Gill Foundation
At a glance
This funder does not accept unsolicited applications. The foundation chooses the organisations it funds itself.
Key takeaways
- Gill Foundation funds 501(c)(3) organisations across the United States, with a stated priority for Colorado, so the first question for any grant writer is whether their work sits within that geography.
- Most grants are modest: about eight in ten of its 356 grants to organisations fall between $50 and $250,000, and the median grant is $5,750, so a modest request is the realistic starting point, even though occasional larger grants (up to roughly $2,050,000) do occur.
- This is an invitation-only funder that does not accept unsolicited proposals, so there is no direct application route open to a nonprofit that has not already been approached.
- The pattern of giving looks relationship-led rather than open-competition: 57% of grant dollars went to organisations it had also funded in the previous two filings, suggesting that existing relationships carry real weight.
- Because the foundation does not accept unsolicited requests, organisations without an existing connection or invitation should not attempt to apply directly.
Overview
Gill Foundation is a US private foundation based in Denver, CO.
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 Gill Foundation makes grants to 501(c)(3) nonprofit organisations located within the United States, with focused funding priorities nationally and in Colorado. Nationally, it supports work advancing equal treatment for LGBTQ people, including legal protections, inclusion and safety, public education and cultural change, and building stronger LGBTQ organisations, especially in underfunded areas. In Colorado, its grantmaking covers STEM education, financial services, LGBTQ advocacy and public broadcasting, including community-focused journalism in rural and mountain communities beyond major news coverage. Its approach is strategic: it researches where investment can improve the greatest number of lives, focuses giving where it can accelerate progress, and collaborates with allied foundations and individuals.
Themes
- Legal protections
- Inclusion and safety
- Public education
- Sustainable progress
- STEM education
- Financial services
- Public broadcasting
Geographic Focus
United States. Priority: Colorado.
How to apply
Grant proposals are by invitation only; unsolicited grant proposals are not accepted.
Application success factors
- Repeat giving: In its TY2024 filing, 57% 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 356 grants to organisations were $5,750 or less.
What the foundation says:
- The board determines the foundation’s focused national and Colorado funding priorities.
- It prioritises strategic investment in specific areas where it can accelerate progress.
- It researches where strategic investments can improve the greatest number of lives.
Where grants go
From grants to organisations in the foundation’s filings for tax years 2022–2024.
Grant dollars by state
6 other states: 11%
Outside the US or with no state on the filing: 6%
- The largest single recipient received 9% of grant dollars to organisations.
- In tax year 2024, 57% of grant dollars went to organisations Gill Foundation had funded in earlier filings.
- No grants were paid directly to organisations outside the US.
- 12% of grant dollars went to intermediaries that regrant to other organisations.
Grants
How much do they typically give?
Share of 91 grants in tax year 2024 by size
Median $25,000 (tax year 2024)
The largest grants to organisations in the foundation’s latest filing:
- Our American Future Foundation · General operating support of future forward education fund$2,025,0002024 tax year
- Amalgamated Charitable Foundation · Project support for lgbtq issues$1,175,0002024 tax year
- Media Matters for America · Project support for lgbtq issues$632,5002024 tax year
- PFLAG · Project support for lgbtq issues$575,0002024 tax year
- National Center for Lesbian Rights · Project support for lgbtq issues$480,0002024 tax year
- GLBTQ Legal Advocates & Defenders · General operating support$460,0002024 tax year
- Centerline Liberties · Project support for lgbtq issues$435,0002024 tax year
- Voter Participation Center · General operating support$400,0002024 tax year
Grants to organisations listed in the foundation’s Form 990-PF filings. Grants to individuals are not shown.
Officers and directors
- Penny K Hamilton — COO
- Brad Clark — CEO / President
- Eliza Byard — Treasurer
- Mary Bonauto — Secretary
- Tim Gill — Chair
From the latest Form 990-PF filing
3 years of tax filings
| Year | Total expenses | Grants paid | Assets | Filing document |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 tax year | $15,899,972 | $10,700,815 | $185,219,539 | Filing for 2022 tax year |
| 2023 tax year | $16,176,248 | $8,856,658 | $190,773,725 | Filing for 2023 tax year |
| 2024 tax year | $18,359,896 | $11,008,003 | $194,251,586 | 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
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Applying to Gill Foundation?
Hinchilla drafts your answers around this funder's priorities, using your organisation's own documents.
No credit card required