL
$24,000GENERAL SUPPORT
ST JOHN'S EPISCOPAL CHURCH ROSS
$22,000GENERAL SUPPORT