Francis Bacon Foundation
ActivePhilanthropy & Voluntarism
About Francis Bacon Foundation
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.
Focus Areas
Place-based community philanthropy via Pasadena Community FoundationMajor research university support (California Institute of Technology)Regional cultural heritage institutions and libraries (The Huntington)Local medical research and hospital funding (Huntington Medical Research Institutes; Huntington Hospital)
Giving Approach
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.
Funding Style
program/project-restricted fundingoperational/program delivery support
About Francis Bacon Foundation
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.
What Francis Bacon Foundation Funds
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.
How Francis Bacon Foundation Gives
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.
Financial Snapshot
Annual Giving
$656K
Total Assets
$3.1M
Total Revenue
$285K
Total Expenses
$281K
Typical Grant Size
Most grants fall between $20K and $50K, with a median of $28K.
25th Percentile
$20K
Median
$28K
75th Percentile
$50K
Geographic Reach
Local1 state funded
About 100% of grants go to recipients in CA.
Funding intensity
LowHigh
Headquarters
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