The Stupski Foundation

Quick Stats

• Annual Giving: $56.4M (2024)
• Total Assets: $223.7M (2024)
• Decision Time: Varies by program
• Grant Range: $20,000 - $6,000,000+
• Geographic Focus: San Francisco Bay Area (Alameda & San Francisco Counties) and Hawai'i
• Current Status: Not accepting new applications (spend-down phase through 2029)

Contact Details

Address: 90 New Montgomery St. Suite 1100 San Francisco, CA 94105

Phone: 415-391-5557 Email: contact@stupski.org Website: https://stupski.org

Program-Specific Contact:

• Food Justice applications: foodsecurityapplication@stupski.org
• Postsecondary applications: postsecondaryapplication@stupski.org

Overview

The Stupski Foundation, established by philanthropists Larry and Joyce Stupski who together donated $723 million, is a private grantmaking foundation founded in 1998 (EIN: 68-0397103). The foundation is committed to returning all its resources—approximately $224 million—to communities by 2029 as part of an intentional spend-down strategy. With $56.4 million in annual giving distributed across 502 grantee partners in 2024, Stupski operates on a trust-based philanthropy model that emphasizes shifting decision-making power to communities. The foundation focuses on four core areas: Early Brain Development, Postsecondary Success, Food Justice, and Serious Illness Care, exclusively serving the San Francisco Bay Area (particularly Alameda and San Francisco Counties) and Hawai'i. Since 2016, Stupski has awarded 1,155 individual grants totaling over $270 million. The foundation's tagline, "Because Change Can't Wait," reflects its urgency in creating systems change. Important Note: The foundation accelerated its spend-down and does not plan to fund new rounds of open applications for new grantee partners, focusing remaining resources on existing partners through 2027.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

Current Funding Status: The foundation is NOT accepting new grant applications. As of their accelerated spend-down announcement, Stupski directs most remaining funds to existing partners through 2027 and does not anticipate issuing new grants after that year.

Historical Grant Programs (for reference):

Early Brain Development

• Grant Range: $100,000 - $2,000,000+ (multi-year)
• Focus: Strengthening bonds between children and their families during early years, improving access to care supporting childhood development and lifelong health
• Recent Example: $450,000 to Maui Economic Opportunity for prenatal to 5-year-old programs (2025)

Postsecondary Success

• Grant Range: $100,000 - $4,600,000 (12-60 months)
• Focus: Academic advising, work-based learning, holistic student support systems
• Notable Grants:
  • $1.3M to 10,000 Degrees over 5 years for college access
  • $17.4M expansion for Hawai'i youth opportunities
  • $2.5M to Bay Area nonprofits for paid work experience programs

Food Justice

• Grant Range: $25,000 - $600,000
• Focus: Building equitable local food economies, local solutions advancing food justice and community resilience

Serious Illness Care

• Grant Range: Varies (multi-year initiatives)
• Focus: Ensuring agency and access to end-of-life care, reducing suffering in San Francisco and Alameda Counties
• Example: $6M to Alameda Health System Foundation across 48 months for palliative care expansion

Application Methods (Historical):

• Rolling basis with targeted invitations for funding
• Two-step process: One-page concept papers followed by full proposals for selected organizations
• Open RFP processes to expand beyond invitation-only funding

Priority Areas

Geographic Priority:

• San Francisco Bay Area: Specifically Alameda and San Francisco Counties
• Hawai'i: All islands, with emphasis on neighbor islands and rural communities

Thematic Priorities:

1. Early Brain Development - Supporting children birth to age 3, pediatric screening for unmet basic needs, trauma-informed care models
2. Postsecondary Success - College access and completion for low-income and first-generation students, work-based learning, student power-building
3. Food Justice - Local food economies, food security, systemic change in food systems
4. Serious Illness Care - End-of-life care, palliative care expansion, patient agency

Systems Change Focus: The foundation prioritizes initiatives that shift power and policy, transform institutional practices, and address root causes rather than symptoms.

Community-Centered Approach: "The people closest to the challenges in our communities—not philanthropists—best determine where funds can make lasting change."

What They Don't Fund

While specific exclusions are not explicitly listed, the foundation's focus is highly targeted:

• Organizations outside San Francisco Bay Area and Hawai'i
• Work outside their four core program areas
• Individual scholarships or direct-to-student funding (they fund organizations that support students)
• Religious activities or sectarian purposes
• Political campaigns or lobbying
• Currently: Any new applicants (as of spend-down acceleration)

Governance and Leadership

Leadership Team

Glen Galaich, Ph.D. - Chief Executive Officer (since 2015)

• Quote: "Our spend down structure has only increased our focus and commitment to learn from our communities"

Jim Wiggett - Board Chair

Program Directors

Jennifer Nguyen - Director of Postsecondary Success

• Works to advance equity through institutional partnerships locally and beyond

Dan Tuttle - Director of Health

• Focuses on closing racial disparities in health outcomes for children and older adults

Aileen Suzara - Director of Food Justice

• Quote: "Hawai'i and the Bay Area are brilliant epicenters of food, land, and social transformation"

Lorree Novotny - Director of Finance and Accounting

Claire Callahan - Director of Communications

Program Officers and Managers

• Cheri Souza - Hawai'i Postsecondary Success Program Officer
• La Roux Pendleton - Bay Area Health Program Officer
• Malila Becton-Consuegra - Bay Area Postsecondary Success Program Officer
• Sulma Gandhi, DrBA CPCC ACC - Hawai'i Health Program Officer
• Ariana Datta - Food Justice Program Manager
• Maile Boggeln - Postsecondary Success Program Manager

Board Members

In recent years, the foundation welcomed six new board members to support the spend-down phase, though individual names beyond the board chair are not publicly detailed on their website.

Founders

Larry and Joyce Stupski established the foundation's philanthropic legacy with a commitment to supporting the communities they called home.

Application Process & Timeline

Current Status

IMPORTANT: The Stupski Foundation is NOT accepting new grant applications. As stated in their FAQs: "We do not plan to fund new rounds of open applications for new grantee partners."

The foundation accelerated its spend-down, directing most remaining funds to existing partners through 2027. They do not anticipate issuing new grants after 2027, with foundation operations concluding by 2029.

Historical Application Process (For Reference)

How to Apply (When Open):

1. Submit one-page concept paper via email to program-specific addresses
2. Foundation staff review and send invitations to selected organizations to submit full proposals
3. Full proposal submission by specified deadline
4. Optional: Attend online information sessions for FAQs
5. For organizations with budgets under $1M: 20-minute office hours calls available

Application Support:

• Online information sessions to answer FAQs
• 20-minute office hours for organizations with annual budgets less than $1 million
• Accessible application process design
• Foundation does not meet individually with applicants to ensure equity

Decision Timeline

Historical Timeframes:

• Varied by program and funding round
• Typically several months from concept paper to decision
• Some programs used rolling basis, others had fixed deadlines

Success Rates

Historical Data:

• In 2024: 248 grants awarded from competitive pools
• Total: 502 active grantee partners as of spend-down announcement
• Since 2016: 1,155 individual grants awarded
• Success rates varied by program; foundation moved toward open RFP processes to expand access

Reapplication Policy

Current Policy: Not applicable - not accepting new applications

Historical Policy: Organizations could reapply in subsequent funding rounds. The foundation encouraged applications from organizations that may have been underfunded or beyond their existing networks.

Application Success Factors

Historical Success Factors (For Reference)

Foundation's Stated Values:

1. Trust-Based Philanthropy - The foundation believes in shifting decision-making power to communities
2. Systems Change Focus - Preference for initiatives addressing root causes and transforming institutions
3. Community-Centered - Organizations led by and serving communities most affected by inequities
4. Collaboration - Multi-funder, multi-year partnerships valued (e.g., Hawai'i Community-Centered Partnership)
5. Flexibility - Providing general operating support, unrestricted funding, longer funding periods

Language and Terminology:

• "Shifting power and policy"
• "Trust-based practices"
• "Systems transformation"
• "Community-centered decision-making"
• "Breaking institutional constraints"
• "Equity and abundance for everyone"

Recent Funded Projects (Examples):

• 10,000 Degrees: $1.3M over 5 years for college access and completion support
• SF State & CSU East Bay: $13M initiative for holistic academic advising
• University of Hawai'i: $1.8M for low-income, first-generation students' basic needs
• UCSF Center for Child & Community Health: R!3 program raising standards of Medicaid-insured care
• MEO (Maui Economic Opportunity): $450,000 for early childhood programs
• Bay Area student power-building initiatives: $1.5M informed by student voices

What Made Applications Stand Out:

• Deep community roots and authentic community leadership
• Clear systems change approach, not just service delivery
• Focus on populations facing greatest barriers (low-income, first-generation, communities of color)
• Integration of student/community voice in design and governance
• Potential for policy impact and institutional transformation
• Collaborative approaches with other organizations or institutions
• Alignment with geographic focus (Bay Area or Hawai'i)

Common Reasons for Rejection:

• Geographic misalignment (outside Bay Area or Hawai'i)
• Work outside four core program areas
• Individual-focused rather than systems-focused approach
• Insufficient community connection or leadership

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

1. NOT CURRENTLY AVAILABLE: The Stupski Foundation is not accepting new applications and will not be funding new partners. All remaining resources are directed to existing grantee partners through 2027.

2. Study Their Model for Other Funders: Stupski's trust-based philanthropy approach—offering unrestricted funding, multi-year grants, and community-centered decision-making—represents a model that other funders are adopting. Understanding their values can inform applications to similar funders.

3. Systems Change Focus: When open, Stupski prioritized initiatives addressing root causes and transforming institutions rather than providing direct services alone. Applications needed to articulate clear pathways to policy or systems impact.

4. Community-Centered Leadership: The foundation valued organizations led by and accountable to the communities they serve, particularly those most affected by inequities.

5. Geographic Specificity: Strict focus on San Francisco Bay Area (especially Alameda and San Francisco Counties) and Hawai'i meant geographic alignment was non-negotiable.

6. Collaborative and Flexible Funding: Stupski preferred multi-year partnerships, general operating support, and collaborative initiatives with other funders and organizations.

7. Learn from Their Grantee Directory: Their 502 current grantee partners (listed at stupski.org/grant-directory/) provide excellent examples of organizations and approaches the foundation valued, which can inform applications to similar funders.

References

1. Stupski Foundation Official Website. "Homepage." https://stupski.org/ (Accessed November 2025)

2. Stupski Foundation. "About Us." https://stupski.org/about/ (Accessed November 2025)

3. Stupski Foundation. "FAQs." https://stupski.org/about/faqs/ (Accessed November 2025)

4. Stupski Foundation. "Our Team." https://stupski.org/about/our-team/ (Accessed November 2025)

5. Stupski Foundation. "Postsecondary Success." https://stupski.org/our-programs/postsecondary-success/ (Accessed November 2025)

6. Stupski Foundation. "Early Brain Development." https://stupski.org/our-programs/early-brain-development/ (Accessed November 2025)

7. Stupski Foundation. "Grantee Partners." https://stupski.org/grant-directory/ (Accessed November 2025)

8. ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer. "Stupski Foundation - Full Filing." https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/680397103 (Accessed November 2025)

9. Instrumentl. "Stupski Foundation | San Francisco, CA | 990 Report." https://www.instrumentl.com/990-report/stupski-foundation (Accessed November 2025)

10. Candid Foundation Directory. "Stupski Foundation | Foundation Profile." https://fconline.foundationcenter.org/fdo-grantmaker-profile?key=STUP007 (Accessed November 2025)

11. Stupski Foundation. "Bay Area Nonprofits Receive $2.5 Million to Provide Young Students of Color With Paid Work Experience." https://stupski.org/changecantwaitblog/bay-area-nonprofits-receive-2-5-million-to-provide-young-students-of-color-with-paid-work-experience/ (Accessed November 2025)

12. Stupski Foundation. "Following Their Lead: Bay Area Students Inform $1.5M Investment in Youth Power Building." https://stupski.org/changecantwaitblog/following-their-lead-bay-area-students-inform-1-5m-investment-in-youth-power-building/ (Accessed November 2025)

13. University of Hawai'i System News. "$1.8M to support low-income, first-generation students' basic needs." https://www.hawaii.edu/news/2023/03/15/stupski-foundation-support-students-basic-needs/ (Accessed March 2023)

14. SF State News. "SF State strengthens academic advising with $3.9M grant from the Stupski Foundation." https://news.sfsu.edu/news-story/sf-state-strengthens-academic-advising-39m-grant-stupski-foundation (Accessed November 2025)

15. Maui Economic Opportunity. "Stupski Foundation awards $450,000 to MEO early childhood programs." https://www.meoinc.org/stupski-foundation-awards-450000-to-meo-early-childhood-programs/ (Accessed June 2025)

16. Stupski Foundation. "Stupski Foundation Welcomes Six Board Members." https://stupski.org/changecantwaitblog/stupski-foundation-welcomes-six-board-members/ (Accessed November 2025)