The Joseph & Vera Long Foundation
At a glance
Key takeaways
- Your work fits if it falls within youth nature connection, youth arts education, maternal health or healthy ageing, and the project benefits Northern California or Hawaii; applicants must be IRS-recognised 501(c)(3) organisations or use an eligible fiscal sponsor.
- Do not apply for political bodies or campaigns, individuals, foreign organisations, loans or debt repayment, or solely religious functions, and for youth nature work, agriculture or garden projects, animal therapy and outdoor sports without a nature focus are excluded.
- A modest request suits it best: half of its grants to organisations were $30,000 or less, the median was $30,000, and about 8 in 10 fell between $10,500 and $100,000, a typical band rather than a ceiling, since its largest grant was $800,000.
- Relationships appear to matter, as 78% of its grant dollars to organisations in its latest filing went to groups it had also funded in earlier years, and responsive grants are awarded competitively, so plan your submission for the online portal during its posted windows, which open in February and July within its Spring and Fall application periods.
Overview
The Joseph & Vera Long 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 (TY2025, TY2024, TY2023) and its website, with every statement checked against those sources. Sources read on 7 October 2026.
Priority Areas
Responsive grants support qualified nonprofit organisations across Northern California and Hawaii through four application areas. They fund meaningful outdoor exploration and learning for school-age children; equitable arts education; programmes that expand access to maternal health services; and initiatives that help seniors build social connection and combat isolation. The foundation's maternal-health work addresses disparities through education and access to services, while its healthy-ageing work emphasises low-income seniors living independently. Applicants must be IRS-recognised 501(c)(3) organisations or use an eligible fiscal sponsor, and projects must benefit Northern California or Hawaii. Responsive grants are awarded competitively. The foundation also approves large strategic grants focused on well-defined impact at the Board's discretion; these may not be solicited.
Themes
- Youth nature connection
- Youth arts education
- Maternal health
- Healthy ageing
Geographic Focus
Northern California; Hawaii.
What They Don't Fund
- Solely religious, sacramental, or theological functions
- Political bodies or campaigns
- Individuals or memorializing individuals
- Foreign organizations
- Loans or the payback of debt
- Connecting Youth with Nature only: Agriculture/garden projects; Animal therapy; Outdoor sports programs with no specific emphasis on nature connection
- Fostering Creativity Through the Arts only: Individual shows or performances; Career development programs
How to apply
Organisations submit applications online through the portal during the posted application periods.
Deadlines:
- The application process runs in Spring and Fall.
- Posted application windows begin in February and July.
Application success factors
- Repeat giving: In its TY2025 filing, 78% of its grant dollars to organisations went to organisations it had also funded in its TY2023 or TY2024 filing.
- Grant size: Across its TY2023, TY2024 and TY2025 filings, half of its 241 grants to organisations were $30,000 or less.
What the foundation says:
- The foundation favours organisations committed to strengthening and supporting the community and to using its assets responsibly and effectively.
- Nature programmes favour organisations with high outreach to economically disadvantaged families.
- Nature programmes favour broad engagement with diverse communities rather than concentrating on a small population.
- Arts programmes favour programmes reaching and benefiting a wide range of participants rather than serving only a limited group.
- Maternal-health organisations are favoured when they emphasise measurable effectiveness.
- Maternal-health organisations are favoured when they demonstrate a commitment to promoting birth equity.
- Healthy-ageing organisations are favoured when they emphasise measurable effectiveness.
- Healthy-ageing organisations are favoured when they have diverse funding streams.
Where grants go
From grants to organisations in the foundation’s filings for tax years 2023–2025.
Grant dollars by state
1 other state: <1%
- The largest single recipient received 16% of grant dollars to organisations.
- In tax year 2025, 78% of grant dollars went to organisations The Joseph & Vera Long Foundation had funded in earlier filings.
- No grants were paid directly to organisations outside the US.
- 49% of grant dollars went to intermediaries that regrant to other organisations.
Grants
How much do they typically give?
Share of 95 grants in tax year 2025 by size
Median $25,000 (tax year 2025)
The largest grants to organisations in the foundation’s latest filing:
- Windward Fund · Global methane hub$800,0002025 tax year
- ClimateWorks Foundation · Forests, people, climate initiative$800,0002025 tax year
- Multiplier · Clean grid initiative$800,0002025 tax year
- River Partners · Building the next dos rios$200,0002025 tax year
- Santa Cruz Community Health · Healthy pregnancy program: final expansion phase$150,0002025 tax year
- Marin City Health and Wellness Center · Expanding prenatal/postnatal resources for low-income, black women$150,0002025 tax year
- Ashby Village · Expanding access to healthcare for older adults$150,0002025 tax year
- Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital · Santa rosa memorial hospital outpatient lactation support program$120,0002025 tax year
Grants to organisations listed in the foundation’s Form 990-PF filings. Grants to individuals are not shown.
Officers and directors
- Nicholas Piediscalzi — Board Chair
- Nan L Gefen — Secretary
- Milton E Long — Executive Director
- Michelle Holstein — Treasurer
- Lisa Piediscalzi — Trustee
- Lani Mackenzie — Trustee
From the latest Form 990-PF filing
3 years of tax filings
| Year | Total expenses | Grants paid | Assets | Filing document |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 tax year | $10,824,954 | $5,220,800 | $115,150,155 | Filing for 2023 tax year |
| 2024 tax year | $3,859,310 | $5,169,599 | $122,424,232 | Filing for 2024 tax year |
| 2025 tax year | $3,979,197 | $5,483,829 | $138,636,606 | Filing for 2025 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
🎯 You've done the research. Now write an application they can't refuse.
Hinchilla combines funder's specific priorities with your organisation's past successful grants and AI analysis of what reviewers want to see.
Data privacy and security by default
Your organisation's past successful grants and experience
AI analysis of what reviewers want to see
A compelling draft application in 10 minutes instead of 10 hours
Spotted something that needs correcting? Let us know
At a glance
Applying to The Joseph & Vera Long Foundation?
Hinchilla drafts your answers around this funder's priorities, using your organisation's own documents.
No credit card required
Contact
- Walnut Creek, CA
- jvlf.org
Applying to The Joseph & Vera Long Foundation?
Hinchilla drafts your answers around this funder's priorities, using your organisation's own documents.
No credit card required
Contact
- Walnut Creek, CA
- jvlf.org