The Oberndorf Family Foundation concentrates its giving in education and higher-education/medical research, with very large, targeted gifts to a handful of institutions. Major commitments fund an elite K–12 school and a named merit scholarship program, national school-choice/charter initiatives, and sizable endowed or departmental gifts to UCSF in neurology and psychiatry; a smaller environmental grant appears as a secondary interest. Their portfolio shows focused, high-dollar investments rather than many small grants.
The Oberndorf Family Foundation’s most distinctive pattern is its repeated use of seven-figure grants for a small set of education and research institutions. University School received $7.5 million in both 2024 and 2025, and the University of California San Francisco Foundation received multiple $2 million gifts for psychiatry and Dr. Edward Chang, along with a $1.6 million grant to its Department of Neurology in 2025. That concentration points to a funder that favors large, targeted commitments over broad dispersal. Education is the clearest through line: the foundation backs K–12 schooling, scholarship programs, and school-choice advocacy, while also supporting university-linked medical research and select public-interest work. In the recent grants list, Cathedral School for Boys received $500,000 in both 2023 and 2024, and Stanford University received $1 million in 2024. The portfolio also includes grants to Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy, Save the Children, the Bipartisan Policy Center, and New California Coalition Foundation, which shows a narrower set of additional interests around environment, children, and civic policy.
Education is the foundation’s largest and clearest priority. It gave $5 million in 2023 to Dr Howard Fuller Collegiate Academy and $2.5 million in 2025 to the American Federation for Children Growth Fund, reflecting support for charter and school-choice advocacy as well as K–12 schooling. Scholarship support is also explicit: the University School Oberndorf Merit Scholarship received $5 million in 2023. Higher education appears alongside these gifts, including $1 million to Stanford University in 2024. A second cluster centers on medical research at UCSF. The foundation gave $2 million in both 2023 and 2024 to the University of California Sf Foundation - Department of Psychiatry, and the same amounts in those years to University of California Sf Foundation - Dr Edward Chang. In 2025, it added a $1.6 million grant to the University of California Sf Foundation (department of Neurology). Environmental work is present but smaller, with grants to the Environmental Defense Fund in 2023, 2024, and 2025.
Typical grant size is $5,000 at the 25th percentile, $10,000 at the median, and $50,000 at the 75th percentile, but the recent grants show a strong upper tier with multiple awards in the millions. The pattern is recurring: several recipients appear in consecutive years, including University School, the University of California San Francisco Foundation units, American Federation for Children Growth Fund, the Environmental Defense Fund, Cathedral School for Boys, and Save the Children. The foundation is a regular funder rather than a DAF, and it does not fund individuals or make program-related investments. One listed program, Jarvis Scholarships at University School, is a fully funded four-year scholarship program that accepts applications through a multi-round process.
$21.2M
$64.3M
$7.2M
$21.3M
Most grants fall between $5K and $50K, with a median of $10K.
25th Percentile
$5K
Median
$10K
75th Percentile
$50K
Top 2 recipient countries by grant volume for Oberndorf Family Foundation.
| Rank | Country | Grants | Total | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | United StatesDomestic | 239 | $76.3M | 98.8% |
| 2 | Egypt |
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Highly concentrated: a small number of very large grants, often repeat or multi-part gifts to the same institutions; emphasis on funding institution-building (endowments, scholarships, charter startup/support) over broad, distributed grantmaking.
Notable grantees: University School (including Oberndorf Merit Scholarship), University of California San Francisco Foundation (Departments of Neurology & Psychiatry; Dr. Edward Chang), American Federation for Children Growth Fund, Dr. Howard Fuller Collegiate Academy, Environmental Defense Fund
Most grants land in California, which accounts for 64% of grants and is also the top state by grant count. San Francisco appears repeatedly through UCSF, the Environmental Defense Fund, Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy, New California Coalition Foundation, and Cathedral School for Boys; Stanford and Shaker Heights also appear in the recent list. Beyond the U.S., the recipient country distribution includes 3 grants to Egypt, while the overwhelming majority of grants go to U.S.-based recipients.
Education is the strongest theme, especially K–12 schools, scholarships, and school-choice or charter-related work. The recent grants also show support for university-based medical research, plus smaller gifts to environmental, children’s, and civic-policy organizations.
Yes. Several recipients appear in consecutive years, including University School in 2024 and 2025, UCSF psychiatry and Dr. Edward Chang in 2023 and 2024, American Federation for Children Growth Fund in 2023, 2024, and 2025, and Save the Children in 2023, 2024, and 2025.
The distribution centers on relatively small grants, with p25 at $5,000, a median of $10,000, and p75 at $50,000. The recent grants list also includes several much larger gifts in the six- and seven-figure range.
Yes. Jarvis Scholarships at University School is described as a fully funded, four-year scholarship program. Candidates move through three rounds of application, complete two test assessments, write essays, and interview with selection committee members.
California is the top state by grant count, with 64% of grants going to recipients in the HQ state. San Francisco is a frequent recipient city, alongside other California locations such as Stanford.
2026
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2026.
| 3 |
| $5K |
1.2% |
Recipient country reflects the grantee's headquarters per IRS 990-PF and Schedule F filings, not the program's implementation country.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| AMERICAN FEDERATION FOR CHILDREN GROWTH FUND | DALLAS, TX | $7,508,000 | 2026 | GENERAL CHARITY |
| UCSF (CHANCELLOR CIRCLE CHALLENGE) | SAN FRANCISCO, CA | $5,000,000 | 2026 | GENERAL CHARITY |
| UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA SF FOUNDATION (DEPARTMENT OF NEUROLOGY) | SAN FRANCISCO, CA | $1,700,000 | 2026 | GENERAL CHARITY |
| EDGEWOOD CENTER FOR CHILDREN AND FAMILIES | SAN FRANCISCO, CA | $1,000,000 | 2026 | GENERAL CHARITY |
| ENVIROMENTAL DEFENSE FUND | SAN FRANCISCO, CA | $1,000,000 | 2026 | GENERAL CHARITY |
| CALIFORNIA ACADEMY OF SCIENCES | SAN FRANCISCO, CA | $1,000,000 | 2026 | GENERAL CHARITY |
| STANFORD UNIVERSITY (DEPT OF OTOLARYNGOLOGY ) | STANFORD, CA | $500,000 | 2026 | GENERAL CHARITY |
| ST BENEDICTS PREPARATORY SCHOOL INC | NEWARK, NJ | $500,000 | 2026 | GENERAL CHARITY |
| NEIGHBORS FOR A BETTER SAN FRANCISCO | SAN RAFAEL, CA | $500,000 | 2026 | GENERAL CHARITY |
| DISH SF (DELIVERING INNOVATION IN SUPPORTIVE HOUSING) | SAN FRANCISCO, CA | $250,000 | 2026 | GENERAL CHARITY |
| BALANCED BUDGET NOW | TYSONS CORNER, VA | $250,000 | 2026 | GENERAL CHARITY |
| SAVE THE CHILDREN | FAIRFIELD, CT | $250,000 | 2026 | GENERAL CHARITY |
| EDUCATION REFORM NOW | NEW YORK, NY | $250,000 | 2026 | GENERAL CHARITY |
| SPARK SF PUBLIC SCHOOLS | SAN FRANCISCO, CA | $175,000 | 2026 | GENERAL CHARITY |
| SAN FRANCISCO SYMPHONY | SAN FRANCISCO, CA | $100,000 | 2026 | GENERAL CHARITY |
| UNIVERSITY SCHOOL | SHAKER HEIGHTS, OH | $100,000 | 2026 | GENERAL CHARITY |
| ICA CRISTO REY | SAN FRANCISCO, CA | $100,000 | 2026 | GENERAL CHARITY |
| SALVATION ARMY | SAN FRANCISCO, CA | $100,000 | 2026 | GENERAL CHARITY |
| TIPPING POINT | SAN FRANCISCO, CA | $100,000 | 2026 | GENERAL CHARITY |
| SAN FRANCISCO MARIN FOOD BANK | SAN FRANCISCO, CA | $100,000 | 2026 | GENERAL CHARITY |
| DRAPER RICHARDS KAPLAN FOUNDATION | MENLO PARK, CA | $100,000 | 2026 | GENERAL CHARITY |
| WILLIAMS COLLEGE ALUMNI FUND (CLASS OF 1975) | WILLIAMSTOWN, MA | $50,000 | 2026 | GENERAL CHARITY |
| UCLA FOUNDATION | LOS ANGELES, CA | $50,000 | 2026 | GENERAL CHARITY |
| ST VINCENT DE PAUL SOCIETY SAN FRANCISCO | SAN FRANCISCO, CA | $50,000 | 2026 | GENERAL CHARITY |
| UCSF ( FUTURE OF THE BRAIN SUMMIT) | SAN FRANCISCO, CA | $50,000 | 2026 | GENERAL CHARITY |
| CHRONICLE SEASON OF SHARING FUND | SAN FRANCISCO, CA | $50,000 | 2026 | GENERAL CHARITY |
| CATHEDRAL SCHOOL FOR BOYS | SAN FRANCISCO, CA | $40,000 | 2026 | GENERAL CHARITY |
| INSTITUTE FOR EXCELLENCE IN EDUCATION | MT PLEASANT, MO | $25,000 | 2026 | GENERAL CHARITY |
| WILDFIRE FOUNDATION | MT PLEASANT, SC | $25,000 | 2026 | GENERAL CHARITY |
| SAN FRANCISCO EDUCATION FUND | SAN FRANCISCO, CA | $25,000 | 2026 | GENERAL CHARITY |
| SUCCESS ACADEMY CHARTER SCHOOLS | NEW YORK, NY | $25,000 | 2026 | GENERAL CHARITY |
| LEADERSHIP ROUNDTABLE INC | WASHINGTON, DC | $25,000 | 2026 | GENERAL CHARITY |
| COMMON SENSE MEDIA | SAN FRANCISCO, CA | $25,000 | 2026 | GENERAL CHARITY |
| UCSF (CARDIOLOGY COUNCIL) | SAN FRANCISCO, CA | $25,000 | 2026 | GENERAL CHARITY |
| MANHATTAN INSTITUTE FOR POLICY RESEARCH | NEW YORK, NY | $25,000 | 2026 | GENERAL CHARITY |
| AMERICAN ENTERPRISE INSTITUTE | WASHINGTON, DC | $25,000 | 2026 | GENERAL CHARITY |
| SAN FRANCISCO MUSEUM OF MODERN ART | SAN FRANCISCO, CA | $20,000 | 2026 | GENERAL CHARITY |
| MEMORIAL SLOAN KETTERING CANCER CENTER | NEW YORK, NY | $15,000 | 2026 | GENERAL CHARITY |
| ASPEN INSTITUTE | WASHINGTON, DC | $15,000 | 2026 | GENERAL CHARITY |
| CHARCOT MARIE TOOTH ASSOCIATION | GLENOLDEN, PA | $10,000 | 2026 | GENERAL CHARITY |
| FINE ARTS MUSEUMS OF SAN FRANCISCO | SAN FRANCISCO, CA | $10,000 | 2026 | GENERAL CHARITY |
| REPRODUCTIVE FREEDOM FOR ALL FOUNDATION | WASHINTON, DC | $10,000 | 2026 | GENERAL CHARITY |
| STANFORD UNIVERSITY (THE STANFORD FUND) | STANFORD, CA | $10,000 | 2026 | GENERAL CHARITY |
| UKIAH JUNIOR ACADEMY | UKIAH, CA | $5,000 | 2026 | GENERAL CHARITY |
| SAN FRANCISCO FREE CLINIC | SAN FRANCISCO, CA | $5,000 | 2026 | GENERAL CHARITY |
| TEN STRANDS | SAN FRANCISCO, CA | $5,000 | 2026 | GENERAL CHARITY |
| SAN FRANCISCO HOST COMMITTEE | SAN FRANCISCO, CA | $5,000 | 2026 | GENERAL CHARITY |
| FUTURE VISION FOUNDATION | DOVER, DE | $5,000 | 2026 | GENERAL CHARITY |
| STANFORD UNIVERSITY (BUSINESS SCHOOL FUND) | STANFORD, CA | $2,000 | 2026 | GENERAL CHARITY |
| MAKE A WISH | OAKLAND, CA | $2,000 | 2026 | GENERAL CHARITY |
UCSF (CHANCELLOR CIRCLE CHALLENGE)
$5,000,000GENERAL CHARITY
UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA SF FOUNDATION (DEPARTMENT OF NEUROLOGY)
$1,700,000GENERAL CHARITY
ENVIROMENTAL DEFENSE FUND
$1,000,000GENERAL CHARITY
CALIFORNIA ACADEMY OF SCIENCES
GENERAL CHARITY
STANFORD UNIVERSITY (DEPT OF OTOLARYNGOLOGY )
$500,000GENERAL CHARITY
ST BENEDICTS PREPARATORY SCHOOL INC
$500,000GENERAL CHARITY
DISH SF (DELIVERING INNOVATION IN SUPPORTIVE HOUSING)
$250,000GENERAL CHARITY
BALANCED BUDGET NOW
$250,000GENERAL CHARITY
SAVE THE CHILDREN
$250,000GENERAL CHARITY
ICA CRISTO REY
$100,000GENERAL CHARITY
SALVATION ARMY
$100,000GENERAL CHARITY
SAN FRANCISCO MARIN FOOD BANK
$100,000GENERAL CHARITY
WILLIAMS COLLEGE ALUMNI FUND (CLASS OF 1975)
$50,000GENERAL CHARITY
ST VINCENT DE PAUL SOCIETY SAN FRANCISCO
$50,000GENERAL CHARITY
UCSF ( FUTURE OF THE BRAIN SUMMIT)
$50,000GENERAL CHARITY
CATHEDRAL SCHOOL FOR BOYS
$40,000GENERAL CHARITY
INSTITUTE FOR EXCELLENCE IN EDUCATION
$25,000GENERAL CHARITY
WILDFIRE FOUNDATION
$25,000GENERAL CHARITY
UCSF (CARDIOLOGY COUNCIL)
$25,000GENERAL CHARITY
MEMORIAL SLOAN KETTERING CANCER CENTER
$15,000GENERAL CHARITY
FINE ARTS MUSEUMS OF SAN FRANCISCO
$10,000GENERAL CHARITY
UKIAH JUNIOR ACADEMY
$5,000GENERAL CHARITY
SAN FRANCISCO HOST COMMITTEE
$5,000GENERAL CHARITY
FUTURE VISION FOUNDATION
$5,000GENERAL CHARITY
STANFORD UNIVERSITY (BUSINESS SCHOOL FUND)
$2,000GENERAL CHARITY
MAKE A WISH
$2,000GENERAL CHARITY