Who funds arts and culture in California
From 2022 to 2025, 3,571 foundations and charities reported 18,953 grants to 2,918 arts and culture nonprofits in California. The typical grant was $10,000.
The funders that paid the most of them: San Francisco Foundation (178), California Community Foundation (168) and Silicon Valley Community Foundation (156).
From IRS grant records. Counts nonprofits with budgets under $5,000,000.
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The 15 funders that paid the most arts and culture nonprofits in California
| Funder | Nonprofits paid | Typical grant | Latest year |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Francisco Foundation San Francisco, CA | 178 | $25,000 | 2024 |
| California Community Foundation Los Angeles, CA | 168 | $38,000 | 2024 |
| Silicon Valley Community Foundation Mountain View, CA | 156 | $25,000 | 2024 |
| Marin Community Foundation Novato, CA | 100 | $22,036 | 2024 |
| The San Diego Foundation San Diego, CA | 90 | $25,000 | 2024 |
| William & Flora Hewlett Foundation Menlo Park, CA | 75 | $58,000 | 2024 |
| Bank of America Charitable Foundation Inc Charlotte, NC | 70 | $500 | 2023 |
| Tides Foundation San Francisco, CA | 68 | $34,400 | 2024 |
| The Zellerbach Family Foundation San Francisco, CA | 64 | $10,000 | 2024 |
| Sempra Energy Foundation San Diego, CA | 60 | $260 | 2024 |
| East Bay Community Foundation Oakland, CA | 60 | $12,750 | 2023 |
| Walter and Elise Haas Fund San Francisco, CA | 59 | $24,300 | 2024 |
| Santa Barbara Foundation Santa Barbara, CA | 57 | $13,500 | 2024 |
| Conrad Prebys Foundation San Diego, CA | 51 | $42,500 | 2024 |
| Impactassets Inc Bethesda, MD | 51 | $12,500 | 2024 |
Recent grants
- San Francisco Foundation paid Center for the Art of Translation $2,040,241 in 2024. Purpose: For general and project support.
- California Community Foundation paid Boyle Heights Arts Conservatory $909,390 in 2024. Purpose: Health.
- Silicon Valley Community Foundation paid First Look Institute $1,550,000 in 2024. Purpose: Arts & culture.
- Marin Community Foundation paid Bay Area Creative Foundation $1,100,000 in 2024. Purpose: Provide general operating support.
- The San Diego Foundation paid San Diego Habitat Conservancy $929,175 in 2024. Purpose: For general support.
- William & Flora Hewlett Foundation paid Alonzo King Lines Ballet $480,000 in 2024. Purpose: For general operating support.
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Other causes in California
- Who funds food banks and food pantries in California (658 funders)
- Who funds homeless shelters and services in California (564 funders)
- Who funds affordable housing in California (459 funders)
- Who funds animal rescue and shelters in California (1246 funders)
- Who funds veterans in California (257 funders)
- Who funds youth development in California (1996 funders)
- Who funds youth sports and recreation in California (1450 funders)
- Who funds K-12 education in California (2848 funders)
- Who funds health clinics and health care in California (1615 funders)
- Who funds mental health in California (1067 funders)
- Who funds disability services in California (528 funders)
- Who funds senior services in California (346 funders)
- Who funds domestic violence shelters and services in California (415 funders)
- Who funds child care and early childhood in California (239 funders)
- Who funds job training and employment in California (600 funders)
- Who funds environment and conservation in California (1998 funders)
- Who funds legal aid in California (348 funders)
- Who funds community development in California (1308 funders)
- Who funds family and children's services in California (1239 funders)
Arts and culture in other states
Questions people ask
Who gives the most grants to arts and culture in California?
By the number of nonprofits paid from 2022 to 2025, the leading funders were San Francisco Foundation (178), California Community Foundation (168), Silicon Valley Community Foundation (156). The count in parentheses is how many arts and culture nonprofits in California each one paid.
How big is a typical grant to arts and culture in California?
The median grant was $10,000 across 18,953 grants. Half were smaller and half were larger. Each funder's own typical grant is in the table above.
Do these funders accept applications?
Not always. IRS records show who a funder paid, not whether it takes new applicants. Open the funder's website and read its guidelines before you reach out.
Where does this data come from?
From grants reported to the IRS on Form 990 Schedule I and Form 990-PF for 2022 to 2025, matched to each recipient's IRS record. It counts arts and culture nonprofits with budgets under $5,000,000, by their IRS cause code. Donor-advised fund sponsors are left out.