The Draper Foundation
At a glance
Key takeaways
- The Draper Foundation, based in San Mateo, CA, funds chiefly education programmes and community outreach, with fewer grants for medical research and environmental reform, so charities in those fields are the best fit.
- Most grants are modest: about 8 in 10 of its 259 grants fall between $1,000 and $150,000, and half were about $19,000 or less, so a request in that range is realistic; its largest grant, $1,000,000, went to an organisation it funds every year that itself regrants to other organisations, so this is not typical of what a new applicant should expect.
- No geographic focus is stated, though its filings show grants mainly in California, Texas, Utah and New York.
- The foundation accepts applications with no deadlines given in its filing, so there is no fixed timing to plan around; apply in writing and clearly state the purpose of the requested funding.
- With 72% of its grant dollars going to organisations it had already funded in the previous two tax filings, it looks relationship-led and fairly competitive for a first approach, so be prepared for a longer-term relationship rather than a single quick award.
Overview
The Draper Foundation is a US private foundation based in San Mateo, 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 7 October 2026.
Priority Areas
The foundation's recorded grants went chiefly to education programmes and community outreach, with fewer awards recorded for medical research and environmental reform. Education recipients include schools, colleges and universities; community-outreach grants went to service and cultural organisations. The grant record covers organisations in many states, including California, Texas, Utah and New York. These patterns describe its recorded giving rather than a published statement of funding priorities.
Themes
From its grants, not stated by the foundation:
- Education
- Community outreach
Geographic Focus
No geographic focus is stated; the filings show grants mainly in California, Texas, Utah and New York.
How to apply
Applications should be made in writing and clearly state the purpose of the requested funding.
Application success factors
- Repeat giving: In its TY2024 filing, 72% 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 259 grants to organisations were about $19,000 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: 6%
Outside the US or with no state on the filing: 3%
- The largest single recipient received 17% of grant dollars to organisations.
- In tax year 2024, 72% of grant dollars went to organisations The Draper Foundation had funded in earlier filings.
- <1% of grant dollars went directly to organisations outside the US (Chile).
- 22% of grant dollars went to intermediaries that regrant to other organisations.
Grants
How much do they typically give?
Share of 114 grants in tax year 2024 by size
Median $10,000 (tax year 2024)
The largest grants to organisations in the foundation’s latest filing:
- Draper Richards Kaplan Foundation · Community outreach$1,000,0002024 tax year
- BizWorld Foundation · Education program$500,0002024 tax year
- University of Utah · Education program$500,0002024 tax year
- University of Texas Foundation · Education program$500,0002024 tax year
- Ravenswood Education Foundation · Education program$333,3332024 tax year
- Libertas Institute · Education program$250,0002024 tax year
- BayOrg · Environmental reform$250,0002024 tax year
- Brink Technology · Education program$250,0002024 tax year
Grants to organisations listed in the foundation’s Form 990-PF filings. Grants to individuals are not shown.
Officers and directors
- Eleanor Draper — Director
- Hillary Draper — Director
- Desiree Omran — CFO
- William H Draper III — Secretary & Director
- Jessica Draper — Director
- Andrea Draper — Director
- Timothy Draper — President & Director
From the latest Form 990-PF filing
3 years of tax filings
| Year | Total expenses | Grants paid | Assets | Filing document |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 tax year | $4,927,499 | $4,588,809 | $124,299,561 | Filing for 2022 tax year |
| 2023 tax year | $6,644,136 | $6,502,836 | $130,180,012 | Filing for 2023 tax year |
| 2024 tax year | $7,787,259 | $6,789,726 | $188,293,275 | 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 The Draper Foundation?
Hinchilla drafts your answers around this funder's priorities, using your organisation's own documents.
No credit card required
Contact
- (650) 233-9000
- (650) 599-9000
- San Mateo, CA
Applying to The Draper Foundation?
Hinchilla drafts your answers around this funder's priorities, using your organisation's own documents.
No credit card required
Contact
- (650) 233-9000
- (650) 599-9000
- San Mateo, CA