The Nicholson Family Foundation
Petaluma, CA · EIN 77-0444787. Reported 188 grants totalling $1,332,270 to 106 organizations across tax years 2021-2024. This foundation did not tell the IRS it funds only preselected organizations.
Does this foundation accept applications?
Yes -- on its own tax return. Form 990-PF asks every private foundation whether it makes grants only to organizations it selects itself. Of the 91,758 foundations in our data that made a grant and answered, 78% said yes -- and applying to those is wasted effort. The Nicholson Family Foundation did not check that box on its most recent filing, which puts it in the minority that is at least open to being approached.
How big are its grants?
The median grant is $5,000. Half of everything it gave fell between $5,000 and $10,000; the smallest was $670 and the largest $70,000. If you are asking for materially more than the top of that range, you are asking the wrong foundation.
Every organization it funded
This is the complete list from its filings, largest first. Years funded is the number of separate tax years in which the organization received money -- more than one means a real relationship rather than a one-off.
| Organization | Location | Total received | Grants | Years funded | Last |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| George Mark Children's House | San Leandro, CA | $220,000 | 4 | 4 | 2024 |
| Berkeley Arts Center | Berkeley, CA | $30,000 | 3 | 3 | 2023 |
| Beyond Emancipation | Oakland, CA | $30,000 | 3 | 3 | 2024 |
| Digital Nest | Watsonville, CA | $30,000 | 3 | 3 | 2024 |
| Leap Arts in Education | San Francisco, CA | $30,000 | 3 | 3 | 2023 |
| Music in Schools Today | San Francisco, CA | $30,000 | 3 | 3 | 2023 |
| Oakland Leaf | Oakland, CA | $30,000 | 3 | 3 | 2024 |
| Pajaro Valley Arts | Watsonville, CA | $30,000 | 3 | 3 | 2023 |
| Shine Together | Milpitas, CA | $30,000 | 3 | 3 | 2024 |
| Vista Center for the Blind | Palo Alto, CA | $30,000 | 4 | 4 | 2024 |
| Teen Kitchen Project | Soquel, CA | $25,000 | 3 | 3 | 2024 |
| Artogether | Oakland, CA | $22,500 | 3 | 3 | 2024 |
| Camping Unlimited | Boulder Creek, CA | $20,000 | 2 | 2 | 2024 |
| Coastal Kids Home Care | Salinas, CA | $20,000 | 2 | 2 | 2022 |
| First Graduate | San Francisco, CA | $20,000 | 3 | 3 | 2023 |
| Food What | Santa Cruz, CA | $20,000 | 3 | 3 | 2024 |
| Hospice of Santa Cruz | Scotts Valley, CA | $20,000 | 2 | 2 | 2024 |
| Judicial District VII CASA Program | Idaho Falls, ID | $20,000 | 4 | 4 | 2024 |
| My New Red Shoes | Redwood City, CA | $20,000 | 2 | 2 | 2022 |
| New Life Center | Goodyear, AZ | $20,000 | 4 | 4 | 2024 |
| Oasis for Girls | San Francisco, CA | $20,000 | 2 | 2 | 2022 |
| San Francisco Youth Theatre | San Francisco, CA | $20,000 | 3 | 3 | 2024 |
| Survivors Healing Center | Santa Cruz, CA | $20,000 | 2 | 2 | 2024 |
| Destiny Arts Center | Oakland, CA | $15,000 | 3 | 3 | 2024 |
| Diversity Center of Santa Cruz | Santa Cruz, CA | $15,000 | 3 | 3 | 2024 |
| Down Syndrome Connection | Danville, CA | $15,000 | 2 | 2 | 2023 |
| O'neill Sea Odyssey | Santa Cruz, CA | $15,000 | 2 | 2 | 2023 |
| Project Commotion | San Francisco, CA | $15,000 | 3 | 3 | 2024 |
| Tides Center Oasis for Girls First Exposures | San Francisco, CA | $15,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Zaccho Dance Theatre | San Francisco, CA | $15,000 | 3 | 3 | 2024 |
| Building for Generations | Santa Cruz, CA | $13,100 | 2 | 2 | 2022 |
| Be a Mentor Inc | Hayward, CA | $10,000 | 2 | 2 | 2024 |
| Cantare Con Vivo | Oakland, CA | $10,000 | 2 | 2 | 2023 |
| Cycles of Change | Oakland, CA | $10,000 | 2 | 2 | 2022 |
| Fit Kids Foundation | Menlo Park, CA | $10,000 | 2 | 2 | 2024 |
| Foodwise | San Francisco, CA | $10,000 | 2 | 2 | 2024 |
| Girl Ventures | Oakland, CA | $10,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Golden Gate Performing Arts | San Francisco, CA | $10,000 | 2 | 2 | 2024 |
| Hack the Hood | Oakland, CA | $10,000 | 2 | 2 | 2024 |
| Hospice of Santa Cruz County | Scotts Valley, CA | $10,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Jacob's Heart | Watsonville, CA | $10,000 | 2 | 2 | 2024 |
| Old Skool Cafe | San Francisco, CA | $10,000 | 2 | 2 | 2023 |
| Partnership for Children | Salinas, CA | $10,000 | 2 | 2 | 2024 |
| Performing Arts Workshop | San Francisco, CA | $10,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Teen Success Inc | Milpitas, CA | $10,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Trips for Kids Bay Area | San Rafael, CA | $10,000 | 2 | 2 | 2024 |
| United Roots | Oakland, CA | $10,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Pajaro Valley Loaves and Fishes | Watsonville, CA | $8,000 | 4 | 4 | 2024 |
| Piedmont Community Church | Piedmont, CA | $8,000 | 4 | 4 | 2024 |
| Second Harvest Food Bank | Watsonville, CA | $8,000 | 4 | 4 | 2024 |
| Valley Churches United | Ben Lomond, CA | $8,000 | 4 | 4 | 2024 |
| 1 Grain to 1000 Grains | Menlo Park, CA | $7,500 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Alive | Castro Valley, CA | $5,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Arts Council Santa Cruz | Santa Cruz, CA | $5,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Aspire Education | Oakland, CA | $5,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Bay Area Wilderness Training | Berkeley, CA | $5,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Baycat | San Francisco, CA | $5,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Both Sides of the Conversation | San Francisco, CA | $5,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Boys & Girls Club Coastside | Half Moon Bay, CA | $5,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Branciforte Middle School | Santa Cruz, CA | $5,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| CASA of Santa Cruz County | Watsonville, CA | $5,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Catalyst Youth Network | Oakland, CA | $5,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Children Rising | Oakland, CA | $5,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Coastal Watershed Council | Santa Cruz, CA | $5,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Community Music Center | San Francisco, CA | $5,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Community Resources for Science | Berkeley, CA | $5,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Cutting Ball Theater | San Francisco, CA | $5,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Dientes Community Dental | Santa Cruz, CA | $5,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Endwell Foundation | Healdsburg, CA | $5,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Environmental Traveling Compainions | San Francisco, CA | $5,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Environmental Traveling Companions | San Francisco, CA | $5,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Family Connections Centers | San Francisco, CA | $5,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Farm Discovery at Live Earth | Watsonville, CA | $5,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| First Exposures | San Francisco, CA | $5,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Hip Hop for Change Inc | Oakland, CA | $5,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Jw House | Ste San Jose, CA | $5,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Literacy for Environmental Justice | San Francisco, CA | $5,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Magic Theatre | San Francisco, CA | $5,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Mindful Life Project | Richmond, CA | $5,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Mission Bit | San Francisco, CA | $5,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Monterey Bay Nat'l Marine Sanctuary | Monterey, CA | $5,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Musically Minded Academy | Oakland, CA | $5,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| National Center for Pediatric Pallative Care Homes | Scottsdale, AZ | $5,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Oakland Children's Fairyland | Oakland, CA | $5,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Oakland Elizabeth House | Oakland, CA | $5,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Oakland Public Education Fund | Ste Oakland, CA | $5,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Pajaro Valley Shelter Services | Watsonville, CA | $5,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Put Me in | San Francisco, CA | $5,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Radical Monarchs | San Francisco, CA | $5,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Safe Families for Children of Monterey Bay | Santa Cruz, CA | $5,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| San Francisco Children's Art Center | San Francisco, CA | $5,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| San Francisco Gay Mens Chorus | San Francisco, CA | $5,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Shipyard Trust for the Arts | San Francisco, CA | $5,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Students Making a Change | San Francisco, CA | $5,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Triumph Educational Center | Oakland, CA | $5,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Ultimate Impact | Oakland, CA | $5,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Unchained | Soquel, CA | $5,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Voice of Witness | San Francisco, CA | $5,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Volunteer Center of Santa Cruz County Watsonville Volunteer Center | Santa Cruz, CA | $5,000 | 3 | 3 | 2023 |
| Wildmind | Half Moon Bay, CA | $5,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Young Audiences of Northern California | San Francisco, CA | $5,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| High Fives Foundation | Truckee, CA | $4,000 | 2 | 2 | 2024 |
| Pacifica Resource Center | Pacifica, CA | $3,000 | 2 | 2 | 2022 |
| World Central Kitchen Inc | Washington, DC | $2,500 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Volunteer Center of Santa Cruz County | Santa Cruz, CA | $2,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Exponent Philanthropy | Washington, DC | $670 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
48 of 106 (45%) received money in more than one year over the 4 years we hold.
Measured the way we measure every foundation -- what share of one year's grantees are funded again the next -- this one retains 46%, across 3 year-to-year transitions. The median foundation retains about 67%, so this one is less consistent than most. A high number means its list is close to settled and a newcomer has to displace someone; a low one means it is still moving money around, which is where an opening is.
What the money was for
Taken verbatim from the purpose field of its filings. This is the closest thing to a statement of what this foundation cares about, in its own words.
- George Mark Children's House
GENERAL OPERATING EXPENSES. PEDIATRIC HOSPICE. - Tides Center Oasis for Girls First Exposures
GENERAL OPERATING EXPENSES. OASIS FOR GIRLS $5,000. FIRST EXPOSURES MULTI-YEAR GRANT $10,000. YOUTH SOCIAL & ARTS LEADERSHIP PROGRAMS. - Berkeley Arts Center
GENERAL OPERATING EXPENSES. MULTI-YEAR GRANT. ARTS PROGRAMS. - Beyond Emancipation
GENERAL OPERATING EXPENSES. MULTI-YEAR GRANT. SUPPORTIVE PROGRAM FOR TRANSITIONING FROM FOSTER CARE YOUTH. - Camping Unlimited
GENERAL OPERATING EXPENSES. MULTI-YEAR GRANT. SOCIAL ENRICHMENT FOR DISABLED YOUTH. - Digital Nest
GENERAL OPERATING EXPENSES. MULTI-YEAR GRANT. ARTS & EDUCATION PROGRAMS.
What kind of organizations it funds
By the recipient's own IRS classification, for the 129 grants where we could identify the organization. These are assigned categories, not our guesses.
Giving by year
| Tax year | Grants | Total | Median grant |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 47 | $346,550 | $5,000 |
| 2022 | 48 | $326,050 | $5,000 |
| 2023 | 48 | $322,670 | $5,000 |
| 2024 | 45 | $337,000 | $5,000 |
Tax years, not calendar years, and the most recent year is usually incomplete -- filings arrive about a year late, so a low final year means late paperwork rather than a foundation winding down.
Where its money goes
Foundations concentrate geographically far more than their mission statements suggest. 96% of this one's giving went to organizations in California. If you are outside its footprint, that matters more than how well your programme fits.
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Funders that support the same organizations
These funders gave to organizations this one also funded -- some private foundations, some community foundations and other grantmaking charities. Shared grantees are the strongest available signal that two funders have overlapping priorities, and a funder already backing your peers is a far warmer prospect than one that merely lists your cause.
How to approach this foundation
- Check you are its size. The median grant is $5,000. Asking for ten times that is the most common way small organizations waste a submission.
- Check you are in its geography. Its giving is concentrated in California.
- Read the recipient list above for organizations like yours. If nothing on it resembles your work, that is a real answer, and a cheap one to get.
- Look up the current filing before writing. The 990-PF names the foundation's officers and, where one exists, its application procedure. We link it below.
Related guides
Where these numbers come from
Everything above is taken from The Nicholson Family Foundation's own Form 990-PF filings, which the IRS publishes in bulk. We used 4 returns (tax years 2021-2024). Nothing here is scraped, inferred, or estimated.
Address of record on the latest return: 120-4TH St Pmb 2775, Petaluma, CA, 94953. This is the address the foundation gave the IRS; many small foundations file through an accountant or a bank trust department, so it may not be where post to a programme officer should go.
EIN 77-0444787 · See the original filings on ProPublica · How we build this
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