The Davidson Family Foundation
At a glance
This funder does not accept unsolicited applications. The foundation chooses the organisations it funds itself.
Key takeaways
- The foundation makes contributions only to preselected organisations and does not accept unsolicited requests, so organisations that have not been preselected should not send a cold application.
- Its grants are often modest: half of its grants to organisations are $40,000 or less, and about 8 in 10 fall between $10,000 and $100,000, though its largest grant was $460,000, so a request in the $10,000 to $100,000 range is the realistic size to plan around.
- Because 89% of its grant dollars to organisations went to organisations it had also funded in the earlier filings, a relationship with the foundation appears to matter a great deal.
- If your work touches housing, education, food service, health care, animal welfare or child care, which are the themes it funds, it is worth building that connection, although the filing does not state a geographic focus and its grants are mainly in California, Florida and Oklahoma.
Overview
The Davidson Family Foundation is a US private foundation based in San Jose, CA.
What they fund
Profile derived from the foundation's IRS Form 990-PF filings (TY2024, TY2023, TY2022) and web pages about the foundation (sanjosespotlight.com), with every statement checked against those sources. Sources read on 7 October 2026.
Priority Areas
The Davidson Family Foundation has been described as supporting housing, educational, food service and health care opportunities for low-income families in need across major metropolitan areas. Its reported giving also includes animal welfare and child care for low-income families. The filings show grants to a range of charitable organisations, including educational institutions, community-service organisations and medical charities. Contributions are made only to preselected charitable organisations, with unsolicited requests not accepted. The grant record is concentrated in California and Florida, while reaching other states as well.
Themes
- Housing
- Education
- Food service
- Health care
- Animal welfare
- Child care
Geographic Focus
No geographic focus is stated; the filings show grants mainly in California, Florida and Oklahoma.
How to apply
The foundation makes contributions only to preselected charitable organisations and does not accept unsolicited requests.
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 194 grants to organisations were $40,000 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: 6%
- The largest single recipient received 10% of grant dollars to organisations.
- In tax year 2024, 89% of grant dollars went to organisations The Davidson Family Foundation had funded in earlier filings.
- No grants were paid directly to organisations outside the US.
Grants
How much do they typically give?
Share of 71 grants in tax year 2024 by size
Median $40,000 (tax year 2024)
The largest grants to organisations in the foundation’s latest filing:
- Tower Foundation - Sjsu · Education$460,0002024 tax year
- First Academy · Education$400,0002024 tax year
- Good Samaritan Outreach · Community service$253,0002024 tax year
- Common Sense Childbirth · Community service$200,0002024 tax year
- Cabrillo College Foundation · Education$150,0002024 tax year
- Lincoln Law School of San Jose · Educational$125,0002024 tax year
- Tech Museum of Innovation · Community service$125,0002024 tax year
- Dimond L Ranch · Community service$110,0002024 tax year
Grants to organisations listed in the foundation’s Form 990-PF filings. Grants to individuals are not shown.
Officers and directors
- Stephanie L Davidson — Director
- Charles W Davidson JR — President
- Michael Robins — Director
- Michele Tigue — Vice President
From the latest Form 990-PF filing
3 years of tax filings
| Year | Total expenses | Grants paid | Assets | Filing document |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 tax year | $3,344,325 | $2,945,280 | $41,099,685 | Filing for 2022 tax year |
| 2023 tax year | $3,917,234 | $3,413,000 | $50,750,898 | Filing for 2023 tax year |
| 2024 tax year | $5,071,270 | $4,419,000 | $53,500,442 | 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
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At a glance
Applying to The Davidson Family Foundation?
Hinchilla drafts your answers around this funder's priorities, using your organisation's own documents.
No credit card required
Contact
- San Jose, CA
Applying to The Davidson Family Foundation?
Hinchilla drafts your answers around this funder's priorities, using your organisation's own documents.
No credit card required
Contact
- San Jose, CA