The Gilbert & Jacki Cisneros Foundation
At a glance
This funder does not accept unsolicited applications. The foundation chooses the organisations it funds itself.
Key takeaways
- The foundation works to expand access to higher education for Latino and Veteran communities and promotes education policy, so a request fits best if your work sits in those areas.
- It makes contributions only to preselected organisations and does not accept unsolicited requests, so an organisation without an invitation should not send one.
- About 8 in 10 of its 21 grants to organisations across the filings fall between $10,000 and $100,000, with a median of $35,000, so a request in that region is a realistic size, though the band is typical rather than a limit.
- In the filing, 66% of its grant dollars to organisations went to organisations it had also funded in earlier filings, which suggests that a relationship with the foundation matters more than a cold approach.
- No geographic focus is stated, and the filing shows grants mainly in California and District of Columbia, which describes its past giving rather than a rule about who can apply.
Overview
The Gilbert & Jacki Cisneros Foundation is a US private foundation based in Wilmington, DE.
What they fund
Profile derived from the foundation's IRS Form 990-PF filings (TY2024, TY2023, TY2022) and its website, with every statement checked against those sources. Sources read on 7 October 2026.
Priority Areas
The foundation works to expand access to higher education for Latino and Veteran communities, advancing educational equity and closing gaps in college access and attainment. It names scholarships, policy advocacy and expanded higher-education opportunities as ways of doing this, and promotes effective education policy and awareness of the circumstances facing first-generation, college-bound Latino students. Its stated approach centres on resources, representation and support, and on inclusive, effective and sustainable educational environments. Its grant record includes universities and education organisations, including support for a scholarship endowment and a school. The foundation also describes support for U.S. veterans and military-affiliated students, including mentorship, professional development and community building as they move into academic life.
Themes
- Latino higher education
- Veteran higher education
- Education policy
Geographic Focus
No geographic focus is stated; the filings show grants mainly in California and District of Columbia.
How to apply
The foundation makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests.
Application success factors
- Repeat giving: In its TY2024 filing, 66% 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 21 grants to organisations were $35,000 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 36% of grant dollars to organisations.
- In tax year 2024, 66% of grant dollars went to organisations The Gilbert & Jacki Cisneros Foundation had funded in earlier filings.
- No grants were paid directly to organisations outside the US.
- 2% 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 $17,500 (tax year 2024)
The largest grants to organisations in the foundation’s latest filing:
- Excelencia in Education · Seal of Excelencia Program$100,0002024 tax year
- George Washington University · Cisneros Hispanic Leadership Institute$50,0002024 tax year
- Hispanic Scholarship Fund · Frank Terrazas Scholarship Endowment Fund$50,0002024 tax year
- University of Southern California · Charitable Event$50,0002024 tax year
- University of Southern California · Washington D.C. Maymester Program$35,0002024 tax year
- George Washington University · Buff & Blue Fund, Men's Basketball Allocation$20,0002024 tax year
- AltaMed Health Services Corporation · 2024 Nurse Apprentice Program$15,0002024 tax year
- Excelencia in Education · Charitable Event$15,0002024 tax year
Grants to organisations listed in the foundation’s Form 990-PF filings. Grants to individuals are not shown.
Officers and directors
- Lara Jaramillo Savage — Secretary, Treasurer
- Jacki Marie Wells Cisneros — Director, President
From the latest Form 990-PF filing
3 years of tax filings
| Year | Total expenses | Grants paid | Assets | Filing document |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 tax year | $632,326 | $310,000 | $16,506,205 | Filing for 2022 tax year |
| 2023 tax year | $504,606 | $190,000 | $18,163,891 | Filing for 2023 tax year |
| 2024 tax year | $779,590 | $380,000 | $20,217,804 | 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
Registers and filings
Other sources
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At a glance
Applying to The Gilbert & Jacki Cisneros Foundation?
Hinchilla drafts your answers around this funder's priorities, using your organisation's own documents.
No credit card required
Contact
- info@cisnerosfoundation.org
- Wilmington, DE
- cisnerosfoundation.org
Applying to The Gilbert & Jacki Cisneros Foundation?
Hinchilla drafts your answers around this funder's priorities, using your organisation's own documents.
No credit card required
Contact
- info@cisnerosfoundation.org
- Wilmington, DE
- cisnerosfoundation.org