Bernard Osher Foundation - Funder Overview

Quick Stats

Annual Giving: $12 million+ (2023)
Total Assets: Substantial (major private foundation)
Grant Range: $25,000 - $2,000,000
Average Grant: $150,000
Geographic Focus: National (scholarships, lifelong learning, integrative health); San Francisco Bay Area and Maine (arts and education)
Number of Active Programs: 250+ scholarship programs, 125 OLLI programs, 11 integrative health centers, 125+ arts organizations

Contact Details

Foundation Address: The Bernard Osher Foundation One Market Plaza, Steuart Tower, Suite 1000 San Francisco, CA 94105

Phone: (415) 861-5587

Key Contact: Jeanie Hirokane Corporate Secretary and Program Director

Note: The foundation is currently not accepting unsolicited letters of inquiry. They are focusing on supporting existing grantees.

Overview

The Bernard Osher Foundation was established in 1977 by Bernard Osher, a successful businessman and philanthropist from Biddeford, Maine. The foundation has become one of America's most significant education funders, with nearly 80% of its grants supporting educational programs and 17% supporting arts organizations. With annual giving exceeding $12 million and a history of transformational gifts (including a record $723.2 million in 2006), the foundation operates four distinct national and regional program areas. The foundation is led by Chairman Barbro Osher and President Mary G.F. Bitterman, with Bernard Osher serving as Founder and Treasurer. The foundation is known as "the quiet philanthropist" for its strategic, long-term approach to funding. Bernard Osher has stated his intention to give away his entire fortune, as he has no heirs, enjoying "the opportunity of helping members of several generations lead more fulfilling lives."

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

1. Osher Scholarships and Reentry Scholarships

Amount: Institutional grants up to $50,000 annually, renewable for 2-3 years; endowments of $1 million+ after demonstrated success
Focus: Non-traditional students aged 25-50 returning to complete their first bachelor's degree after a 5+ year gap
Locations: 250+ colleges and universities nationwide (all 50 states + DC)
Eligibility: Students must demonstrate financial need, academic promise, and commitment to degree completion
Special Programs:
- California Community Colleges: $25 million endowment (2008) - the largest gift ever made to a U.S. community college system
- Individual university endowments typically $1 million - $2.2 million
- Individual scholarship amounts vary by institution ($725 - $1,450 per semester)

2. Osher Lifelong Learning Institutes (OLLI)

Amount: Initial grants of $100,000; endowments of $1 million at 500 members, additional $1 million at 1,000 members
Focus: Non-credit courses for adults aged 50+
Locations: 125 programs at colleges/universities across all 50 states and DC
Members: 160,000+ nationwide
Support: National Resource Center at Northwestern University coordinates the network
Application: No open application process currently

3. Osher Integrative Health Program

Amount: Varies (significant multi-year support)
Focus: Research, education, and clinical care in integrative/complementary medicine
Locations: 11 universities including:
- University of California, San Francisco (1998, hosts Coordinating Center)
- Harvard University/Brigham and Women's Hospital (2001)
- Karolinska Institute, Sweden (2005)
- Northwestern University (2014)
- Vanderbilt University (2014)
- University of Miami (2017)
- University of Washington (2018)
- University of Cincinnati (2021)
- University of Wisconsin-Madison (2022)
- University of Utah (2022)
- University of Vermont (2022)
Application: No open application process currently

4. Local Arts and Educational Programs

Amount: $25,000 - $2,000,000 (average $150,000)
Geographic Focus: San Francisco Bay Area and State of Maine exclusively
Recipients: 125+ cultural and arts organizations
Current Status: NOT accepting unsolicited letters of inquiry; focusing on resilience and sustainability of existing grantees

Priority Areas

Education:

Non-traditional undergraduate students (reentry scholarships)
Lifelong learning opportunities for older adults
Support for institutions that serve non-traditional students
Programs with strong student support services (matriculation counseling, career guidance, technology training)

Integrative Health:

Research in complementary medicine
Clinical care programs
Education and training in integrative approaches
Programs at major academic medical centers

Arts and Culture:

Performing arts organizations
Museums
Educational programs related to arts and humanities
Focus on quality of life enhancement

What They Don't Fund

Direct grants to individuals (all scholarships administered through institutions)
Organizations outside their geographic focus for arts/education grants (must be in San Francisco Bay Area or Maine)
New programs currently - not accepting unsolicited applications in any program area
Organizations that are not 501(c)(3) designated

Governance and Leadership

Board of Directors

Barbro Osher - Chairman of the Board; Honorary Consul General of Sweden in California; former publisher of Vestkusten Swedish-American newspaper; Stockholm University graduate; recipient of "His Majesty the King's Medal" (2002)
Bernard Osher - Founder and Treasurer; Bowdoin College graduate (1948); founding director of World Savings (second-largest savings institution in U.S.); former owner of Butterfield & Butterfield auction house; Fellow of American Academy of Arts and Sciences (2009)
Mary G.F. Bitterman - President; former President/CEO of The James Irvine Foundation (2002-2004) and KQED (1993-2002); Ph.D. from Bryn Mawr College
David Agger - Trustee
Phyllis Cook - Trustee
Robert Friend - Trustee
John Gallo - Trustee
Laura Lauder - Trustee
John Pritzker - Trustee

Key Staff

Mary G.F. Bitterman - President (since 2004)
Jeanie Hirokane - Corporate Secretary and Program Director
Kelly Jane Rosenblatt - Program Director

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

This foundation does not have a public application process.

The Bernard Osher Foundation is currently not accepting unsolicited letters of inquiry in any of its four program areas. According to their official guidance:

Scholarships, Lifelong Learning, and Integrative Health Programs: No open application process
Arts and Educational Programs (San Francisco Bay Area and Maine): Not accepting unsolicited inquiries
Current Focus: The foundation is concentrating on the resilience and sustainability of its existing 125+ local arts and education grantees

For Scholarship Applicants: The foundation does not award funds directly to students. Individual students should contact the financial aid office at one of the 250+ participating colleges and universities to learn about their specific Osher Scholarship application process.

For Institutions: The foundation operates on an invitation-only basis, identifying and approaching institutions that align with their strategic priorities. They make grants only to 501(c)(3) organizations.

Getting on Their Radar

Osher Lifelong Learning Institutes (OLLI): The foundation has a specific model for OLLI programs. Once a program is established:

Universities receive initial grants of $100,000 with potential for 2+ year renewals
Programs demonstrating "potential for success and sustainability" may receive endowment consideration
Specific milestone-based endowment structure: $1 million at 500 fee-paying members, additional $1 million at 1,000 members
Programs must demonstrate they can sustain membership growth and programmatic quality

For Arts Organizations: With 125+ existing arts grantees in San Francisco Bay Area and Maine, the foundation appears to work with established organizations that have demonstrated track records in their communities. The current focus on "resilience and sustainability" suggests they prioritize long-term relationships over new partnerships.

Decision Timeline

Not publicly disclosed. Given the foundation's strategic, invitation-only approach, decision timelines likely vary significantly based on program area and the nature of the grant.

Success Rates

Not publicly available. With no open application process, traditional success rates do not apply.

Reapplication Policy

Not applicable - the foundation does not accept unsolicited applications.

Application Success Factors

Since the Bernard Osher Foundation operates on an invitation-only basis, traditional application success factors do not apply. However, examining their funded programs reveals clear patterns:

Institutional Characteristics the Foundation Seeks:

For Reentry Scholarship Programs:

Established student support services specifically designed for non-traditional students
Demonstrated ability to provide "matriculation and career counseling, familiarization with new information technology used in higher education, and balancing the requirements of their families and employment"
Commitment to serving students aged 25-50 with significant workforce potential ahead
Track record of helping students who have experienced 5+ year educational gaps
Strong financial aid infrastructure

For OLLI Programs:

University or college campus setting
Capacity to launch and sustain programs for older adults (50+)
Ability to attract and retain fee-paying members
Clear path to reaching 500 and eventually 1,000 members
Commitment to providing quality non-credit educational experiences

For Integrative Health Programs:

Affiliation with major academic medical centers or highly respected medical schools
Balanced focus across "education, research, and clinical services"
Commitment to integrative/complementary medicine approaches
Capacity to contribute to the broader Osher Collaborative for Integrative Health

For Arts and Education (San Francisco Bay Area and Maine only):

Established track record in performing arts, museums, or educational programming
Focus on quality of life enhancement for community members
Organizational resilience and sustainability
Geographic presence in foundation's target regions

Foundation's Long-term Approach: The foundation favors transformational, endowment-level giving over short-term project support. Their scholarship program model demonstrates this: initial grants of up to $50,000 annually for 2-3 years to prove concept, followed by endowments of $1 million or more for programs demonstrating success and sustainability.

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

No public application process - The Bernard Osher Foundation operates exclusively on an invitation-only basis across all four program areas and is not currently accepting unsolicited letters of inquiry
Endowment-focused giving - The foundation prefers transformational, permanent support through endowments rather than annual operating grants; proven programs receive $1 million+ endowments
Geographic specificity matters - While scholarship, OLLI, and integrative health programs are national, arts and education grants are exclusively for San Francisco Bay Area and Maine organizations
Non-traditional students are the priority - 80% of foundation funding supports education, with particular emphasis on reentry students aged 25-50 who have experienced 5+ year gaps in education
Milestone-based giving model - OLLI programs receive increasing support based on demonstrated success (membership thresholds trigger additional endowment funding)
Long-term relationships - With 250+ scholarship programs, 125 OLLI programs, 11 integrative health centers, and 125+ arts grantees, the foundation maintains extensive ongoing partnerships
Student support services matter - For reentry scholarships, institutions must demonstrate robust support systems addressing the unique needs of non-traditional students (counseling, technology training, work-life balance support)

References

The Bernard Osher Foundation official website - Program Descriptions. https://www.osherfoundation.org/program_descriptions.html (Accessed January 2026)
The Bernard Osher Foundation - The Programs. https://www.osherfoundation.org/programs.html (Accessed January 2026)
The Bernard Osher Foundation - Frequently Asked Questions. https://www.osherfoundation.org/faq2.html (Accessed January 2026)
The Bernard Osher Foundation - Osher Scholars and Fellows Program. https://www.osherfoundation.org/scholars.html (Accessed January 2026)
The Bernard Osher Foundation - Osher Lifelong Learning Institutes. https://www.osherfoundation.org/olli.html (Accessed January 2026)
The Bernard Osher Foundation - Integrative Medicine. https://www.osherfoundation.org/medicine.html (Accessed January 2026)
The Bernard Osher Foundation - Board of Directors and Biographies. https://www.osherfoundation.org/board.html and https://www.osherfoundation.org/biographies.html (Accessed January 2026)
Bernard Osher - Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bernard_Osher (Accessed January 2026)
Inside Philanthropy - Bernard Osher Foundation profile. https://www.insidephilanthropy.com/find-a-grant/grants-o/bernard-osher-foundation (Accessed January 2026)
ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer - Bernard Osher Foundation 990 filings. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/942506257 (Accessed January 2026)
Osher Lifelong Learning Institutes - Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Osher_Lifelong_Learning_Institutes (Accessed January 2026)
Northwestern University - The Osher Lifelong Learning Institute Network. https://sps.northwestern.edu/oshernrc/about/osher-lifelong-learning-institute-network.html (Accessed January 2026)