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    5. Esb Charitable Foundation

    Esb Charitable Foundation

    ActivePhilanthropy & Voluntarism
    SAN FRANCISCO, CA4152848610
    EIN (Tax ID): 20-3759208Latest Form 990:

    About Esb Charitable Foundation

    ESB Charitable Foundation predominantly makes very large gifts to other private foundations and philanthropic vehicles rather than to direct-service nonprofits. Their grants are concentrated among a handful of family or grantmaking foundations, often made as multi-installment 'foundation gift' awards, suggesting they act as a funder-of-funders or as a source of endowment/regranting capital. This pattern indicates a strategic focus on enabling other philanthropic entities rather than direct program delivery.

    Focus Areas

    Large-scale foundation-to-foundation gifts / regranting capitalSupport for family foundations and private grantmaking entitiesEndowment or capacity-strengthening donations to philanthropic organizations

    Who They Fund

    K–12 teachersK–12 studentswater policy researchers / water sector organizationsnonprofit organizations (general operating recipients)community clubs with capital/debt obligations

    Giving Approach

    About Esb Charitable Foundation

    Esb Charitable Foundation stands out for large foundation-to-foundation transfers: in 2025 it gave $4 million each to Ramsay Family Foundation, Shenandoah Foundation, Riley & Susan Bechtel Foundation, and Laural Foundation, all in San Francisco. That pattern is repeated in earlier years through $2 million and $250,000 foundation gifts, showing a consistent role as a regranting-capital provider rather than a direct-service grantmaker. The foundation also makes targeted $1 million awards outside that pattern, including support for policy, education, and water-focused organizations. Among those are The Commonwealth Club of California, Learning Policy Institute, Public Policy Institute of California, Water Foundation, and Wested. Those grants point to a funder that uses large, infrequent awards to strengthen other philanthropic vehicles and selected institutions with operating, policy, or capacity-building support. Its recent giving is concentrated in California and remains entirely U.S.-based.

    What Esb Charitable Foundation Funds

    A major thread in the foundation’s giving is support for other philanthropic entities. In 2024 and 2025, it made $2 million and $4 million foundation gifts to The Foothills Foundation, Ramsay Family Foundation, Shenandoah Foundation, Riley & Susan Bechtel Foundation, and Laural Foundation. Another pattern is education and research support. It gave $1 million to Learning Policy Institute for unrestricted funds and $1 million to Wested for STEM standards implementation, math and science instructional strategies, teacher prep, and social-emotional learning supports. Water policy is another named area: Public Policy Institute of California received $1 million to fund the Ellen Hanak chair in water policy from 2023 through 2028, and Water Foundation received $1 million for program and DEI priorities as well as absorbing the work of the Water Table. These grants show a mix of philanthropy, policy, and education capacity support.

    How Esb Charitable Foundation Gives

    Typical grant size is $100,000 at the 25th percentile, $100,000 at the median, and $1 million at the 75th percentile, which reflects a structure of many mid-sized awards with a smaller set of very large gifts. The recent record also shows repeat support to the same recipients across multiple years, especially for foundation gifts made in 2023, 2024, and 2025. The foundation is classified as a regular funder and does not fund individuals or make program-related investments. The grant descriptions include unrestricted support, general support, foundation gifts, and targeted multi-year support, including one position gift running from 2023 through 2028.

    Financial Snapshot

    Annual Giving

    $20M

    Total Assets

    $107.1M

    Total Revenue

    $10.6M

    Total Expenses

    $20.2M

    Typical Grant Size

    Most grants fall between $100K and $1M, with a median of $100K.

    25th Percentile

    $100K

    Median

    $100K

    75th Percentile

    $1M

    Geographic Reach

    Local1 state funded
    Funding intensity
    Low
    High
    Headquarters

    Deep Analysis

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    Privacy PolicyTerms of ServiceEnvironmental footprintSystem Status
    2025
    Total assets: $107.1M
    3 filings on record
    Find their full 990 filing →
    See If You're a Fit — FreeFree account · instant fit score · similar funders

    Highly concentrated: very few, very large grants (several $8M grants and a $4M grant) directed repeatedly to the same foundations; repeat multi-grant relationships rather than many small awards.

    Funding Style

    general operating / unrestricted supportmulti-year position fundingprogram support (targeted program and DEI priorities)debt relief / mortgage payment supportin-kind / asset donation

    Notable grantees: Ramsay Family Foundation, Laural Foundation, Riley & Susan Bechtel Foundation, Shenandoah Foundation, The Foothills Foundation

    Topics

    water policy and water sector capacitydiversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiativesSTEM standards implementationmath and science instructional strategiesteacher preparation / professional developmentsocial-emotional learning (SEL)

    Where Esb Charitable Foundation Makes Grants

    Grantmaking is local and entirely California-based: 100% of grants go to recipients in the HQ state, and the top state by grant count is CA. Most named recipients in the recent list are in San Francisco, with additional grants to Palo Alto and Sacramento. The city pattern suggests a strong Bay Area concentration, with one education-policy grantee in Palo Alto and one water-policy grantee in Sacramento. No non-U.S. recipient countries appear in the grant data.

    Frequently Asked Questions About Esb Charitable Foundation

    What kinds of organizations does Esb Charitable Foundation fund most often?

    The foundation most often funds other philanthropic entities and grantmaking vehicles. Recent grants include $4 million foundation gifts to Ramsay Family Foundation, Shenandoah Foundation, Riley & Susan Bechtel Foundation, and Laural Foundation, plus earlier $2 million and $250,000 foundation gifts to similar organizations.

    What are the foundation’s main program areas?

    Recent grants point to education, water policy, and philanthropic capacity support. Named awards include $1 million to Learning Policy Institute for unrestricted work, $1 million to Wested for STEM and teacher-support work, and $1 million each to Public Policy Institute of California and Water Foundation for water-policy and DEI-related purposes.

    How large are Esb Charitable Foundation grants typically?

    The grant-size distribution is very top-heavy: p25 is $100,000, the median is $100,000, and p75 is $1 million. The recent record also includes multiple awards at $2 million and $4 million, especially foundation gifts.

    Does the foundation give only once to each recipient, or are there repeat grants?

    Repeat support is common. The same foundation recipients appear in 2023, 2024, and 2025, including Laural Foundation, Shenandoah Foundation, Ramsay Family Foundation, Riley & Susan Bechtel Foundation, and The Foothills Foundation, often with new foundation gifts in later years.

    Latest 990 Filing

    2025

    Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2025.

    Recent Grants

    Most recent grants reported to the IRS.

    RecipientLocationAmountYearPurpose
    RAMSAY FAMILY FOUNDATIONSAN FRANCISCO, CA$4,000,0002025FOUNDATION GIFT
    SHENANDOAH FOUNDATIONSAN FRANCISCO, CA$4,000,0002025FOUNDATION GIFT
    LAURAL FOUNDATIONSAN FRANCISCO, CA$4,000,0002025FOUNDATION GIFT
    RILEY & SUSAN BECHTEL FOUNDATIONSAN FRANCISCO, CA$4,000,0002025FOUNDATION GIFT
    THE BPB AND HBB FOUNDATIONSAN FRANCISCO, CA$250,0002025FOUNDATION GIFT
    THIRD HORIZON FOUNDATIONSAN FRANCISCO, CA$250,0002025FOUNDATION GIFT
    AED FOUNDATIONSAN FRANCISCO, CA$250,0002025FOUNDATION GIFT
    LINDSAY AND ALEX RAMSAY FOUNDATIONSAN FRANCISCO, CA$250,0002025FOUNDATION GIFT
    ETC FAMILY FOUNDATIONSAN FRANCISCO, CA$250,0002025FOUNDATION GIFT
    EBJ FOUNDATIONSAN FRANCISCO, CA$250,0002025FOUNDATION GIFT
    CREEKSIDE FOUNDATIONSAN FRANCISCO, CA$250,0002025FOUNDATION GIFT
    ACR FOUNDATIONSAN FRANCISCO, CA$250,0002025FOUNDATION GIFT
    BHB FOUNDATIONSAN FRANCISCO, CA$250,0002025FOUNDATION GIFT
    MBD & JFD FOUNDATIONSAN FRANCISCO, CA$250,0002025FOUNDATION GIFT
    CMB FOUNDATIONSAN FRANCISCO, CA$250,0002025FOUNDATION GIFT
    BSB FOUNDATIONSAN FRANCISCO, CA$250,0002025FOUNDATION GIFT
    SAMANTHA & DARREN BECHTEL FAMILY FOUNDATIONSAN FRANCISCO, CA$250,0002025FOUNDATION GIFT
    KIRYLE FOUNDATIONSAN FRANCISCO, CA$250,0002025FOUNDATION GIFT
    ROUGH-J-RANCH FOUNDATIONSAN FRANCISCO, CA$250,0002025FOUNDATION GIFT
    MEGLBAGL FOUNDATIONSAN FRANCISCO, CA$250,0002025FOUNDATION GIFT
    PIEDMONT COMMUNITY CHURCHPIEDMONT, CA$25,0002025GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT
    RAMSAY FAMILY FOUNDATIONSAN FRANCISCO, CA$2,000,0002024FOUNDATION GIFT
    THE FOOTHILLS FOUNDATIONSAN FRANCISCO, CA$2,000,0002024FOUNDATION GIFT
    SHENANDOAH FOUNDATIONSAN FRANCISCO, CA$2,000,0002024FOUNDATION GIFT
    LAURAL FOUNDATIONSAN FRANCISCO, CA$2,000,0002024FOUNDATION GIFT
    RILEY & SUSAN BECHTEL FOUNDATIONSAN FRANCISCO, CA$2,000,0002024FOUNDATION GIFT
    WESTEDSAN FRANCISCO, CA$1,000,0002024GENERAL SUPPORT FOR STEM STANDARDS IMPLEMENTATION, MATH AND SCIENCE INSTRUCTIONAL STRATEGIES, TEACHER PREP, AND SOCIAL-EMOTIONAL LEARNING SUPPORTS
    THE COMMONWEALTH CLUB OF CALIFORNIASAN FRANCISCO, CA$1,000,0002024SUPPORT TO DEFRAY SOME OF THE COST OF THE CLUB'S REMAINING MORTGAGE PAYMENT WITH BANK OF AMERICA
    LEARNING POLICY INSTITUTEPALO ALTO, CA$1,000,0002024UNRESTRICTED FUNDS TO SUPPORT LEARNING POLICY INSTITUTES WORK
    THE BPB AND HBB FOUNDATIONSAN FRANCISCO, CA$100,0002024FOUNDATION GIFT
    AED FOUNDATIONSAN FRANCISCO, CA$100,0002024FOUNDATION GIFT
    LINDSAY AND ALEX RAMSAY FOUNDATIONSAN FRANCISCO, CA$100,0002024FOUNDATION GIFT
    ETC FAMILY FOUNDATIONSAN FRANCISCO, CA$100,0002024FOUNDATION GIFT
    SAMANTHA & DARREN BECHTEL FAMILY FOUNDATIONSAN FRANCISCO, CA$100,0002024FOUNDATION GIFT
    MBD & JFD FOUNDATIONSAN FRANCISCO, CA$100,0002024FOUNDATION GIFT
    BHB FOUNDATIONSAN FRANCISCO, CA$100,0002024FOUNDATION GIFT
    CREEKSIDE FOUNDATIONSAN FRANCISCO, CA$100,0002024FOUNDATION GIFT
    CMB FOUNDATIONSAN FRANCISCO, CA$100,0002024FOUNDATION GIFT
    ACR FOUNDATIONSAN FRANCISCO, CA$100,0002024FOUNDATION GIFT
    EBJ FOUNDATIONSAN FRANCISCO, CA$100,0002024FOUNDATION GIFT
    KIRYLE FOUNDATIONSAN FRANCISCO, CA$100,0002024FOUNDATION GIFT
    BSB FOUNDATIONSAN FRANCISCO, CA$100,0002024FOUNDATION GIFT
    MEGLBAGL FOUNDATIONSAN FRANCISCO, CA$100,0002024FOUNDATION GIFT
    THIRD HORIZON FOUNDATIONSAN FRANCISCO, CA$100,0002024FOUNDATION GIFT
    ROUGH-J-RANCH FOUNDATIONSAN FRANCISCO, CA$100,0002024FOUNDATION GIFT
    THE THACHER SCHOOLOJAI, CA$60,0002024DONATION OF THOMAS KINKADE "LATE LIGHT YOSEMITE" PAINTING
    RILEY & SUSAN BECHTEL FOUNDATIONSAN FRANCISCO, CA$2,000,0002023TO SUPPORT THE GENERAL CHARITABLE PURPOSES OF GRANTEE
    THE FOOTHILLS FOUNDATIONSAN FRANCISCO, CA$2,000,0002023TO SUPPORT THE GENERAL CHARITABLE PURPOSES OF GRANTEE
    LAURAL FOUNDATIONSAN FRANCISCO, CA$2,000,0002023TO SUPPORT THE GENERAL CHARITABLE PURPOSES OF GRANTEE
    RAMSAY FAMILY FOUNDATIONSAN FRANCISCO, CA$2,000,0002023TO SUPPORT THE GENERAL CHARITABLE PURPOSES OF GRANTEE

    RAMSAY FAMILY FOUNDATION

    $4,000,000
    SAN FRANCISCO, CA2025

    FOUNDATION GIFT

    SHENANDOAH FOUNDATION

    $4,000,000
    SAN FRANCISCO, CA2025

    FOUNDATION GIFT

    LAURAL FOUNDATION

    $4,000,000
    SAN FRANCISCO, CA2025

    FOUNDATION GIFT

    RILEY & SUSAN BECHTEL FOUNDATION

    $4,000,000
    SAN FRANCISCO, CA2025

    FOUNDATION GIFT

    THE BPB AND HBB FOUNDATION

    $250,000
    SAN FRANCISCO, CA2025

    FOUNDATION GIFT

    THIRD HORIZON FOUNDATION

    $250,000
    SAN FRANCISCO, CA2025

    FOUNDATION GIFT

    AED FOUNDATION

    $250,000
    SAN FRANCISCO, CA2025

    FOUNDATION GIFT

    LINDSAY AND ALEX RAMSAY FOUNDATION

    $250,000
    SAN FRANCISCO, CA2025

    FOUNDATION GIFT

    ETC FAMILY FOUNDATION

    $250,000
    SAN FRANCISCO, CA2025

    FOUNDATION GIFT

    EBJ FOUNDATION

    $250,000
    SAN FRANCISCO, CA2025

    FOUNDATION GIFT

    CREEKSIDE FOUNDATION

    $250,000
    SAN FRANCISCO, CA2025

    FOUNDATION GIFT

    ACR FOUNDATION

    $250,000
    SAN FRANCISCO, CA2025

    FOUNDATION GIFT

    BHB FOUNDATION

    $250,000
    SAN FRANCISCO, CA2025

    FOUNDATION GIFT

    MBD & JFD FOUNDATION

    $250,000
    SAN FRANCISCO, CA2025

    FOUNDATION GIFT

    CMB FOUNDATION

    $250,000
    SAN FRANCISCO, CA2025

    FOUNDATION GIFT

    BSB FOUNDATION

    $250,000
    SAN FRANCISCO, CA2025

    FOUNDATION GIFT

    SAMANTHA & DARREN BECHTEL FAMILY FOUNDATION

    $250,000
    SAN FRANCISCO, CA2025

    FOUNDATION GIFT

    KIRYLE FOUNDATION

    $250,000
    SAN FRANCISCO, CA2025

    FOUNDATION GIFT

    ROUGH-J-RANCH FOUNDATION

    $250,000
    SAN FRANCISCO, CA2025

    FOUNDATION GIFT

    MEGLBAGL FOUNDATION

    $250,000
    SAN FRANCISCO, CA2025

    FOUNDATION GIFT

    PIEDMONT COMMUNITY CHURCH

    $25,000
    PIEDMONT, CA2025

    GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT

    RAMSAY FAMILY FOUNDATION

    $2,000,000
    SAN FRANCISCO, CA2024

    FOUNDATION GIFT

    THE FOOTHILLS FOUNDATION

    $2,000,000
    SAN FRANCISCO, CA2024

    FOUNDATION GIFT

    SHENANDOAH FOUNDATION

    $2,000,000
    SAN FRANCISCO, CA2024

    FOUNDATION GIFT

    LAURAL FOUNDATION

    $2,000,000
    SAN FRANCISCO, CA2024

    FOUNDATION GIFT

    RILEY & SUSAN BECHTEL FOUNDATION

    $2,000,000
    SAN FRANCISCO, CA2024

    FOUNDATION GIFT

    WESTED

    $1,000,000
    SAN FRANCISCO, CA2024

    GENERAL SUPPORT FOR STEM STANDARDS IMPLEMENTATION, MATH AND SCIENCE INSTRUCTIONAL STRATEGIES, TEACHER PREP, AND SOCIAL-EMOTIONAL LEARNING SUPPORTS

    THE COMMONWEALTH CLUB OF CALIFORNIA

    $1,000,000
    SAN FRANCISCO, CA2024

    SUPPORT TO DEFRAY SOME OF THE COST OF THE CLUB'S REMAINING MORTGAGE PAYMENT WITH BANK OF AMERICA

    LEARNING POLICY INSTITUTE

    $1,000,000
    PALO ALTO, CA2024

    UNRESTRICTED FUNDS TO SUPPORT LEARNING POLICY INSTITUTES WORK

    THE BPB AND HBB FOUNDATION

    $100,000
    SAN FRANCISCO, CA2024

    FOUNDATION GIFT

    AED FOUNDATION

    $100,000
    SAN FRANCISCO, CA2024

    FOUNDATION GIFT

    LINDSAY AND ALEX RAMSAY FOUNDATION

    $100,000
    SAN FRANCISCO, CA2024

    FOUNDATION GIFT

    ETC FAMILY FOUNDATION

    $100,000
    SAN FRANCISCO, CA2024

    FOUNDATION GIFT

    SAMANTHA & DARREN BECHTEL FAMILY FOUNDATION

    $100,000
    SAN FRANCISCO, CA2024

    FOUNDATION GIFT

    MBD & JFD FOUNDATION

    $100,000
    SAN FRANCISCO, CA2024

    FOUNDATION GIFT

    BHB FOUNDATION

    $100,000
    SAN FRANCISCO, CA2024

    FOUNDATION GIFT

    CREEKSIDE FOUNDATION

    $100,000
    SAN FRANCISCO, CA2024

    FOUNDATION GIFT

    CMB FOUNDATION

    $100,000
    SAN FRANCISCO, CA2024

    FOUNDATION GIFT

    ACR FOUNDATION

    $100,000
    SAN FRANCISCO, CA2024

    FOUNDATION GIFT

    EBJ FOUNDATION

    $100,000
    SAN FRANCISCO, CA2024

    FOUNDATION GIFT

    KIRYLE FOUNDATION

    $100,000
    SAN FRANCISCO, CA2024

    FOUNDATION GIFT

    BSB FOUNDATION

    $100,000
    SAN FRANCISCO, CA2024

    FOUNDATION GIFT

    MEGLBAGL FOUNDATION

    $100,000
    SAN FRANCISCO, CA2024

    FOUNDATION GIFT

    THIRD HORIZON FOUNDATION

    $100,000
    SAN FRANCISCO, CA2024

    FOUNDATION GIFT

    ROUGH-J-RANCH FOUNDATION

    $100,000
    SAN FRANCISCO, CA2024

    FOUNDATION GIFT

    THE THACHER SCHOOL

    $60,000
    OJAI, CA2024

    DONATION OF THOMAS KINKADE "LATE LIGHT YOSEMITE" PAINTING

    RILEY & SUSAN BECHTEL FOUNDATION

    $2,000,000
    SAN FRANCISCO, CA2023

    TO SUPPORT THE GENERAL CHARITABLE PURPOSES OF GRANTEE

    THE FOOTHILLS FOUNDATION

    $2,000,000
    SAN FRANCISCO, CA2023

    TO SUPPORT THE GENERAL CHARITABLE PURPOSES OF GRANTEE

    LAURAL FOUNDATION

    $2,000,000
    SAN FRANCISCO, CA2023

    TO SUPPORT THE GENERAL CHARITABLE PURPOSES OF GRANTEE

    RAMSAY FAMILY FOUNDATION

    $2,000,000
    SAN FRANCISCO, CA2023

    TO SUPPORT THE GENERAL CHARITABLE PURPOSES OF GRANTEE