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Spaht Family Foundation

Annual Giving
$1.4M
Grant Range
$1K - $1.0M

Spaht Family Foundation

Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: $1,399,522 (2023)
  • Success Rate: Not publicly available
  • Decision Time: Not publicly disclosed
  • Grant Range: $500 - $1,000,000 (typical awards; median $10,000)
  • Geographic Focus: National (primarily California, District of Columbia, and Texas)
  • Foundation Assets: $49.7 million

Contact Details

Address: San Francisco, CA
Website: https://spahtfamilyfoundation.org/
EIN: 83-2183149

Note: The foundation does not have a public application process. Contact information for grant inquiries is not publicly available on their website.

Overview

Founded in 2019 by Holden and Claire Spaht, the Spaht Family Foundation is a San Francisco-based private foundation with assets of approximately $49.7 million. The foundation advances visionary leaders and enduring initiatives in three core areas: climate, mental health, and the arts. With a commitment to substantive, long-term impact across the United States, the foundation awarded 29 grants totaling $1.4 million in 2023. The foundation's approach is guided by three core values: trust in the capabilities of supported leaders and organizations, decisiveness in making efficient decisions to meet urgent needs, and continuous learning to understand complex issues and improve impact. Notable major gifts include $4 million to establish the Lindley Center for Student Wellness at Washington and Lee University and $2 million to SMU Meadows School of the Arts.

Funding Priorities

Focus Areas

The foundation concentrates its grantmaking on three primary areas:

Climate/Environmental Conservation: Supporting initiatives that address climate change and promote environmental sustainability.

Mental Health: With a particular focus on youth mental health, student athletes, and college students. This priority was significantly influenced by the tragic loss of family member Lindley Spaht Dodson '99, a pediatrician.

The Arts: Supporting arts education, arts organizations, and opportunities for artists to pursue immersive creative work.

Grant Range and Patterns

  • Typical Awards: $500 - $1,000,000
  • Median Grant: $10,000
  • 2023 Activity: 29 grants totaling $1,399,522
  • 2022 Activity: 15 grants totaling $448,500

Notable Recent Grants

Major Institutional Support:

  • Washington and Lee University: $4 million (expanded lead gift) for the Lindley Center for Student Wellness
  • SMU Meadows School of the Arts: $2 million to endow the Claire Morris Spaht Chair of the Division of Art and establish the Spaht Family Student Immersion Fund
  • Washington and Lee University: $50,000 (2022) for educational opportunities and addressing unforeseen needs

Community Organizations (2022):

  • CPMC Foundation Sutter Health: $25,000 in memory of Dr. Katherine Lindley Spaht Dodson
  • Community Foundation of the Texas Hill Country: $10,000 for the betterment of the people of Uvalde
  • Children of Shelters: Grant amount not specified, for conquering homelessness and ending the cycle of poverty for homeless children in San Francisco

What They Don't Fund

  • Direct grants to individuals

Governance and Leadership

Holden Spaht - President and Co-Founder

Holden Spaht is Managing Partner at Thoma Bravo, a leading private equity firm, where he has worked since 2005. He leads the firm's application software strategy with a focus on financial technology, e-commerce, education, and office of the CFO sectors. Holden holds an MBA from Harvard Business School and a BA in Economics from Dartmouth College, where he was captain of the tennis team. He was also a Fulbright Scholar who studied international politics at the University of Cologne. Born and raised in Baton Rouge, Louisiana by educator parents, he currently serves as chair of the board of trustees for Schools of the Sacred Heart San Francisco. The foundation's mental health focus is deeply personal to Holden, who has stated his commitment to supporting athletic and mental health programming, particularly in honor of his late sister Lindley.

Claire Spaht - Secretary, Treasurer, and Co-Founder

Claire Morris Spaht '94 is a San Francisco-based artist, philanthropist, and art collector. She holds a BFA from SMU Meadows School of the Arts (1994) and an MFA from UNC Chapel Hill. Claire's background in the arts directly informs the foundation's commitment to supporting arts education and artists. She serves on boards of arts and conservation organizations. The collection of Claire and Holden Spaht consists of mid-century through contemporary pieces with a focus on gestural mark making that celebrates the hand of the artist, and was featured in San Francisco's Private Collections program in 2019.

Foundation Philosophy

According to the foundation's stated approach: "Our grantmaking is motivated by our core values and lived experiences with the foundation's issue areas." The foundation aims to provide autonomy and resources to drive meaningful change.

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

This foundation does not have a public application process. The Spaht Family Foundation operates as a private foundation with no open grant opportunities for unsolicited applications. Grants appear to be awarded through trustee discretion, personal connections, and invitation only.

The foundation's website (spahtfamilyfoundation.org) does not include application guidelines, deadlines, or contact information for grant seekers.

Getting on Their Radar

Given the foundation's focus areas and the founders' backgrounds, organizations working in climate, mental health, and the arts may come to the foundation's attention through:

Personal Connections: The foundation's grants reflect deep personal ties to institutions including Washington and Lee University (Holden's alma mater Dartmouth's peer institution and where Lindley attended) and SMU (Claire's alma mater).

Sector Leadership: The foundation supports "visionary leaders and enduring initiatives," suggesting they may identify organizations through sector networks and reputation.

Geographic Connections: While national in scope, the foundation has shown particular attention to San Francisco (where they are based), Texas (Claire's connection to SMU), and Washington, D.C.

Thoma Bravo Network: Given Holden's role as Managing Partner at a major private equity firm, organizations connected to Thoma Bravo's portfolio or network may have enhanced visibility.

Decision Timeline

Not publicly disclosed. As a private foundation operating on trustee discretion, decision timelines likely vary based on relationship development and strategic priorities.

Success Rates

Not available. The foundation does not accept unsolicited applications, so traditional success rate metrics do not apply.

Reapplication Policy

Not applicable given the invitation-only nature of the foundation's grantmaking.

Application Success Factors

While the foundation does not accept unsolicited applications, their documented grant patterns and stated values provide insight into what attracts their support:

Personal Connection and Mission Alignment: The foundation's grants reflect deeply personal motivations. The Lindley Center for Student Wellness honors Holden's late sister and addresses youth mental health - a cause that stems from lived experience. Claire's support of SMU's arts programs reflects her own journey as an artist and alumna.

Long-term, Substantive Impact: The foundation explicitly states commitment to "substantive, long-term impact" rather than short-term interventions. Major grants of $2-4 million to establish endowed chairs and permanent facilities exemplify this approach.

Trust in Leadership: One of the foundation's core values is "trust" - believing in the capabilities of supported leaders and organizations. They appear to provide significant funding and autonomy to organizations they support.

Urgent Needs with Decisive Response: The foundation values "decisiveness" and making "efficient decisions to meet urgent needs," as evidenced by their $10,000 grant to the Community Foundation of the Texas Hill Country for the people of Uvalde.

Educational Institutions: A significant portion of grants support universities and schools, particularly those with personal connections to the founders or that advance mental health and arts education.

Organizational Learning and Growth: The foundation embraces "learning" as a core value, suggesting they appreciate partners who share this commitment to understanding complex issues and improving impact.

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  • No Public Application Process: This foundation does not accept unsolicited proposals. Do not spend time crafting speculative applications.

  • Relationship-Driven Grantmaking: Grants reflect personal connections, institutional affiliations, and lived experiences of the founders. Focus on natural relationship-building opportunities rather than cold outreach.

  • Three Clear Focus Areas: Climate, mental health, and arts are non-negotiable focus areas. Projects outside these areas are unlikely to receive consideration.

  • Think Big and Long-term: The foundation has made grants ranging from $10,000 to $4 million, with a preference for enduring impact. They support permanent facilities, endowed positions, and transformational initiatives.

  • Alumni Networks Matter: Both founders have strong educational institutional ties (Dartmouth/Harvard for Holden; SMU/UNC for Claire). Organizations connected to these institutions or their peer networks may have enhanced visibility.

  • Mental Health Focus Is Personal: The youth mental health priority stems from the tragic loss of Lindley Spaht Dodson. Organizations working in this space should understand the deep personal motivation behind this focus.

  • Values-Driven Partnership: The foundation seeks partners who embody trust, decisiveness, and commitment to learning. Demonstrating these values through organizational practice may resonate with the foundation's approach.

References

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