The Lazares Family Foundation makes a small number of moderate-sized, locally focused gifts that support regional arts, community foundations/intermediaries, and event or team sponsorships. Their grants mix direct operating or program support to cultural institutions with contributions to other philanthropic vehicles and sponsored community events, suggesting a preference for place-based impact in the Bay Area and for organizations that engage local audiences.
Concentrated: a handful of mid-sized grants rather than many small gifts; favors local, place-based recipients and philanthropic intermediaries, with a mix of sponsorships and program/operating support. No evidence of large multi-year commitments or widely distributed national giving.
The Lazares Family Foundation’s recent giving is marked by a $25,000 general-support grant to Tower Foundation in San Jose, the largest award in the file. That gift fits a broader pattern of moderate-sized support for Bay Area institutions and related philanthropic vehicles, with grants often landing in San Jose, Saratoga, Santa Clara, and nearby communities. The foundation’s portfolio mixes general support with sponsorships, which points to a practical approach: back organizations directly, and also underwrite events or programs that connect to local audiences. Several grants show this local orientation clearly. Montalvo Arts Center in Saratoga received general support, while Silicon Valley Monterey Bay Council (Boy Scouts) in San Jose received sponsorship funding in both 2023 and 2024. The foundation also supported Martis Camp Foundation in Truckee with both general support and a separate grant in the same period, indicating that it sometimes gives to the same recipient in different capacities. Beyond California, the file includes a small number of out-of-state awards, but the center of gravity remains regional.
Arts and culture appear in the grant list through support for Montalvo Arts Center in Saratoga, which received $9,200 for general support. Community and youth-serving work shows up through Bill Wilson Center in Santa Clara, funded with $5,000 in general support, and through Silicon Valley Monterey Bay Council (Boy Scouts), which received sponsorship funding in two separate years. The foundation also uses sponsorships for community-facing events and organizations. Summit League in Saratoga received $15,000 for sponsorship, and Quest Valley Charities in Santa Clara received $10,000 for sponsorship. Philanthropic infrastructure is another theme: Tower Foundation in San Jose received general support, and John & Christine Davis Family Foundation in San Jose also received general support in 2024. That mix suggests the foundation supports both direct service organizations and intermediary or community foundation vehicles.
Typical grant size is moderate: the 25th percentile is $1,875, the median is $4,625, and the 75th percentile is $9,400. The recent record shows both one-off gifts and repeat support: Martis Camp Foundation appears in two years, and Silicon Valley Monterey Bay Council (Boy Scouts) also received grants in 2023 and 2024. The foundation is classified as a Regular Funder, does not fund individuals, and does not make program-related investments. The pattern is mostly unrestricted or general support, with sponsorships used alongside it.
$107K
$1M
$26K
$54K
Most grants fall between $2K and $9K, with a median of $5K.
25th Percentile
$2K
Median
$5K
75th Percentile
$9K
About 75% of grants go to recipients in CA.
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Notable grantees: Tower Foundation, Montalvo Arts Center, Summit League, Quest Valley Charities, Martis Camp Foundation
Grant recipients are entirely in the United States, and 75% of grants go to recipients in California, the foundation’s top giving state. The strongest concentration is in the South Bay and nearby Bay Area communities: San Jose, Saratoga, and Santa Clara recur several times. Other California recipients include Truckee, San Francisco, and Los Altos. A small number of grants go outside California, including Dallas, Austin, Cincinnati, and one sponsorship to Austin Street Center in Dallas.
The grant list shows support for arts and cultural institutions, community foundations or intermediaries, youth and community programs, and event sponsorships. Examples include Montalvo Arts Center for general support, Tower Foundation and John & Christine Davis Family Foundation for general support, and Summit League and Quest Valley Charities for sponsorships.
Yes. California is the top state by grant count, with 75% of grants going to recipients in the state. Recent recipients cluster in San Jose, Saratoga, Santa Clara, Truckee, San Francisco, and Los Altos.
The foundation’s typical grant size is moderate: the 25th percentile is $1,875, the median is $4,625, and the 75th percentile is $9,400. The recent record includes both smaller sponsorships and larger general-support grants.
Yes. Martis Camp Foundation appears more than once, with grants in 2023 and 2024. Silicon Valley Monterey Bay Council (Boy Scouts) also received grants in both years, showing that the foundation does make recurring awards to some recipients.
No. The foundation is marked as funding individuals: false and making program-related investments: false. Its recent record is made up of grants to organizations rather than direct support to individuals.
2024
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2024.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| JOHN & CHRISTINE DAVIS FAMILY FOUNDATION | SAN JOSE, CA | $16,500 | 2024 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| MONTALVO ARTS CENTER | SARATOGA, CA | $9,200 | 2024 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| MARTIS CAMP FOUNDATION | TRUCKEE, CA | $5,700 | 2024 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| AUSTIN STREET CENTER | DALLAS, TX | $5,000 | 2024 | SPONSORSHIP |
| BILL WILSON CENTER | SANTA CLARA, CA | $5,000 | 2024 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| SILICON VALLEY MONTEREY BAY COUNCIL (BOY SCOUTS) | SAN JOSE, CA | $4,250 | 2024 | SPONSORSHIP |
| BEN'S FRIENDS | AUSTIN, TX | $1,000 | 2024 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| THE IRELAND FUNDS | LOS ALTOS, CA | $500 | 2024 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| TOWER FOUNDATION | SAN JOSE, CA | $25,000 | 2023 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| SUMMIT LEAGUE | SARATOGA, CA | $15,000 | 2023 | SPONSORSHIP |
| QUEST VALLEY CHARITIES | SANTA CLARA, CA | $10,000 | 2023 | SPONSORSHIP |
| SILICON VALLEY MONTEREY BAY COUNCIL (BOY SCOUTS) | SAN JOSE, CA | $2,800 | 2023 | SPONSORSHIP |
| CSNK2A1 FOUNDATION | SAN FRANCISCO, CA | $2,250 | 2023 | SPONSORSHIP |
| MARTIS CAMP FOUNDATION | TRUCKEE, CA | $2,000 | 2023 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| INTERNATIONAL RETT SYNDROME FOUNDATION | CINCINNATI, OH | $1,500 | 2023 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| WEEKDAY SCHOOL | DALLAS, TX | $1,000 | 2023 | SPONSORSHIP |
JOHN & CHRISTINE DAVIS FAMILY FOUNDATION
$16,500GENERAL SUPPORT
MONTALVO ARTS CENTER
$9,200GENERAL SUPPORT
MARTIS CAMP FOUNDATION
$5,700GENERAL SUPPORT
AUSTIN STREET CENTER
$5,000SPONSORSHIP
BILL WILSON CENTER
$5,000GENERAL SUPPORT
SILICON VALLEY MONTEREY BAY COUNCIL (BOY SCOUTS)
$4,250SPONSORSHIP
BEN'S FRIENDS
GENERAL SUPPORT
THE IRELAND FUNDS
$500GENERAL SUPPORT
TOWER FOUNDATION
$25,000GENERAL SUPPORT
SUMMIT LEAGUE
$15,000SPONSORSHIP
QUEST VALLEY CHARITIES
$10,000SPONSORSHIP
SILICON VALLEY MONTEREY BAY COUNCIL (BOY SCOUTS)
$2,800SPONSORSHIP
CSNK2A1 FOUNDATION
$2,250SPONSORSHIP
MARTIS CAMP FOUNDATION
$2,000GENERAL SUPPORT
INTERNATIONAL RETT SYNDROME FOUNDATION
$1,500GENERAL SUPPORT
WEEKDAY SCHOOL
$1,000SPONSORSHIP