The Swanson Foundation concentrates its giving on high-profile institutions that advance STEM education and public engagement, arts and cultural organizations, and community family services. Grants are often large and directed to a small set of repeat recipients, with a clear Bay Area focus (KQED, The Tech, San Francisco Ballet, Peninsula Family Service) alongside selective support for national research institutions (MIT’s Koch Institute). The foundation prioritizes public-facing education — science museums, public media, performing arts education — plus direct social-services support for local families.
The Swanson Foundation’s recent giving is anchored by repeated $500,000 grants to MIT’s Ras (1969) Biotech Center of the Koch Institute of Integrative Cancer Research across 2023, 2024, and 2025. That three-year pattern points to a funder that sustains a small number of named institutions over time rather than making many one-off awards. Alongside that research support, the foundation has also backed Bay Area public media, museums, performing arts, and family services, with most grants going to California recipients. The foundation’s portfolio includes public-facing institutions that connect STEM, culture, and community support. KQED received $300,000 in 2023, 2024, and 2025. San Francisco Ballet received $250,000 in 2024 and 2025. The Tech in San Jose received $200,000 in 2023, 2024, and 2025. Peninsula Family Service received $150,000 in 2023, 2024, and 2025. The pattern is selective and recurring, with several grantees appearing in multiple years at the same grant level.
In STEM research, The Swanson Foundation gave $500,000 in 2025 to MIT’s Ras (1969) Biotech Center of the Koch Institute of Integrative Cancer Research, matching the same amount it awarded there in 2023 and 2024. In science education and informal learning, it supported The Tech with $200,000 in 2023 and again in 2024 and 2025. The Tech’s grant labels include both education and technology-and-education. Public media is another clear area: KQED in San Francisco received $300,000 in each of 2023, 2024, and 2025, with the grant tagged public service. In arts education, San Francisco Ballet received $250,000 in 2024 and 2025. Community family services also appear in the record, including $150,000 awards to Peninsula Family Service in 2023, 2024, and 2025.
Typical awards are substantial: the p25 is $50,000, the median is $200,000, and the p75 is $300,000. The recent record shows strong repetition, with multiple grantees funded in three consecutive years at the same level, including MIT’s Ras (1969) Biotech Center, KQED, The Tech, and Peninsula Family Service. The foundation does not fund individuals and does not make program-related investments. Its grants are concentrated in a small number of institutions rather than spread widely across many recipients.
$1.6M
$21.1M
$2M
$1.6M
Most grants fall between $50K and $300K, with a median of $200K.
25th Percentile
$50K
Median
$200K
75th Percentile
$300K
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Concentrated, large-dollar grants to a small number of repeat grantees; mix of multi-year or repeat support for local Bay Area institutions with occasional major gifts to national research centers.
Notable grantees: MIT — Koch Institute/Biotech Center, KQED, The Tech (The Tech Interactive), San Francisco Ballet, Peninsula Family Service
The grant pattern is heavily California-centered: 81% of grants go to recipients in the HQ state, and California is also the top state by grant count. Named Bay Area recipients include KQED in San Francisco, San Francisco Ballet in San Francisco, The Tech in San Jose, Peninsula Family Service in San Mateo, Mills Peninsula Hospital Foundation in Burlingame, and Tahoe Truckee Community Foundation in Truckee. Outside California, the recent list includes MIT in Cambridge, Massachusetts and Damon Runyon Cancer Research Foundation in New York, New York. All recent grants in the dataset went to US recipients.
Its recent grants center on STEM research and education institutions, science education and outreach, public media, performing arts organizations with education components, and local family and social-services providers. The record includes universities, museums, broadcasters, arts groups, and community-service organizations.
The typical grant-size distribution is p25 $50,000, median $200,000, and p75 $300,000. Recent awards range from $50,000 to $500,000, with several recurring grants at $150,000, $200,000, $250,000, and $300,000.
Yes. While 81% of grants go to recipients in California, the recent list also includes MIT in Cambridge, Massachusetts and Damon Runyon Cancer Research Foundation in New York, New York. The overall recent recipient-country distribution is entirely US-based.
Recurring. Several recipients appear in multiple years at the same level, including awards across 2023, 2024, and 2025 to MIT’s Ras (1969) Biotech Center, KQED, The Tech, and Peninsula Family Service.
No. The foundation does not fund individuals and does not make program-related investments.
2025
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2025.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| MIT - RAS (1969) BIOTECH CENTER OF THE KOCH INST OF INTEG CANCER RESEARCH | CAMBRIDGE, MA | $500,000 | 2025 | EDUCATION |
| KQED | SAN FRANCISCO, CA | $300,000 | 2025 | PUBLIC SERVICE |
| SAN FRANCISCO BALLET | SAN FRANCISCO, CA | $250,000 | 2025 | EDUCATION |
| THE TECH | SAN JOSE, CA | $200,000 | 2025 | TECHNOLOGY AND EDUCATION |
| PENINSULA FAMILY SERVICE | SAN MATEO, CA | $150,000 | 2025 | EDUCATION |
| DAMON RUNYON CANCER RESEARCH FOUNDATION | NEW YORK, NY | $72,000 | 2025 | HEALTH CARE |
| MILLS PENINSULA HOSPITAL FOUNDATION | BURLINGAME, CA | $50,000 | 2025 | HEALTH CARE |
| TAHOE TRUCKEE COMMUNITY FOUNDATION | TRUCKEE, CA | $50,000 | 2025 | PUBLIC SERVICE |
| MIT - RAS (1969) BIOTECH CENTER OF THE KOCH INST OF INTEG CANCER RESEARC | CAMBRIDGE, MA | $500,000 | 2024 | EDUCATION |
| KQED | SAN FRANCISCO, CA | $300,000 | 2024 | PUBLIC SERVICE |
| SAN FRANCISCO BALLET | SAN FRANCISCO, CA | $250,000 | 2024 | EDUCATION |
| THE TECH | SAN JOSE, CA | $200,000 | 2024 | TECHNOLOGY AND EDUCATION |
| PENINSULA FAMILY SERVICE | SAN MATEO, CA | $150,000 | 2024 | EDUCATION |
| MILLS PENINSULA HOSPITAL FOUNDATION | BURLINGAME, CA | $50,000 | 2024 | PUBLIC SERVICE |
| TAHOE TRUCKEE COMMUNITY FOUNDATION | TRUCKEE, CA | $50,000 | 2024 | PUBLIC SERVICE |
| MIT - RAS (1969) BIOTECH CENTER OF THE KOCH INST OF INTEG CANCER RESEARC | CAMBRIDGE, MA | $500,000 | 2023 | EDUCATION |
| KQED | SAN FRANCISCO, CA | $300,000 | 2023 | PUBLIC SERVICE |
| THE TECH | SAN JOSE, CA | $200,000 | 2023 | EDUCATION |
| PENINSULA FAMILY SERVICE | SAN MATEO, CA | $150,000 | 2023 | EDUCATION |
| TAHOE TRUCKEE COMMUNITY FOUNDATION | TRUCKEE, CA | $50,000 | 2023 | PUBLIC SERVICE |
| MILLS PENINSULA HOSPITAL FOUNDATION | BURLINGAME, CA | $50,000 | 2023 | PUBLIC SERVICE |
MIT - RAS (1969) BIOTECH CENTER OF THE KOCH INST OF INTEG CANCER RESEARCH
$500,000EDUCATION
SAN FRANCISCO BALLET
$250,000EDUCATION
THE TECH
$200,000TECHNOLOGY AND EDUCATION
HEALTH CARE
MIT - RAS (1969) BIOTECH CENTER OF THE KOCH INST OF INTEG CANCER RESEARC
$500,000EDUCATION
SAN FRANCISCO BALLET
$250,000EDUCATION
THE TECH
$200,000TECHNOLOGY AND EDUCATION
MIT - RAS (1969) BIOTECH CENTER OF THE KOCH INST OF INTEG CANCER RESEARC
$500,000EDUCATION
THE TECH
$200,000EDUCATION