The Kabcenell Foundation concentrates its giving on education and environmental conservation, with a particular emphasis on education policy, K–12 school improvement, and California-focused conservation work. They fund a mix of national research universities and policy centers as well as local Bay Area education organizations and community foundations, indicating a dual strategy of supporting system-level research/policy and place-based implementation. Grants are sizable and directed to established institutions and intermediaries that can influence policy or scale programs rather than small direct-service providers.
The Dirk and Charlene Kabcenell Foundation’s largest recent grant went to Silicon Valley Community Foundation, a $1,125,591 award for general nonprofit support in 2023. That single grant points to a funder willing to make large, flexible commitments, while the rest of the recent record shows a steady mix of education and environmental grants. On the education side, the foundation backs research, policy, and school-improvement intermediaries; on the environmental side, it supports conservation organizations working across California and beyond. The profile also includes grants to arts and culture organizations, showing that the foundation’s giving is not limited to two sectors alone. The foundation’s recent grants favor established institutions rather than small one-off projects. Universities, policy organizations, community foundations, and statewide nonprofits appear frequently, alongside Bay Area organizations and California-based implementation partners. In education, the foundation supports groups such as Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Stanford University, while in conservation it funds organizations including The Nature Conservancy of California and Resources Legacy Fund. The pattern suggests a grantmaker that uses substantial awards to support organizations with research capacity, policy reach, or broad local networks.
Education is a core part of the foundation’s grantmaking. Recent awards include $205,000 to Children Now for education, $175,000 to EdSource Inc for education, and $150,000 to the Public Policy Institute of California for education. The foundation also funded American Institutes for Research in the Behavioral Sciences with $125,000 for education, reinforcing its support for research and policy work. Environmental giving is equally visible. In 2023, the foundation gave $125,000 to Sustainable Conservation for environment, $125,000 to Resources Legacy Fund for environment, and $111,000 to The Nature Conservancy of California for environment. Other environmental grants went to Natural Resources Defense Council Inc, Environmental Defense Fund Incorporated, Ocean Conservancy Inc, Conservation International Foundation, and Pew Charitable Trusts. The recent record also includes arts and culture grants. Oregon Shakespeare Festival Association received $25,000, and TheatreWorks Silicon Valley received $25,000, both for arts and culture.
$4.5M
$0
$0
$0
Most grants fall between $25K and $110K, with a median of $63K.
25th Percentile
$25K
Median
$63K
75th Percentile
$110K
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Concentrated, large grants to established institutions and intermediaries with a mix of multi-hundred‑thousand dollar gifts; funding is split chiefly between education and environment, combining national research/policy actors with regional implementation partners. The foundation tends to fund repeat or high-capacity organizations rather than many small grassroots groups.
Notable grantees: Silicon Valley Community Foundation, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Public Policy Institute of California, Natural Resources Defense Council, Children Now
Typical grant size sits at $25,000 at the 25th percentile, $62,500 at the median, and $110,250 at the 75th percentile. The distribution shows a mix of mid-sized and larger awards, with a clear upper tier for major institutions and intermediaries. The foundation is a public charity, not an individual-giving vehicle, and it does not make program-related investments. The recent list shows repeated support for the same broad categories in a single year rather than isolated, one-time thematic shifts: education organizations, environmental nonprofits, and community foundations all appear multiple times in 2023. Most grants are unrestricted or general support in style when framed that way in the grant list, including several general nonprofit support awards. The pattern is institution-centered and portfolio-based rather than application-driven from the data provided.
California receives most of the foundation’s grants, and 75% of grants go to recipients in the HQ state. The strongest clusters are in the Bay Area, especially Oakland, San Francisco, and Mountain View, with additional recipients in Stanford, Palo Alto, and Redwood City. Outside California, the foundation also gave to organizations in Cambridge, Massachusetts; Arlington, Virginia; Washington, DC; Honolulu, Hawaii; New York, New York; and Ashland, Oregon. All recent grants in the file went to US recipients.
Its recent grants center on education and environment, with recurring support for education policy, school improvement, and California conservation work. The list also includes arts and culture organizations, such as Oregon Shakespeare Festival Association and TheatreWorks Silicon Valley, showing a broader but still institution-focused portfolio.
The foundation’s grant-size distribution is $25,000 at the 25th percentile, $62,500 at the median, and $110,250 at the 75th percentile. That places many awards in the mid-five-figure range, with a substantial share above $100,000.
California is the top state by grant count, and 75% of grants go to recipients in the HQ state. Recent California recipients include organizations in Oakland, San Francisco, Mountain View, Stanford, Palo Alto, Redwood City, Los Angeles, Monterey, Santa Barbara, and Sacramento.
Yes. Recent grants also went to organizations in Massachusetts, Virginia, Washington, DC, Hawaii, New York, and Oregon. Examples include Massachusetts Institute of Technology in Cambridge, Hawaii Community Foundation in Honolulu, and Natural Resources Defense Council Inc in New York.
No. Education and environment dominate the recent record, but the foundation also made arts and culture grants. Recent examples include $25,000 to Oregon Shakespeare Festival Association and $25,000 to TheatreWorks Silicon Valley.
2024
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2024.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Silicon Valley Community Foundation | Mountain View, CA | $1,125,591 | 2023 | General Nonprofit Support |
| Massachusetts Institute of Technology | Cambridge, MA | $450,000 | 2023 | Education |
| Board of Trustees of the Leland Stanford Junior University | Stanford, CA | $251,000 | 2023 | Education |
| Children Now | Oakland, CA | $205,000 | 2023 | Education |
| EdSource Inc | Oakland, CA | $175,000 | 2023 | Education |
| Public Policy Institute of California | San Francisco, CA | $150,000 | 2023 | Education |
| Hawaii Community Foundation | Honolulu, HI | $135,000 | 2023 | General Nonprofit Support |
| American Institutes for Research in the Behavioral Sciences | Arlington, VA | $125,000 | 2023 | Education |
| Resources Legacy Fund | Sacramento, CA | $125,000 | 2023 | Environment |
| Sustainable Conservation | San Francisco, CA | $125,000 | 2023 | Environment |
| The Nature Conservancy of California | San Francisco, CA | $111,000 | 2023 | Environment |
| Environmental Defense Fund Incorporated | New York, NY | $110,000 | 2023 | Environment |
| Natural Resources Defense Council Inc | New York, NY | $110,000 | 2023 | Environment |
| Partnership for Los Angeles Schools | Los Angeles, CA | $100,000 | 2023 | Education |
| Pew Charitable Trusts | Washington, DC | $100,000 | 2023 | Environment |
| Pivot Learning Partners | Oakland, CA | $100,000 | 2023 | Education |
| Ocean Conservancy Inc | Washington, DC | $100,000 | 2023 | Environment |
| Community Initiatives | Oakland, CA | $100,000 | 2023 | Education |
| Conservation International Foundation | Arlington, VA | $100,000 | 2023 | Environment |
| Mills College | Oakland, CA | $100,000 | 2023 | Education |
| Monterey Bay Aquarium Foundation | Monterey, CA | $75,000 | 2023 | Environment |
| Partners in School Innovation | San Francisco, CA | $75,000 | 2023 | Education |
| National Equity Project | Oakland, CA | $50,000 | 2023 | Education |
| Education Trust Inc | Washington, DC | $45,000 | 2023 | Education |
| San Mateo County Office of Education | Redwood City, CA | $40,000 | 2023 | Education |
| The Exploratorium | San Francisco, CA | $25,000 | 2023 | Education |
| California Academy of Sciences | San Francisco, CA | $25,000 | 2023 | Education |
| TheatreWorks Silicon Valley | Palo Alto, CA | $25,000 | 2023 | Arts & Culture |
| The Tech Interactive | San Jose, CA | $25,000 | 2023 | Education |
| National Audubon Society Inc | San Francisco, CA | $25,000 | 2023 | Environment |
| Oregon Shakespeare Festival Association | Ashland, OR | $25,000 | 2023 | Arts & Culture |
| California Council of Land Trusts | Sacramento, CA | $25,000 | 2023 | Environment |
| Peninsula Open Space Trust | Palo Alto, CA | $25,000 | 2023 | Environment |
| KQED Inc | San Francisco, CA | $25,000 | 2023 | Education |
| UC Santa Barbara Foundation | Santa Barbara, CA | $25,000 | 2023 | Education |
| Humane Society Silicon Valley | Milpitas, CA | $15,000 | 2023 | Animal Welfare |
| WildAid Inc | San Francisco, CA | $10,000 | 2023 | Environment |
| Santa Clara Valley Audubon Society | Cupertino, CA | $10,000 | 2023 | Environment |
| League of Conservation Voters Education Fund | Washington, DC | $10,000 | 2023 | Environment |
| California League of Conservation Voters Education Fund | Oakland, CA | $10,000 | 2023 | Environment |
| Marine Mammal Center | Sausalito, CA | $10,000 | 2023 | Environment |
| Silicon Valley Social Venture Fund | Redwood City, CA | $10,000 | 2023 | General Nonprofit Support |
| The Coral Reef Alliance | Oakland, CA | $10,000 | 2023 | Environment |
| Marine Science Institute | Redwood City, CA | $10,000 | 2023 | Education |
Public Policy Institute of California
$150,000Education
The Nature Conservancy of California
$111,000Environment
Mills College
$100,000Education
San Mateo County Office of Education
$40,000Education
The Exploratorium
$25,000Education
California Academy of Sciences
$25,000Education
The Tech Interactive
$25,000Education
California Council of Land Trusts
$25,000Environment
Santa Clara Valley Audubon Society
$10,000Environment