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Baker Street Foundation

Annual Giving
$6.5M
Grant Range
$5K - $1.0M

Baker Street Foundation

Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: $5-8 million
  • Success Rate: Not applicable (invitation only)
  • Decision Time: Not applicable (trustee discretion)
  • Grant Range: $5,000 - $1,025,000
  • Geographic Focus: San Francisco/California

Contact Details

  • Phone: 415-356-2012
  • Address: 135 Main Street, Suite 1140, San Francisco, CA 94105
  • Website: None
  • Email: Not publicly available
  • Application Portal: None - does not accept unsolicited applications

Overview

The Baker Street Foundation is a private family foundation established in 1993 by Mary M. Miner, widow of Oracle co-founder Robert M. Miner, who passed away from cancer in 1994. With assets exceeding $125 million and annual grant distributions of $5-8 million, the foundation operates exclusively through trustee discretion without any public application process. Founded shortly after inheriting $600 million in Oracle shares, Mary Miner has built the foundation into a significant force in San Francisco philanthropy, focusing on progressive causes including arts and culture, education, social justice, and environmental issues. The foundation maintains no public website or mission statement, operating entirely through personal networks and pre-selected organizations.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

The foundation does not have formal grant programs but distributes funding across several consistent areas:

  • Major Institutional Support: $500,000 - $1,000,000+ (flagship cultural and educational institutions)
  • Program Support Grants: $25,000 - $275,000 (specific initiatives and evaluations)
  • General Operating Support: $5,000 - $100,000 (ongoing organizational support)
  • Capital Projects: Variable amounts including multi-million commitments for infrastructure

Priority Areas

  • Arts & Culture (especially San Francisco Ballet and cultural institutions)
  • Education (universities, law schools, educational access)
  • Parks & Recreation (San Francisco Parks Alliance, public spaces)
  • Social Services (youth services, family support, housing)
  • Journalism & Investigative Reporting (CalMatters, Center for Investigative Reporting)
  • Social Justice & Advocacy (reproductive rights, environmental justice, immigration)
  • Government Support (City and County of San Francisco)

What They Don't Fund

While not explicitly stated, the foundation does not appear to fund:

  • Organizations outside their established progressive ideological framework
  • Religious organizations for religious purposes
  • Individual requests
  • Organizations with no connection to San Francisco Bay Area
  • Unsolicited proposals from unknown organizations

Governance and Leadership

Board of Directors (all serve without compensation):

  • Mary M. Miner - President/Director: Widow of Oracle co-founder Robert M. Miner, owner of Oakville Vineyards in Napa County, and director of Mmm Management financial advisory firm
  • Helen Sedwick - Secretary/Director
  • Roy Bukstein - CFO/Director
  • Nicola Miner - Director (daughter)
  • Luke Miner - Director (son)

The foundation operates with no paid staff, managed entirely by the family trustees who make all grant decisions based on their personal interests and relationships within the San Francisco philanthropic community.

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

This foundation does not have a public application process. The foundation has explicitly indicated it "only makes contributions to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds." All grants are made through trustee discretion to organizations already known to or identified by the board members.

Getting on Their Radar

Since the foundation pre-selects all grantees, potential pathways include:

  • Building visibility for high-impact work in San Francisco, particularly in their interest areas
  • Developing relationships with current grantees who might serve as connectors (San Francisco Ballet, San Francisco Parks Alliance, CalMatters)
  • Participating in San Francisco philanthropic and nonprofit leadership circles where the Miner family is active
  • The foundation appears to support organizations already embedded in San Francisco's progressive nonprofit ecosystem

Decision Timeline

Not applicable - decisions are made at trustee discretion without formal timelines.

Success Rates

Not calculable due to invitation-only model. The foundation makes 56-63 grants annually from their pre-selected pool.

Reapplication Policy

Not applicable - no formal application process exists. However, many organizations receive multi-year support, suggesting ongoing relationships are valued.

Application Success Factors

Since traditional applications are not accepted, organizations in the foundation's interest areas should focus on:

  • Demonstrated San Francisco Impact: The foundation strongly favors organizations with deep San Francisco roots and visible community impact
  • Progressive Mission Alignment: Clear alignment with social justice, environmental, arts, or educational equity causes
  • Established Track Record: The foundation supports organizations with proven impact rather than startups
  • Network Connections: Organizations already supported include major institutions and established nonprofits in the Bay Area progressive ecosystem
  • Scale Appropriateness: Grants typically support organizations where $25,000-$100,000 makes meaningful but not transformative impact

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  • No solicitation possible - This foundation cannot be approached through traditional grant-seeking methods
  • Relationship-based only - All grants flow through personal connections and trustee knowledge
  • San Francisco-centric - Strong preference for organizations serving San Francisco and the Bay Area
  • Progressive focus - Consistently supports left-leaning causes in social justice, environment, arts, and education
  • Significant capacity - With $5-8 million annual distributions, this is a major Bay Area funder worth understanding even if direct approach isn't possible
  • Multi-year support common - Organizations in their portfolio often receive sustained funding over many years
  • Family-managed - All decisions made by Miner family members without staff intermediaries

References

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