San Simeon Fund
At a glance
This funder does not accept unsolicited applications. The foundation chooses the organisations it funds itself.
Key takeaways
- The Fund makes contributions only to preselected organisations and does not accept unsolicited requests, and the filing does not say how organisations are preselected, so a cold application is unlikely to be considered and a small charity should first look for a genuine introduction through someone already connected to it.
- Its grants span universities, museums, public media, health, environmental, science and humanitarian work, so fit should be judged on the specific project rather than the sector alone.
- Most of its grants fall between $100,000 and $1,000,000, a typical band rather than its full range, with a median of $350,000 and a largest grant of $1,100,000, so a request under $100,000 would sit below its usual band while a larger request is still possible.
- Repeat giving is significant: 32% of its grant dollars in its most recent filing went to organisations it had also funded in one of the two filings before.
- No geographic focus is stated, though the filings show grants mainly in California, Illinois, Massachusetts and Arizona.
Overview
San Simeon Fund is a US private foundation based in San Francisco, CA.
What they fund
Profile based on the foundation's IRS Form 990-PF filings (TY2024, TY2023, TY2022) only: no website or other web source for the foundation was found. Every statement is checked against the filings. Sources read on 7 October 2026.
Priority Areas
Its grants have gone to universities and research institutions, museums and cultural organisations, public media organisations, health foundations, environmental and science organisations, and humanitarian charities. The stated purposes include research, outreach and field work, cultural and educational activity, conservation, health-related training and services, equipment and infrastructure, and general support. The filings record gifts for both particular projects and broader organisational support. They do not state a general funding field, eligibility criteria or a preferred geographic area. The grants span several kinds of charitable organisation and activities rather than identifying a single stated priority.
Geographic Focus
No geographic focus is stated; the filings show grants mainly in California, Illinois, Massachusetts and Arizona.
How to apply
The Fund makes contributions only to preselected charitable organisations and does not accept unsolicited requests; the filing does not explain how organisations are preselected.
Application success factors
- Repeat giving: In its TY2024 filing, 32% of its grant dollars to organisations went to organisations it had also funded in its TY2022 or TY2023 filing.
- Grant size: Across its TY2022, TY2023 and TY2024 filings, half of its 17 grants to organisations were $350,000 or less.
Where grants go
From grants to organisations in the foundation’s filings for tax years 2022–2024.
Grant dollars by state
1 other state: <1%
- The largest single recipient received 21% of grant dollars to organisations.
- In tax year 2024, 32% of grant dollars went to organisations San Simeon Fund had funded in earlier filings.
- No grants were paid directly to organisations outside the US.
Grants
How much do they typically give?
Share of 10 grants in tax year 2024 by size
Median $325k (tax year 2024)
The largest grants to organisations in the foundation’s latest filing:
- Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco · To support the acquisition of the matisse jazz series from berggruen gallery$1,100,0002024 tax year
- University of Chicago · To support department of organismal biology & anatomy for lab research, outreach activities, field work, and to establish a cultural and education center in axum$1,000,0002024 tax year
- GBH · To support masterpiece trust and nova science trust$750,0002024 tax year
- Brannan Center · To support the avln equipment and installation, streaming upgrade, and operating support for year one.$500,0002024 tax year
- CPMC Foundation · To support the institute for health & healing (ihh) at cpmc$350,0002024 tax year
- Bridge the Gap · General support for years 2024, 2025 and 2026.$300,0002024 tax year
- California Academy of Sciences · To continue support for the hope for reefs phase ii$250,0002024 tax year
- University of Washington Foundation · To support uw medicine department of obstetrics & gynecology for miscarriage management training fund$250,0002024 tax year
Grants to organisations listed in the foundation’s Form 990-PF filings. Grants to individuals are not shown.
Officers and directors
- Cynthia D Lund — Secretary
- Margaret C Hearst — Vice President & CFO
- William R Hearst III — President
From the latest Form 990-PF filing
3 years of tax filings
| Year | Total expenses | Grants paid | Assets | Filing document |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 tax year | $2,804,855 | $2,100,000 | $68,244,423 | Filing for 2022 tax year |
| 2023 tax year | $970,183 | $250,000 | $78,012,065 | Filing for 2023 tax year |
| 2024 tax year | $5,802,776 | $4,720,000 | $88,759,187 | Filing for 2024 tax year |
Figures from the foundation’s IRS Form 990-PF filings. Assets are at fair market value at year end. The document icon links to each year’s filing on ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer.
Sources
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At a glance
Applying to San Simeon Fund?
Hinchilla drafts your answers around this funder's priorities, using your organisation's own documents.
No credit card required
Contact
- San Francisco, CA
Applying to San Simeon Fund?
Hinchilla drafts your answers around this funder's priorities, using your organisation's own documents.
No credit card required
Contact
- San Francisco, CA