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.
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.
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.
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.
$20M
$107.1M
$10.6M
$20.2M
Most grants fall between $100K and $1M, with a median of $100K.
25th Percentile
$100K
Median
$100K
75th Percentile
$1M
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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.
Notable grantees: Ramsay Family Foundation, Laural Foundation, Riley & Susan Bechtel Foundation, Shenandoah Foundation, The Foothills Foundation
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
2025
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2025.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| RAMSAY FAMILY FOUNDATION | SAN FRANCISCO, CA | $4,000,000 | 2025 | FOUNDATION GIFT |
| SHENANDOAH FOUNDATION | SAN FRANCISCO, CA | $4,000,000 | 2025 | FOUNDATION GIFT |
| LAURAL FOUNDATION | SAN FRANCISCO, CA | $4,000,000 | 2025 | FOUNDATION GIFT |
| RILEY & SUSAN BECHTEL FOUNDATION | SAN FRANCISCO, CA | $4,000,000 | 2025 | FOUNDATION GIFT |
| ROUGH-J-RANCH FOUNDATION | SAN FRANCISCO, CA | $250,000 | 2025 | FOUNDATION GIFT |
| MEGLBAGL FOUNDATION | SAN FRANCISCO, CA | $250,000 | 2025 | FOUNDATION GIFT |
| CMB FOUNDATION | SAN FRANCISCO, CA | $250,000 | 2025 | FOUNDATION GIFT |
| AED FOUNDATION | SAN FRANCISCO, CA | $250,000 | 2025 | FOUNDATION GIFT |
| BHB FOUNDATION | SAN FRANCISCO, CA | $250,000 | 2025 | FOUNDATION GIFT |
| KIRYLE FOUNDATION | SAN FRANCISCO, CA | $250,000 | 2025 | FOUNDATION GIFT |
| EBJ FOUNDATION | SAN FRANCISCO, CA | $250,000 | 2025 | FOUNDATION GIFT |
| THIRD HORIZON FOUNDATION | SAN FRANCISCO, CA | $250,000 | 2025 | FOUNDATION GIFT |
| THE BPB AND HBB FOUNDATION | SAN FRANCISCO, CA | $250,000 | 2025 | FOUNDATION GIFT |
| BSB FOUNDATION | SAN FRANCISCO, CA | $250,000 | 2025 | FOUNDATION GIFT |
| SAMANTHA & DARREN BECHTEL FAMILY FOUNDATION | SAN FRANCISCO, CA | $250,000 | 2025 | FOUNDATION GIFT |
| LINDSAY AND ALEX RAMSAY FOUNDATION | SAN FRANCISCO, CA | $250,000 | 2025 | FOUNDATION GIFT |
| CREEKSIDE FOUNDATION | SAN FRANCISCO, CA | $250,000 | 2025 | FOUNDATION GIFT |
| ETC FAMILY FOUNDATION | SAN FRANCISCO, CA | $250,000 | 2025 | FOUNDATION GIFT |
| ACR FOUNDATION | SAN FRANCISCO, CA | $250,000 | 2025 | FOUNDATION GIFT |
| MBD & JFD FOUNDATION | SAN FRANCISCO, CA | $250,000 | 2025 | FOUNDATION GIFT |
| PIEDMONT COMMUNITY CHURCH | PIEDMONT, CA | $25,000 | 2025 | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT |
| LAURAL FOUNDATION | SAN FRANCISCO, CA | $2,000,000 | 2024 | FOUNDATION GIFT |
| RAMSAY FAMILY FOUNDATION | SAN FRANCISCO, CA | $2,000,000 | 2024 | FOUNDATION GIFT |
| RILEY & SUSAN BECHTEL FOUNDATION | SAN FRANCISCO, CA | $2,000,000 | 2024 | FOUNDATION GIFT |
| THE FOOTHILLS FOUNDATION | SAN FRANCISCO, CA | $2,000,000 | 2024 | FOUNDATION GIFT |
| SHENANDOAH FOUNDATION | SAN FRANCISCO, CA | $2,000,000 | 2024 | FOUNDATION GIFT |
| WESTED | SAN FRANCISCO, CA | $1,000,000 | 2024 | GENERAL SUPPORT FOR STEM STANDARDS IMPLEMENTATION, MATH AND SCIENCE INSTRUCTIONAL STRATEGIES, TEACHER PREP, AND SOCIAL-EMOTIONAL LEARNING SUPPORTS |
| THE COMMONWEALTH CLUB OF CALIFORNIA | SAN FRANCISCO, CA | $1,000,000 | 2024 | SUPPORT TO DEFRAY SOME OF THE COST OF THE CLUB'S REMAINING MORTGAGE PAYMENT WITH BANK OF AMERICA |
| LEARNING POLICY INSTITUTE | PALO ALTO, CA | $1,000,000 | 2024 | UNRESTRICTED FUNDS TO SUPPORT LEARNING POLICY INSTITUTES WORK |
| KIRYLE FOUNDATION | SAN FRANCISCO, CA | $100,000 | 2024 | FOUNDATION GIFT |
| AED FOUNDATION | SAN FRANCISCO, CA | $100,000 | 2024 | FOUNDATION GIFT |
| LINDSAY AND ALEX RAMSAY FOUNDATION | SAN FRANCISCO, CA | $100,000 | 2024 | FOUNDATION GIFT |
| ETC FAMILY FOUNDATION | SAN FRANCISCO, CA | $100,000 | 2024 | FOUNDATION GIFT |
| SAMANTHA & DARREN BECHTEL FAMILY FOUNDATION | SAN FRANCISCO, CA | $100,000 | 2024 | FOUNDATION GIFT |
| MBD & JFD FOUNDATION | SAN FRANCISCO, CA | $100,000 | 2024 | FOUNDATION GIFT |
| BHB FOUNDATION | SAN FRANCISCO, CA | $100,000 | 2024 | FOUNDATION GIFT |
| CREEKSIDE FOUNDATION | SAN FRANCISCO, CA | $100,000 | 2024 | FOUNDATION GIFT |
| CMB FOUNDATION | SAN FRANCISCO, CA | $100,000 | 2024 | FOUNDATION GIFT |
| ACR FOUNDATION | SAN FRANCISCO, CA | $100,000 | 2024 | FOUNDATION GIFT |
| EBJ FOUNDATION | SAN FRANCISCO, CA | $100,000 | 2024 | FOUNDATION GIFT |
| BSB FOUNDATION | SAN FRANCISCO, CA | $100,000 | 2024 | FOUNDATION GIFT |
| MEGLBAGL FOUNDATION | SAN FRANCISCO, CA | $100,000 | 2024 | FOUNDATION GIFT |
| THIRD HORIZON FOUNDATION | SAN FRANCISCO, CA | $100,000 | 2024 | FOUNDATION GIFT |
| ROUGH-J-RANCH FOUNDATION | SAN FRANCISCO, CA | $100,000 | 2024 | FOUNDATION GIFT |
| THE BPB AND HBB FOUNDATION | SAN FRANCISCO, CA | $100,000 | 2024 | FOUNDATION GIFT |
| THE THACHER SCHOOL | OJAI, CA | $60,000 | 2024 | DONATION OF THOMAS KINKADE "LATE LIGHT YOSEMITE" PAINTING |
| RILEY & SUSAN BECHTEL FOUNDATION | SAN FRANCISCO, CA | $2,000,000 | 2023 | TO SUPPORT THE GENERAL CHARITABLE PURPOSES OF GRANTEE |
| THE FOOTHILLS FOUNDATION | SAN FRANCISCO, CA | $2,000,000 | 2023 | TO SUPPORT THE GENERAL CHARITABLE PURPOSES OF GRANTEE |
| LAURAL FOUNDATION | SAN FRANCISCO, CA | $2,000,000 | 2023 | TO SUPPORT THE GENERAL CHARITABLE PURPOSES OF GRANTEE |
| RAMSAY FAMILY FOUNDATION | SAN FRANCISCO, CA | $2,000,000 | 2023 | TO SUPPORT THE GENERAL CHARITABLE PURPOSES OF GRANTEE |
RAMSAY FAMILY FOUNDATION
$4,000,000FOUNDATION GIFT
SHENANDOAH FOUNDATION
$4,000,000FOUNDATION GIFT
LAURAL FOUNDATION
$4,000,000FOUNDATION GIFT
RILEY & SUSAN BECHTEL FOUNDATION
$4,000,000FOUNDATION GIFT
ROUGH-J-RANCH FOUNDATION
$250,000FOUNDATION GIFT
MEGLBAGL FOUNDATION
$250,000FOUNDATION GIFT
CMB FOUNDATION
$250,000FOUNDATION GIFT
AED FOUNDATION
$250,000FOUNDATION GIFT
BHB FOUNDATION
$250,000FOUNDATION GIFT
KIRYLE FOUNDATION
$250,000FOUNDATION GIFT
EBJ FOUNDATION
$250,000FOUNDATION GIFT
THIRD HORIZON FOUNDATION
$250,000FOUNDATION GIFT
THE BPB AND HBB FOUNDATION
$250,000FOUNDATION GIFT
BSB FOUNDATION
$250,000FOUNDATION GIFT
SAMANTHA & DARREN BECHTEL FAMILY FOUNDATION
$250,000FOUNDATION GIFT
LINDSAY AND ALEX RAMSAY FOUNDATION
$250,000FOUNDATION GIFT
CREEKSIDE FOUNDATION
$250,000FOUNDATION GIFT
ETC FAMILY FOUNDATION
$250,000FOUNDATION GIFT
ACR FOUNDATION
$250,000FOUNDATION GIFT
MBD & JFD FOUNDATION
$250,000FOUNDATION GIFT
PIEDMONT COMMUNITY CHURCH
$25,000GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT
LAURAL FOUNDATION
$2,000,000FOUNDATION GIFT
RAMSAY FAMILY FOUNDATION
$2,000,000FOUNDATION GIFT
RILEY & SUSAN BECHTEL FOUNDATION
$2,000,000FOUNDATION GIFT
THE FOOTHILLS FOUNDATION
$2,000,000FOUNDATION GIFT
SHENANDOAH FOUNDATION
$2,000,000FOUNDATION GIFT
WESTED
$1,000,000GENERAL SUPPORT FOR STEM STANDARDS IMPLEMENTATION, MATH AND SCIENCE INSTRUCTIONAL STRATEGIES, TEACHER PREP, AND SOCIAL-EMOTIONAL LEARNING SUPPORTS
THE COMMONWEALTH CLUB OF CALIFORNIA
$1,000,000SUPPORT TO DEFRAY SOME OF THE COST OF THE CLUB'S REMAINING MORTGAGE PAYMENT WITH BANK OF AMERICA
UNRESTRICTED FUNDS TO SUPPORT LEARNING POLICY INSTITUTES WORK
KIRYLE FOUNDATION
$100,000FOUNDATION GIFT
AED FOUNDATION
$100,000FOUNDATION GIFT
LINDSAY AND ALEX RAMSAY FOUNDATION
$100,000FOUNDATION GIFT
ETC FAMILY FOUNDATION
$100,000FOUNDATION GIFT
SAMANTHA & DARREN BECHTEL FAMILY FOUNDATION
$100,000FOUNDATION GIFT
MBD & JFD FOUNDATION
$100,000FOUNDATION GIFT
BHB FOUNDATION
$100,000FOUNDATION GIFT
CREEKSIDE FOUNDATION
$100,000FOUNDATION GIFT
CMB FOUNDATION
$100,000FOUNDATION GIFT
ACR FOUNDATION
$100,000FOUNDATION GIFT
EBJ FOUNDATION
$100,000FOUNDATION GIFT
BSB FOUNDATION
$100,000FOUNDATION GIFT
MEGLBAGL FOUNDATION
$100,000FOUNDATION GIFT
THIRD HORIZON FOUNDATION
$100,000FOUNDATION GIFT
ROUGH-J-RANCH FOUNDATION
$100,000FOUNDATION GIFT
THE BPB AND HBB FOUNDATION
$100,000FOUNDATION GIFT
RILEY & SUSAN BECHTEL FOUNDATION
$2,000,000TO SUPPORT THE GENERAL CHARITABLE PURPOSES OF GRANTEE
THE FOOTHILLS FOUNDATION
$2,000,000TO SUPPORT THE GENERAL CHARITABLE PURPOSES OF GRANTEE
LAURAL FOUNDATION
$2,000,000TO SUPPORT THE GENERAL CHARITABLE PURPOSES OF GRANTEE
RAMSAY FAMILY FOUNDATION
$2,000,000TO SUPPORT THE GENERAL CHARITABLE PURPOSES OF GRANTEE