Spruce Street Foundation concentrates its giving on a mix of arts/cultural institutions and higher-education/law programs while also supporting legal advocacy, humanitarian relief, and sport-related philanthropy. Grants tend to be large, flexible awards (many labeled “best use of funds”) and include both national organizations and regionally focused arts groups. The foundation shows a willingness to fund elite universities and law schools alongside civil-rights and relief organizations, indicating interest in impact across cultural, educational, and social-justice domains.
Concentrated, high-dollar grants with a small number of recipients; repeat funding to select institutions (Stanford Law) and many unrestricted/‘best use’ awards. Mix of regional arts funding and national institutional support rather than many small community grants.
Spruce Street Foundation Inc shows a strong pattern of large, flexible support for Stanford Law School, with three recent awards of $250,000 in 2023, $350,000 in 2024, and $450,000 in 2025. That sequence gives a clear picture of the foundation’s emphasis on sustained institutional backing rather than one-off project funding. Beyond law, its recent grants also connect higher education, arts, civil-rights work, and humanitarian relief through awards to Chapman University, the NAACP Legal Defense Fund, CARE Inc, and the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Foundation. The foundation’s grant names often use “best use of funds” or otherwise broad charitable-purpose language, which points to flexible support across organizations. Its giving reaches national institutions and community-based nonprofits, with California organizations appearing frequently alongside recipients in New York, Washington, DC, Colorado, and elsewhere. The result is a portfolio that combines long-running support for select anchor institutions with a wider mix of cultural, educational, legal, and relief-oriented grants.
Higher education and law are central to the foundation’s recent giving. Stanford Law School received $450,000 in 2025, following $350,000 in 2024 and $250,000 in 2023, all marked for best use of funds. The foundation also supported John Hopkins University with $100,000 in 2025, Chapman University with $100,000 in 2023, and Wellesley College with $33,833 in 2025. Cultural institutions are another visible thread: Peninsula Arts Guild received $150,000 in 2023, while Sfmoma received $25,000 in 2024, another $25,000 in 2023, and $25,000 in 2025. In legal and civil-rights work, grants went to the NAACP Legal Defense Fund for $100,000 in 2024 and New York Civil Liberties Union for $25,000 in 2023. Humanitarian and civic-support funding also appears through CARE Inc, Hopewell Fund, and multiple voting-related organizations.
Typical grant sizes cluster in the mid-five-figure range: the 25th percentile is $10,000, the median is $25,000, and the 75th percentile is $55,000. The recent record also shows repeated support to the same recipients across multiple years, especially Stanford Law School, Sfmoma, How Women Lead, and Partners for Justice, suggesting a recurring-grant pattern rather than isolated awards. Many grants are unrestricted or broadly framed as “best use of funds,” and several others use general charitable-purpose language. The foundation does not fund individuals and does not make program-related investments.
$1.3M
$14.2M
$8.7M
$1.3M
Most grants fall between $10K and $55K, with a median of $25K.
25th Percentile
$10K
Median
$25K
75th Percentile
$55K
Top 2 recipient countries by grant volume for Spruce Street Foundation.
| Rank | Country | Grants | Total | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | United StatesDomestic | 54 | $3.1M | 96.4% |
| 2 | Spain |
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Notable grantees: Stanford Law School, Peninsula Arts Guild, NAACP Legal Defense Fund, CARE Inc, U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Foundation
Grant recipients are concentrated in the United States, which accounts for 54 of 56 recent grants, or 96.4%. California is the top state by grant count, and 52% of grants go to recipients in the foundation’s headquarters state. Named recipient locations include Stanford and Stanford, Orange, Menlo Park, San Francisco, San Rafael, Pasadena, Sherman Oaks, Los Angeles, Washington, DC, New York City, New York, Colorado Springs, and Baltimore. Outside the U.S., the grant list also includes two grants to recipients in Spain.
The recent grants show a mix of arts and cultural groups, higher-education and law programs, legal and civil-rights organizations, humanitarian relief, and voting-related civic work. Examples include Stanford Law School, Peninsula Arts Guild, the NAACP Legal Defense Fund, CARE Inc, and voting-focused grantees in Washington, DC and Texas.
Yes. Several grants are described as “best use of funds,” including awards to Stanford Law School, Peninsula Arts Guild, Chapman University, CARE Inc, and The Laurel Foundation. Other grants are framed broadly as support for the charitable organizations’ purpose.
Yes. Stanford Law School received grants in 2023, 2024, and 2025. Sfmoma appears in 2023, 2024, and 2025, while How Women Lead and Partners for Justice also appear in multiple years. That pattern shows recurring support to selected grantees.
The grant-size distribution centers on mid-sized awards: p25 is $10,000, median grant size is $25,000, and p75 is $55,000. The recent list also includes a smaller number of larger awards, such as $450,000 to Stanford Law School and $150,000 to Peninsula Arts Guild.
California is the top state by grant count, with 52% of grants going to recipients in CA. The recipient list also reaches New York, Washington, DC, Colorado, Maryland, Texas, Massachusetts, and two grants to recipients in Spain.
2025
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2025.
| 2 |
| $32K |
3.6% |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stanford Law School | Stanford, CA | $450,000 | 2025 | Best use of funds |
| Partners for Justice | New York City, NY | $100,000 | 2025 | To provide support for the charitable organizations purpose. |
| John Hopkins University | Baltimore, MD | $100,000 | 2025 | To provide support for the charitable organizations purpose. |
| Battery Powered | San Francisco, CA | $100,000 | 2025 | To provide support for the charitable organizations purpose. |
| US Olympic and Paralympic Foundatio | Colorado Springs, CO | $75,600 | 2025 | To provide support for the charitable organizations purpose. |
| Everybody Votes Campaign | Washington, DC | $50,000 | 2025 | To provide support for the charitable organizations purpose. |
| Notley Impact Freedom2Vote | Austin, TX | $50,000 | 2025 | To provide support for the charitable organizations purpose. |
| CARE Impact Awards 2024 | Atlanta, GA | $50,000 | 2025 | To provide support for the charitable organizations purpose. |
| Working America Fund | Washington, DC | $50,000 | 2025 | To provide support for the charitable organizations purpose. |
| Wellesley College | Wellesley, MA | $33,833 | 2025 | To provide support for the charitable organizations purpose. |
| Civic Nation | Washington, DC | $25,000 | 2025 | To provide support for the charitable organizations purpose. |
| SFMOMA | San Francisco, CA | $25,000 | 2025 | To provide support for the charitable organizations purpose. |
| NYCLU | New York, NY | $25,000 | 2025 | To provide support for the charitable organizations purpose. |
| How Women Lead | San Rafael, CA | $25,000 | 2025 | To provide support for the charitable organizations purpose. |
| Somos Votantes Education Fund | Washington, DC | $25,000 | 2025 | To provide support for the charitable organizations purpose. |
| Southern Vision Alliance | Durham, NC | $25,000 | 2025 | To provide support for the charitable organizations purpose. |
| Delancey Street Foundation | Brewster, NY | $20,000 | 2025 | To provide support for the charitable organizations purpose. |
| Sambuddhaloka Buddhist Vihara Templ | Moreno Valley, CA | $15,000 | 2025 | Best use of funds |
| The Laurel Foundation | Pasadena, CA | $15,000 | 2025 | Best use of funds |
| Pioneer Works Art Foundation | Brooklyn, NY | $5,000 | 2025 | To provide support for the charitable organizations purpose. |
| The Representation Project | Sacramento, CA | $1,000 | 2025 | To provide support for the charitable organizations purpose. |
| Stanford Law School | Stanford, CA | $350,000 | 2024 | Best use of funds |
| US Olympic and Paralympic Foundatio | Colorado Springs, CO | $146,500 | 2024 | To provide support for the charitable organizations purpose. |
| NAACP Legal Defense Fund | New York, NY | $100,000 | 2024 | To provide support for the charitable organizations purpose. |
| Partners for Justice | New York City, NY | $50,000 | 2024 | To provide support for the charitable organizations purpose. |
| SFMOMA | San Francisco, CA | $25,000 | 2024 | To provide support for the charitable organizations purpose. |
| Atlanta Baseball Foundation | Atlanta, GA | $25,000 | 2024 | Best Use of Funds |
| How Women Lead | San Rafael, CA | $25,000 | 2024 | To provide support for the charitable organizations purpose. |
| World Law Foundation | Madrid, Ma | $21,163 | 2024 | Best use of funds |
| Wellesley College | Wellesley, MA | $10,000 | 2024 | To provide support for the charitable organizations purpose. |
| LEMO Foundation | Redwood City, CA | $10,000 | 2024 | To provide support for the charitable organizations purpose. |
| SOLA | Boston, MA | $10,000 | 2024 | To provide support for the charitable organizations purpose. |
| The Hanalei Initiative | Hanalei, HI | $10,000 | 2024 | To provide support for the charitable organizations purpose. |
| A New Way of Life | Los Angeles, CA | $10,000 | 2024 | To provide support for the charitable organizations purpose. |
| Stanford Law School | Stanford, CA | $250,000 | 2023 | Best use of funds |
| Peninsula Arts Guild | Menlo Park, CA | $150,000 | 2023 | Best use of funds |
| Hopwell Fund | Washington, DC | $100,000 | 2023 | Best use of funds |
| Chapman University | Orange, CA | $100,000 | 2023 | Best use of funds |
| CARE Inc | Sherman Oaks, CA | $100,000 | 2023 | Best use of funds |
| Pioneer Works Art Foundation | Brooklyn, NY | $60,000 | 2023 | Best use of funds |
| Michael Romano | Los Angeles, CA | $35,000 | 2023 | General use |
| SFMOMA | San Francisco, CA | $25,000 | 2023 | To provide support for the charitable organizations purpose. |
| Atlanta Baseball Foundation | Atlanta, GA | $25,000 | 2023 | Best Use of Funds |
| New York Civil Liberties Union | New York, NY | $25,000 | 2023 | To provide support for the charitable organizations purpose. |
| GEANCO Foundation | Los Angeles, CA | $25,000 | 2023 | Best use of funds |
| The Laurel Foundation | Pasadena, CA | $25,000 | 2023 | Best use of funds |
| Susan Champion | Los Angeles, CA | $25,000 | 2023 | General use |
| Equality California | Los Angeles, CA | $15,000 | 2023 | Best use of funds |
| World Law Foundation | Madrid, Ma | $10,925 | 2023 | Best use of funds |
| Sambuddhaloka Buddhist Vihara Templ | Moreno Valley, CA | $10,000 | 2023 | Best use of funds |
Stanford Law School
$450,000Best use of funds
To provide support for the charitable organizations purpose.
John Hopkins University
$100,000To provide support for the charitable organizations purpose.
Battery Powered
$100,000To provide support for the charitable organizations purpose.
US Olympic and Paralympic Foundatio
$75,600To provide support for the charitable organizations purpose.
Everybody Votes Campaign
To provide support for the charitable organizations purpose.
To provide support for the charitable organizations purpose.
CARE Impact Awards 2024
$50,000To provide support for the charitable organizations purpose.
To provide support for the charitable organizations purpose.
Wellesley College
$33,833To provide support for the charitable organizations purpose.
SFMOMA
$25,000To provide support for the charitable organizations purpose.
NYCLU
$25,000To provide support for the charitable organizations purpose.
How Women Lead
$25,000To provide support for the charitable organizations purpose.
Somos Votantes Education Fund
$25,000To provide support for the charitable organizations purpose.
To provide support for the charitable organizations purpose.
Delancey Street Foundation
$20,000To provide support for the charitable organizations purpose.
Sambuddhaloka Buddhist Vihara Templ
$15,000Best use of funds
The Laurel Foundation
$15,000Best use of funds
To provide support for the charitable organizations purpose.
To provide support for the charitable organizations purpose.
Stanford Law School
$350,000Best use of funds
US Olympic and Paralympic Foundatio
$146,500To provide support for the charitable organizations purpose.
To provide support for the charitable organizations purpose.
To provide support for the charitable organizations purpose.
SFMOMA
$25,000To provide support for the charitable organizations purpose.
Atlanta Baseball Foundation
$25,000Best Use of Funds
How Women Lead
$25,000To provide support for the charitable organizations purpose.
World Law Foundation
$21,163Best use of funds
Wellesley College
$10,000To provide support for the charitable organizations purpose.
LEMO Foundation
$10,000To provide support for the charitable organizations purpose.
SOLA
$10,000To provide support for the charitable organizations purpose.
To provide support for the charitable organizations purpose.
A New Way of Life
$10,000To provide support for the charitable organizations purpose.
Stanford Law School
$250,000Best use of funds
CARE Inc
$100,000Best use of funds
Michael Romano
$35,000General use
Atlanta Baseball Foundation
$25,000Best Use of Funds
New York Civil Liberties Union
$25,000To provide support for the charitable organizations purpose.
The Laurel Foundation
$25,000Best use of funds
Susan Champion
$25,000General use
World Law Foundation
$10,925Best use of funds
Sambuddhaloka Buddhist Vihara Templ
$10,000Best use of funds