Dean and Margaret Lesher Foundation
ActivePhilanthropy & VoluntarismFunds Individuals
About Dean and Margaret Lesher Foundation
Enhancing the quality of life for all residents in Contra Costa County, California, through support of children and families, education, and arts and culture.
Focus Areas
Children & FamiliesEducationArts & CultureSafety NetCARE FundCapacity building in East Contra Costa County
Who They Fund
children (including foster children and school-aged youth)women (single mothers, survivors of abuse)people experiencing homelessness and housing-insecure familieslow-income residents of Contra Costa / East Contra Costa communitiesolder adults / homebound eldersBlack and Brown youth / BIPOC young people
About Dean and Margaret Lesher Foundation
A defining feature of the Dean and Margaret Lesher Foundation’s recent giving is its sustained support for Contra Costa County institutions over multiple years, including repeated major awards to First 5 Contra Costa and the Diablo Regional Arts Association. The foundation’s grantmaking centers on children and families, education, arts and culture, safety net services, and East Contra Costa County capacity building, with work that reaches children, families, older adults, survivors of abuse, housing-insecure residents, and nonprofit staff. Recent awards show a mix of direct service, operating support, and strategic planning, alongside capital and infrastructure funding. In Walnut Creek, the foundation has supported the Lesher Center for the Arts through a strategic plan phase and later general support, while also backing countywide family and early childhood initiatives in Concord and Richmond. Its approach includes both responsive grants and invitation-based partnerships, which allows it to fund community-serving organizations and targeted systems goals within Contra Costa County. The recurring support for organizations such as John Muir Health Foundation, Meals On Wheels Diablo Region, and Contra Costa Family Justice Alliance points to a pattern of sustained relationships rather than one-time awards.
What Dean and Margaret Lesher Foundation Funds
In early childhood and family supports, the foundation gave $230,000 in 2023 and again in 2024 to First 5 Contra Costa for “Ready Community, Ready Schools, Ready Families.” In safety net and family justice work, it awarded $152,500 in 2025 to Contra Costa Family Justice Alliance for the Contra Costa Family Justice Center, continuing prior support at the same level in 2024. Food security is another clear area: Food Bank of Contra Costa Solano received $130,000 in 2025 for general support, following a $100,000 award in 2023 for general operating support. The foundation also funds arts and culture, including $155,000 in 2023 to California Symphony Orchestra for general operating funds and musical instruments for elementary school. Across these areas, the grants pair core services with broader community access and stability.
How Dean and Margaret Lesher Foundation Gives
Typical grants cluster around the mid-five-figure range, with a p25 of $11,250, a median of $25,000, and a p75 of $50,000. The recent record also includes many six-figure awards, showing that the foundation uses larger grants for selected partners and strategic initiatives. Its structure combines responsive grantmaking with invitation-based strategic partnerships, and the data shows both unsolicited and proactive grant programs. The recent grant list includes repeated awards to the same organizations across 2023, 2024, and 2025, indicating ongoing relationships rather than one-off giving. The foundation is classified as a regular funder and also funds individuals.
Financial Snapshot
Annual Giving
$5.5M
Total Assets
$95.3M
Total Revenue
$30.2M
Total Expenses
$7.8M
Typical Grant Size
Most grants fall between $11K and $50K, with a median of $25K.
25th Percentile
$11K
Median
$25K
75th Percentile
$50K
Geographic Reach
Local3 states funded
Funding intensity
LowHigh
Headquarters
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