The Pincus Family Fund makes a small number of very large, targeted gifts that span Jewish communal life, cultural media preservation, higher-education research, and local community land trusts. Their support is concentrated in a few flagship recipients (including repeat funding), with distinctive investments in a Bay Area Jewish federation, a Wharton AI lab, film preservation/festival projects, and a local Bay-area land trust initiative.
Focus Areas
Bay Area Jewish community support (Jewish Community Federation of San Francisco, Marin & Peninsula)University-based AI research and organizational innovation (Wharton/Penn — Pincus Artificial Intelligence Lab)Film preservation and festival sponsorship (National Film Preserve / festival patron programs)Local community land trust and downtown revitalization (Bolinas Community Land Trust)
Who They Fund
arts & cultural organizations / festival audiencesacademic or clinical researchers (MDMA/AI research)victims of violence / trauma patients
About Pincus Family Fund
The Pincus Family Fund makes a small number of large, targeted grants, with two 2025 gifts that stand out: $2,299,488 to the Jewish Community Federation of San Francisco, Marin & Peninsula and $2,000,000 to the Trustees of the University of Pennsylvania for the Pincus Artificial Intelligence Lab for Organizational Innovation Fund at the Wharton School. Those awards show the fund’s range, moving from Jewish communal support to university-based AI research.
The foundation also backs cultural and civic projects. In film preservation and festival sponsorship, it gave National Film Preserve Ltd. $239,800 in 2025, following similar support in 2024 and 2023. In Bay Area community work, it has supported Bolinas Community Land Trust Inc. for a downtown project and later general support. Other gifts in the recent record include support for medical equipment for victims of ongoing attacks, MDMA research in Israel, waterkeeper work, and public events such as fireside chats and product-making workshops.
What Pincus Family Fund Funds
A clear theme in the recent grants is Jewish communal and Israel-linked support. The fund gave $2,299,488 to the Jewish Community Federation of San Francisco, Marin & Peninsula, $100,000 to Congregation Emanu-el for FY22 Impact Fund support, and $25,000 to A Wider Bridge for its Tech Mission fund.
Another thread is research and innovation. The Pincus Family Fund awarded $2,000,000 to the Trustees of the University of Pennsylvania for the Pincus Artificial Intelligence Lab for Organizational Innovation Fund at Wharton, and $100,000 to Maps for its MDMA Research fund in Israel.
It also funds community infrastructure and public-facing projects. Bolinas Community Land Trust Inc. received $125,000 for the Downtown Project, while Stanford University was given $25,717 for Product Making Fireside Chats. Environmental and water stewardship appears as well through a $100,000 sponsorship grant to Amigos of Costa Rica Inc. for the Nicoya Peninsula Waterkeeper fund.
How Pincus Family Fund Gives
Typical grant size sits at $25,000 at the 25th percentile, $52,500 at the median, and $100,000 at the 75th percentile, but the recent record also includes several seven-figure and high six-figure awards. The pattern is one of a regular funder making a relatively small number of targeted grants rather than many small awards. Repeat support is visible across years for National Film Preserve Ltd., Jewish Community Federation of San Francisco, Marin & Peninsula, Bolinas Community Land Trust Inc., Amigos of Costa Rica Inc., Big Green, and Camp Kiss. The fund is classified as a regular funder and makes program-related investments.
Financial Snapshot
Annual Giving
$4.7M
Total Assets
$100M
Total Revenue
$19.9M
Total Expenses
$5.7M
Typical Grant Size
Most grants fall between $25K and $100K, with a median of $53K.
25th Percentile
$25K
Median
$53K
75th Percentile
$100K
Geographic Reach
National8 states funded
About 3% of grants go to recipients in CA.
Funding intensity
LowHigh
Headquarters
Deep Analysis
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Highly concentrated giving: few large grants (multi-hundred-thousand to multi-million dollar), repeated support to select cultural and institutional grantees, and named/earmarked funds rather than broad small-dollar grants.
Funding Style
general & unrestricted supportevent/sponsorship fundingresearch grant supportproject-specific/operational grants
Notable grantees: Jewish Community Federation of San Francisco, Marin & Peninsula, Trustees of the University of Pennsylvania (Wharton — Pincus AI Lab), National Film Preserve Ltd, Bolinas Community Land Trust Inc
Topics
art & culture festival sponsorship (film festivals)artificial intelligence for organizational innovationpsychedelic/MDMA clinical or scientific researchemergency medical equipment for attack/trauma victimswater protection / local watershed stewardshipdowntown/community revitalization and local economic developmentpublic engagement events / capacity-building convenings (fireside chats, product-making workshops)
Where Pincus Family Fund Makes Grants
Grantmaking is national, and every recent recipient in the sample is in the United States. The heaviest concentration is in New York State by grant count, even though the funder is headquartered in Wilmington, Delaware. Recent gifts reach San Francisco, Berkeley, Bolinas, Greenbrae, San Jose, Stanford, Pasadena, Los Angeles, and New York City, with additional recipients in Philadelphia, Baltimore, Chicago, Austin, Boulder, Hartsdale, and West Chester. California appears frequently across both Bay Area and broader state recipients.
Frequently Asked Questions About Pincus Family Fund
What kinds of causes does The Pincus Family Fund support?
The recent grants show support for Jewish communal organizations, AI research, film festival and preservation work, local land trust and downtown projects, medical equipment for victims of attacks, MDMA research in Israel, waterkeeper work, and public events such as fireside chats and product-making workshops.
How large are the fund’s typical grants?
The typical grant size is $25,000 at the 25th percentile, $52,500 at the median, and $100,000 at the 75th percentile. The recent record also includes much larger grants, including two awards above $2 million.
Does the fund make repeat grants?
Yes. Several recipients appear in multiple years, including National Film Preserve Ltd., Jewish Community Federation of San Francisco, Marin & Peninsula, Bolinas Community Land Trust Inc., Amigos of Costa Rica Inc., Big Green, and Camp Kiss.
What is the fund’s geographic reach?
The fund gives nationally. In the recent sample, every recipient is in the United States, with recurring activity in California and New York and additional grants in Pennsylvania, Maryland, Illinois, Texas, Colorado, and Delaware-headquartered giving not reflected in recipient location.
Does The Pincus Family Fund make program-related investments?
Yes. The foundation is classified as a regular funder and is marked as making program-related investments, alongside its grantmaking.
Latest 990 Filing
2025
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2025.
Open Grant Opportunities
Current and upcoming funding from Pincus Family Fund that your nonprofit may be able to apply for.
Open nowRolling cadenceMay not accept unsolicited proposalsAward: Varies
Pincus Family Foundation General Grantmaking Program
Creative and performing arts for social changeEducation and middle school high school-readinessHealth and wellness and social determinants of health+6 more
Who can apply: Applicants must be US-based 501(c)(3) organizations, or organizations operating under a US-based 501(c)(3) fiscal sponsor. The organization's mission and scope must align with the Foundation's mission and one or more priority areas. Applicants should serve children or youth in the Foundation's geographic areas of interest. The Foundation does not fund individuals, political activities or candidates, religious doctrine promotion, event promotion, past operating deficits, travel or conference expenses, capital campaigns, building projects, endowments, or 509(a)(3) organizations.
Deadline: Letters of Inquiry are accepted year-round. Board reviews occur in February, May, September, and November.
Open nowRolling cadenceMay not accept unsolicited proposalsAward: Varies
Creative & Performing Arts
Creative & Performing ArtsArts for social changeCommunity organizing+4 more
Who can apply: US-based 501(c)(3) organization; mission and scope must align with the Foundation’s mission and this area’s strategies; organizations should serve preK-12 youth from marginalized communities with arts for social change programming; fiscal sponsors may apply if the sponsor is a US-based 501(c)(3).
Deadline: LOIs accepted year-round; full application only by invitation.
Open nowRolling cadenceMay not accept unsolicited proposalsAward: Varies
Education
EducationMiddle school engagementHigh school readiness+5 more
Who can apply: US-based 501(c)(3) organization; mission and scope must align with the Foundation’s mission and this area’s strategies; organizations should serve middle school students facing gaps in high school readiness; fiscal sponsors may apply if the sponsor is a US-based 501(c)(3).
Deadline: LOIs accepted year-round; full application only by invitation.
Open nowRolling cadenceMay not accept unsolicited proposalsAward: Varies
Play & Recreation
Play & RecreationInclusive playCompetitive sports+5 more
Who can apply: US-based 501(c)(3) organization; mission and scope must align with the Foundation’s mission and this area’s strategies; organizations should promote access to quality recreational programming for children ages 6-18 in under-resourced communities; fiscal sponsors may apply if the sponsor is a US-based 501(c)(3).
Deadline: LOIs accepted year-round; full application only by invitation.
Open nowRolling cadenceMay not accept unsolicited proposalsAward: Varies
Health & Wellness
Health & WellnessSocial determinants of healthCommunity health+4 more
Who can apply: US-based 501(c)(3) organization; mission and scope must align with the Foundation’s mission and this area’s strategies; organizations should strengthen social conditions and health outcomes for children in marginalized communities; fiscal sponsors may apply if the sponsor is a US-based 501(c)(3).
Deadline: LOIs accepted year-round; full application only by invitation.
Deadlines and eligibility are summarized from public sources and may change — always confirm the details on the funder's official application page before applying.
Recent Grants
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
Recipient
Location
Amount
Year
Purpose
JEWISH COMMUNITY FEDERATION OF S F MARIN PENINSULA
