Dean & Margaret Lesher Foundation
At a glance
Key takeaways
- This foundation supports organisations based in or serving Contra Costa County, working in Children & Families, Education, or Arts & Culture, so this geographic focus should be checked before applying.
- About eight in ten of its 405 grants to organisations fall between $5,000 and $85,000, with a median grant of $25,000, so pitch a request in that range; it also generally expects its award to be no more than 25% of a nonprofit's total budget.
- Its Responsive Grant programme works through an LOI that it reviews before inviting selected organisations to apply, while its Strategic Partnerships programme proactively identifies organisations for invited proposals, so a cold full application is unlikely to be the route in.
- With 89% of its grant dollars going to organisations it had already funded in recent filings, relationships built through the LOI process look valuable, though this does not rule out new applicants.
- Plan around its set review dates and LOI deadlines, and check its funding exclusions - including grants to individuals, conferences, travel costs, loans, environmental and open space issues, start-up organisations, health care issues, general fund drives, fundraising events, annual appeals, endowments, debt retirement, deficits, activities to influence legislation, other foundations, private foundations under section 509(a) of the Code, and retroactive grant programs - before applying.
Overview
Dean & Margaret Lesher Foundation is a US private foundation based in Walnut Creek, 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
The foundation seeks to enhance quality of life for residents of Contra Costa County through support for children and families, education, and arts and culture. It makes grants to 501(c)(3) organisations that are not private foundations and are located in or directly serve county residents. Its responsive grant programme has an open application process and supports emerging needs in its focus areas, while the Strategic Partnerships programme proactively identifies organisations for invited proposals. Stated goals include learning opportunities and stronger families; meeting basic needs such as housing and food, and addressing interpersonal violence; access to the arts; and building East County nonprofit capacity to respond to changing community needs and reduce long-term poverty. It offers programme or project, general operating, and capital support.
Themes
- Children & Families
- Education
- Arts & Culture
Geographic Focus
Contra Costa County.
What They Don't Fund
- Grants to individuals
- Conferences
- Travel costs
- Loans
- Environmental and open space issues
- Grants for start-up organizations
- Health care issues
- General fund drives
- Fundraising events
- Annual appeals
- Endowments
- Debt retirement
- Deficits
- Organizations in support of activities to influence legislation
- Other foundations
- Private foundations under section 509(a) of the Code
- Grant programs retroactively
How to apply
Responsive Grant applicants submit an LOI; the foundation reviews LOIs and invites selected organisations by email to the application stage.
Deadlines:
- Applications for January review are due by December 1 at 5 pm PT.
- Applications for February review are due by January 3 at 5 pm PT.
- Applications for March review are due by February 1 at 5 pm PT.
- Applications for May review are due by April 1 at 5 pm PT.
- Applications for September review are due by August 1 at 5 pm PT.
- CARE Fund applications are submitted between October 1 and November 2 at 7:00 am PT.
Application success factors
- Repeat giving: In its TY2024 filing, 89% 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 405 grants to organisations were $25,000 or less.
What the foundation says:
- For general operating support, the foundation considers an applicant organisation’s purpose, strength and demonstrated ability to deliver programmes in the community.
- Programmes or projects should be led by experienced, trained and qualified staff.
- Awards will generally comprise no more than 25% of a nonprofit’s total budget.
- During review, staff may arrange phone interviews or site visits, or request additional information.
- Grantees must submit reports at the end of the contract period; multi-year grantees report at the end of each year.
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 5% of grant dollars to organisations.
- In tax year 2024, 89% of grant dollars went to organisations Dean & Margaret Lesher Foundation had funded in earlier filings.
- No grants were paid directly to organisations outside the US.
- 5% of grant dollars went to intermediaries that regrant to other organisations.
Grants
How much do they typically give?
Share of 139 grants in tax year 2024 by size
Median $25,000 (tax year 2024)
The largest grants to organisations in the foundation’s latest filing:
- Diablo Regional Arts Association · General Support$260,0002024 tax year
- John Muir Health Foundation · John Muir Cancer Center$200,0002024 tax year
- First 5 Contra Costa · Ready Community, Ready Schools, Ready Families$183,0002024 tax year
- Contra Costa Family Justice Alliance · Contra Costa Family Justice Center$152,5002024 tax year
- Food Bank of Contra Costa Solano · FY 23-25 Food Bank General Support$130,0002024 tax year
- East Bay Community Foundation · East Contra Costa STRONG Nonprofits Initiative$120,0002024 tax year
- Monument Crisis Center · General Support$110,0002024 tax year
- STAND For Families Free of Violence · Agency Core Support$104,5252024 tax year
Grants to organisations listed in the foundation’s Form 990-PF filings. Grants to individuals are not shown.
Officers and directors
- Joseph Lesher — Vice President
- Tim Lesher — Director
- Kathleen Odne — Director
- Linda Davis — Director
- David Lesher — Secretary
- Stephen Lesher — President
- Cynthia Lesher — Director
- Jill O'Brien — Director
From the latest Form 990-PF filing
3 years of tax filings
| Year | Total expenses | Grants paid | Assets | Filing document |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 tax year | $6,588,411 | $4,859,000 | $87,812,488 | Filing for 2022 tax year |
| 2023 tax year | $7,201,005 | $4,956,200 | $90,770,602 | Filing for 2023 tax year |
| 2024 tax year | $7,798,112 | $5,529,375 | $92,996,851 | 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 Dean & Margaret Lesher Foundation?
Hinchilla drafts your answers around this funder's priorities, using your organisation's own documents.
No credit card required
Contact
- (925) 935-9988
- info@lesherfoundation.org
- ngardezi@lesherfoundation.org
- Walnut Creek, CA
- lesherfoundation.org
Applying to Dean & Margaret Lesher Foundation?
Hinchilla drafts your answers around this funder's priorities, using your organisation's own documents.
No credit card required
Contact
- (925) 935-9988
- info@lesherfoundation.org
- ngardezi@lesherfoundation.org
- Walnut Creek, CA
- lesherfoundation.org