Sand Hill Foundation
At a glance
This funder does not accept unsolicited applications. The foundation chooses the organisations it funds itself.
Key takeaways
- Sand Hill Foundation funds work in San Mateo County, with priority given to Daly City, South San Francisco, Redwood City, North Fair Oaks and Coastside, across education, job training and entrepreneurship, housing security, youth mental health, access to nature, climate change and sustainable agriculture, so check that your work sits within both that geography and those themes before approaching.
- For a small nonprofit, a request around the median grant of $40,000 is a realistic starting point, as roughly eight in ten of its grants to organisations fall between $3,000 and $100,000.
- The foundation considers funding by invitation only and does not accept unsolicited applications, so there is no route to apply cold; you would need to be invited.
- Giving appears strongly relationship-led rather than open and competitive: 97% of its grant dollars went to organisations it had also funded in its two previous filings, suggesting it builds on established partnerships more than it takes on new ones.
- It does not fund individuals or efforts designed to elect public officers, so these should not apply.
Overview
Sand Hill Foundation is a US private foundation based in Menlo Park, CA.
What they fund
Profile derived from the foundation's IRS Form 990-PF filings (TY2024, TY2023, TY2022) and its website, with every statement checked against those sources. Sources read on 7 October 2026.
Priority Areas
The foundation partners with and funds locally based organisations to strengthen economic stability and wellness for low-income families, and to advance advocacy for a more sustainable environment in San Mateo County. Its programmes encompass education and college access for young people, job training and entrepreneurship, housing security, mental health and well-being, access to nature, climate action, open-space preservation and sustainable agriculture. It prioritises community-based organisations rooted in the county, especially those serving young people and families with limited financial means. The foundation values high-quality programmes, strong leadership, cultural competence, stakeholder perspectives and continuous learning, and seeks to help proven and promising nonprofits build on their strengths, innovate and address evolving local needs.
Themes
- Education
- Job training and entrepreneurship
- Housing security
- Youth mental health
- Access to nature
- Climate change
- Sustainable agriculture
Geographic Focus
San Mateo County. Priority: Daly City; South San Francisco; Redwood City; North Fair Oaks; Coastside.
What They Don't Fund
- Individuals
- Efforts designed to elect public officers
How to apply
The foundation considers funding requests by invitation only; it does not offer an unsolicited application route.
Application success factors
- Repeat giving: In its TY2024 filing, 97% 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 296 grants to organisations were $40,000 or less.
What the foundation says:
- It prioritises community-based organisations rooted in San Mateo County, especially in the named local communities where many low-income families live.
- Partner organisations have received a foundation grant within the last five years and dedicate at least half of their organisational efforts to people in San Mateo County.
- It focuses on young people aged 11–25 and their families as they navigate daily life with limited financial means.
- It values high-quality programmes, trusted community resources, strong leadership, visionary plans and continuous learning.
- It values diverse stakeholder perspectives, cultural competence and humility in planning and operations.
- It supports organisations with strong, consistently applied non-discrimination policies.
- Grant agreements set co-created goals, and check-ins focus on progress towards them and relevant developments.
Where grants go
From grants to organisations in the foundation’s filings for tax years 2022–2024.
Grant dollars by state
2 other states: <1%
- The largest single recipient received 25% of grant dollars to organisations.
- In tax year 2024, 97% of grant dollars went to organisations Sand Hill Foundation had funded in earlier filings.
- No grants were paid directly to organisations outside the US.
- <1% of grant dollars went to intermediaries that regrant to other organisations.
Grants
How much do they typically give?
Share of 99 grants in tax year 2024 by size
Median $40,000 (tax year 2024)
The largest grants to organisations in the foundation’s latest filing:
- Lucile Packard Foundation for Children's Health · Endowment for obstetrician in chief$5,000,0002024 tax year
- Stanford University · Susan ford dorsey family donor advised fund$1,000,0002024 tax year
- Environmental Defense Fund · General support$600,0002024 tax year
- Children's Health Council · 70th anniversary campaign - programmatic initiatives with a particular focus on subsidized services$300,0002024 tax year
- Environmental Defense Fund · General support$250,0002024 tax year
- Friends for Youth · Why (whole health for youth) initiative$200,0002024 tax year
- Jefferson Union High School District · For the charitable purpose of daly city youth health center's north county wellness partnership collaborative$200,0002024 tax year
- Children's Health Council · Ravenswood wellness partnership$200,0002024 tax year
Grants to organisations listed in the foundation’s Form 990-PF filings. Grants to individuals are not shown.
Officers and directors
- Michael Dorsey — Treasurer
- Susan Lockwood — Vice President
- Susan Ford Dorsey — President
From the latest Form 990-PF filing
3 years of tax filings
| Year | Total expenses | Grants paid | Assets | Filing document |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 tax year | $11,562,274 | $5,001,600 | $93,351,006 | Filing for 2022 tax year |
| 2023 tax year | $6,169,491 | $5,337,400 | $97,220,976 | Filing for 2023 tax year |
| 2024 tax year | $11,281,589 | $10,925,000 | $92,857,846 | 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
Registers and filings
Other sources
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At a glance
Applying to Sand Hill Foundation?
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Applying to Sand Hill Foundation?
Hinchilla drafts your answers around this funder's priorities, using your organisation's own documents.
No credit card required