The Sciarra Foundation appears to concentrate its giving on civic, civic-media, and community-strengthening initiatives with a progressive orientation — most notably a very large investment in independent progressive journalism. Other grants fund immediate international humanitarian response (Ukraine), state-level economic mobility and policy work in Colorado, and local Jewish community programming. Their portfolio mixes one transformational, high-dollar media grant with smaller targeted awards to policy, relief, and community organizations.
Sciarra Foundation’s largest recent grant is a $500,000 award to The American Independent Foundation for independent journalism tied to progressive issues and public awareness. That single grant signals the foundation’s clearest throughline: support for public-interest media alongside targeted community and policy work. The rest of the recent record shows a compact portfolio with large, specific gifts rather than many small ones. In 2024, the foundation gave $100,000 to The Bell Policy Center to support economic mobility for every Coloradan, and another $100,000 to the Oshman Family Jewish Community Center to enrich lives, build community, and inspire Jewish journeys. The foundation also made a $100,000 grant through GoFundMeorg for “Stand With Ukraine” refugee and humanitarian aid efforts. Smaller awards extend the pattern into local community infrastructure and place-based support, including grants tied to Los Altos, Aspen, and arts access in South Carolina. Across these grants, Sciarra Foundation appears to favor targeted, purpose-specific grants with clear civic, humanitarian, and community-serving goals.
In independent media, Sciarra Foundation gave $500,000 to The American Independent Foundation to foster strong, independent journalism and increase public awareness of progressive issues. That grant is the clearest sign of its interest in public-interest communication. In economic mobility, it gave $100,000 to The Bell Policy Center for work aimed at ensuring economic mobility for every Coloradan. The foundation also supports Jewish community life: a $100,000 grant to the Oshman Family Jewish Community Center was described as enriching lives, building community, and inspiring Jewish journeys. Beyond those areas, the foundation made a $100,000 gift through GoFundMeorg for “Stand With Ukraine,” supporting immediate refugee and humanitarian aid efforts in Ukraine. The same portfolio includes smaller community-based grants tied to Los Altos, Los Altos Hills, Mountain View, and South Carolina arts programming.
Sciarra Foundation’s recent grants show a tight clustering around round-dollar gifts at the top end of its pattern. The typical grant size is $100,000 at the median and p75, with p25 at $77,500. That suggests a core level of support around six figures, with one much larger outlier at $500,000. The recent record also indicates a mix of recurring place-based interests and one-time grants: Colorado community and policy work appears more than once, while local Jewish, Ukrainian, and arts grants each appear as distinct awards. The foundation is a private foundation and does not fund individuals. No application process is shown in the provided data.
$835K
$3.9M
$322K
$556K
Most grants fall between $78K and $100K, with a median of $100K.
25th Percentile
$78K
Median
$100K
75th Percentile
$100K
About 25% of grants go to recipients in CA.
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Highly concentrated: a single very large grant (62% of total) to a national media organization paired with a few mid-sized, targeted gifts. Limited diversification across only four grantees — strategic, one-off investments rather than many small routine grants or long lists of repeat grantees.
Notable grantees: The American Independent Foundation, GoFundMe.org (Stand With Ukraine relief), The Bell Policy Center, Oshman Family Jewish Community Center
Sciarra Foundation gives most often in California, while 25% of its grants go to recipients in Colorado. The recent grants also place awards in Washington, DC; West Hollywood; Los Altos; Palo Alto; Aspen; Basalt; Denver; and Anderson, South Carolina. That spread shows a regional U.S. footprint rather than national breadth. All recent grants in the provided data went to U.S. recipients.
The foundation’s recent grants center on independent progressive journalism, economic mobility in Colorado, Ukrainian humanitarian relief, and Jewish community life. Smaller awards also support local community funding in the Los Altos area, youth mentoring in Aspen, and arts access in South Carolina.
The median grant size is $100,000, with the 25th percentile at $77,500 and the 75th percentile also at $100,000. Recent giving includes one larger $500,000 grant, which sits above that usual range.
California is the top state by grant count. Colorado is also important in the recent record, with 25% of grants going to recipients in the HQ state. Recent recipient locations include Los Altos, Palo Alto, West Hollywood, and Aspen.
No. The foundation’s profile indicates that it does not fund individuals and does not make program-related investments.
Recent grants include The Bell Policy Center for economic mobility for Coloradans, The Buddy Program Inc for youth mentoring in Aspen, and the Oshman Family Jewish Community Center for community-building and Jewish journeys. These gifts show a mix of policy, youth, and community-focused support.
2025
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2025.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| The American Independent Foundation | Washington, DC | $500,000 | 2025 | To Foster strong, independent journalism that helps create positive societal change through increased public awareness of progressive issues |
| The Buddy Program Inc | Aspen, CO | $10,000 | 2025 | empowers youth through mentoring experiences to achieve their full potential |
| Aspen community Foundation | Basalt, CO | $10,000 | 2025 | works with hundreds of donors to provide millions of dollars in funding to numerous nonprofit organizations in the Aspen to Parchute region helping children and families thrive. |
| Anderson Arts Center | Anderson, SC | $5,000 | 2025 | To foster the practice and appreciation of the arts among people living in south Carolina |
| Oshman Family Jewish Community Center | palo Alto, CA | $100,000 | 2024 | To enrich lives, build community and inspire jewish journeys. |
| THE BELL POLICY CENTER | Denver, CO | $100,000 | 2024 | TO ENSURE ECONOMIC MOBILITY FOR EVERY COLORADAN |
| GoFundMeorg | WEST HOLLYWOOD, CA | $100,000 | 2023 | GIFT TO SUPPORT "STAND WITH UKRAINEPROVIDE AN IMMEDIATE IMPACT ON REFUGEE AND HUMANITARIAN AID EFFORTS IN THE UKRAINE. |
| LOS ALTOS MOUNTAIN VIEW COMMUNITY FOUNDATION | LOS ALTOS, CA | $10,000 | 2023 | GIFT TO SUPPORT LOCAL FUNDING OF NONPROFITS AND PUBLIC ENTITIES IN OR DIRECTLY SERVING THE COMMUNITIES OF LOS ALTOS, LOS ALTOS HILLS, AND MOUNTAIN VIEW. |
The American Independent Foundation
$500,000To Foster strong, independent journalism that helps create positive societal change through increased public awareness of progressive issues
The Buddy Program Inc
$10,000empowers youth through mentoring experiences to achieve their full potential
Aspen community Foundation
$10,000works with hundreds of donors to provide millions of dollars in funding to numerous nonprofit organizations in the Aspen to Parchute region helping children and families thrive.
Anderson Arts Center
$5,000To foster the practice and appreciation of the arts among people living in south Carolina
Oshman Family Jewish Community Center
$100,000To enrich lives, build community and inspire jewish journeys.
THE BELL POLICY CENTER
TO ENSURE ECONOMIC MOBILITY FOR EVERY COLORADAN
GoFundMeorg
$100,000GIFT TO SUPPORT "STAND WITH UKRAINEPROVIDE AN IMMEDIATE IMPACT ON REFUGEE AND HUMANITARIAN AID EFFORTS IN THE UKRAINE.
LOS ALTOS MOUNTAIN VIEW COMMUNITY FOUNDATION
$10,000GIFT TO SUPPORT LOCAL FUNDING OF NONPROFITS AND PUBLIC ENTITIES IN OR DIRECTLY SERVING THE COMMUNITIES OF LOS ALTOS, LOS ALTOS HILLS, AND MOUNTAIN VIEW.