Tides Foundation

Quick Stats

• Annual Giving: $690,297,181 (2023)
• Success Rate: Not publicly disclosed
• Decision Time: 2-3 weeks for fund applications (invitation only)
• Grant Range: $5,008 - $31,926,754 (typical awards)
• Geographic Focus: US-based (primarily), with some international work
• Total Assets: $646 million (2023)

Contact Details

Address: P.O. Box 889389, Los Angeles, CA 90088-9389
Physical Address: 1012 Torney Ave, San Francisco, CA 94129-1704
Phone: 415-561-6400
Email:

• Grant-related questions: [email protected]
• Grant recognition/thank you notes: [email protected]
  Website: www.tides.org
  General Inquiries: Contact form

Overview

Founded in 1976, Tides Foundation is a major public foundation based in San Francisco that has facilitated over $2 billion in grantmaking and project activities since its inception. In 2023, the foundation distributed approximately $690 million in grants through 2,756 awards. With assets exceeding $646 million, Tides operates as a fiscal sponsor and grantmaking intermediary, managing over 400 donor-advised funds and multiple collective action funds. The foundation's mission is to "shift power and strengthen the power of proximate leaders who are leading system change in communities that have historically been oppressed." Tides focuses on equity, human rights and economic empowerment, sustainable environment, healthy individuals and communities, and quality education. Under CEO Janiece Evans-Page's leadership since 2024, the foundation has maintained its commitment to supporting grassroots organizations and communities of color through flexible, trust-based philanthropy.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

Tides Foundation operates through several distinct funding mechanisms:

Donor-Advised Funds (DAFs)

• Minimum to open: $100,000 for US-based activity or $50,000 for single domestic project
• Grants are made based on donor recommendations
• Over 400 active donor-advised funds currently managed

Collective Action Funds (CAFs)

• Purpose-driven funds where multiple donors pool resources
• Grant decisions made by independent advisory committees
• Can support advocacy and lobbying activities
• Notable funds include:
  • Just Health Fund: Semi-annual grants of at least $25,000 to nonprofits focused on health equity
  • Healthy Democracy Fund: Approximately $48.6 million distributed to ~210 organizations since 2019
  • Women's Environmental Leadership Fund (WE LEAD): ~$5 million to 68 organizations in 22 states and Puerto Rico since 2020
  • Frontline Justice Fund: Over $4 million to ~50 organizations across 27 states since 2022

Social Change Leader Funds

• Support for individual philanthropists and their giving strategies
• Aligned with Tides' mission of supporting social justice

Fiscal Sponsorship

• Minimum budget: $100,000 annually
• 9% fee on most revenues (15% for government funding)
• Requires minimum three months operating reserves (ideally six)
• Minimum two-year partnership commitment
• At least one full-time employee required
• Applications accepted year-round, reviewed quarterly

Priority Areas

Health Equity: Supporting reproductive justice, community health leaders, and marginalized groups' access to healthcare, particularly in the South, Southwest, and Midwest

Democracy & Civic Engagement: Combating voter suppression, increasing voter turnout, and fostering political engagement in historically excluded communities across 11 priority states (~$200 million in grants planned)

Climate & Environmental Justice: Developing Black, Indigenous, and Women of Color (BIWOC) leaders and supporting solutions-based approaches to climate change impacts

Economic Empowerment: Supporting economic opportunities for communities historically denied access

Racial Justice: Centering the leadership of communities of color and shifting power to frontline changemakers

What They Don't Fund

• Partisan political activity (prohibited under 501(c)(3) status)
• Projects inconsistent with Tides' social justice mission
• Organizations without US base of operations (for fiscal sponsorship)
• Projects with budgets under $100,000 (for fiscal sponsorship)
• Grants that create improper conflicts of interest
• Important: Tides does not accept unsolicited grant proposals

Governance and Leadership

Chief Executive Officer: Janiece Evans-Page (2024-present) - Evans-Page is deeply committed to shifting power to communities of color, women and girls, and other groups facing systemic barriers. She has stated, "Donors and activists should continue to fund and champion initiatives like the Fearless Fund's grant program that shift power to Black women leaders and other changemakers of color. As we navigate an increasingly hostile landscape, we must not retreat or give in to fear and intimidation."

Chief Operating Officer: Michael Mosby - Officially named COO after serving in interim capacity

Chief People Officer: Gwen Tillman - Joined January 11, 2024

Chief Partnerships Officer: Dan Shannon - Began February 22, 2024

Evans-Page emphasizes trust-based philanthropy, encouraging donors "to continue to prioritize giving in alignment with their values, to provide unrestricted grants, and to trust the leadership of the proximate changemakers they are funding."

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

CRITICAL: Tides Foundation does not accept unsolicited grant proposals. There is no public application process for organizations seeking grants directly from Tides Foundation.

Pathways to Access Tides Funding:

1. Through Existing Donor-Advised Funds: Organizations must be recommended for funding by donors who have established funds at Tides. The vast majority of Tides Foundation grants are made based on partner recommendations.

2. Through Collective Action Fund Advisory Committees: Organizations may be selected by independent advisory committees that oversee specific collective action funds aligned with their work.

3. Opening a Fund at Tides (for donors/philanthropists):

   • Complete the "Partner with Us" digital form
   • Must have minimum $100,000 committed funding (US-based) or $50,000 (single domestic project)
   • Must demonstrate mission alignment with Tides' values
   • Timeline: 2-3 weeks upon receipt of completed application

4. Fiscal Sponsorship Application (invitation-only):

   • Application by invitation only
   • Applications reviewed quarterly (four times annually)
   • Minimum $100,000 annual budget required
   • Must have confirmed funding and operating reserves
   • Multi-phase process: initial contact, application review, approval, onboarding, orientation

Decision Timeline

• Fund Opening: 2-3 weeks upon receipt of completed application (may be longer if complexities arise)
• Fiscal Sponsorship: Applications reviewed quarterly; specific timelines determined during initial contact phase
• Grant Disbursements: Timeline varies by fund type; some collective action funds (e.g., Just Health Fund) make semi-annual grants

Success Rates

Success rates and application statistics are not publicly disclosed. In 2023, Tides made 2,756 grant awards (compared to 3,109 in 2022 and 2,591 in 2021).

Reapplication Policy

Not applicable, as Tides does not accept unsolicited applications. For fiscal sponsorship, partners are expected to maintain relationships for minimum two years.

Application Success Factors

Since Tides operates primarily through donor recommendations and advisory committees rather than open applications, traditional "application success factors" don't apply. However, the following insights are relevant for organizations seeking to benefit from Tides funding:

Alignment with Tides' Core Values:

• Tides prioritizes organizations led by people from historically oppressed communities ("proximate leaders")
• Strong commitment to racial equity, environmental justice, democracy, and health equity
• Focus on systemic change rather than service delivery alone

Building Relationships with Tides Donors:

• Most funding flows through donor-advised funds based on donor recommendations
• Organizations should focus on building relationships with progressive philanthropists who use Tides as their giving vehicle
• Tides holds over 400 donor-advised funds, representing numerous individual donors

Collective Action Fund Eligibility:

• For specific collective action funds, alignment with the fund's specific focus area is critical
• Geographic priorities matter (e.g., Healthy Democracy Fund targets 11 priority states; Just Health Fund focuses on South, Southwest, and Midwest)
• Grassroots, community-led organizations are prioritized
• Organizations led by BIPOC leaders and focusing on marginalized communities are centered

For Fiscal Sponsorship Applicants:

• Demonstrate organizational capacity with $100,000+ budget
• Show financial stability with 3-6 months operating reserves
• Commit to minimum two-year partnership
• US-based operations only
• Legal compliance and legitimate tax-exempt purpose
• At least one full-time employee

CEO Janiece Evans-Page's Guidance: Evans-Page emphasizes that funders should "provide unrestricted grants and trust the leadership of the proximate changemakers they are funding." This suggests organizations should emphasize their community leadership, lived experience, and autonomy in their work.

Strategic Approach:

• Understand that Tides is an intermediary, not a traditional funder
• Focus on connecting with individual donors or philanthropic advisors who use Tides
• For issue-specific funding, research which collective action funds align with your work
• Demonstrate systems-change approach rather than isolated programmatic work

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

• Tides is a philanthropic intermediary, not a traditional grant maker - They facilitate giving through donor-advised funds and collective action funds rather than making direct grant decisions on most funding
• No unsolicited applications accepted - Success requires building relationships with donors who have funds at Tides or getting on the radar of collective action fund advisory committees
• Massive scale of giving - With nearly $700 million distributed in 2023, Tides represents significant philanthropic resources, but access is relationship-based
• Strong racial equity and social justice focus - Organizations led by and serving communities of color, particularly grassroots groups, are prioritized across all Tides initiatives
• Consider fiscal sponsorship route - For newer organizations without 501(c)(3) status but with significant budgets ($100K+), Tides' fiscal sponsorship program provides infrastructure while building toward independence
• Focus on collective action funds for direct access - Organizations fitting specific focus areas (health equity, democracy, environmental justice) should research relevant collective action funds and their advisory committees
• Unrestricted funding philosophy - CEO Evans-Page emphasizes trust-based philanthropy and unrestricted support, suggesting organizations should frame proposals around autonomy and community leadership rather than rigid programmatic structures

References

1. Tides Foundation - Foundation Directory. Candid. https://fconline.foundationcenter.org/fdo-grantmaker-profile?key=TIDE001 (Accessed December 2025)

2. Tides Foundation - GuideStar Profile. https://www.guidestar.org/profile/51-0198509 (Accessed December 2025)

3. Tides Foundation. Cause IQ. https://www.causeiq.com/organizations/tides-foundation,510198509/ (Accessed December 2025)

4. Our Funds and Initiatives. Tides Foundation. https://www.tides.org/funds-initiatives/ (Accessed December 2025)

5. FAQs. Tides Foundation. https://www.tides.org/faqs/ (Accessed December 2025)

6. Tides Foundation - Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tides_Foundation (Accessed December 2025)

7. Donor Advised Funds. Tides Foundation. https://www.tides.org/what-we-do/philanthropy/donor-advised-funds/ (Accessed December 2025)

8. Collective Action Funds. Tides Foundation. https://www.tides.org/what-we-do/philanthropy/collective-action-funds/ (Accessed December 2025)

9. Fiscal Sponsorship at Tides. Tides Foundation. https://www.tides.org/what-we-do/fiscal-sponsorship/ (Accessed December 2025)

10. What are the eligibility requirements for fiscal sponsorship at Tides? Tides Foundation. https://www.tides.org/faq/eligibility-requirements-fiscal-sponsorship-tides/ (Accessed December 2025)

11. Tides Foundation | Inside Philanthropy. https://www.insidephilanthropy.com/find-a-grant/grants-t/tides-foundation (Accessed December 2025)

12. The Tides Foundation Takes the Long-view of Democracy. Inside Philanthropy. https://www.insidephilanthropy.com/home/facing-democracy-threats-tides-foundation-aims-to-stay-responsive (Accessed December 2025)

13. Tides Expands Leadership Team with New Officers. Tides Foundation. https://www.tides.org/tides-news/from-the-ceo/tides-expands-leadership-team-with-new-officers-michael-mosby-gwen-tillman-and-dan-shannon/ (Accessed December 2025)

14. Celebrating Black History with Janiece Evans-Page, CEO of Tides. Blue Shield of California Foundation. https://blueshieldcafoundation.org/blog/celebrating-black-history-janiece-evans-page-ceo-tides (Accessed December 2025)

15. It Is Our Responsibility to Shift Power. Tides Foundation. https://www.tides.org/it-is-our-responsibility-to-shift-power/ (Accessed December 2025)

16. Janiece Evans-Page: Daring to Double Down on Racial Equity. Philanthropy Women. https://philanthropywomen.org/activism/janiece-evans-page-daring-to-double-down-on-racial-equity/ (Accessed December 2025)

17. Contact Us. Tides Foundation. https://www.tides.org/contact/ (Accessed December 2025)

18. Tides Foundation 990 Report. Instrumentl. https://www.instrumentl.com/990-report/tides-foundation-a91e3756-a607-4d63-9892-ca218fb44bf7 (Accessed December 2025)

19. Tides Foundation - Nonprofit Explorer. ProPublica. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/510198509 (Accessed December 2025)

20. WE LEAD Fund 2023 Annual Report. Tides Foundation. https://www.tides.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/Tides-Foundation_WE-LEAD-Annual-Report-2023.pdf (Accessed December 2025)