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Harold C And Marilyn A Hohbach Foundation

Annual Giving
$0.8M
Grant Range
$10K - $3.8M
Success Rate
12%

Harold C And Marilyn A Hohbach Foundation

Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: $810,000 (2024)
  • Total Assets: $181.2 million (2024)
  • Success Rate: 12% (percentage of new applicants funded)
  • Decision Time: Not publicly disclosed
  • Grant Range: $10,000 - $3,800,000
  • Geographic Focus: National (15 states, 32+ cities across the United States)

Contact Details

Address: 195 Page Mill Rd Ste 172, Palo Alto, CA 94306-2073

Note: No public website, email, or phone number is available. The foundation operates as a private grantmaking foundation.

Overview

The Harold C And Marilyn A Hohbach Foundation was established in 2009 as a private grantmaking foundation following the legacy of Harold C. Hohbach, a distinguished patent law attorney and real estate developer who worked closely with Silicon Valley inventors for over 50 years. With total assets of $181.2 million and annual giving of approximately $810,000, the foundation focuses on three primary areas: education, arts and culture, and philanthropy. Harold Hohbach, who passed away in 2017, was passionate about education and inspiring the next generation of thinkers and doers, greatly admiring the ingenuity and creativity of the inventors he worked with throughout his career. The foundation is currently led by his son Douglas C. Hohbach as President, alongside directors Janet Hohbach McCloy and Ellen Hohbach Scheetz. The foundation's most notable grant was a transformative $25 million gift to Stanford University Libraries in 2019 to create Hohbach Hall and endow the Silicon Valley Archives program.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

The foundation supports projects across multiple program areas with no fixed grant cycles or specific application deadlines publicly disclosed. Recent grants have ranged from $10,000 to $3,800,000.

Recent Grant Recipients (2022-2024):

  • Leland Stanford Junior University: $2,500,000 - $3,800,000 (Silicon Valley Archives and related programs)
  • The African American Policy Forum: $50,000
  • Reproductive Freedom for All (formerly NARAL Pro-Choice America Foundation): $50,000
  • Veterans Defense Project: $25,000
  • The Primavera Foundation: $25,000
  • South Dakota State University: $10,000
  • Geohazards International
  • San Francisco SPCA

The foundation distributed approximately $305,000 across 27 awards in 2024, with an average grant size of approximately $11,300 (excluding the major Stanford gifts).

Priority Areas

Education: The foundation strongly prioritizes educational initiatives, particularly those that inspire entrepreneurially-minded students and preserve the history of innovation. This includes support for universities, archives, and educational programs.

Arts and Culture: Support for cultural institutions and initiatives that preserve and promote historical and artistic heritage, especially related to Silicon Valley's innovation history.

Social Justice and Community Support: Recent grants indicate support for organizations working on reproductive rights, racial justice, veterans' issues, and community support services.

Silicon Valley History and Innovation: Special interest in preserving the legacy of Silicon Valley inventors and creating educational resources for future innovators.

What They Don't Fund

Specific exclusions are not publicly documented. However, the foundation appears to focus on established nonprofit organizations with clear educational, cultural, or social justice missions.

Governance and Leadership

Board of Directors:

  • Douglas C. Hohbach - President (son of founders)
  • Janet Hohbach McCloy - Director (daughter of founders)
  • Ellen Hohbach Scheetz - Director (daughter of founders)

All board members serve without compensation, demonstrating the family's commitment to directing resources toward their philanthropic mission rather than administrative costs.

Founding Vision:

Harold C. Hohbach was passionate about education and inspiring future innovators. According to Marilyn Hohbach: "It was important to Harold that the drive and passion of entrepreneurially minded students be encouraged and the accomplishments of the Silicon Valley inventors that came before not be forgotten."

Harold "greatly admire[d] their ingenuity, creativity and contributions to society" among valley inventors, and he "was passionate about education and inspiring the next generation of thinkers and doers."

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

This foundation does not have a public application process. The foundation operates as a private family foundation with grants typically made through board discretion rather than open solicitation.

According to available data, the foundation is "open to new applicants," but there is no public application portal, guidelines, or formal submission process documented. Only 12% of new applicants receive funding, suggesting that most grants are likely made through trustee-identified opportunities and existing relationships.

Getting on Their Radar

Given the family's deep connection to Silicon Valley innovation and education, potential grantees might consider:

  • Stanford University connections: The foundation's largest grant went to Stanford Libraries. Organizations with Stanford affiliations or partnerships may have increased visibility.
  • Silicon Valley innovation and history: Projects that align with the foundation's interest in preserving Silicon Valley's innovative legacy and inspiring future entrepreneurs may resonate with the foundation's mission.
  • Family connections to patent law and technology: Harold Hohbach's 50-year career as a patent attorney means the foundation may have particular interest in technology, innovation, and intellectual property-related educational initiatives.

Decision Timeline

Decision timelines are not publicly disclosed.

Success Rates

According to available data, approximately 12% of new applicants receive funding. In 2024, the foundation made 27 grants totaling approximately $305,000 (excluding major multi-year commitments to Stanford).

Reapplication Policy

No public information is available regarding reapplication policies for unsuccessful applicants.

Application Success Factors

Given the limited public information about the foundation's selection criteria, success factors can be inferred from their funding pattern:

Alignment with Founding Vision: Projects that align with Harold Hohbach's passion for education, innovation, and preserving the legacy of Silicon Valley inventors appear most likely to receive support. The foundation's mission emphasizes encouraging "the drive and passion of entrepreneurially minded students" and ensuring "the accomplishments of the Silicon Valley inventors that came before not be forgotten."

Established Organizations: Recent grant recipients include well-established universities, national advocacy organizations, and community foundations, suggesting the foundation prefers organizations with proven track records.

Educational Impact: The foundation's largest investment—the $25 million Stanford gift—was specifically designed to create "a dynamic and engaging space to support inquiry and exploration and offer new ways to connect and expand knowledge." Projects with clear educational outcomes and opportunities for student engagement may be favored.

Innovation and Technology Focus: Given Harold Hohbach's career working with inventors in electronics, semiconductor manufacturing, computing, and medical devices, projects related to technological innovation and its history may have particular appeal.

Geographic Diversity: While based in Palo Alto, the foundation has funded projects across 15 states and 32+ cities, indicating openness to national initiatives beyond the San Francisco Bay Area.

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  • No public application process: This is a private family foundation operating primarily through trustee discretion. Traditional grant applications are not accepted through a public portal.
  • Education and innovation are central: The foundation's largest grants support educational initiatives that preserve innovation history and inspire future entrepreneurs.
  • Stanford connection is significant: The foundation's $25 million gift to Stanford represents their largest known grant and reflects deep commitment to academic institutions.
  • Small pool of awards: With only 27 grants in 2024 and a 12% success rate for new applicants, opportunities are limited.
  • Diverse focus areas: Recent grants show support spanning education, social justice, veterans' issues, reproductive rights, and community support—suggesting the family's evolving interests beyond the original Silicon Valley innovation focus.
  • Family-led governance: All three board members are children of the founders, maintaining family control and vision for the foundation's mission.
  • Minimal overhead: All board members serve without compensation, ensuring maximum resources go to grant-making.

References

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