The Jay Pritzker Foundation concentrates its philanthropy almost exclusively on higher education, providing very large, targeted gifts to postsecondary institutions. Its support combines major capital and general operating dollars for a residential liberal arts college with substantial student-success and financial-aid funding routed through a statewide community-college intermediary focused on low-income and underserved regions. The foundation gives few but very large grants, favoring repeat commitments to a small set of education organizations.
The Jay Pritzker Foundation’s largest recent grant was $18.5 million to St Johns College for infrastructure improvements and general support, and that scale helps define the funder: it makes few, very large grants to higher education institutions. A second major thread is a repeated $5 million commitment to the Foundation for California Community Colleges, directed to student financial support at participating community colleges in low-income, under-served regions of California to increase student success and help eliminate regional achievement gaps. Together, those gifts show a foundation that favors concentrated, institution-level support rather than a broad portfolio of many small awards. The pattern continues across other grants. The foundation has also backed student-support funds for high-achieving, financially disadvantaged students at the University of California Berkeley Foundation and the Uc Berkley Foundation, while supporting an endowed scholarship fund for Black students at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music across multiple years. Beyond higher education, its recent awards include support for a field station campaign at College of Marin and an endowment for Empower - the Emerging Markets Foundation. The result is a grantmaking profile centered on higher education access, student support, and institutional capacity.
In community-college support, the foundation gave $5 million in 2025 to the Foundation for California Community Colleges for financial support to students at participating community colleges in low-income, under-served regions of California. It also made the same $5 million award in 2024 and 2023 for the same student-success goal. The foundation has funded equity-oriented student aid at selective institutions too. In 2024, it gave $250,000 to the Uc Berkley Foundation to establish the Student Support Fund for high-achieving, financially-disadvantaged students, following a similar $250,000 gift in 2023 to the University of California Berkeley Foundation. Its support for racial equity in higher education appears in music education as well: the foundation gave $200,000 in 2025 to the San Francisco Conservatory of Music to support the establishment of an endowed scholarship fund for the benefit of Black students, after matching grants of $200,000 in both 2023 and 2024. Institutional capacity also shows up in capital-focused giving, including $250,000 in 2025 to College of Marin Foundation for the Bolinas field station campaign.
$10.4M
$22.1M
$11.4M
$10.5M
Most grants fall between $10K and $200K, with a median of $25K.
25th Percentile
$10K
Median
$25K
75th Percentile
$200K
About 0% of grants go to recipients in CA.
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Highly concentrated giving: very large grants (multi-million-dollar) to a small number of education-focused recipients, with repeat grants to the same institutions and a mix of unrestricted and infrastructure-directed funding.
Notable grantees: St Johns College, Foundation for California Community Colleges, Participating California community colleges (via the Foundation for California Community Colleges)
The Jay Pritzker Foundation’s recent grants cluster around a small number of large awards: the typical grant size is $10,000 at the 25th percentile, $25,000 at the median, and $200,000 at the 75th percentile. Above that band, it makes repeated multimillion-dollar gifts, including several $5 million awards and an $18.5 million grant. The pattern is repeat commitment rather than one-off giving. St Johns College, the Foundation for California Community Colleges, the San Francisco Conservatory of Music, and the University of Alaska Foundation all appear in multiple years. The foundation is a regular funder, not a DAF, and it funds individuals as well as institutions, though the recent grant record shown here is dominated by organizational awards.
The foundation gives nationally, with recipients in 13 states shown in the recent-grants list and 100% of listed grants going to U.S. recipients. California appears most often, with grants in Sacramento, Berkeley, Kentfield, San Anselmo, and San Francisco. Other recurring recipient cities include Santa Fe, New York, and Fairbanks. The foundation’s HQ is in Houston, but no recent grants in the list go to Texas recipients.
Its recent giving is concentrated in higher education institutions and intermediaries tied to student access. The largest awards go to St Johns College and the Foundation for California Community Colleges, with additional support for universities, conservatories, and college foundations.
Yes. St Johns College appears in 2023, 2024, and 2025; the Foundation for California Community Colleges appears in 2023, 2024, and 2025; and the San Francisco Conservatory of Music appears in 2023, 2024, and 2025.
Its grant-size distribution is $10,000 at the 25th percentile, $25,000 at the median, and $200,000 at the 75th percentile. The recent record also includes several multimillion-dollar grants well above that range.
California is the top recipient state by grant count, with recent grants in cities including Sacramento, Berkeley, Kentfield, San Anselmo, and San Francisco. The recipient-country distribution in the data is entirely U.S.-based.
Recent grants show support for student financial aid and success in California community colleges, endowed scholarships for Black students, capital and infrastructure support for colleges, museum exhibition and arts support, and natural history research and collections work at the University of Alaska Foundation.
2025
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2025.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FOUNDATION FOR CALIFORNIA COMMUNITY COLLEGES | SACRAMENTO, CA | $5,000,000 | 2025 | FINANCIAL SUPPORT TO STUDENTS AT PARTICIPATING COMMUNITY COLLEGES IN LOW-INCOME, UNDER-SERVICED REGIONS OF CALIFORNIA TO INCREASE STUDENT SUCCESS AND HELP ELIMINATE REGIONAL ACHIEVEMENT GAPS |
| ST JOHNS COLLEGE | SANTA FE, NM | $3,500,000 | 2025 | FOR GENERAL FUND; FOR INFRASTRUCTURE IMPROVEMENTS |
| PORTLAND ART MUSEUM | PORTLAND, OR | $500,000 | 2025 | TO SUPPORT EXHIBITION OF ART |
| COLLEGE OF MARIN FOUNDATION | KENTFIELD, CA | $250,000 | 2025 | TO LEVERAGE THE FINANCIAL SUPPORT OF COMMUNITY MEMBERS TO ENSURE FUNDS ARE AVAILABLE TO BUILD THE COLLEGE OF MARIN'S BOLINAS FIELD STATION |
| EMPOWER - THE EMERGING MARKETS FOUNDATION | NEW YORK, NY | $250,000 | 2025 | TO ESTABLISH AN ENDOWMENT IN SUPPORT OF ITS ONGOING MISSION |
| SAN FRANCISCO CONSERVATORY OF MUSIC | SAN FRANCISCO, CA | $200,000 | 2025 | TO SUPPORT THE ESTABLISHMENT OF AN ENDOWED SCHOLARSHIP FUND FOR THE BENEFIT OF BLACK STUDENTS |
| NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY | EVANSTON, IL | $187,500 | 2025 | FOR FOIA PRACTICUM FUND FOR PRITZKER SCHOOL OF LAW |
| UNIVERSITY OF ALASKA FOUNDATION | FAIRBANKS, AK | $182,500 | 2025 | TO SUPPORT THE DEPARTMENT OF MAMMALOGY AT THE UNIVERSITY OF ALASKA |
| THE HARPSWELL FOUNDATION | CONCORD, MA | $75,000 | 2025 | SUPPORT OF THE ASEAN PROGRAM IN WOMEN'S LEADERSHIP |
| PROVIDENCE ST MEL SCHOOL | CHICAGO, IL | $75,000 | 2025 | FOR GENERAL FUND |
| SIDE BY SIDE | SAN ANSELMO, CA | $50,000 | 2025 | TO SUPPORT ITS IRENE M. HUNT SCHOOL CAPITAL CAMPAIGN |
| FINE ARTS MUSEUMS OF SAN FRANCISCO | SAN FRANCISCO, CA | $25,000 | 2025 | SUPPORT OF THE SYMPOSIUM AND SCHOLARS' STUDY DAY AT THE DE YOUNG MUSEUM |
| CLYFFORD STILL MUSEUM | DENVER, CO | $25,000 | 2025 | SUPPORT OF ITS FORWARD TO 15 FUND |
| SAN FRANCISCO & MARIN FOOD BANK | SAN FRANCISCO, CA | $20,000 | 2025 | FOR GENERAL FUND |
| THE SALVATION ARMY GOLDEN STATE DIVISION | SAN FRANCISCO, CA | $20,000 | 2025 | FOR GENERAL FUND |
| ST JOHNS COLLEGE | SANTA FE, NM | $18,500,000 | 2024 | IN SUPPORT OF INFASTRUCTURE IMPROVEMENTS AND GENERAL SUPPORT |
| FOUNDATION FOR CALIFORNIA COMMUNITY COLLEGES | SACRAMENTO, CA | $5,000,000 | 2024 | FINANCIAL SUPPORT TO STUDENTS AT PARTICIPATING COMMUNITY COLLEGES IN LOW-INCOME, UNDER-SERVICED REGIONS OF CALIFORNIA TO INCREASE STUDENT SUCCESS AND HELP ELIMINATE REGIONAL ACHIEVEMENT GAPS. |
| PORTLAND ART MUSEUM | PORTLAND, OR | $500,000 | 2024 | TO SUPPORT ARTISTIC MISSION |
| UNIVERSITY NETWORK FOR INT'L TRAINING & ENGAGEMENT FOR HUMAN RIGHTS | MIDDLETON, CT | $500,000 | 2024 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| UNIVERSITY OF ALASKA FOUNDATION | FAIRBANKS, AK | $365,000 | 2024 | FUNDING FOR POST-DOC, POST-BAC AND UNDERGRADS WORKING IN THE COLLECTIONS DEPARTMENT, THE PURCHASE OF AN ELECTRIC UTILITY VEHICLE, CERTAIN CONTRACTUAL SERVICES AND SUPPORT FOR PARTICIPANTS IN SUMMER FIELD WORK AS DETAILED IN "EVOLUTION, BIOGEOGRAPHY, AND CONSERVATION OF THE HOARY MARMOT SPECIES COMPLEX" BUDGET AS PREPARED BY THE CURATOR OF MAMMALS. |
| UC BERKLEY FOUNDATION | BERKELEY, CA | $250,000 | 2024 | TO ESTABLISH THE STUDENT SUPPORT FUND FOR HIGH-ACHIEVING, FINANCIALLY-DISADVANTAGED STUDENTS. |
| SAN FRANCISCO CONSERVATORY OF MUSIC | SAN FRANCISCO, CA | $200,000 | 2024 | TO SUPPORT THE ESTABLISHMENT OF AN ENDOWED SCHOLARSHIP FUND FOR THE BENEFIT OF BLACK STUDENTS |
| SAN FRANCISCO JAZZ ORGANIZATION | SAN FRANCISCO, CA | $121,450 | 2024 | SPONSORSHIP |
| UNITED JEWISH APPEAL-FEDERATION OF JEWISH PHILANTHROPIES OF NEW YORK INC | NEW YORK, NY | $100,000 | 2024 | SUPPORT ISRAEL EMERGENCY FUND |
| THE HARPSWELL FOUNDATION | CONCORD, MA | $75,000 | 2024 | SUPPORT OF THE ASEAN PROGRAM IN WOMEN'S LEADERSHIP |
| ALLIANCE FOR YOUNG ARTISTS & WRITERS INC | NEW YORK, NY | $46,840 | 2024 | IN SUPPORT OF THE ALLIANCE SCHOLARSHIP AND EDUCATORS' FUNDS |
| PROVIDENCE ST MEL SCHOOL | CHICAGO, IL | $24,900 | 2024 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| ST VINCENT DE PAUL SOCIETY | SAN RAFAEL, CA | $20,000 | 2024 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| CULTURE TRUST GREATER PHILADELPHIA | PHILADELPHIA, PA | $12,500 | 2024 | IN SUPPORT OF THE COMMUNITY UNITY MUSIC FESTIVAL |
| REDWOOD EMPIRE FOOD BANK | SANTA ROSA, CA | $10,000 | 2024 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| ALMEDA COUNTY COMMUNITY FOOD BANK | OAKLAND, CA | $10,000 | 2024 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| FOOD BANK CONTRA COSTA | FAIRFIELD, CA | $10,000 | 2024 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| MEALS ON WHEELS SAN FRANCISCO | SAN FRANCISCO, CA | $10,000 | 2024 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| ARCHANGEL ANCIENT TREE ARCHIVE | COPEMISH, MI | $10,000 | 2024 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| STERN GROVE FESTIVAL ASSOCIATION | SAN FRANCISCO, CA | $7,500 | 2024 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| BRADY CENTER TO PREVENT GUN VIOLENCE | WASHINGTON, DC | $5,000 | 2024 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| SHE-CAN GLOBAL INC | MILL VALLEY, CA | $5,000 | 2024 | SPONSORSHIP |
| LOUISIANA MUSEUM FOUNDATION | NEW ORLEANS, LA | $2,500 | 2024 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| ST JOHNS COLLEGE | SANTA FE, NM | $6,000,000 | 2023 | IN SUPPORT OF INFRASTRUCTURE IMPROVEMENTS AND GENERAL FUND |
| FOUNDATION FOR CALIFORNIA COMMUNITY COLLEGES | SACRAMENTO, CA | $5,000,000 | 2023 | TO LAUNCH AND CONDUCT A PROGRAM TO PROVIDE FINANCIAL SUPPORT TO STUDENTS AT PARTICIPATING COMMUNITY COLLEGES IN LOW-INCOME, UNDER-SERVED REGIONS OF CALIFORNIA TO INCREASE STUDENT SUCCESS AND HELP ELIMINATE REGIONAL ACHIEVEMENT GAPS |
| UNIVERSITY NETWORK FOR INTERNATIONAL TRAINING & ENGAGEMENT FOR HUMAN RIGHTS | MIDDLETOWN, CT | $500,000 | 2023 | TO ADVANCE HUMAN RIGHTS AT HOME AND ABROAD |
| UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA BERKELEY FOUNDATION | BERKELEY, CA | $250,000 | 2023 | TO ESTABLISH THE STUDENT SUPPORT FUND FOR HIGH-ACHIEVING, FINANCIALLY DISADVANTAGED STUDENTS |
| SAN FRANCISCO CONSERVATORY OF MUSIC | SAN FRANCISCO, CA | $200,000 | 2023 | TO SUPPORT THE ESTABLISHMENT OF AN ENDOWED SCHOLARSHIP FUND FOR THE BENEFIT OF BLACK STUDENTS |
| ALLIANCE FOR YOUNG ARTISTS AND WRITERS INC | NEW YORK, NY | $115,000 | 2023 | SUPPORT OF THE 2022 SCHOLASTIC ART & WRITING AWARDS NATIONAL CEREMONY AND BENEFIT DINNER; GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT; SUPPORT FOR SCHOLARSHIPS FOR A BRONX-BASED SCHOLASTIC AWARDS RECIPIENT |
| STERN GROVE FESTIVAL ASSOCIATION | SAN FRANCISCO, CA | $100,000 | 2023 | IN SUPPORT OF GENERAL FUND |
| ARS NOVA THEATER I INC | NEW YORK, NY | $75,000 | 2023 | IN SUPPORT OF GENERAL FUND |
| LOUISIANA MUSEUM FOUNDATION (ON BEHALF OF THE NEW ORLEANS JAZZ MUSEUM) | NEW ORLEANS, LA | $30,000 | 2023 | SUPPORT OF ITS 2022 IMPROVISATIONS GALA |
| HARPSWELL FOUNDATION | CONCORD, MA | $25,000 | 2023 | IN HONOR OF ALAN LIGHTMAN'S 17 YEARS OF SERVICE AS FOUNDATION CHAIR |
| HAND IN HAND AMERICAN FRIENDS OF THE CENTER FOR JEWISH-ARAB EDUCATION IN IS | PORTLAND, OR | $25,000 | 2023 | IN SUPPORT OF GENERAL FUND |
| CONGREGATION SUKKAT SHALOM | WILMETTE, IL | $25,000 | 2023 | SUPPORT OF THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A RABBINIC CHAIR |
FINANCIAL SUPPORT TO STUDENTS AT PARTICIPATING COMMUNITY COLLEGES IN LOW-INCOME, UNDER-SERVICED REGIONS OF CALIFORNIA TO INCREASE STUDENT SUCCESS AND HELP ELIMINATE REGIONAL ACHIEVEMENT GAPS
ST JOHNS COLLEGE
$3,500,000FOR GENERAL FUND; FOR INFRASTRUCTURE IMPROVEMENTS
TO LEVERAGE THE FINANCIAL SUPPORT OF COMMUNITY MEMBERS TO ENSURE FUNDS ARE AVAILABLE TO BUILD THE COLLEGE OF MARIN'S BOLINAS FIELD STATION
TO ESTABLISH AN ENDOWMENT IN SUPPORT OF ITS ONGOING MISSION
TO SUPPORT THE ESTABLISHMENT OF AN ENDOWED SCHOLARSHIP FUND FOR THE BENEFIT OF BLACK STUDENTS
UNIVERSITY OF ALASKA FOUNDATION
$182,500TO SUPPORT THE DEPARTMENT OF MAMMALOGY AT THE UNIVERSITY OF ALASKA
THE HARPSWELL FOUNDATION
$75,000SUPPORT OF THE ASEAN PROGRAM IN WOMEN'S LEADERSHIP
FINE ARTS MUSEUMS OF SAN FRANCISCO
$25,000SUPPORT OF THE SYMPOSIUM AND SCHOLARS' STUDY DAY AT THE DE YOUNG MUSEUM
SAN FRANCISCO & MARIN FOOD BANK
$20,000FOR GENERAL FUND
THE SALVATION ARMY GOLDEN STATE DIVISION
$20,000FOR GENERAL FUND
ST JOHNS COLLEGE
$18,500,000IN SUPPORT OF INFASTRUCTURE IMPROVEMENTS AND GENERAL SUPPORT
FINANCIAL SUPPORT TO STUDENTS AT PARTICIPATING COMMUNITY COLLEGES IN LOW-INCOME, UNDER-SERVICED REGIONS OF CALIFORNIA TO INCREASE STUDENT SUCCESS AND HELP ELIMINATE REGIONAL ACHIEVEMENT GAPS.
UNIVERSITY NETWORK FOR INT'L TRAINING & ENGAGEMENT FOR HUMAN RIGHTS
$500,000GENERAL SUPPORT
UNIVERSITY OF ALASKA FOUNDATION
$365,000FUNDING FOR POST-DOC, POST-BAC AND UNDERGRADS WORKING IN THE COLLECTIONS DEPARTMENT, THE PURCHASE OF AN ELECTRIC UTILITY VEHICLE, CERTAIN CONTRACTUAL SERVICES AND SUPPORT FOR PARTICIPANTS IN SUMMER FIELD WORK AS DETAILED IN "EVOLUTION, BIOGEOGRAPHY, AND CONSERVATION OF THE HOARY MARMOT SPECIES COMPLEX" BUDGET AS PREPARED BY THE CURATOR OF MAMMALS.
TO ESTABLISH THE STUDENT SUPPORT FUND FOR HIGH-ACHIEVING, FINANCIALLY-DISADVANTAGED STUDENTS.
TO SUPPORT THE ESTABLISHMENT OF AN ENDOWED SCHOLARSHIP FUND FOR THE BENEFIT OF BLACK STUDENTS
SAN FRANCISCO JAZZ ORGANIZATION
$121,450SPONSORSHIP
SUPPORT ISRAEL EMERGENCY FUND
THE HARPSWELL FOUNDATION
$75,000SUPPORT OF THE ASEAN PROGRAM IN WOMEN'S LEADERSHIP
IN SUPPORT OF THE ALLIANCE SCHOLARSHIP AND EDUCATORS' FUNDS
IN SUPPORT OF THE COMMUNITY UNITY MUSIC FESTIVAL
ARCHANGEL ANCIENT TREE ARCHIVE
$10,000GENERAL SUPPORT
ST JOHNS COLLEGE
$6,000,000IN SUPPORT OF INFRASTRUCTURE IMPROVEMENTS AND GENERAL FUND
TO LAUNCH AND CONDUCT A PROGRAM TO PROVIDE FINANCIAL SUPPORT TO STUDENTS AT PARTICIPATING COMMUNITY COLLEGES IN LOW-INCOME, UNDER-SERVED REGIONS OF CALIFORNIA TO INCREASE STUDENT SUCCESS AND HELP ELIMINATE REGIONAL ACHIEVEMENT GAPS
UNIVERSITY NETWORK FOR INTERNATIONAL TRAINING & ENGAGEMENT FOR HUMAN RIGHTS
$500,000TO ADVANCE HUMAN RIGHTS AT HOME AND ABROAD
TO ESTABLISH THE STUDENT SUPPORT FUND FOR HIGH-ACHIEVING, FINANCIALLY DISADVANTAGED STUDENTS
TO SUPPORT THE ESTABLISHMENT OF AN ENDOWED SCHOLARSHIP FUND FOR THE BENEFIT OF BLACK STUDENTS
SUPPORT OF THE 2022 SCHOLASTIC ART & WRITING AWARDS NATIONAL CEREMONY AND BENEFIT DINNER; GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT; SUPPORT FOR SCHOLARSHIPS FOR A BRONX-BASED SCHOLASTIC AWARDS RECIPIENT
SUPPORT OF ITS 2022 IMPROVISATIONS GALA
HARPSWELL FOUNDATION
$25,000IN HONOR OF ALAN LIGHTMAN'S 17 YEARS OF SERVICE AS FOUNDATION CHAIR
IN SUPPORT OF GENERAL FUND
CONGREGATION SUKKAT SHALOM
$25,000SUPPORT OF THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A RABBINIC CHAIR