The Francis Bacon Foundation concentrates philanthropic support in Pasadena and the greater San Gabriel Valley, favoring cultural, educational, and local community infrastructure institutions. Its largest dollars flow to a mix of place-based intermediaries and marquee institutions — notably the Pasadena Community Foundation, Caltech, and The Huntington — with additional targeted support for local medical research and hospital services. The foundation appears to prioritize sustaining flagship local organizations that preserve regional culture, advance higher education and research, and strengthen community health and services.
Concentrated, high-dollar giving to a small set of repeat grantees; multiple multi-grant relationships with flagship local institutions rather than many small, diverse awards.
The Francis Bacon Foundation’s recent giving is anchored by repeated support for Pasadena Community Foundation and California Institute of Technology, with both organizations appearing across multiple years. The foundation’s largest listed grant is $130,000 to Pasadena Community Foundation in 2023, followed by $90,000 in 2024 and another $30,000 in 2025, all for program support. California Institute of Technology received $50,004 in 2023, 2024, and 2025, also for program support, showing a steady annual pattern rather than isolated awards. Its grantmaking is centered on local institutions that serve Pasadena and nearby communities. The recent record includes support for The Huntington Library, Huntington Hospital, Huntington Medical Research Institutes, Altadena Library Foundation, and Art Center College of Design. The amounts cluster around program support for operating activities and service delivery, not individuals or program-related investments. Taken together, the pattern points to a foundation that sustains established organizations in education, culture, health, and community philanthropy within its local area.
Education and research are a clear thread in the foundation’s recent grants. California Institute of Technology received $50,004 in 2023, $50,004 in 2024, and $50,004 in 2025 for program support, indicating a consistent annual commitment. Cultural heritage and libraries are another area of support. The Huntington Library received $28,000 in 2023 and 2024, then $25,000 in 2025, all as program support, while Altadena Library Foundation received $25,000 in 2025. Health-related institutions also appear in the record. Huntington Hospital received $20,000 in 2023 and 2024, then $30,000 in 2025, and Huntington Medical Research Institutes received $30,000 in 2025. These grants suggest sustained backing for local medical research and hospital services.
Typical grants fall in a fairly narrow band, with a p25 of $20,000, median of $28,000, and p75 of $50,004. The recent record shows repeat awards to the same recipients across 2023, 2024, and 2025, which points to recurring support rather than one-off gifts. The foundation does not fund individuals and does not make program-related investments. The grants shown are program support awards, indicating operating or program-delivery backing rather than capital or endowment funding.
$656K
$3.1M
$285K
$281K
Most grants fall between $20K and $50K, with a median of $28K.
25th Percentile
$20K
Median
$28K
75th Percentile
$50K
About 100% of grants go to recipients in CA.
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Notable grantees: Pasadena Community Foundation, California Institute of Technology, The Huntington Library, Huntington Medical Research Institutes, Huntington Hospital
All listed grants went to U.S. recipients, and every recipient in the recent grants list is in California. Pasadena is the main city of grantmaking, with multiple awards to organizations there, including Pasadena Community Foundation, California Institute of Technology, Huntington Hospital, Huntington Medical Research Institutes, and The Huntington Library. Other California recipients include San Marino and Altadena, showing a local footprint concentrated in Pasadena and the surrounding area.
The recent grants list points to local institutions in education, research, culture, health, and community philanthropy. Recipients include Pasadena Community Foundation, California Institute of Technology, The Huntington Library, Huntington Hospital, Huntington Medical Research Institutes, Altadena Library Foundation, and Art Center College of Design.
The foundation’s typical grant size is relatively consistent: p25 is $20,000, median grant size is $28,000, and p75 is $50,004. The recent awards also show larger recurring grants at the top of that range.
Yes. Several recipients appear in multiple years. Pasadena Community Foundation received grants in 2023, 2024, and 2025; California Institute of Technology also received grants in all three years; and The Huntington Library and Huntington Hospital each appear in more than one year.
The grant record is entirely local and entirely in California. Every listed recipient is in California, with multiple grants to organizations in Pasadena and additional awards in San Marino and Altadena.
2025
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2025.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CA INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY | PASADENA, CA | $50,004 | 2025 | PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| HUNTINGTON HOSPITAL | PASADENA, CA | $30,000 | 2025 | PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| THE HUNTINGTON LIBRARY | PASADENA, CA | $30,000 | 2025 | PROGRAM SUPPORT - |
| PASADENA COMMUNITY FOUNDATION | PASADENA, CA | $30,000 | 2025 | PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| HUNTINGTON MEDICAL RESEARCH INSTITUTES | PASADENA, CA | $30,000 | 2025 | PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| THE HUNTINGTON LIBRARY | SAN MARINO, CA | $25,000 | 2025 | PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| ALTADENA LIBRARY FOUNDATION | ALTADENA, CA | $25,000 | 2025 | PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| PASADENA COMMUNITY FOUNDATION | PASADENA, CA | $90,000 | 2024 | PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| CA INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY | PASADENA, CA | $50,004 | 2024 | PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| THE HUNTINGTON LIBRARY | SAN MARINO, CA | $28,000 | 2024 | PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| HUNTINGTON HOSPITAL | PASADENA, CA | $20,000 | 2024 | PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| ART CENTER COLLEGE OF DESIGN | PASADENA, CA | $10,000 | 2024 | PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| PASADENA COMMUNITY FOUNDATION | PASADENA, CA | $130,000 | 2023 | PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| CA INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY | PASADENA, CA | $50,004 | 2023 | PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| THE HUNTINGTON LIBRARY | SAN MARINO, CA | $28,000 | 2023 | PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| HUNTINGTON HOSPITAL | PASADENA, CA | $20,000 | 2023 | PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| ART CENTER COLLEGE OF DESIGN | PASADENA, CA | $10,000 | 2023 | PROGRAM SUPPORT |
CA INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY
$50,004PROGRAM SUPPORT
HUNTINGTON HOSPITAL
$30,000PROGRAM SUPPORT
THE HUNTINGTON LIBRARY
$30,000PROGRAM SUPPORT -
PASADENA COMMUNITY FOUNDATION
$30,000PROGRAM SUPPORT
HUNTINGTON MEDICAL RESEARCH INSTITUTES
$30,000PROGRAM SUPPORT
THE HUNTINGTON LIBRARY
$25,000PROGRAM SUPPORT
ALTADENA LIBRARY FOUNDATION
PROGRAM SUPPORT
PASADENA COMMUNITY FOUNDATION
$90,000PROGRAM SUPPORT
CA INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY
$50,004PROGRAM SUPPORT
THE HUNTINGTON LIBRARY
$28,000PROGRAM SUPPORT
HUNTINGTON HOSPITAL
$20,000PROGRAM SUPPORT
ART CENTER COLLEGE OF DESIGN
$10,000PROGRAM SUPPORT
PASADENA COMMUNITY FOUNDATION
$130,000PROGRAM SUPPORT
CA INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY
$50,004PROGRAM SUPPORT
THE HUNTINGTON LIBRARY
$28,000PROGRAM SUPPORT
HUNTINGTON HOSPITAL
$20,000PROGRAM SUPPORT
ART CENTER COLLEGE OF DESIGN
$10,000PROGRAM SUPPORT