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Rock Foundation

Annual Giving
$2.0M
Grant Range
$0K - $0.3M
00

Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: $2,000,000
  • Success Rate: Not publicly disclosed (invitation-only)
  • Decision Time: Not publicly disclosed
  • Grant Range: $50 - $300,000
  • Median Grant: $8,000
  • Geographic Focus: Primarily San Francisco Bay Area, with some national grants
  • Total Assets: $46.1 million (as of recent tax year)

Contact Details

Address: 415 Mission St Ste 5700, San Francisco, CA 94105-2702

EIN: 94-1671318

Note: The foundation does not have a public website or published contact information for grant inquiries.

Overview

The Rock Foundation was established in 1969 by Arthur Rock, a legendary Silicon Valley venture capitalist who was an early investor in Intel, Apple Computer, Scientific Data Systems, and Teledyne, and his wife Toni Rembe Rock, a retired partner at Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman and one of the first women to be named partner at a major California law firm. With total assets of approximately $46.1 million, the foundation distributes $2 million annually through approximately 74 grants. The foundation's grantmaking focuses on education reform (particularly K-12 and charter schools), legal rights and civil liberties, and arts and culture organizations, with a strong emphasis on the San Francisco Bay Area. Arthur Rock, now 98 years old, is widely credited with coining the term "venture capitalist" and revolutionizing early-stage technology investing.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

The foundation does not operate formal grant programs with set application deadlines. All grants are made through trustee discretion to pre-selected organizations.

Grant Range: $50 to $300,000 Median Grant: $8,000 Total Annual Grantmaking: Approximately $2 million across 74 grants

Priority Areas

Education Reform

  • K-12 education, particularly charter schools and education reform organizations
  • Scholarship programs for underserved students
  • Free educational programming for elementary school children
  • Higher education institutions (particularly those with connections to the founders)

Recent education grantees include:

  • 50CAN ($300,000 in 2023)
  • BASIC Fund in Oakland ($178,000 in 2023)
  • CommonLit Inc ($100,000 in 2023)
  • EdSource Inc ($100,000 in 2023)
  • Alliance for College-Ready Public Schools
  • New School of San Francisco
  • Noble Network of Charter Schools
  • Boys and Girls Clubs of San Francisco
  • KIPP network of public charter schools (over $20 million historically)
  • Teach for America
  • California Academy of Sciences ($20 million over time for free field trips)
  • Harvard Business School (Arthur Rock Center for Entrepreneurship - $25 million)
  • Stanford Law School (Arthur & Toni Rembe Rock Center for Corporate Governance - $10 million)
  • University of Washington Law School (home to Toni Rembe Dean & Professor of Law)
  • Syracuse University
  • UCSF

Legal Rights and Civil Liberties

  • Legal aid and civil liberties organizations
  • Immigrant rights and legal services
  • Social justice advocacy

Recent legal rights grantees include:

  • Immigrants Rising ($100,000 in 2023)
  • Center for Investigative Reporting ($100,000 in 2023)
  • Bay Area Legal Aid
  • East Bay Community Law Center
  • Immigrant Legal Resource Center
  • Legal Services for Children
  • American Bar Foundation
  • Anti-Defamation League
  • American Nonsmokers' Rights Foundation

Arts and Culture The Rocks have significantly increased their arts and culture giving in recent years, prioritizing organizations in the San Francisco Bay Area.

Recent arts grantees include:

  • Museum of the African Diaspora ($1.5 million in 2023)
  • St. Anthony Foundation ($200,000 in 2023)
  • Commonwealth Club of California ($75,000 in 2023)
  • San Francisco Ballet
  • San Francisco Playhouse
  • American Conservatory Theatre
  • The Exploratorium
  • Asian Art Museum Foundation
  • Magic Theatre (Toni Rock serves on the board)

Civic Engagement

  • The foundation has also supported civic engagement efforts, including donations to school board elections

What They Don't Fund

Given the foundation's invitation-only nature and focus on pre-selected organizations, information about explicit exclusions is not publicly available. However, their grantmaking clearly concentrates on:

  • San Francisco Bay Area organizations (with some national exceptions)
  • Organizations aligned with education reform philosophy (particularly charter schools)
  • Established institutions rather than startups or emerging organizations

Governance and Leadership

Arthur Rock - President and Director (serves without compensation)

  • Born August 19, 1926 (age 98)
  • Pioneer venture capitalist who coined the term "venture capitalist"
  • Early investor in Intel, Apple Computer, Scientific Data Systems, and Teledyne
  • Founded Davis & Rock (1961-1968), the first limited venture capital partnership
  • Served on Apple's Board of Directors from 1978-1993
  • Co-founder and president emeritus of The BASIC Fund
  • Lifetime director on the National Board of Teach for America
  • Famous investment philosophy: "People, people, people" - emphasizing entrepreneurs over ideas

Toni Rembe Rock

  • Retired partner at Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman LLP
  • One of the first women to be named partner at a major California law firm
  • Board member of Magic Theatre
  • President of the van Löben Sels/RembeRock Foundation (a separate foundation focused on social justice through legal services)
  • Home to the Toni Rembe Dean & Professor of Law at University of Washington Law School
  • Co-founder with Arthur of the Arthur & Toni Rembe Rock Social Innovation Award at Teach for America

Julie A. Divola - CFO and Secretary (serves without compensation)

  • Tax attorney and co-leader of Pillsbury's Corporate Reorganizations practice

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

This foundation does not accept unsolicited grant applications. The Rock Foundation only contributes to pre-selected organizations chosen by the trustees.

The foundation operates entirely through trustee discretion, with Arthur and Toni Rock personally selecting grant recipients based on their philanthropic interests and existing relationships with organizations and causes they support.

Getting on Their Radar

The Rock Foundation maintains an extremely low profile, with no public website or clear contact mechanism for prospective grantees. Based on their grantmaking patterns, organizations that have received funding typically have one or more of the following connections:

Board Connections: Organizations where the Rocks or their associates serve on boards (e.g., Magic Theatre, Teach for America) have received substantial support.

Education Reform Networks: Organizations connected to the charter school movement, education reform advocacy, and organizations like KIPP, The BASIC Fund (which Arthur co-founded), and Teach for America are consistent recipients.

Bay Area Legal and Cultural Institutions: Established Bay Area institutions in legal services, arts, and culture that align with Toni Rock's legal background and the couple's cultural interests.

Personal Relationship Building: Given Arthur Rock's famous investment philosophy of "People, people, people," personal relationships and trust appear central to their grantmaking decisions. Organizations that have received grants typically have long-standing relationships with the Rocks.

Institutional Connections: Universities and institutions where the Rocks have established named centers or programs (Harvard Business School, Stanford Law School, University of Washington Law School, California Academy of Sciences) continue to receive support.

Decision Timeline

Not publicly disclosed. As an invitation-only foundation, decisions are made at the discretion of the trustees without announced timelines.

Success Rates

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

Reapplication Policy

Not applicable, as the foundation does not accept unsolicited applications.

Application Success Factors

Since the Rock Foundation does not accept unsolicited applications, there is no formal application process. However, their grantmaking patterns reveal clear preferences:

Education Reform Philosophy: The foundation strongly favors education reform organizations, particularly those supporting charter schools, school choice, and market-based education solutions. Arthur Rock donated over $500,000 to the 2022 San Francisco Board of Education recall elections and has donated to more than 30 school board elections across the country, demonstrating active engagement in education policy debates.

Long-Term Relationships: The foundation's largest gifts have gone to organizations with which the Rocks have sustained, multi-decade relationships. The California Academy of Sciences received $20 million over many years; KIPP Northern California credits the couple with over $20 million in support.

Bay Area Focus: While the foundation makes some national grants (particularly to universities), the majority of grantmaking focuses on San Francisco Bay Area organizations, particularly those serving underserved communities in the region.

Established Organizations: Grant recipients are typically well-established institutions rather than emerging organizations. The foundation appears to favor proven organizations with track records.

Mission-Driven Programs: The Rocks' support often targets specific programs within organizations that provide direct services to underserved communities, such as the California Academy of Sciences' free field trip program for elementary students or The BASIC Fund's scholarships for inner-city children to attend K-8 private schools.

Legal Services and Social Justice: Organizations providing legal services to underserved populations, particularly immigrants and low-income individuals, align with Toni Rock's legal background and receive consistent support.

Cultural Institutions: San Francisco Bay Area arts and culture organizations have seen increased support in recent years, particularly those where the Rocks have board involvement or personal connections.

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  • No Public Application Process: Do not submit unsolicited proposals to this foundation. They only fund pre-selected organizations.

  • Relationship-Driven Grantmaking: All funding flows through personal relationships and trustee discretion. If your organization is not already known to the Rocks, receiving funding is unlikely.

  • Education Reform Alignment Critical: Organizations seeking education funding must align with charter school and education reform philosophy. The Rocks are active advocates for school choice and market-based education solutions.

  • Bay Area Geographic Priority: Unless your organization is a major national institution (like Teach for America) or a university with existing Rock connections, Bay Area location is essential.

  • Long-Term Commitment: The foundation's largest grants reflect multi-year, multi-decade relationships. They favor sustained partnerships over one-time grants to new organizations.

  • Board Connections Matter: Organizations where the Rocks or their close associates serve on boards receive priority consideration.

  • Focus on Direct Services: Programs that provide direct services to underserved communities (scholarships, free programs, legal aid) appear to resonate more than general operating support or capacity building.

References

  1. Inside Philanthropy - Rock Foundation profile. https://www.insidephilanthropy.com/find-a-grant-places/bay-area-grants/rock-foundation (Accessed January 2026)

  2. Inside Philanthropy - Arthur and Toni Rembe Rock donor profile. https://www.insidephilanthropy.com/find-a-grant/major-donors/arthur-rock (Accessed January 2026)

  3. Instrumentl - Rock Foundation 990 Report. https://www.instrumentl.com/990-report/rock-foundation-2bb2aa84-07d4-40bd-85b5-7cb8adc915f0 (Accessed January 2026)

  4. ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer - Rock Foundation filings (EIN: 94-1671318). https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/941671318 (Accessed January 2026)

  5. Wikipedia - Arthur Rock. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arthur_Rock (Accessed January 2026)

  6. Stanford Law School - Arthur Rock interview. https://law.stanford.edu/stanford-lawyer/articles/legal-matters-arthur-rock-on-the-early-venture-capital-decisions-that-sparked-decades-of-innovation/ (Accessed January 2026)

  7. California Academy of Sciences - Press release on $20 million Rock endowment. https://www.calacademy.org/press/releases/academy-announces-unprecedented-free-field-trip-program-thanks-to-20-million (Accessed January 2026)

  8. Mission Local - "Who is Arthur Rock, the school board recall's biggest backer?" February 2022. https://missionlocal.org/2022/02/arthur-rock-billionaire-donor-to-sf-school-board-recall-has-put-money-into-charter-schools-and-school-board-elections-for-decades/ (Accessed January 2026)

  9. Harvard Business School - Arthur Rock, MBA 1951 Entrepreneur Profile. https://entrepreneurship.hbs.edu/founders/Pages/profile.aspx?num=24 (Accessed January 2026)

  10. Candid Foundation Directory - The Rock Foundation profile. https://fconline.foundationcenter.org/fdo-grantmaker-profile?collection=grantmakers&key=ROCK013 (Accessed January 2026)

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