The John and Marcia Goldman Foundation makes a very small number of large, targeted grants focused on children’s health and specialized program support in the Bay Area. Its giving includes creating an endowed fund to support early autism intervention at Stanford and significant single grants (including one large discretionary/undesignated payment). The foundation appears to favor institutional partners and capacity-building vehicles (endowments, major program grants) over many small awards.
A single $1.655 million grant to the Lucile Packard Foundation for Children’s Health to create the Goldman Autism Fund stands out in the John and Marcia Goldman Foundation’s recent record. That gift was aimed at supporting the Stanford Early Intervention Program for Autism, and it sits alongside other large awards for autism services, children’s health, and Bay Area institutions. The foundation also made a $1.4 million general support grant to EPACENTER in East Palo Alto, showing that its giving is not limited to health alone. Recent grants point to a pattern of sizeable, targeted institutional support rather than broad small-dollar grantmaking. The foundation’s portfolio includes endowment building, annual grant support, and unrestricted or general support for selected organizations. In the arts and civic sphere, it has backed the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, the San Francisco Symphony, and Congregation Emanu-El. In youth and community work, it has supported educational and social-service partners in the Bay Area, with a clear emphasis on children, youth, and family-serving organizations. The foundation also appears in health-related work beyond autism, including support for Bay Area cancer and mental health organizations.
Autism and children’s health are central themes. In 2025, the foundation gave $1.655 million to the Lucile Packard Foundation for Children’s Health to create the Goldman Autism Fund for the Stanford Early Intervention Program for Autism, and another $502,000 to the same grantee for the Early Support Program for Autism. Youth development and education show up in grants to local nonprofits. EPACENTER received $1.4 million in general support, while Redwood City Education Foundation was awarded $75,000 for mental health and social-emotional learning programs. Ravenswood Education Foundation received $75,000 for certificated arts teachers and a teacher talent initiative for RCSD. The foundation also supports arts and civic life. It gave $500,000 to the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts for the Together for the Arts endowment campaign and $250,000 to the San Francisco Symphony for the DSH renovation and Treasure Island concept.
The only disclosed grant-size distribution is highly concentrated: p25, median, and p75 are all $6,604,787, which reflects very few very large grants. The recent record also includes a single $6.604 million payment listed as grants paid, reinforcing that this is a large-check funder rather than a broad small-grants shop. Grantmaking is mainly recurring to selected institutions, with multiple awards in 2025 to the same health and community partners and repeated annual support to several organizations. The foundation is classified as a regular funder, not a DAF, and it does not fund individuals or make program-related investments. Some giving is by invitation, while a youth-development track accepts unsolicited proposals.
$10.7M
$335.2M
$24M
$15.8M
Most grants fall between $6.6M and $6.6M, with a median of $6.6M.
25th Percentile
$6.6M
Median
$6.6M
75th Percentile
$6.6M
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Concentrated, high-dollar giving: very few grants per year, several large awards including endowment creation and sizeable discretionary payments; evidence of repeat funding to a core grantee (Lucile Packard).
Notable grantees: Lucile Packard Foundation for Children’s Health (Stanford Early Intervention Program for Autism), EPACENTER, SEE ATTACHMENT 25 (large discretionary/undesignated grant)
Giving is overwhelmingly local and entirely in California in the available record, with 100% of grants to recipients in the HQ state. The most frequent recipient cities include Palo Alto, San Francisco, East Palo Alto, Redwood City, and San Jose. Bay Area institutions dominate the list, including organizations in Mid-Peninsula communities and San Francisco. Outside California, the recent-grants list still shows one-off institutional awards to Washington, DC, Colorado Springs, and Kansas City, but the grant count distribution remains centered in California.
The foundation’s recent grants emphasize autism and children’s health, youth development, education, arts and civic institutions, and selected Bay Area community organizations. Examples include a $1.655 million endowment gift for autism early intervention, $1.4 million in general support to EPACENTER, and grants for mental health, social-emotional learning, and arts education.
Yes, but only in some program areas. The youth-development grantmaking tracks accept unsolicited proposals from eligible nonprofit organizations, while other strategic areas such as health, emergency response, civic life, and arts access are funded by invitation.
The disclosed distribution is very large and tightly clustered: p25, median, and p75 are all $6,604,787. That suggests the foundation’s reported grant activity is shaped by a small number of major awards rather than many smaller grants.
Its giving is concentrated in California. The grant record shows 100% of grants to recipients in the HQ state, with frequent recipients in Palo Alto, San Francisco, East Palo Alto, Redwood City, and San Jose.
Recent health-related grants include $1.655 million to the Lucile Packard Foundation for Children’s Health for the Goldman Autism Fund supporting Stanford’s Early Intervention Program for Autism, and $502,000 to the same grantee for the Early Support Program for Autism.
2025
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2025.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| LUCILE PACKARD FOUNDATION FOR CHILDRENS HEALTH | PALO ALTO, CA | $1,655,000 | 2025 | TO CREATE A NEW ENDOWMENT CALLED THE GOLDMAN AUTISM FUND TO SUPPORT THE STANFORD EARLY INTERVENTION PROGRAM FOR AUTISM |
| EPACENTER | E PALO ALTO, CA | $1,400,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| LUCILE PACKARD FOUNDATION FOR CHILDRENS HEALTH | PALO ALTO, CA | $502,000 | 2025 | EARLY SUPPORT PROGRAM FOR AUTISM |
| JOHN F KENNEDY CENTER FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS | WASHINGTON, DC | $500,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED CONTRIBUTION TO THE TOGETHER FOR THE ARTS ENDOWMENT CAMPAIGN |
| SAN FRANCISCO SYMPHONY | SAN FRANCISCO, CA | $250,000 | 2025 | DSH RENOVATION AND TREASURE ISLAND CONCEPT |
| AMALGAMATED CHARITABLE FOUNDATION INC | WASHINGTON, DC | $250,000 | 2025 | YOUTH POWER FUND |
| JEWISH COMMUNITY FEDERATION OF SF MARIN PENINSULA & SONOMA COUNTIES | SAN FRANCISCO, CA | $250,000 | 2025 | 2024 ANNUAL CAMPAIGN |
| CONGREGATION EMANU-EL | SAN FRANCISCO, CA | $250,000 | 2025 | EMANU-EL NEXT: INVESTING FOR OUR JEWISH FUTURE |
| CONGREGATION EMANU-EL | SAN FRANCISCO, CA | $250,000 | 2025 | EMANU-EL NEXT: INVESTING FOR OUR JEWISH FUTURE |
| ARTICLEGROUP ORG INC | LOS ANGELES, CA | $225,000 | 2025 | "SAVE THE HUMANS" CLIMATE COMMUNICATIONS PROGRAM |
| IMMIGRANT LEGAL RESOURCE CENTER | SAN FRANCISCO, CA | $200,000 | 2025 | UNITED COALITION FOR IMMIGRATION SERVICES |
| FIND YOUR LIGHT FOUNDATION | LOS ANGELES, CA | $200,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| JEWISH COMMUNITY FEDERATION OF SF MARIN PENINSULA & SONOMA COUNTIES | SAN FRANCISCO, CA | $156,000 | 2025 | REPLENISH DAF FOR LORAIN SCHOOL STEAM EDUCATION ENDOWMENTS |
| SAN FRANCISCO SYMPHONY | SAN FRANCISCO, CA | $150,000 | 2025 | 2024 ANNUAL GRANT |
| BAY AREA CANCER CONNECTIONS | SAN MATEO, CA | $100,000 | 2025 | 30TH ANNIVERSARY FOUNDERS FUND |
| CENTER FOR CARBON REMOVAL | WASHINGTON, DC | $100,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| UNITED STATES OLYMPIC & PARALYMPIC COMMITTEE | COLORADO SPRINGS, CO | $100,000 | 2025 | ENDOWMENT TO FUND A U.S. OLYMPIC ATHLETE ENDOWMENT |
| MUTTVILLE | KANSAS CITY, MO | $100,000 | 2025 | CAPITAL CAMPAIGN |
| JEWISH COMMUNITY FEDERATION OF SF MARIN PENINSULA & SONOMA COUNTIES | SAN FRANCISCO, CA | $100,000 | 2025 | CONTRIBUTION TO THE AARON GOLDMAN PHILANTHROPIC FUND |
| PENINSULA OPEN SPACE TRUST | PALO ALTO, CA | $100,000 | 2025 | 2024 ANNUAL GRANT |
| CHRONICLE SEASON OF SHARING FUND | SAN FRANCISCO, CA | $75,000 | 2025 | 2024 ANNUAL GRANT |
| THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES OF THE LELAND STANFORD JUNIOR UNIVERSITY | STANFORD, CA | $75,000 | 2025 | SPONSORSHIP OF BING FLING 2025 |
| HOPE SERVICES | SAN JOSE, CA | $75,000 | 2025 | MENTAL HEALTH & SOCIAL-EMOTIONAL LEARNING PROGRAMS |
| RAVENSWOOD EDUCATION FOUNDATION | E PALO ALTO, CA | $75,000 | 2025 | CERTIFICATED ARTS TEACHERS AND TEACHER TALENT INITIATIVE FOR RCSD |
| REDWOOD CITY EDUCATION FOUNDATION | REDWOOD CITY, CA | $75,000 | 2025 | MENTAL HEALTH & SOCIAL-EMOTIONAL LEARNING PROGRAMS |
| EARTHJUSTICE | SAN FRANCISCO, CA | $50,000 | 2025 | CLIMATE AND ENERGY PROGRAM |
| ENVIRONMENTAL LAW ALLIANCE WORLDWIDE | EUGENE, OR | $50,000 | 2025 | CLIMATE PROGRAM |
| UNION OF CONCERNED SCIENTISTS INC | BERKELEY, CA | $50,000 | 2025 | SUPPORT FOR VARIOUS CLIMATE FOCUSED PROGRAMS |
| TRUST FOR PUBLIC LAND | SAN FRANCISCO, CA | $50,000 | 2025 | INDIA BASIN WATERFRONT PARK INITIATIVE, SPECIFICALLY TO SUPPORT THE FIRST TWO YEARS OF THE LIVE EVENTS SERIES, PRESENTING A SERIES OF 6 TO 10 SMALL PERFORMANCES HIGHLIGHTING LOCAL PERFORMERS |
| ODC | SAN FRANCISCO, CA | $50,000 | 2025 | DEVELOPMENT CAPACITY GRANT |
| AMERICAN NATIONAL RED CROSS | WASHINGTON, DC | $50,000 | 2025 | 2024 ANNUAL GRANT FOR DISASTER RELIEF IN UNITED STATES |
| KARA | PALO ALTO, CA | $50,000 | 2025 | MENTAL HEALTH & SOCIAL-EMOTIONAL LEARNING PROGRAMS |
| CALIFORNIA ACADEMY OF SCIENCES | SAN FRANCISCO, CA | $50,000 | 2025 | 2024 ANNUAL GRANT |
| SAN FRANCISCO CONSERVATORY OF MUSIC INC | SAN FRANCISCO, CA | $50,000 | 2025 | DISTINGUISHED PROFESSORSHIP FOR MICHAEL TILSON THOMAS |
| MINDFUL LIFE PROJECT | RICHMOND, CA | $50,000 | 2025 | MENTAL HEALTH & SOCIAL-EMOTIONAL LEARNING |
| ILLUMINATE THE ARTS | SAN FRANCISCO, CA | $50,000 | 2025 | SUPPORT FOR FREE CONCERTS AT THE GOLDEN GATE BANDSHELL FOR THE 2024 SEASON |
| AMERICAN JEWISH WORLD SERVICE INC | NEW YORK, NY | $40,000 | 2025 | 2024 ANNUAL GRANT FOR GENERAL SUPPORT AND DISASTER RELIEF AND DEVELOPMENT |
| SAN FRANCISCO BOTANICAL GARDEN SOCIETY AT STRYBING ARBORETUM | SAN FRANCISCO, CA | $35,000 | 2025 | FLOWER PIANO 2024 |
| JASPER RIDGE FARM | WOODSIDE, CA | $35,000 | 2025 | MENTAL HEALTH & SOCIAL-EMOTIONAL LEARNING PROGRAMS |
| ARTHOUSE STUDIO | SAN JOSE, CA | $35,000 | 2025 | MENTAL HEALTH & SOCIAL EMOTIONAL LEARNING PROGRAMS |
| JEWISH VOCATIONAL & CAREER COUNSELING SERVICE | SAN FRANCISCO, CA | $30,000 | 2025 | 2024 ANNUAL GRANT |
| THEATREWORKS SILICON VALLEY | REDWOOD CITY, CA | $30,000 | 2025 | 2024 ANNUAL GRANT |
| STERN GROVE FESTIVAL ASSOCIATION | SAN FRANCISCO, CA | $25,000 | 2025 | 2024 ANNUAL GRANT |
| WORLD CENTRAL KITCHEN INCORPORATED | WASHINGTON, DC | $25,000 | 2025 | 2024 ANNUAL GRANT FOR THE MIDDLE EAST PROGRAM |
| MERCURY SOUL INC | BURLINGAME, CA | $25,000 | 2025 | 2024 ANNUAL GRANT |
| LUPUS RESEARCH ALLIANCE INC | NEW YORK, NY | $25,000 | 2025 | 2024 ANNUAL GRANT |
| LIFEMOVES | MENLO PARK, CA | $25,000 | 2025 | 2024 ANNUAL GRANT |
| JEWISH COMMUNITY RELATIONS COUNCIL OF SAN FRANCISCO MARIN & PENINSULA | SAN FRANCISCO, CA | $25,000 | 2025 | 2024 ANNUAL GRANT |
| PARTNERS IN HEALTH A NONPROFIT CORPORATION | BOSTON, MA | $25,000 | 2025 | 2024 ANNUAL GRANT |
| KQED INC | SAN FRANCISCO, CA | $25,000 | 2025 | 2024 ANNUAL GRANT |
TO CREATE A NEW ENDOWMENT CALLED THE GOLDMAN AUTISM FUND TO SUPPORT THE STANFORD EARLY INTERVENTION PROGRAM FOR AUTISM
EARLY SUPPORT PROGRAM FOR AUTISM
UNRESTRICTED CONTRIBUTION TO THE TOGETHER FOR THE ARTS ENDOWMENT CAMPAIGN
DSH RENOVATION AND TREASURE ISLAND CONCEPT
2024 ANNUAL CAMPAIGN
CONGREGATION EMANU-EL
$250,000EMANU-EL NEXT: INVESTING FOR OUR JEWISH FUTURE
CONGREGATION EMANU-EL
$250,000EMANU-EL NEXT: INVESTING FOR OUR JEWISH FUTURE
ARTICLEGROUP ORG INC
$225,000"SAVE THE HUMANS" CLIMATE COMMUNICATIONS PROGRAM
IMMIGRANT LEGAL RESOURCE CENTER
$200,000UNITED COALITION FOR IMMIGRATION SERVICES
FIND YOUR LIGHT FOUNDATION
$200,000GENERAL SUPPORT
REPLENISH DAF FOR LORAIN SCHOOL STEAM EDUCATION ENDOWMENTS
CENTER FOR CARBON REMOVAL
$100,000GENERAL SUPPORT
ENDOWMENT TO FUND A U.S. OLYMPIC ATHLETE ENDOWMENT
MUTTVILLE
$100,000CAPITAL CAMPAIGN
CONTRIBUTION TO THE AARON GOLDMAN PHILANTHROPIC FUND
SPONSORSHIP OF BING FLING 2025
CERTIFICATED ARTS TEACHERS AND TEACHER TALENT INITIATIVE FOR RCSD
MENTAL HEALTH & SOCIAL-EMOTIONAL LEARNING PROGRAMS
ENVIRONMENTAL LAW ALLIANCE WORLDWIDE
$50,000CLIMATE PROGRAM
UNION OF CONCERNED SCIENTISTS INC
$50,000SUPPORT FOR VARIOUS CLIMATE FOCUSED PROGRAMS
INDIA BASIN WATERFRONT PARK INITIATIVE, SPECIFICALLY TO SUPPORT THE FIRST TWO YEARS OF THE LIVE EVENTS SERIES, PRESENTING A SERIES OF 6 TO 10 SMALL PERFORMANCES HIGHLIGHTING LOCAL PERFORMERS
ODC
$50,000DEVELOPMENT CAPACITY GRANT
2024 ANNUAL GRANT FOR DISASTER RELIEF IN UNITED STATES
CALIFORNIA ACADEMY OF SCIENCES
$50,0002024 ANNUAL GRANT
DISTINGUISHED PROFESSORSHIP FOR MICHAEL TILSON THOMAS
SUPPORT FOR FREE CONCERTS AT THE GOLDEN GATE BANDSHELL FOR THE 2024 SEASON
2024 ANNUAL GRANT FOR GENERAL SUPPORT AND DISASTER RELIEF AND DEVELOPMENT
FLOWER PIANO 2024
JASPER RIDGE FARM
$35,000MENTAL HEALTH & SOCIAL-EMOTIONAL LEARNING PROGRAMS
ARTHOUSE STUDIO
$35,000MENTAL HEALTH & SOCIAL EMOTIONAL LEARNING PROGRAMS
WORLD CENTRAL KITCHEN INCORPORATED
$25,0002024 ANNUAL GRANT FOR THE MIDDLE EAST PROGRAM
MERCURY SOUL INC
$25,0002024 ANNUAL GRANT
2024 ANNUAL GRANT