Matthew Kelly Family Foundation
At a glance
This funder does not accept unsolicited applications. The foundation chooses the organisations it funds itself.
Key takeaways
- The foundation makes grants only to organisations it has preselected and does not accept unsolicited requests, so a cold approach is unlikely to be considered.
- Its stated interests are children at risk and education, alongside a varied record of grants to health, arts, food-relief, youth and older people's organisations, so work in those areas is the closest fit, although the filing sets out no detailed criteria.
- Most grants fall between $10,000 and $100,000, with a median of $50,000 and a largest grant of $250,000, so a request in that typical band is a realistic size, and these figures describe past grants rather than a ceiling.
- Its filing shows 83% of grant dollars going to organisations it had funded before, so this looks like a relationship-led funder, and a first approach is best made through an existing connection.
- The filing shows grants mainly in California, but no geographic focus is stated, so this is a pattern rather than a rule.
Overview
Matthew Kelly Family Foundation is a US private foundation based in Novato, CA.
What they fund
Profile derived from the foundation's IRS Form 990-PF filings (TY2024, TY2023, TY2022) and web pages about the foundation (legacy.com), with every statement checked against those sources. Sources read on 7 October 2026.
Priority Areas
The foundation is described as dedicated to helping children at risk and to the development of educational facilities and opportunities. Its recorded grants also support a range of charitable organisations, including hospitals and health services, arts and cultural institutions, food-relief organisations, education and youth groups, and services for older people. The filings most often describe the purpose simply as supporting a charity's programmes; some purposes refer more specifically to providing food to vulnerable people and helping San Franciscans in need. Contributions go to preselected charitable organisations, and unsolicited requests are not accepted. The evidence identifies an interest in children and education alongside a diverse record of organisational grants, but does not set out detailed eligibility criteria or a fuller public funding strategy.
Themes
- Children at risk
- Education
Geographic Focus
No geographic focus is stated; the filings show grants mainly in California.
How to apply
The foundation makes grants only to preselected charitable organisations and does not accept unsolicited requests. The filing gives no further application steps.
Application success factors
- Repeat giving: In its TY2024 filing, 83% 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 56 grants to organisations were $50,000 or less.
Where grants go
From grants to organisations in the foundation’s filings for tax years 2022–2024.
Grant dollars by state
- The largest single recipient received 18% of grant dollars to organisations.
- In tax year 2024, 83% of grant dollars went to organisations Matthew Kelly Family Foundation had funded in earlier filings.
- No grants were paid directly to organisations outside the US.
- 11% of grant dollars went to intermediaries that regrant to other organisations.
Grants
How much do they typically give?
Share of 12 grants in tax year 2024 by size
Median $50,000 (tax year 2024)
The largest grants to organisations in the foundation’s latest filing:
- San Francisco Hospital Foundation · To support the programs of the charity.$200,0002024 tax year
- San Francisco Film Society · To support the programs of the charity.$150,0002024 tax year
- San Francisco Symphony · To support the programs of the charity.$100,0002024 tax year
- San Francisco-Marin Food Bank · Provide food to the vulnerable people in our community$50,0002024 tax year
- SF Conservatory Of Music · To support the programs of the charity.$50,0002024 tax year
- Oasis for Girls · To support the programs of the charity.$50,0002024 tax year
- Chronicle Season of Sharing Fund · To support the programs of the charity.$50,0002024 tax year
- Hamilton Families · To support the programs of the charity.$50,0002024 tax year
Grants to organisations listed in the foundation’s Form 990-PF filings. Grants to individuals are not shown.
Officers and directors
- Conrad Donner — Secretary
- Charles Mcgettigan — Director
- Mary Kelly — Director
- Matthew B Kelly — President
- Charles Crocker III — Director
From the latest Form 990-PF filing
3 years of tax filings
| Year | Total expenses | Grants paid | Assets | Filing document |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 tax year | $613,306 | $505,000 | $24,964,236 | Filing for 2022 tax year |
| 2023 tax year | $1,595,089 | $1,450,000 | $33,978,416 | Filing for 2023 tax year |
| 2024 tax year | $1,118,754 | $875,000 | $44,095,683 | 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
🎯 You've done the research. Now write an application they can't refuse.
Hinchilla combines funder's specific priorities with your organisation's past successful grants and AI analysis of what reviewers want to see.
Data privacy and security by default
Your organisation's past successful grants and experience
AI analysis of what reviewers want to see
A compelling draft application in 10 minutes instead of 10 hours
Spotted something that needs correcting? Let us know
At a glance
Applying to Matthew Kelly Family Foundation?
Hinchilla drafts your answers around this funder's priorities, using your organisation's own documents.
No credit card required
Contact
- Novato, CA
Applying to Matthew Kelly Family Foundation?
Hinchilla drafts your answers around this funder's priorities, using your organisation's own documents.
No credit card required
Contact
- Novato, CA