The Griffith R Harsh IV and Margaret C. Whitman Charitable Foundation concentrates its giving into a small number of large, strategic grants that support environmental advocacy and conservation, education reform and institutions, and community services in the San Francisco Bay Area. Grants are predominantly general operating support and include both established national organizations and local institutions, indicating a mix of national policy/advocacy giving and place-based community support. The foundation repeatedly funds a handful of organizations (several multi-year or multiple grants), showing a preference for deep, sustained investments rather than many small, one-off gifts.
GRIFFITH R HARSH IV AND MARGARET C Whitman Charitable Foundation gives in large, concentrated blocks rather than through many small awards. Its recent record includes a $8,912,500 grant listed as “See Attached List,” alongside million-dollar support for Stanford University, Environmental Defense Fund, The Nature Conservancy, and Teach For America. The pattern points to a foundation that backs a small set of organizations with flexible, often general operating dollars, while also making targeted education and conservation investments. The foundation’s portfolio mixes national advocacy and research with place-based community support. Environmental grantees appear alongside education institutions and youth-serving nonprofits, and the foundation has also funded intermediaries such as Goldman Sachs Philanthropy Fund. In education, it has supported both higher education and K-12 teacher-recruitment efforts. In community giving, it has made substantial general operating grants to organizations including YMCA of San Francisco and Robin Hood Foundation. The result is a grantmaking profile defined by sizable commitments, repeat support for selected organizations, and a blend of institutional and community-oriented funding.
Environmental work is a clear strand in the foundation’s recent giving. It awarded $2,000,000 to Environmental Defense Fund for general operating support in 2025, and another $1,000,000 to the same organization in 2024. It also gave $1,000,000 to The Nature Conservancy for general operating support, showing support for both advocacy and conservation organizations. Education runs through both K-12 and higher education. The foundation gave $1,000,000 to Teach for America Inc, $1,000,000 to Teach for America, and $1,000,000 to Teach for America Inc - Pupils Project Phase II, all for general operating support in 2024. On the higher-education side, it gave $2,000,000 to Stanford University for Education and $1,500,000 to UC Davis Foundation for general operating support. Community-oriented support also appears in grants such as $1,000,000 to YMCA of San Francisco and $500,000 to Robin Hood Foundation for general operating support.
$8.7M
$159.1M
$14.7M
$9.6M
Most grants fall between $10K and $1M, with a median of $50K.
25th Percentile
$10K
Median
$50K
75th Percentile
$1M
Sign up for a free Kindora account to access AI-generated insights into this funder's giving patterns, decision-makers, and fit signals.
Get Started FreeFree Kindora accounts unlock side-by-side comparisons with foundations that share this funder's focus areas and giving profile.
Get Started FreeSign up free to see how well your nonprofit fits this funder, get an AI-generated pitch, and unlock similar foundations.
Concentrated, high-dollar grants with a small number of repeat grantees; primarily unrestricted/general operating support; mix of national advocacy organizations and local institutional beneficiaries.
Notable grantees: Environmental Defense Fund, Teach For America, Stanford University, The Nature Conservancy, YMCA of San Francisco
Typical awards are large: the 25th percentile is $10,000, the median is $50,000, and the 75th percentile is $1,000,000. Recent giving shows repeated support to the same organizations across multiple years, including Environmental Defense Fund, Teach for America, Robin Hood Foundation, and Shining Hope For Communities Inc. The foundation is a regular funder rather than a donor-advised fund, and it does not fund individuals or make program-related investments. Many grants are listed as general operating support, with some education-designated awards and a small number routed through philanthropic intermediaries.
Grants are national in scope, and every recent recipient listed is in the United States. New York, NY appears often, with recipients including Environmental Defense Fund, Robin Hood Foundation, Shining Hope For Communities Inc, and Columbia University - eLabs. Other recurring recipient locations include Chicago, IL; San Francisco, CA; and Boston, MA. The top state by grant count is New Hampshire, while 29% of grants went to recipients in the foundation’s HQ state of New York.
Its recent grants go to environmental groups, education organizations, universities, and community-service nonprofits. Examples in the data include Environmental Defense Fund, The Nature Conservancy, Teach For America, Stanford University, UC Davis Foundation, YMCA of San Francisco, and Robin Hood Foundation.
The foundation’s grant-size distribution is weighted toward large awards. The 25th percentile is $10,000, the median is $50,000, and the 75th percentile is $1,000,000.
Yes. Environmental Defense Fund, Teach For America, Robin Hood Foundation, and Shining Hope For Communities Inc each appear more than once in the recent grants list, which indicates repeated support rather than one-time awards.
Most of the named recent grants are marked general operating support. The list also includes some purpose-specific awards such as Stanford University for Education and UC Davis Foundation for general operating support, plus several education-designated grants.
The recipient base is national, but New York, NY appears frequently among grantees, including Environmental Defense Fund, Robin Hood Foundation, Shining Hope For Communities Inc, and Columbia University - eLabs. Other recipient cities in the list include Chicago, San Francisco, Boston, and Davis.
2025
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2025.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stanford University | Redwood City, CA | $2,000,000 | 2025 | Education |
| Environmental Defense Fund | New York, NY | $2,000,000 | 2025 | General Operating |
| Goldman Sachs Philanthropy Fund | Albany, NY | $1,375,260 | 2025 | General Operating |
| The Nature Conservancy | Arlington, VA | $1,000,000 | 2025 | General Operating |
| Indian Springs School | Indian Springs, AL | $530,000 | 2025 | Education |
| Robin Hood Foundation | New York, NY | $500,000 | 2025 | General Operating |
| Harvard University MD PhD | Boston, MA | $231,740 | 2025 | Education |
| Harvard College | Boston, MA | $200,000 | 2025 | Education |
| Shining Hope For Communities Inc | New York, NY | $155,000 | 2025 | General Operating |
| Ducks Unlimited Inc | Cutchogue, NY | $100,000 | 2025 | General Operating |
| Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy | San Francisco, CA | $100,000 | 2025 | General Operating |
| National Philanthropic Trust | Jenkintown, PA | $100,000 | 2025 | General Operating |
| McPherson College | McPherson, KS | $90,000 | 2025 | General Operating |
| US Ski & Snowboard Foundation | Park City, UT | $70,000 | 2025 | General Operating |
| Res Publica Inc | New York, NY | $50,000 | 2025 | General Operating |
| Glenada Casino Foundation | Cold Spring Harbor, NY | $50,000 | 2025 | General Operating |
| Smart with a Heart | Washington, DC | $30,000 | 2025 | General Operating |
| The Colorado Grand Inc | Broomfield, CO | $30,000 | 2025 | General Operating |
| Princeton University (Swimming) | Princeton, NJ | $25,000 | 2025 | General Operating |
| FC Cincinnati Community Foundation | Cincinnati, OH | $25,000 | 2025 | General Operating |
| The Navy Seal Foundation | Virginia Beach, VA | $25,000 | 2025 | General Operating |
| Daraja Education Fund | San Rafael, CA | $10,000 | 2025 | General Operating |
| Friends of TJ Foundation | Montgomery, NY | $5,000 | 2025 | General Operating |
| North Shore Land Alliance | Oyster Bay, NY | $5,000 | 2025 | General Operating |
| The Exceptional Foundation | Homewood, AL | $5,000 | 2025 | General Operating |
| Goldman Sachs Philanthropy Fund | Albany, NY | $7,516,000 | 2024 | General Operating |
| UC Davis Foundation | Davis, CA | $1,500,000 | 2024 | General Operating |
| YMCA of San Francisco | San Francisco, CA | $1,000,000 | 2024 | General Operating |
| Teach for America Inc - Pupils Project Phase II | Chicago, IL | $1,000,000 | 2024 | General Operating |
| Teach for America Inc | Chicago, IL | $1,000,000 | 2024 | General Operating |
| Environmental Defense Fund | New York, NY | $1,000,000 | 2024 | General Operating |
| Teach for America | Chicago, IL | $1,000,000 | 2024 | General Operating |
| Environmental Defense Fund | New York, NY | $1,000,000 | 2024 | General Operating |
| Robin Hood Foundation | New York, NY | $750,000 | 2024 | General Operating |
| Warby Parker Impact Foundation | New York, NY | $500,000 | 2024 | General Operating |
| Robin Hood Foundation | New York, NY | $250,000 | 2024 | General Operating |
| University of California Los Angeles (Dr Ozcan) | Los Angeles, CA | $180,000 | 2024 | General Operating |
| Shining Hope For Communities Inc (Shofco) | New York, NY | $80,000 | 2024 | General Operating |
| US Ski & Snowboard Foundation | Park City, UT | $70,000 | 2024 | General Operating |
| National Science Teaching Association | Arlington, VA | $50,000 | 2024 | General Operating |
| Amigos of Costa Rica Inc | West Chester, PA | $50,000 | 2024 | General Operating |
| East Woods School | Oyster Bay, NY | $50,000 | 2024 | General Operating |
| Ducks Unlimited Inc | Cutchogue, NY | $50,000 | 2024 | General Operating |
| FC Cincinnati Foundation | Cincinnati, OH | $50,000 | 2024 | General Operating |
| Columbia University - eLabs | New York, NY | $50,000 | 2024 | General Operating |
| National Science Teaching Association | Arlington, VA | $50,000 | 2024 | General Operating |
| US Soccer Federation | Chicago, IL | $50,000 | 2024 | General Operating |
| Columbia University - eLabs | New York, NY | $50,000 | 2024 | General Operating |
| Glenada Casino Foundation | Cold Spring Harbor, NY | $40,000 | 2024 | General Operating |
| The Bridge Project Inc | Lincoln, NH | $40,000 | 2024 | General Operating |
Stanford University
$2,000,000Education
General Operating
Harvard University MD PhD
$231,740Education
Harvard College
$200,000Education
Ducks Unlimited Inc
$100,000General Operating
National Philanthropic Trust
$100,000General Operating
Glenada Casino Foundation
$50,000General Operating
Smart with a Heart
$30,000General Operating
The Colorado Grand Inc
$30,000General Operating
Princeton University (Swimming)
$25,000General Operating
Friends of TJ Foundation
$5,000General Operating
Goldman Sachs Philanthropy Fund
$7,516,000General Operating
UC Davis Foundation
$1,500,000General Operating
Teach for America Inc - Pupils Project Phase II
$1,000,000General Operating
Warby Parker Impact Foundation
$500,000General Operating
University of California Los Angeles (Dr Ozcan)
$180,000General Operating
Shining Hope For Communities Inc (Shofco)
$80,000General Operating
National Science Teaching Association
$50,000General Operating
Ducks Unlimited Inc
$50,000General Operating
National Science Teaching Association
$50,000General Operating
US Soccer Federation
$50,000General Operating
Columbia University - eLabs
$50,000General Operating
Glenada Casino Foundation
$40,000General Operating
The Bridge Project Inc
$40,000General Operating