The Stephen M. Silberstein Foundation makes a small number of very large gifts focused on education and civil liberties, with a clear tilt toward Bay Area institutions and local umbrella vehicles. Their grants support higher education and learning programs (notably UC Berkeley and an education-focused nonprofit) as well as civil rights advocacy, while also routing substantial funding through a local donor-advised/umbrella organization that can regrant to multiple community groups.
A single $4,000,000 grant to the Mcf Donor Advised Fund in 2025 captures how Stephen M Silberstein Foundation operates: it prefers a small number of large awards and often channels money through local umbrella vehicles that can support multiple community organizations. The foundation’s giving also centers on education and civil liberties, with major support for the University of California Berkeley Foundation and Light the Way. Those grants point to a mix of higher education, learning programs, and civic-rights work rather than a broad scatter of causes. The same pattern appears in its support for advocacy organizations. In recent years, the foundation backed the American Civil Liberties Union Foundation, Human Rights Watch, and Common Cause, alongside media and civic-information groups such as Propublica and Democracy Now. Environmental work appears as well through the Sierra Club Foundation, while health and family planning are represented by Planned Parenthood Foundation. Across those areas, the foundation’s recent grants show a consistent preference for established institutions and intermediaries that can move significant resources into education, rights, and public-interest work.
Education appears in both higher education and community learning. Stephen M Silberstein Foundation gave $2,500,000 to the University of California Berkeley Foundation in 2024 for education, and $1,000,000 to Light the Way in 2023 for support education and learning. A separate education-related grant of $250,000 went to the American Bridge Association and Charitable Foundation in 2024 to facilitate learning opportunities for young and adult citizens through the development of national and local bridge programs. Civil liberties and democracy-related work are another clear thread. The foundation gave $1,000,000 to the American Civil Liberties Union Foundation in 2023 and another $300,000 in 2025 for defending and preserving individual rights and liberties. Election administration and redistricting also appear through $250,000 to the National Vote at Home Institute in 2025 and $200,000 to the National Redistricting Foundation in 2025. Public-interest media and advocacy show up through Propublica, Media Matters for America, and Democracy Now, all funded for investigative reporting, educational radio broadcasting, or public radio journalism.
$8.5M
$74M
$5.6M
$8.6M
Most grants fall between $36K and $150K, with a median of $63K.
25th Percentile
$36K
Median
$63K
75th Percentile
$150K
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Concentrated, high-dollar giving: very few grants but large amounts, split between institutional endowments/foundations, targeted education nonprofits, and a local donor-advised/umbrella fund used to distribute funds to multiple community organizations.
Notable grantees: MCF Donor Advised Fund, University of California Berkeley Foundation, Light The Way, American Civil Liberties Union Foundation
Stephen M Silberstein Foundation’s recent grants are clustered around large checks. The typical grant size is $36,250 at the 25th percentile, $62,500 at the median, and $150,000 at the 75th percentile, while several awards in the recent list reach $250,000 to $4,000,000. The foundation is a regular funder rather than a donor-advised fund itself, and the pattern in the grant list suggests repeat support to the same organizations across multiple years. Media Matters for America, American Civil Liberties Union Foundation, National Vote at Home Institute, Propublica, Democracy Now, and Sierra Club Foundation all appear more than once. The foundation does not fund individuals and does not make program-related investments.
Giving is concentrated in California, which receives 60% of grants. Bay Area recipients include Berkeley, San Francisco, Oakland, and Novato, showing a strong local footprint around the foundation’s regional focus. Other major hubs in the recent list are Washington, DC and New York, NY, which each appear across multiple grants. The foundation’s recipients are all in the United States; the country distribution shows 133 grants, or 100.0%, to U.S.-based organizations.
The recent grants point to education, civil liberties, public-interest media, election-related advocacy, and environmental work. Examples include the University of California Berkeley Foundation for education, the American Civil Liberties Union Foundation for rights and liberties, Propublica for investigative reporting, and the Sierra Club Foundation for protecting wild places and responsible resource use.
Yes. Several organizations appear in multiple years, including Media Matters for America in 2023, 2024, and 2025; American Civil Liberties Union Foundation in 2023, 2024, and 2025; National Vote at Home Institute in 2023, 2024, and 2025; Propublica in 2023, 2024, and 2025; and Democracy Now in 2024 and 2025.
The grant-size distribution is $36,250 at the 25th percentile, $62,500 at the median, and $150,000 at the 75th percentile. Recent awards range from $150,000 and $200,000 gifts up to $4,000,000 to the Mcf Donor Advised Fund.
California is the top state by grant count, with 60% of grants going to recipients in CA. Recent Bay Area recipients include Berkeley, San Francisco, Oakland, and Novato, while Washington, DC and New York, NY also appear repeatedly.
2025
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2025.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| MCF DONOR ADVISED FUND | NOVATO, CA | $4,000,000 | 2025 | UMBRELLA ORGANIZATION FOR MANY LOCAL NONPROFIT ORGS. |
| MEDIA MATTERS FOR AMERICA | WASHINGTON, DC | $350,000 | 2025 | EDUCATIONAL RADIO BROADCASTING |
| AMERICAN CIVIL LIBERTIES UNION FOUNDATION | SAN FRANCISCO, CA | $300,000 | 2025 | DEFEND & PRESERVE INDIVIDUAL RIGHT & LIBERTIES |
| NATIONAL VOTE AT HOME INSTITUTE | WASHINGTON, DC | $250,000 | 2025 | ENSURE THE SECURITY OF OUR ELECTIONS AND PUTING VOTER'S NEEDS FIRST |
| PROPUBLICA | NEW YORK, NY | $250,000 | 2025 | INVESTIGATIVE REPORTING |
| PLANNED PARENTHOOD FOUNDATION | NEW YORK, NY | $200,000 | 2025 | DELIVER HEALTH CARE SERVICES, SEX EDUCUCATION |
| NATIONAL REDISTRICTING FOUNDATION | WASHINGTON, DC | $200,000 | 2025 | TO DISMANTLE UNFAIR ELECTORAL MAPS AND CREATE A REDISTRICTING SYSTEM BASED ON DEMOCRATIC VALUES |
| SIERRA CLUB FOUNDATION | SAN FRANCISCO, CA | $200,000 | 2025 | PROTECT WILD PLACES & RESPONSIBLE RESOURCE USE |
| DEMOCRACY NOW | NEW YORK, NY | $200,000 | 2025 | SUPPORT PUBLIC RADIO JOURNALISM |
| ECONOMIC POLICY INSTITUTE | WASHINGTON, DC | $150,000 | 2025 | THINK TANK TO BROADEN DISCUSSION OF ECONOMIC ISSUES TO INCLUDE LOWER/MIDDLE CLASS |
| CENTER FOR AMERICAN PROGRESS | WASHINGTON, DC | $150,000 | 2025 | SUPPORT RESEARCH & EDUCATION IN ECONOMICS |
| INSTITUTE FOR POLICY STUDIES | WASHINGTON, DC | $150,000 | 2025 | BUILDING A MORE EQUITABLE, ECOLOGICALLY SUSTAINABLE, AND PEACEFUL SOCIETY BY TURNING IDEAS INTO ACTION. |
| COMMON CAUSE | WASHINGTON, DC | $150,000 | 2025 | VEHICLE FOR CITIZENS TO MAKE VOICES HEARD IN POLITICAL PROCESS & HOLD ELECTED LEADERS ACCOUNTABLE |
| INSTITUTE FOR RESEARCH ON PRESIDENTAL ELECTIONS | LOS ALTOS, CA | $140,000 | 2025 | EDUCATE THE PUBLIC, COMMUNITY LEADERS, OPINION LEADERS, AND POLICY MAKERS WITH REGARD TO THE MANNER BY WHICH WE ELECT THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES |
| CENTER FOR POLITICAL ACCOUNTABILITY | WASHINGTON, DC | $100,000 | 2025 | SUPPORTS POLITICAL ACCOUNTABILITY AND DISCLOSURE |
| ONE FAIR WAGE | NEW YORK, NY | $100,000 | 2025 | TO END ALL SUBMINIMUM WAGES IN THE UNITED STATES AND RAISE WAGES AND WORKING CONDITIONS IN THE SERVICE SECTOR IN PARTICULAR. |
| PUBLIC CITIZEN FOUNDATION | WASHINGTON, DC | $100,000 | 2025 | SERVES AS THE PEOPLE'S VOICE IN THE NATION'S CAPITAL. |
| AMERICAN INDEPENDENT FOUNDATION | WASHINGTON, DC | $100,000 | 2025 | FUND INDEPENDENT JOURNALISM THAT INCREASES PUBLIC AWARENESS OF PROGRESSIVE ISSUES |
| ALAMEDA COUNTY COMMUNITY FOOD BANK | OAKLAND, CA | $100,000 | 2025 | FOOD DISTRIBUTION TO THOSE IN NEED. |
| GREENBELT ALLIANCE | SAN FRANCISCO, CA | $100,000 | 2025 | ADVOCATE, PROVIDE EXPERTISE ON, AND BUILD SUPPORT BEHIND PUBLIC POLICY AND PLANNING THAT SUPPORTS OPEN SPACE CONSERVATION AND SMART GROWTH. |
| SAVE THE BAY | OAKLAND, CA | $100,000 | 2025 | WORKS TO PROTECT & RESTORE THE SAN FRANCISCO BAY |
| OUTDOOR AFRO | OAKLAND, CA | $97,600 | 2025 | INSPIRE AND PROMOTE AFRICAN AMERICAN CONNECTIONS AND LEADERSHIP IN NATURE |
| PARDEE HISTORIC HOME MUSEUM INC | OAKLAND, CA | $80,000 | 2025 | TO ENCOURAGE LEARNING, UNDERSTANDING, AND APPRECIATION OF OAKLAND'S EARLY HISTORY, THE CONTRIBUTIONS OF THREE GENERATIONS OF THE PARDEE FAMILY TO THE CITY OF OAKLAND AND THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA |
| INSTITUTE ON TAXATION & ECONOMIC POLICY | WASHINGTON, DC | $75,000 | 2025 | ENSURES THAT ELECTED OFFICIALS, MEDIA, AND THE GENERAL PUBLIC HAVE ACCESS TO ACCURATE, TIMELY, AND STRAIGHTFORWARD INFORMATION ON CURRENT AND PROPOSED TAX POLICIES. |
| PATRIOTIC MILLIONAIRES | WASHINGTON, DC | $75,000 | 2025 | COMMITTED TO BUILDING A MORE PROSPEROUS, STABLE, AND INCLUSIVE NATION THROUGH ECONOMIC POLICIES AND POLITICAL PROCESS POLICIES |
| GREEN SCIENCE POLICY INSTITUTE | BERKELEY, CA | $75,000 | 2025 | CREATE A SUSTAINABLE RELATIONSHIP AMONG ONE ANOTHER |
| CITYSIDE JOURNALISM INSTITUTE | OAKLAND, CA | $75,000 | 2025 | TO HELP PEOPLE FEEL MORE ENGAGED WITH THEIR CITY AND WITH ONE ANOTHER |
| SAN FRANCISCO MIME TROUPE | SAN FRANCISCO, CA | $50,000 | 2025 | CREATES AND PRODUCES THEATER THAT PRESENTS A WORKING-CLASS ANALYSIS OF THE VENTS THAT SHAPE OUR SOCIETY, EXPOSE SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC INJUSTICE, AND DEMANDS REVOLUTIONARY CHANGE. |
| SAN FRANCISCO PLANNING & URBAN RESEARCH ASSOCIATION | SAN FRANCISCO, CA | $50,000 | 2025 | USE RESEARCH, EDUCATION, AND ADVOCACY TO PROMOTE GOOD PLANNING AND GOVERNMENT IN THE SAN FRANCISCO BAY AREA |
| MARIN COUNTY BICYCLE COALITION | FAIRFAX, CA | $50,000 | 2025 | IMPROVING OUR COUNTRY'S ROADS, MULTI-USE PATHWAYS, AND OFF-ROAD FACILITIES FOR CYCLISTS AND PEDESTRIANS. |
| GOOD JOBS FIRST | WASHINGTON, DC | $50,000 | 2025 | PROMOTING ACCOUNTABILITY IN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT |
| JOHN BURTON FOUNDATIONCOMMUNITY INITIATIVES | SAN FRANCISCO, CA | $50,000 | 2025 | PROMOTES VALUES OF NURTURING CHILDREN AND YOUTH WHO ARE LESS FORTUNATE |
| VOICES FOR PROGRESS | SANTA MONICA, CA | $50,000 | 2025 | ADVOCATES FOR THE PUBLIC INTEREST ON TOPICS SUCH AS THE CLIMATE, INCOME INEQUALITY, AND A FAIR DEMOCRACY |
| MILITARY RELIGIOUS FREEDOM FOUNDATION | ALBUQUERQUE, NM | $50,000 | 2025 | PROTECT CONSTITUTIONALLY MANDATED RELIGIOUS FREEDOM |
| CALMATTERS | SACRAMENTO, CA | $50,000 | 2025 | INFORM CALIFORNIANS THROUGH MEANINGFUL JOURNALISM ABOUT THE PLAYERS, POLITICS, AND INTERESTS THAT SHAPE THE ISSUES THAT AFFECT THEIR LIVES |
| SAN FRANCISCO BAYKEEPER | SAN FRANCISCO, CA | $50,000 | 2025 | ADDRESSING THE GREATEST THREATS TO THE SF BAY. |
| HUMAN RIGHTS WATCH | NEW YORK, NY | $30,000 | 2025 | DEFEND & PRESERVE INDIVIDUAL RIGHTS & LIBERTIES |
| AMIGOS DE LAS AMERICAS - EAST BAY CHAPTER | OAKLAND, CA | $25,000 | 2025 | PROMOTE YOUTH LEADERSHIP ACROSS THE AMERICAS |
| 10000 DEGREES | SAN RAFAEL, CA | $25,000 | 2025 | TO ACHIEVE EDUCATIONAL EQUITY AND TO SUPPORT STUDENTS FROM LOW-INCOME BACKGROUNDS TO AND THORUGH COLLEGE TO REALIZE THEIR FULL POTENTIAL AND POSITVELY IMPACT THEIR COMMUNITIES AND THE WORLD. |
| J STREET EDUCATION FUND | WASHINGTON, DC | $25,000 | 2025 | RAISE AWARENESS FOR A TWO-STATE SOLUTION |
| THE LIVING NEW DEAL | BERKELEY, CA | $25,000 | 2025 | AIMS TO PRESERVE NEW DEAL ART AND ARCHITECTURE FROM DESTRUCTION OR PRIVATIZATION AS WELL AS HELPING COMMUNITIES REDISCOVER THEIR HERITAGE |
| SCIENCE FRIDAY | NEW YORK, NY | $25,000 | 2025 | COVERING THE OUTER REACHES OF SPACE TO THE TINIEST MICROBES IN OUR BODIES, SCIENCE FRIDAY IS THE SOURCE FOR ENTERTAINING AND EDUCATIONAL STORIES ABOUT SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, AND OTHER COOL STUFF. |
| RAINFOREST ACTION NETWORK | SAN FRANCISCO, CA | $15,000 | 2025 | CAMPAIGNS FOR FORESTS |
| SEACOLOGY | BERKELEY, CA | $15,000 | 2025 | PROTECT ISLAND HABITATS AND ASSIST LOCAL COMMUNITIES |
| CALIFORNIA BUDGET & POLICY CENTER | SACRAMENTO, CA | $15,000 | 2025 | ACCESS TO USEFUL ANALYSES OF STATE BUDGET TO IMPROVE PUBLIC POLICIES AND WELL-BEING OF CALIFORNIANS |
| ALASKA WILDERNESS LEAGUE | ANCHORAGE, AK | $10,000 | 2025 | PROMOTE AND PROTECT AMERICA'S PUBLIC LANDS IN ALASKA |
| CALIFORNIA NATIVE PLANT SOCIETY | SACRAMENTO, CA | $10,000 | 2025 | CONSERVING CALIFORNIA NATIVE PLANTS AND THEIR NATURAL HABITATS |
| UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA BERKELEY FOUNDATION | BERKELEY, CA | $2,500,000 | 2024 | EDUCATION |
| MEDIA MATTERS FOR AMERICA | WASHINGTON, DC | $400,000 | 2024 | EDUCATIONAL RADIO BROADCASTING |
| HUMAN RIGHTS WATCH | NEW YORK, NY | $300,000 | 2024 | DEFEND & PRESERVE INDIVIDUAL RIGHTS & LIBERTIES |
MCF DONOR ADVISED FUND
$4,000,000UMBRELLA ORGANIZATION FOR MANY LOCAL NONPROFIT ORGS.
AMERICAN CIVIL LIBERTIES UNION FOUNDATION
$300,000DEFEND & PRESERVE INDIVIDUAL RIGHT & LIBERTIES
NATIONAL VOTE AT HOME INSTITUTE
$250,000ENSURE THE SECURITY OF OUR ELECTIONS AND PUTING VOTER'S NEEDS FIRST
PROPUBLICA
$250,000INVESTIGATIVE REPORTING
DELIVER HEALTH CARE SERVICES, SEX EDUCUCATION
TO DISMANTLE UNFAIR ELECTORAL MAPS AND CREATE A REDISTRICTING SYSTEM BASED ON DEMOCRATIC VALUES
DEMOCRACY NOW
$200,000SUPPORT PUBLIC RADIO JOURNALISM
THINK TANK TO BROADEN DISCUSSION OF ECONOMIC ISSUES TO INCLUDE LOWER/MIDDLE CLASS
BUILDING A MORE EQUITABLE, ECOLOGICALLY SUSTAINABLE, AND PEACEFUL SOCIETY BY TURNING IDEAS INTO ACTION.
VEHICLE FOR CITIZENS TO MAKE VOICES HEARD IN POLITICAL PROCESS & HOLD ELECTED LEADERS ACCOUNTABLE
INSTITUTE FOR RESEARCH ON PRESIDENTAL ELECTIONS
$140,000EDUCATE THE PUBLIC, COMMUNITY LEADERS, OPINION LEADERS, AND POLICY MAKERS WITH REGARD TO THE MANNER BY WHICH WE ELECT THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES
CENTER FOR POLITICAL ACCOUNTABILITY
$100,000SUPPORTS POLITICAL ACCOUNTABILITY AND DISCLOSURE
TO END ALL SUBMINIMUM WAGES IN THE UNITED STATES AND RAISE WAGES AND WORKING CONDITIONS IN THE SERVICE SECTOR IN PARTICULAR.
SERVES AS THE PEOPLE'S VOICE IN THE NATION'S CAPITAL.
AMERICAN INDEPENDENT FOUNDATION
$100,000FUND INDEPENDENT JOURNALISM THAT INCREASES PUBLIC AWARENESS OF PROGRESSIVE ISSUES
ADVOCATE, PROVIDE EXPERTISE ON, AND BUILD SUPPORT BEHIND PUBLIC POLICY AND PLANNING THAT SUPPORTS OPEN SPACE CONSERVATION AND SMART GROWTH.
INSPIRE AND PROMOTE AFRICAN AMERICAN CONNECTIONS AND LEADERSHIP IN NATURE
PARDEE HISTORIC HOME MUSEUM INC
$80,000TO ENCOURAGE LEARNING, UNDERSTANDING, AND APPRECIATION OF OAKLAND'S EARLY HISTORY, THE CONTRIBUTIONS OF THREE GENERATIONS OF THE PARDEE FAMILY TO THE CITY OF OAKLAND AND THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA
ENSURES THAT ELECTED OFFICIALS, MEDIA, AND THE GENERAL PUBLIC HAVE ACCESS TO ACCURATE, TIMELY, AND STRAIGHTFORWARD INFORMATION ON CURRENT AND PROPOSED TAX POLICIES.
PATRIOTIC MILLIONAIRES
$75,000COMMITTED TO BUILDING A MORE PROSPEROUS, STABLE, AND INCLUSIVE NATION THROUGH ECONOMIC POLICIES AND POLITICAL PROCESS POLICIES
CREATE A SUSTAINABLE RELATIONSHIP AMONG ONE ANOTHER
CITYSIDE JOURNALISM INSTITUTE
$75,000TO HELP PEOPLE FEEL MORE ENGAGED WITH THEIR CITY AND WITH ONE ANOTHER
SAN FRANCISCO MIME TROUPE
$50,000CREATES AND PRODUCES THEATER THAT PRESENTS A WORKING-CLASS ANALYSIS OF THE VENTS THAT SHAPE OUR SOCIETY, EXPOSE SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC INJUSTICE, AND DEMANDS REVOLUTIONARY CHANGE.
USE RESEARCH, EDUCATION, AND ADVOCACY TO PROMOTE GOOD PLANNING AND GOVERNMENT IN THE SAN FRANCISCO BAY AREA
IMPROVING OUR COUNTRY'S ROADS, MULTI-USE PATHWAYS, AND OFF-ROAD FACILITIES FOR CYCLISTS AND PEDESTRIANS.
PROMOTES VALUES OF NURTURING CHILDREN AND YOUTH WHO ARE LESS FORTUNATE
VOICES FOR PROGRESS
$50,000ADVOCATES FOR THE PUBLIC INTEREST ON TOPICS SUCH AS THE CLIMATE, INCOME INEQUALITY, AND A FAIR DEMOCRACY
PROTECT CONSTITUTIONALLY MANDATED RELIGIOUS FREEDOM
CALMATTERS
$50,000INFORM CALIFORNIANS THROUGH MEANINGFUL JOURNALISM ABOUT THE PLAYERS, POLITICS, AND INTERESTS THAT SHAPE THE ISSUES THAT AFFECT THEIR LIVES
SAN FRANCISCO BAYKEEPER
$50,000ADDRESSING THE GREATEST THREATS TO THE SF BAY.
HUMAN RIGHTS WATCH
$30,000DEFEND & PRESERVE INDIVIDUAL RIGHTS & LIBERTIES
AMIGOS DE LAS AMERICAS - EAST BAY CHAPTER
$25,000PROMOTE YOUTH LEADERSHIP ACROSS THE AMERICAS
TO ACHIEVE EDUCATIONAL EQUITY AND TO SUPPORT STUDENTS FROM LOW-INCOME BACKGROUNDS TO AND THORUGH COLLEGE TO REALIZE THEIR FULL POTENTIAL AND POSITVELY IMPACT THEIR COMMUNITIES AND THE WORLD.
THE LIVING NEW DEAL
$25,000AIMS TO PRESERVE NEW DEAL ART AND ARCHITECTURE FROM DESTRUCTION OR PRIVATIZATION AS WELL AS HELPING COMMUNITIES REDISCOVER THEIR HERITAGE
SCIENCE FRIDAY
$25,000COVERING THE OUTER REACHES OF SPACE TO THE TINIEST MICROBES IN OUR BODIES, SCIENCE FRIDAY IS THE SOURCE FOR ENTERTAINING AND EDUCATIONAL STORIES ABOUT SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, AND OTHER COOL STUFF.
ACCESS TO USEFUL ANALYSES OF STATE BUDGET TO IMPROVE PUBLIC POLICIES AND WELL-BEING OF CALIFORNIANS
PROMOTE AND PROTECT AMERICA'S PUBLIC LANDS IN ALASKA
CONSERVING CALIFORNIA NATIVE PLANTS AND THEIR NATURAL HABITATS
HUMAN RIGHTS WATCH
$300,000DEFEND & PRESERVE INDIVIDUAL RIGHTS & LIBERTIES