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Lakeshore Foundation

Annual Giving
$20.8M
Grant Range
$100K - $3.5M

Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: $20,790,000 (2024)
  • Success Rate: Not applicable (no public application process)
  • Decision Time: Not applicable (invitation/trustee discretion only)
  • Grant Range: $100,000 - $3,500,000
  • Median Grant: $500,000
  • Geographic Focus: National (United States)
  • Total Assets: $440 million

Contact Details

Mailing Address: c/o Hadley G Williams, Trustee
PO Box 11064
Oakland, CA 94611

Phone: (510) 612-1207

Note: This foundation does not have a website or public email address.

Overview

The Lakeshore Foundation was established in April 2011 as a private grantmaking foundation funded by Harold Irving "Irv" Grousbeck, Professor Emeritus at Stanford Graduate School of Business and co-owner of the Boston Celtics. With assets exceeding $440 million and annual grantmaking of approximately $21 million, the foundation focuses on criminal justice reform, civil rights, legal advocacy, and social justice initiatives. The foundation is managed as a trust with Hadley G. Williams (likely a family member) serving as trustee. Unlike many private foundations, Lakeshore maintains a low public profile with no website or formal application process, operating primarily through trustee discretion to identify and support organizations aligned with its mission. The foundation has consistently made 20-27 grants annually since its inception, averaging $500,000 to $800,000 per grant.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

The Lakeshore Foundation operates a single discretionary grant program with the following characteristics:

  • General Support Grants: $100,000 - $3,500,000
  • Median Grant Size: $500,000
  • Number of Annual Grants: 20-27 grants per year
  • Application Method: Invitation only, no public application process

Priority Areas

Based on documented grant recipients, the foundation prioritizes:

  • Criminal Justice Reform: Organizations working on legal defense, wrongful conviction cases, and justice system transformation
  • Civil Liberties and Rights: Legal advocacy organizations focused on constitutional rights and civil liberties
  • Social Justice: Organizations addressing systemic inequality and advocating for marginalized communities
  • Immigrant Rights: Support for organizations protecting and advocating for immigrant communities
  • Voting Rights and Democracy: Organizations working to protect voting access and democratic institutions
  • Legal Advocacy: Policy organizations conducting litigation and advocacy for systemic change

Notable Grant Recipients (based on available data):

  • Brennan Center for Justice
  • The Innocence Project
  • Southern Poverty Law Center
  • Oxfam America
  • Various immigrant justice organizations

What They Don't Fund

  • Grants are limited to IRC Section 501(c)(3) organizations
  • No grants to individuals
  • No grants for scholarships or fellowships
  • The foundation appears to focus exclusively on legal advocacy and civil rights organizations rather than direct service providers

Governance and Leadership

Key Personnel

Hadley G. Williams, Trustee

  • Serves as the primary trustee of the foundation
  • Compensation: Uncompensated
  • Contact address: PO Box 11064, Oakland, CA 94611
  • Background: Holds a BS in Social Work from Cornell University and an MFA in Studio Arts from John F. Kennedy University in Berkeley, CA

Foundation Leadership Structure The foundation operates as "Hadley Grousbeck Et Al Ttee" indicating a trust structure with multiple family members potentially involved in decision-making.

Foundation Founder

H. Irving "Irv" Grousbeck

  • Professor Emeritus at Stanford Graduate School of Business
  • Co-founder and principal owner of the Boston Celtics
  • Co-founded Continental Cablevision (later Media One) in 1964
  • Founding co-director of the Center for Entrepreneurial Studies at Stanford GSB
  • Extensive philanthropic involvement including Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary, William and Flora Hewlett Foundation (former trustee), and various educational and healthcare institutions

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

This foundation does not have a public application process.

According to IRS filings, "applications should be submitted electronically and include proof of IRC 501(c)(3) status," however, the foundation also notes that "unsolicited grant requests may not receive acknowledgement." In practice, this means the foundation operates primarily through trustee discretion and invitation.

The foundation does not maintain a website, publicize application deadlines, or provide formal guidelines for prospective grantees. Grants appear to be awarded based on relationships and the trustees' strategic priorities identified through their own research and networks.

Decision Timeline

Not applicable - the foundation does not operate on a scheduled grant cycle.

Success Rates

Not applicable for unsolicited applications. The foundation consistently makes 20-27 grants per year totaling approximately $21 million.

Reapplication Policy

Not applicable given the absence of a public application process.

Application Success Factors

Given that this foundation does not accept unsolicited applications, traditional application success factors do not apply. However, organizations that have received funding share the following characteristics:

Mission Alignment

  • Strong focus on systemic change through legal advocacy and policy reform
  • Work that addresses root causes of injustice rather than providing direct services only
  • Organizations with national reach and impact, even if serving local communities

Organizational Characteristics of Grant Recipients

  • Established organizations with strong track records (examples include Brennan Center, Innocence Project, SPLC)
  • Organizations that combine litigation, policy advocacy, and public education
  • Work focused on constitutional rights, criminal justice reform, and protecting vulnerable populations

Strategic Focus Areas

  • The foundation's documented grants suggest a preference for organizations working at the intersection of law, policy, and social change
  • Support appears concentrated in organizations addressing criminal justice reform, civil rights, voting rights, and immigrant rights
  • Grants typically provide general operating support rather than project-specific funding

Relationship Building

  • As an invitation-only funder, relationships and networks within the legal advocacy and civil rights sectors are crucial
  • Connection to Stanford University networks (given founder's role as Stanford GSB professor) may be relevant
  • Bay Area connections (foundation based in Oakland/Redwood City area)

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  • This is not a foundation you can apply to directly - Lakeshore operates through trustee discretion and invitation only, making it unsuitable for traditional grant-seeking efforts
  • Focus on getting your work noticed - If your organization aligns with their priorities, focus on building visibility in the criminal justice reform and civil rights sectors where foundation trustees may encounter your work
  • Large grants for established organizations - With a median grant of $500,000 and grants ranging up to $3.5 million, this foundation makes significant investments in organizations that have already demonstrated impact
  • General operating support - Grants are typically made for "general" purposes, indicating the foundation trusts organizations to use funds where most needed rather than restricting grants to specific projects
  • Social justice through legal advocacy - The clearest pattern in grantmaking is support for organizations that use legal strategies to create systemic change
  • Limited annual grantmaking - With only 20-27 grants made annually from a $440 million asset base, the foundation is highly selective
  • No public engagement - The absence of a website, public communications, or formal application materials indicates the foundation deliberately maintains a low profile

References

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