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Tandem Philanthropies

Annual Giving
$2.9M
Grant Range
$250K - $0.6M

Tandem Philanthropies

Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: $2.9 million (2023); $8.5 million (2024 reported)
  • Success Rate: Not applicable (invitation only)
  • Decision Time: Not publicly disclosed
  • Grant Range: $250,000 - $600,000
  • Geographic Focus: National (United States)

Contact Details

Address: 1550 El Camino Real 200, Menlo Park, CA
EIN: 38-4055324

Note: No website, email, or phone contact information is publicly available for this foundation.

Overview

Tandem Philanthropies (formerly The Ark Foundation) was founded in 2020 by Kathleen Donohue and David Sze, a husband-and-wife team based in the San Francisco Bay Area and New York City. The foundation holds approximately $71 million in assets and has grown significantly since its inception, demonstrating a commitment to steady, thoughtful expansion of its philanthropic activities. The foundation focuses on discovery, innovation, and leadership to address pressing issues including K-12 education, climate change, and democracy. With projected grantmaking of approximately $10 million in 2025, Tandem Philanthropies represents a relatively young but well-resourced private foundation committed to systems-level change in its priority areas.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

Tandem Philanthropies operates as a private foundation making grants through an invitation-only process. The foundation does not operate distinct grant programs but instead makes strategic grants aligned with its three core focus areas.

Typical Grant Range: $250,000 - $600,000 (median: $275,400)

Application Method: Invitation only - the foundation "only makes contributions to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds."

Priority Areas

Based on public filings and job postings, the foundation focuses on:

K-12 Education

  • Systems change and innovation
  • Teacher talent and leadership development
  • Instructional supports
  • School design and learner-centered approaches
  • Support for alma mater educational institutions

Climate

  • Clean energy initiatives (evidenced by grants to United States Energy Foundation)
  • Sustainable business practices
  • Climate innovation and solutions

Democracy

  • Democratic strengthening initiatives
  • Civic engagement

Other Evolving Interests

  • Healthcare equity and innovation
  • Areas identified through discovery and research

Recent Grant Recipients (2023)

  • Arizona State University Foundation - $600,000 for general support
  • United States Energy Foundation - $500,000 (two grants)
  • Educators for Excellence Inc. - $350,000 for general support
  • Alder Graduate School of Education - $300,000 for general support
  • CERES - $251,000 for general support
  • Activate Global Inc. - $250,000 for general support

What They Don't Fund

As a private foundation with an invitation-only grantmaking model, Tandem Philanthropies does not accept unsolicited applications. Organizations outside their preselected network and focus areas should not expect to receive funding.

Governance and Leadership

David L. Sze - Director, Secretary, CEO
David Sze is a managing partner at Greylock Partners, one of Silicon Valley's premier venture capital firms, where he has worked since 2000. He led early investments in Facebook, Pandora, LinkedIn, Workday, and Palo Alto Networks, and was named to Forbes's Midas List in 2013 and 2014. He serves on the boards of Nextdoor and Discord, and is a Trustee of Yale University and Rockefeller University. He holds a BA from Yale University and an MBA from Stanford University.

Kathleen M. Donohue, Ph.D. - Director, CFO
Kathleen Donohue is a philanthropist, psychologist, and former educator with expertise in child development, adolescent development, and social-emotional learning. She held a lecturer position at University of California, Berkeley's Graduate School of Education in the Cognition and Development department. Her background in education psychology and child development directly informs the foundation's K-12 education priorities.

Zachary Herlick - Audit Committee Member

The foundation has been actively recruiting for an Executive Director position to help refine and expand their grantmaking strategies, manage their growing portfolio of strategic partnerships, and oversee collaborative funding in climate and democracy.

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

Tandem Philanthropies does not have a public application process. The foundation only makes contributions to preselected charitable organizations and explicitly does not accept unsolicited requests for funds.

Grants are awarded based on:

  • Pre-existing relationships with the founders and leadership
  • Strategic partnerships identified through the foundation's research and discovery process
  • Connections through the founders' networks in education, technology, and philanthropy
  • Organizations aligned with alma mater institutions (both founders have strong university connections)

Getting on Their Radar

Given that specific information about how this foundation identifies new grantees is limited, the following approaches are based on the foundation's documented characteristics:

Leverage Educational Networks: Both founders have strong ties to elite educational institutions (David Sze is a Yale and Rockefeller University Trustee; Kathleen Donohue has UC Berkeley connections). Organizations working with or recommended by these institutions may have better visibility.

Silicon Valley and Tech Connections: David Sze's position at Greylock Partners and board roles at companies like Discord and Nextdoor suggest that organizations working at the intersection of technology and social impact, particularly in education and climate, may align with the foundation's interests.

Collaborative Funding Partnerships: The foundation uses "collaborative funding strategies" in climate and democracy, suggesting they may participate in funder collaboratives or co-funding arrangements. Organizations already supported by related foundations in these spaces may gain visibility through these networks.

Northern California Grantmakers Network: The foundation is a member of Northern California Grantmakers, indicating engagement with regional philanthropy networks.

Decision Timeline

Decision timelines are not publicly disclosed, as grants are made through invitation and strategic partnership development rather than formal application cycles.

Success Rates

Not applicable - the foundation does not accept unsolicited applications.

Reapplication Policy

Not applicable - the foundation operates on an invitation-only basis.

Application Success Factors

Since Tandem Philanthropies does not accept unsolicited applications, traditional success factors do not apply. However, based on their documented grantmaking patterns and priorities, the foundation values:

Systems-Level Change: The foundation describes its focus as supporting "discovery, innovation, and leadership" rather than direct service delivery. Recent grants support organizations working on education systems change (Educators for Excellence), climate innovation (Activate Global), and institutional transformation (Arizona State University).

General Operating Support: All documented 2023 grants were for "general support" rather than project-specific funding, indicating a preference for supporting organizations' overall missions and institutional capacity.

Strategic Partnerships: The foundation distinguishes between general grantees and "strategic grantee partnerships" (21 of 45 organizations in 2024), suggesting they seek deeper relationships with select organizations.

Innovation and Emerging Models: Particularly in K-12 education, the foundation emphasizes "emerging models for a more learner-centered approach to growth" and innovation in instructional supports and school design.

Geographic Diversity: While based in California, 2023 grants supported organizations across multiple states including Arizona, Massachusetts, Virginia, and national organizations.

Climate Solutions Focus: Grants to United States Energy Foundation and CERES indicate interest in clean energy policy, sustainable business practices, and climate solutions rather than general environmental conservation.

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  • Invitation-Only Model: This foundation does not accept unsolicited applications. Do not submit proposals unless specifically invited.

  • Young and Evolving: Founded in 2020, Tandem Philanthropies is still refining its grantmaking strategy and was actively recruiting its first Executive Director in 2024, suggesting the foundation's approach may evolve.

  • Substantial Grant Sizes: With a median grant of $275,400 and grants ranging up to $600,000, this foundation makes significant investments in organizations rather than small grants to many recipients.

  • Multi-Year Growth Trajectory: The foundation projects approximately $10 million in annual grantmaking by 2025, indicating steady growth and potentially expanding opportunities for strategic partners.

  • Founder-Driven Priorities: With only two directors (the founding couple), grantmaking reflects their personal interests in education (Kathleen's background), technology innovation (David's venture capital expertise), and institutional transformation.

  • Network-Based Access: The most realistic path to funding would be through connections with Yale University, Rockefeller University, UC Berkeley, Silicon Valley tech networks, or existing grantee partners.

  • Systems Change Orientation: The foundation supports organizations working on structural transformation in education, climate policy, and democratic institutions rather than direct service providers.

References

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