Who funds food banks and food pantries in California
From 2022 to 2025, 658 foundations and charities reported 1,904 grants to 224 food banks and pantries in California. The typical grant was $10,000.
The funders that paid the most of them: Kaiser Foundation Hospitals (17), California Community Foundation (14) and Silicon Valley Community Foundation (14).
From IRS grant records. Counts nonprofits with budgets under $5,000,000.
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The 15 funders that paid the most food banks and pantries in California
| Funder | Nonprofits paid | Typical grant | Latest year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kaiser Foundation Hospitals Oakland, CA | 17 | $25,000 | 2024 |
| California Community Foundation Los Angeles, CA | 14 | $17,150 | 2024 |
| Silicon Valley Community Foundation Mountain View, CA | 14 | $21,000 | 2024 |
| Bank of America Charitable Foundation Inc Charlotte, NC | 12 | $500 | 2023 |
| San Francisco Foundation San Francisco, CA | 11 | $20,000 | 2024 |
| The San Diego Foundation San Diego, CA | 10 | $29,762 | 2024 |
| East Bay Community Foundation Oakland, CA | 9 | $15,000 | 2023 |
| Sempra Energy Foundation San Diego, CA | 8 | $420 | 2024 |
| The Alameda County Community Food Bank Inc Oakland, CA | 8 | $11,994 | 2024 |
| Cal Foods Logistics Pleasant Hill, CA | 7 | $22,402 | 2024 |
| California Foundation for Stronger Communities Carlsbad, CA | 7 | $20,000 | 2024 |
| The Albertsons Companies Foundation Pleasanton, CA | 7 | $12,500 | 2024 |
| Tides Foundation San Francisco, CA | 7 | $50,000 | 2024 |
| Mcnabb Foundation Wilmington, DE | 7 | $1,000 | 2024 |
| Marin Community Foundation Novato, CA | 7 | $8,000 | 2024 |
Recent grants
- Kaiser Foundation Hospitals paid Daily Bowl $75,000 in 2024. Purpose: Glean and distribute food.
- California Community Foundation paid Support and Feed Inc $55,000 in 2024. Purpose: Disaster response.
- Silicon Valley Community Foundation paid Reducetarian Foundation Inc $150,000 in 2024. Purpose: Food security.
- Bank of America Charitable Foundation Inc paid Power of One Foundation $5,000 in 2023. Purpose: Program/operating support.
- San Francisco Foundation paid 18 Reasons $25,250 in 2024. Purpose: For general support.
- The San Diego Foundation paid Producegood $68,000 in 2024. Purpose: A matching grant for general support.
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Other causes in California
- 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 arts and culture in California (3571 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)
Food banks and food pantries in other states
Questions people ask
Who gives the most grants to food banks and food pantries in California?
By the number of nonprofits paid from 2022 to 2025, the leading funders were Kaiser Foundation Hospitals (17), California Community Foundation (14), Silicon Valley Community Foundation (14). The count in parentheses is how many food banks and pantries in California each one paid.
How big is a typical grant to food banks and food pantries in California?
The median grant was $10,000 across 1,904 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 food banks and pantries with budgets under $5,000,000, by their IRS cause code. Donor-advised fund sponsors are left out.