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Gruber Family Foundation

Annual Giving
$3.0M
Grant Range
$10K - $1.0M
Decision Time
3mo

Gruber Family Foundation

Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: $3,035,800 (2023)
  • Total Assets: $62.3 million (2024)
  • Grant Range: $10,000 - $1,000,000+
  • Geographic Focus: California, particularly Marin County and the San Francisco Bay Area
  • Application Process: Does not accept unsolicited applications
  • Founded: 1987

Contact Details

Address: PO Box 214, Ross, CA 94957
Phone: 415-457-2835
Email: info@gruberfamilyfoundation.org
Website: gruberfamilyfoundation.org

Overview

The Gruber Family Foundation was established in 1987 by Linda W. and Jon D. Gruber in Marin, California. Jon Gruber, a Massachusetts Institute of Technology graduate, founded Gruber & McBaine Capital Management the same year and is known in some circles as "the father of technology investing." Linda Gruber, a Wellesley College graduate, worked in government under President Lyndon Johnson and taught at San Francisco State University. The foundation manages assets totaling $62.3 million and distributes approximately $3 million annually in grants. Founded with a commitment to helping the disadvantaged, the foundation has grown from a small philanthropic entity into a significant regional funder. The foundation emphasizes transparency in its operations and maintains long-standing relationships with its grantees. All of the foundation's work is described as "transparent and open," with current grant recipients listed publicly on their website.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

The foundation operates on a quarterly grant cycle, with the board meeting quarterly to discuss and award grants. Grants range from $10,000 to over $1,000,000, sometimes spread over time.

Priority Areas

Education: One of the foundation's largest areas of funding, focusing on out-of-school learning opportunities and quality academic programs in Marin County. Recent grantees include:

  • Summer Search ($300,000 in 2019)
  • Room to Read
  • Concourse
  • Aim High
  • Bay Area Discovery Museum
  • Marin Charitable (supporting enrichment programs for school-aged children)
  • Student Leadership ($200,000 in 2019)

Women's Issues and Reproductive Rights: Grantmaking primarily supports women's reproductive health initiatives. Recent grantees include:

  • Planned Parenthood ($500,000 in 2019)
  • Global Fund for Women ($333,333 in 2019)
  • NARAL (National Abortion and Reproductive Rights Action League)
  • Bay Area Women's and Children's Center
  • Global AIDS Interfaith Alliance

News and Investigative Reporting: Supports both national and local journalism organizations. Recent grants include:

  • KQED, San Francisco public television ($150,000 in 2019)
  • National Public Radio ($100,000 in 2019)
  • WETA, Washington D.C. public television ($100,000 in 2019)
  • Mother Jones/Foundation for National Progress ($52,000 in 2019)
  • Center for Investigative Reporting
  • Public Radio International
  • Global Press Institute

Environmental Conservation: Prioritizes conservation organizations in California, including:

  • The Nature Conservancy
  • Marin Agricultural Land Trust
  • Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy

Arts and Film: Supports visual arts and documentary filmmaking, particularly by women. Grantees include:

  • San Francisco Museum of Modern Art ($100,000 in 2019)
  • Lark Theater (Marin County)
  • Sundance Institute
  • California Film Institute
  • Chicken and Egg Pictures (supports documentary filmmaking by women)

Social Safety Nets: In 2019, the foundation donated $300,000 to the Chronicle Season of Sharing Fund and $200,000 to Human Rights Watch.

What They Don't Fund

The foundation does not accept unsolicited applications and works exclusively with preselected charitable organizations with which it has established, long-standing relationships.

Governance and Leadership

Linda W. Gruber - President (serves without compensation). A Wellesley College graduate who worked in government under President Lyndon Johnson and taught at San Francisco State University. She has served as president since the foundation's inception in 1987.

Jon D. Gruber - Vice President (serves without compensation). An MIT graduate and founder of Gruber & McBaine Capital Management, a San Francisco-based investment advisory firm. Gruber founded both the company and the foundation in 1987 and is known in some circles as "the father of technology investing." He gave a $1 million gift to MIT OpenCourseWare in 2004 and established a career development professorship at the MIT Sloan School of Management in 1998.

Christopher Dunham - Treasurer (receives compensation of $200,025)

The foundation is described as supporting "left-of-center" causes, reflecting the founders' commitment to progressive values and social justice.

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

The Gruber Family Foundation does not accept unsolicited applications for funding. The foundation makes grants exclusively to preselected charitable organizations and tends to work with organizations with which it has long-standing relationships.

Decision Timeline

The board meets quarterly to discuss and award grants, operating on a quarterly timetable for grant decisions.

Getting on Their Radar

The foundation maintains long-standing relationships with its grantees and tends to support well-established organizations operating in Marin County and the broader San Francisco Bay Area. The foundation's emphasis on transparency means their current grantee list is publicly available on their website at gruberfamilyfoundation.org, which may be helpful for understanding the types of organizations they support.

Organizations working in the foundation's priority areas (education, women's reproductive rights, journalism, environmental conservation, and arts/film) in Marin County or the Bay Area may benefit from:

  • Establishing a strong track record in their field
  • Building connections within the Marin County nonprofit community
  • Demonstrating alignment with the foundation's progressive values and commitment to helping the disadvantaged

Application Success Factors

Since the Gruber Family Foundation does not accept unsolicited applications, success in securing funding is based on:

Geographic Alignment: The foundation prioritizes organizations operating in Marin County, California, with a secondary focus on the broader San Francisco Bay Area.

Established Organizations: The foundation tends to support well-established organizations rather than startups or emerging nonprofits.

Long-term Relationships: Grant recipients typically have long-standing relationships with the foundation rather than being new to their portfolio.

Mission Alignment: Organizations should align with the foundation's progressive values and commitment to helping the disadvantaged. The foundation supports "left-of-center" causes focused on social justice, environmental conservation, reproductive rights, and quality education.

Focus Area Fit: Organizations must operate within one of the foundation's six priority areas: Education, Women's Issues and Reproductive Rights, News and Investigative Reporting, Environmental Conservation, Arts and Film, or Social Safety Nets.

Transparency and Impact: The foundation values transparency in its own operations and likely expects the same from grantees.

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  • No Unsolicited Applications: This foundation does not have an open application process. They work exclusively with preselected organizations.
  • Marin County Focus: Strong preference for organizations operating in Marin County and the San Francisco Bay Area.
  • Long-term Partnerships: The foundation builds long-standing relationships with grantees rather than making one-time grants.
  • Significant Grant Size: Grants can be substantial, ranging from $10,000 to over $1,000,000, with many six-figure grants awarded annually.
  • Progressive Values: The foundation supports left-of-center causes and progressive organizations committed to social justice.
  • Quarterly Cycle: The board meets quarterly to make funding decisions.
  • Transparency: The foundation emphasizes transparency and publicly lists current grantees on their website.

References

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