The San Francisco Foundation is a nonprofit organization based in the San Francisco Bay Area. It is one of the largest community foundations in the United States. The foundation works to bring together community leaders, nonprofit groups, government agencies, and donors to promote fair treatment for all races, support diversity, and help people from all backgrounds have equal opportunities. It focuses on issues such as social justice, building stronger communities, helping people find homes they can afford, encouraging political involvement, changing policies, protecting workers' rights, creating job opportunities, and supporting leadership in civic life. The current chief executive officer is Fred Blackwell Jr.
History
On January 16, 1948, the San Francisco Foundation began with a luncheon at the Sir Francis Drake Hotel near San Francisco's Union Square. The foundation was started by Marjorie de Young Elkus of the Columbia Foundation, Leslie Ganyard of the Rosenberg Foundation, and Daniel E. Koshland Sr. of Levi Strauss & Co, who became the foundation's first chairman. According to the foundation's first press release, its goal was to create an organization that is aware of today's social needs and helps build a future that increases opportunities for people who will live in the future.
Grantmaking, programs, and funds
The San Francisco Foundation handles and oversees grants, programs, and funds that support its goals of racial equity, diversity, and economic inclusion. These programs and funds include the Bay Area Leads Fund; Koshland Civic Unity Program; Multicultural Fellowship Program; Womxn of Color, Womxn of Power Program; Rapid Response Fund for Movement Building; FAITHS (Foundation Alliance with Interfaith to Heal Society); Artistic Hubs Cohort; and Bay Area Community Impact Fund.
At the end of fiscal year 2021, the foundation had $1.9 billion in total assets, with $178 million coming from gifts and donations left in wills. The foundation gave out $166 million in grants during that time.
Collaboratives
The San Francisco Foundation works with many partners, including several groups that help the foundation achieve its goals: ReWork the Bay, Great Communities Collaborative, HOPE SF, Keep Oakland Housed, Partnership for the Bay's Future, and Oakland Codes.
Awards and scholarships
The San Francisco Foundation gives out awards and scholarships to young people and artists. These awards help young people develop leadership skills, support people in need, and encourage artistic development. Examples of these awards include the Koshland Young Leader Awards, SFF/Nomadic Press Literary Award, Murphy Award, Cadogan Scholarships, and Rella Lossy Award.