Hidden Leaf Foundation
At a glance
This funder does not accept unsolicited applications. The foundation chooses the organisations it funds itself.
Key takeaways
- Hidden Leaf Foundation is a US private foundation that funds frontline community organising groups and the intermediaries that help them, with a stated priority on racial justice, environmental justice and a Just Transition, so work of that kind fits its focus.
- The foundation does not accept unsolicited proposals and is by invitation only, so a cold request is unlikely to get a hearing; building a relationship with it comes before any approach.
- Its eligibility is limited to organisations located in the United States or on Indigenous land, and it looks for established organisations with sound staffing, financial systems, programmes and solvency and budgets of $8 million or less, so organisations outside that scope should not approach it.
- The typical grant band runs from $5,000 to $75,000, and half of its grants to organisations were $60,000 or less, so a modest request fits, though its largest grant was about $1,200,000 to a regranting organisation.
- Repeat giving is strong, with 92% of its grant dollars to organisations going to groups it had also funded in its earlier filings, which suggests its giving is relationship-led and a first grant is unlikely to come quickly.
Overview
Hidden Leaf Foundation is a US private foundation based in San Francisco, CA.
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
Hidden Leaf funds transformative change to build a stronger progressive movement. Its grantmaking supports frontline community organising groups and intermediaries that help them incorporate transformative practices into their organising models. It favours work that builds political, economic, cultural and spiritual power, deepens environmental justice, practises the world organisations seek, cultivates reflective, liberatory cultures, is in deep relationship with others, and explicitly prioritises racial justice and a Just Transition. Its stated grantee criteria include established organisations with sound staffing, financial systems, programmes and solvency, a commitment to deepening democratic practice internally and in the wider world, and budgets of $8 million or less. Eligible organisations are located in the United States and on Indigenous land.
Themes
- Transformative change
- Frontline community organising
- Movement intermediaries
- Environmental justice
- Racial justice
- Just Transition
Geographic Focus
United States.
How to apply
The foundation does not accept unsolicited proposals.
Application success factors
- Repeat giving: In its TY2024 filing, 92% 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 159 grants to organisations were $60,000 or less.
What the foundation says:
- It prioritises organisations building political, economic, cultural and spiritual power and deepening environmental justice.
- It favours organisations that practise the world they seek and cultivate reflective, liberatory cultures as a core element of their work.
- It values organisations in deep relationship with others.
- It prioritises racial justice and a commitment to a Just Transition.
- Organisations should be established enough that staffing, financial systems, programmes and solvency are not in question.
- It favours organisations committed to deepening democratic practice in the world and in their own organisational structures.
- It considers organisations with budgets of $8M or less.
Where grants go
From grants to organisations in the foundation’s filings for tax years 2022–2024.
Grant dollars by state
6 other states: 7%
- The largest single recipient received 19% of grant dollars to organisations.
- In tax year 2024, 92% of grant dollars went to organisations Hidden Leaf Foundation had funded in earlier filings.
- No grants were paid directly to organisations outside the US.
- 19% of grant dollars went to intermediaries that regrant to other organisations.
Grants
How much do they typically give?
Share of 45 grants in tax year 2024 by size
Median $75,000 (tax year 2024)
The largest grants to organisations in the foundation’s latest filing:
- Movement Strategy Center · General support grant$500,0002024 tax year
- Resonance Network · General support grant$75,0002024 tax year
- Climate Justice Alliance · General support grant$75,0002024 tax year
- The Embodiment Institute · General support grant$75,0002024 tax year
- Native Movement · General support grant$75,0002024 tax year
- Native Organizers Alliance · General support grant$75,0002024 tax year
- Power California · General support grant$75,0002024 tax year
- Power U for Social Change · General support grant$75,0002024 tax year
Grants to organisations listed in the foundation’s Form 990-PF filings. Grants to individuals are not shown.
Officers and directors
- Lorelei Williams — Interim Executive Director
- Alta Starr — Director
- Supriya Pillai — Secretary / Executive Director
- Tara Brown — Vice President / Treasurer
- Karen Brown — President
From the latest Form 990-PF filing
3 years of tax filings
| Year | Total expenses | Grants paid | Assets | Filing document |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 tax year | $12,282,207 | $4,427,000 | $54,041,946 | Filing for 2022 tax year |
| 2023 tax year | $4,208,920 | $3,809,335 | $55,886,588 | Filing for 2023 tax year |
| 2024 tax year | $4,318,121 | $2,620,500 | $58,282,965 | 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 Hidden Leaf Foundation?
Hinchilla drafts your answers around this funder's priorities, using your organisation's own documents.
No credit card required
Contact
- (510) 859-8058
- INFO@HIDDENLEAF.ORG
- San Francisco, CA
- hiddenleaf.org
Applying to Hidden Leaf Foundation?
Hinchilla drafts your answers around this funder's priorities, using your organisation's own documents.
No credit card required
Contact
- (510) 859-8058
- INFO@HIDDENLEAF.ORG
- San Francisco, CA
- hiddenleaf.org