About Peninsula Open Space Trust
POST protects open space on the Peninsula and in the South Bay for the benefit of all.
Focus Areas
Land conservation / land protectionFarmland preservation and agricultural infrastructureRedwood forest protection and restorationWildlife linkages / habitat connectivityPublic access to open spaceConservation easements and stewardshipPlanned giving / legacy giving
Who They Fund
local communities in Santa Clara County / Coyote Valley / Santa Cruz MountainsIndigenous and Native land stewardship groupssmall and sustainable farmers / farmworkerslocal school district(s) (LHPUSD) and community education programs
About Peninsula Open Space Trust
Peninsula Open Space Trust’s largest recent grant was a $9,440,000 land donation and financial assistance package to Santa Clara Valley Habitat Agency for the Lakeside Ranch and Bates Ranch transaction. That scale matches a grantmaker centered on land protection, with awards that often support acquisitions, conservation easements, stewardship, and related planning across the Peninsula and South Bay. Recent grants show a mix of property transfers and operating support. In 2024, the foundation gave $2,000,000 to Sempervirens Fund for the acquisition of the Jones Gulch property, and $1,544,000 to Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District as the value of transferred land. It also funded the Santa Clara Valley Open Space Authority for the Sobrato property acquisition and work in Coyote Valley. Beyond land deals, Peninsula Open Space Trust backs organizations working on habitat connectivity, open-space planning, redwood protection, farmland preservation, and stewardship. Its grantmaking reaches regional land trusts, conservation districts, school districts, Native land stewardship groups, and community organizations tied to Santa Clara County, Coyote Valley, and the Santa Cruz Mountains.
What Peninsula Open Space Trust Funds
Land acquisition is a clear throughline. The foundation gave $400,000 to Santa Clara Valley Habitat Agency for the acquisition of the Gschwend property, and $300,000 to The Trust for Public Land for purchase of the Searle Road property. Both awards point to a pattern of capital support for conservation transactions. It also funds planning and technical work. Santa Clara Valley Open Space Authority received $80,000 for the Coyote Valley Conservation Area Master Plan (CVCAMP), while the San Mateo Resource Conservation District got $81,750 for the Santa Clara County vegetation mapping project. Community and stewardship support appears alongside those land-focused grants. Amah Mutsun Land Trust received $85,243 for native land stewardship research and general operating support, and Muwekma Ohlone Tribe Inc received $22,500 for a cultural revitalization project. The foundation also made a $10,000 operating grant to Multiplier to develop sustainable farms.
How Peninsula Open Space Trust Gives
Typical grants cluster around a median of $19,568, with a lower quartile of $8,275 and an upper quartile of $56,805. The pattern includes both very large land-transaction awards and smaller operating or sponsorship grants. Peninsula Open Space Trust is a pure DAF provider and does not fund individuals or make program-related investments. Recipients appear across multiple years, including Santa Clara Valley Habitat Agency, Amah Mutsun Land Trust, California Council of Land Trusts, San Mateo Resource Conservation District, and La Honda-Pescadero Unified School District, which points to recurring relationships rather than one-off awards.
Financial Snapshot
Annual Giving
$9.1M
Total Assets
$373.8M
Total Revenue
$62.3M
Total Expenses
$43.4M
Typical Grant Size
Most grants fall between $8K and $57K, with a median of $20K.
25th Percentile
$8K
Median
$20K
75th Percentile
$57K
Geographic Reach
Local2 states funded
Funding intensity
LowHigh
Headquarters
Leadership
GORDON CLARK
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