The William, Jeff and Jennifer Gross Family Foundation

Private foundation · EIN 82-2674631 · since 2018grossfamilyfoundation.com·California, International·Updated 13 October 2026

At a glance

$17.9M

Annual giving, 2024 tax year

From the Form 990-PF filing

$5,000 to $1M

Grant range

From grants in the 990-PF filings

$150k

Typical grant (median)

59 grants in the latest filing

Invitation only

Unsolicited applications are not accepted

This funder does not accept unsolicited applications. The foundation chooses the organisations it funds itself.

Key takeaways

The foundation states that it does not accept unsolicited requests, so a small charity should not send a cold proposal and should first seek an introduction or invitation.
Its priority is California, though it also funds globally, and its stated focus includes healthcare, education, humanitarian relief, clean water and the environment, so fit with those areas matters most.
About 8 in 10 of its 185 grants to organisations fall between $5,000 and $1,000,000, and half are $100,000 or less, so a modest request is more likely to suit its typical giving than a large one.
In the filing, 79% of grant dollars to organisations went to groups it had also funded in earlier filings, which suggests that relationships count for a great deal, so a first approach should be made through a warm introduction and an effort to build contact over time.

Overview

The William, Jeff and Jennifer Gross Family Foundation is a US private foundation based in Laguna Beach, 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 supports organisations that create direct, measurable impact in communities, both locally in California and globally. Its stated focus includes healthcare, education, humanitarian efforts, the environment and community support. It supports hospitals, community clinics and domestic care workers, with healthcare donations focused on infant care, healthcare in low-income countries and humanitarian relief. In education, it is committed to expanding access to quality education and has prioritised early childhood education and development. Its international grantmaking addresses education, health and poverty alleviation in low-income countries, promoting practical solutions to sustainable development, including community-owned water projects that improve access to clean water. It also supports organisations addressing climate change and climate impacts on vulnerable populations, as well as conservation, particularly ocean and environmental conservation, and cultural organisations that enrich the community.

Themes

Healthcare
Education
Humanitarian relief
Poverty alleviation
Clean water access
Environment
Community support

Geographic Focus

Priority: California; globally.

How to apply

The foundation states that it does not accept unsolicited requests.

Application success factors

Repeat giving: In its TY2024 filing, 79% 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 185 grants to organisations were $100,000 or less.

What the foundation says:

The foundation prioritises organisations that create direct, measurable impact in communities.
The foundation prioritises early childhood education and development and community-owned water projects that enhance access to clean water resources.

Where grants go

From grants to organisations in the foundation’s filings for tax years 2022–2024.

Grant dollars by state

New York32%

California32%

North Carolina9%

Texas7%

Hawaii3%

Massachusetts3%

6 other states: 11%

Outside the US or with no state on the filing: 1%

The largest single recipient received 17% of grant dollars to organisations.
In tax year 2024, 79% of grant dollars went to organisations The William, Jeff and Jennifer Gross Family Foundation had funded in earlier filings.
No grants were paid directly to organisations outside the US.
9% of grant dollars went to intermediaries that regrant to other organisations.

Grants

59 grants in the latest filing analysed · median $150k

How much do they typically give?

Share of 59 grants in tax year 2024 by size

$2.5k–$5k2%

$5k–$10k8%

$10k–$25k14%

$25k–$50k8%

$50k–$100k8%

$100k–$250k22%

$250k–$500k15%

$500k–$1M12%

$1M and over10%

Median $150k (tax year 2024)

The largest grants to organisations in the foundation’s latest filing:

Doctors Without Borders · General donation
$3,000,0002024 tax year
University of Massachusetts Foundation · General donation
$1,110,0002024 tax year
Environmental Advocates Ny Inc · General donation
$1,000,0002024 tax year
SDSN Association · General donation
$1,000,0002024 tax year
Atrium Health Foundation · General donation
$1,000,0002024 tax year
Mercy Ships · General donation
$1,000,0002024 tax year
Charlottesville Area Community Foundation · General donation
$875,0002024 tax year
VII Foundation · General donation
$750,0002024 tax year

Grants to organisations listed in the foundation’s Form 990-PF filings. Grants to individuals are not shown.

Officers and directors

William H Gross — President
Jennifer Gross — Director
Jeffrey Gross — Director
Mark Porterfield — Secretary

From the latest Form 990-PF filing

3 years of tax filings

Year	Total expenses	Grants paid	Assets	Filing document
2022 tax year	$24,034,364	$22,680,002	$425,945,656	Filing for 2022 tax year
2023 tax year	$19,431,751	$18,028,808	$464,077,212	Filing for 2023 tax year
2024 tax year	$19,824,193	$17,905,000	$571,114,024	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.