The Bradford M Freeman Foundation makes very large, concentrated gifts to high-profile national institutions, with an emphasis on higher education and civic/philanthropic leadership initiatives. Its recent grants are multi-million-dollar contributions to Stanford University and to prominent foundations associated with public policy and leadership (the Bush Foundation and The George and Barbara Bush Foundation). The foundation appears to prefer funding institutional endowments, major program support, or leadership initiatives rather than many small community grants.
Very concentrated giving: a handful of very large, one-time contributions to national institutions and legacy foundations rather than many small or geographically dispersed grants; tendency toward institutional contributions over project-level grants.
The Bradford M Freeman Foundation’s recent giving is marked by multi-million-dollar contributions to major institutions, including a $5,001,683 grant to Leland Stanford Junior University and a $2,913,761 grant to The George and Barbara Bush Foundation. That pattern points to a funder that favors concentrated support for large organizations rather than broad, small-dollar grantmaking. Across the recent record, the foundation backs higher education, civic leadership, and legacy institutions tied to public service and philanthropy. The foundation’s portfolio also includes a $3,000,000 contribution to Bush Foundation, alongside smaller awards to universities, museums, and scholarship-related organizations. Stanford, the Bush Foundation, and The George and Barbara Bush Foundation show the range of institution types it supports: elite higher education, policy and civic leadership, and presidential legacy work. Grants in the recent list are all domestic, and the recipient set is heavily weighted toward California organizations as well as nationally recognized institutions outside the state. The overall picture is of a foundation making occasional, high-value gifts with a strong institutional focus.
Higher education is a clear thread in the Bradford M Freeman Foundation’s giving. In 2023, it gave $45,000 to the University of Southern California and $25,000 to Chapman University, while also making a $5,000 contribution to Uc Regents. Those awards suggest support for established university institutions rather than individual students or grassroots education projects. The foundation also funds civic and public-service organizations. It gave $170,000 to Smithsonian Institution in 2023, indicating support for a major cultural and educational institution. A separate $100,000 grant went to Scga Junior Golf Foundation, showing interest in organized youth or athletic programming. In another part of its portfolio, $25,000 went to Embrace Global, reflecting support for a nonprofit beyond the education and legacy categories. The recent record therefore centers on institutional philanthropy, with grants aimed at organizations that already operate at national or statewide scale.
The Bradford M Freeman Foundation gives in a highly concentrated way. Its typical grant size is $3,125 at the 25th percentile, $15,000 at the median, and $40,000 at the 75th percentile, but the recent record also includes a small number of very large outliers in the millions. The pattern suggests occasional mega-grants layered over a base of modest institutional support. The foundation is not a funder of individuals and does not make program-related investments. Recent grants show repeated support to the same recipient across years, including The George and Barbara Bush Foundation in both 2023 and 2025, which points to some ongoing relationships rather than one-off awards only.
$8M
$41M
$5M
$9.6M
Most grants fall between $3K and $40K, with a median of $15K.
25th Percentile
$3K
Median
$15K
75th Percentile
$40K
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Notable grantees: Leland Stanford Junior University, Bush Foundation, The George and Barbara Bush Foundation
Grant recipients are entirely in the United States. California receives the largest share of awards, with 57% of grants going to recipients in the HQ state, and cities represented in the recent list include Stanford, Los Angeles, Studio City, Orange, Oakland, Van Nuys, and Belmont. Outside California, grants land in Texas, Washington, DC, New York, Massachusetts, North Carolina, and Virginia. The geographic pattern is national in scope, but with a strong California concentration.
The recent record points to large institutions, especially universities and foundations tied to civic leadership and legacy work. Examples include Leland Stanford Junior University, the Bush Foundation, and The George and Barbara Bush Foundation, along with smaller awards to museums, scholarship funds, and other nonprofit institutions.
Yes. The George and Barbara Bush Foundation appears twice in the recent grants list, with a $2,913,761 grant in 2025 and a $25,000 grant in 2025, indicating repeat support within the available record.
The foundation’s typical grant size is $3,125 at the 25th percentile, $15,000 at the median, and $40,000 at the 75th percentile. The recent list also shows much larger awards, including multi-million-dollar grants to major institutions.
Its geographic scope is national, and all recent grants in the provided data went to U.S. recipients. California is the top state by grant count, with recipient cities including Stanford, Los Angeles, Studio City, Orange, Oakland, Van Nuys, and Belmont.
No. The foundation does not fund individuals, according to the provided data.
2025
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2025.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| LELAND STANFORD JUNIOR UNIVERSITY | STANFORD, CA | $5,001,683 | 2025 | CONTRIBUTION |
| THE GEORGE AND BARBARA BUSH FOUNDATION | COLLEGE STATION, TX | $2,913,761 | 2025 | CONTRIBUTION |
| THE GEORGE AND BARBARA BUSH FOUNDATION | COLLEGE STATION, TX | $25,000 | 2025 | CONTRIBUTION |
| UNITED IN HARMONY | LOS ANGELES, CA | $10,000 | 2025 | CONTRIBUTION |
| NAVY SEAL FOUNDATION | VIRGINIA BEACH, VA | $500 | 2025 | CONTRIBUTION |
| LELAND STANFORD JUNIOR UNIVERSITY | STANFORD, CA | $5,000,000 | 2024 | CONTRIBUTION |
| SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION | WASHINGTON, DC | $330,000 | 2024 | CONTRIBUTION |
| UNITED IN HARMONY | LOS ANGELES, CA | $10,000 | 2024 | CONTRIBUTION |
| EMBRACE GLOBAL | RHINEBECK, NY | $10,000 | 2024 | CONTRIBUTION |
| CENTER FOR THE STUDY OF THE PRESIDENCY AND CONGRESS | WASHINGTON, DC | $10,000 | 2024 | CONTRIBUTION |
| VOCAL IMMERSION PROGRAM | CASTLETON, VA | $2,500 | 2024 | CONTRIBUTION |
| MARLBOROUGH SCHOOL | LOS ANGELES, CA | $2,500 | 2024 | CONTRIBUTION |
| LAFD SCHOLARSHIP FUND | LOS ANGELES, CA | $2,500 | 2024 | CONTRIBUTION |
| BUSH FOUNDATION | DALLAS, TX | $3,000,000 | 2023 | CONTRIBUTION |
| SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION | WASHINGTON, DC | $170,000 | 2023 | CONTRIBUTION |
| SCGA JUNIOR GOLF FOUNDATION | STUDIO CITY, CA | $100,000 | 2023 | CONTRIBUTION |
| UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA | LOS ANGELES, CA | $45,000 | 2023 | CONTRIBUTION |
| EMBRACE GLOBAL | RHINEBECK, NY | $25,000 | 2023 | CONTRIBUTION |
| NEGRENSE VOLUNTEERS FOR CHANGE | BELMONT, CA | $25,000 | 2023 | CONTRIBUTION |
| CHAPMAN UNIVERSITY | ORANGE, CA | $25,000 | 2023 | CONTRIBUTION |
| UC REGENTS | OAKLAND, CA | $5,000 | 2023 | CONTRIBUTION |
| PROJECT43 TEAM POST CENTER | LOS ANGELES, CA | $5,000 | 2023 | CONTRIBUTION |
| HARVARD BUSINESS SCHOOL | BOSTON, MA | $5,000 | 2023 | CONTRIBUTION |
| WESTERN LA CO COUNCIL | VAN NUYS, CA | $2,500 | 2023 | CONTRIBUTION |
| LAFD SCHOLARSHIP FUND | LOS ANGELES, CA | $2,500 | 2023 | CONTRIBUTION |
| CEF FUND | CHAPEL HILL, NC | $2,500 | 2023 | CONTRIBUTION |
| AMERICAN POLICE OFFICERS ALLIANCE | ARLINGTON, VA | $30 | 2023 | CONTRIBUTION |
CONTRIBUTION
CENTER FOR THE STUDY OF THE PRESIDENCY AND CONGRESS
$10,000CONTRIBUTION
VOCAL IMMERSION PROGRAM
$2,500CONTRIBUTION
MARLBOROUGH SCHOOL
$2,500CONTRIBUTION
LAFD SCHOLARSHIP FUND
$2,500CONTRIBUTION
BUSH FOUNDATION
$3,000,000CONTRIBUTION
NEGRENSE VOLUNTEERS FOR CHANGE
$25,000CONTRIBUTION
UC REGENTS
$5,000CONTRIBUTION
PROJECT43 TEAM POST CENTER
$5,000CONTRIBUTION
HARVARD BUSINESS SCHOOL
$5,000CONTRIBUTION
WESTERN LA CO COUNCIL
$2,500CONTRIBUTION
LAFD SCHOLARSHIP FUND
$2,500CONTRIBUTION
CEF FUND
$2,500CONTRIBUTION