Tosa Foundation
At a glance
This funder does not accept unsolicited applications. The foundation chooses the organisations it funds itself.
Key takeaways
- The foundation states that it does not accept unsolicited requests, so a cold application is not the route in: it works by invitation, which makes an existing relationship or a warm introduction the first thing to build.
- About 8 in 10 of its grants fall between $1,000 and $265,000, but its largest grant in the filing is about $29,500,000, so that band is typical rather than a ceiling.
- Half its grants are $5,000 or less and the median is $5,000, so a modest request matches its usual pattern.
- Its largest areas are education and medical work, and it has given mainly in Wisconsin and Ohio, but the filing states no geographic focus, so those figures describe where its grants have gone rather than who may apply.
- Repeat giving is strong, with 80% of its grant dollars to organisations in its latest filing going to organisations it had also funded in an earlier filing, so a new recipient should expect a relationship-led process rather than a quick award.
Overview
Tosa Foundation is a US private foundation based in Portola Valley, CA.
What they fund
Profile based on the foundation's IRS Form 990-PF filings (TY2024, TY2023, TY2022) only: no website or other web source for the foundation was found. Every statement is checked against the filings. Sources read on 12 October 2026.
Priority Areas
Across its recorded grants, the foundation's largest areas are education and medical work. Its education grants include universities, schools, scholarship funds and other educational organisations; medical grants include medical research and health organisations. The record also includes support for international work and US aid, alongside conservation, arts and animal-related grants. Its grants reach organisations in many states, while the recorded giving is strongly concentrated in Wisconsin. Recipients range from major educational and research institutions to community organisations and charities, with grant purposes spanning institutional support and smaller charitable gifts.
Themes
From its grants, not stated by the foundation:
- Education
- Medical
Geographic Focus
No geographic focus is stated; the filings show grants mainly in Wisconsin and Ohio.
How to apply
The foundation states that it does not accept unsolicited requests.
Application success factors
- Repeat giving: In its TY2024 filing, 80% 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 416 grants to organisations were $5,000 or less.
Where grants go
From grants to organisations in the foundation’s filings for tax years 2022–2024.
Grant dollars by state
6 other states: 2%
- The largest single recipient received 29% of grant dollars to organisations.
- In tax year 2024, 80% of grant dollars went to organisations Tosa Foundation had funded in earlier filings.
- <1% of grant dollars went directly to organisations outside the US (Canada).
- 13% of grant dollars went to intermediaries that regrant to other organisations.
Grants
How much do they typically give?
Share of 116 grants in tax year 2024 by size
Median $5,000 (tax year 2024)
The largest grants to organisations in the foundation’s latest filing:
- Fidelity Charitable Gift Fund · See statement 15$29,346,1412024 tax year
- University of Wisconsin Foundation · Education$26,000,0002024 tax year
- Morgridge Institute Foundation · Medical$25,000,0002024 tax year
- Fund for Wisconsin Scholars · Education$25,000,0002024 tax year
- Alverno College · Education$10,000,0002024 tax year
- African Leadership Foundation · International$5,000,0002024 tax year
- Milwaukee Public Schools · Education$2,403,2132024 tax year
- Boys and Girls Club of Greater Milwaukee · Education$1,269,7842024 tax year
Grants to organisations listed in the foundation’s Form 990-PF filings. Grants to individuals are not shown.
Officers and directors
- John D Morgridge — Director
- John P Morgridge — Director / CFO
- Tashia F Morgridge — Director / President
From the latest Form 990-PF filing
3 years of tax filings
| Year | Total expenses | Grants paid | Assets | Filing document |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 tax year | $47,905,491 | $46,104,859 | $505,364,370 | Filing for 2022 tax year |
| 2023 tax year | $89,832,883 | $88,885,636 | $481,360,708 | Filing for 2023 tax year |
| 2024 tax year | $130,852,488 | $102,894,306 | $391,617,057 | 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
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At a glance
Applying to Tosa Foundation?
Hinchilla drafts your answers around this funder's priorities, using your organisation's own documents.
No credit card required
Contact
- Portola Valley, CA
Applying to Tosa Foundation?
Hinchilla drafts your answers around this funder's priorities, using your organisation's own documents.
No credit card required
Contact
- Portola Valley, CA