Skyline Foundation
At a glance
Key takeaways
- Skyline Foundation, based in San Francisco, CA, funds work in climate solutions, just democracy, equity in education and birth justice, so check your project maps clearly onto one of these before approaching it.
- A realistic request is modest: half of its 465 grants to organisations were $250,000 or less, though about 8 in 10 fell between $85,000 and $1,000,000, with its largest grant of $4,000,000 going to Sierra Club Foundation, an organisation it funds every year that itself regrants to others.
- The route in is to email an inquiry; the team only schedules meetings when there is a clear opportunity for partnership, and Program Leads then invite recommended organisations to formally apply, with the Board approving grants, so this is a relationship-led process rather than a simple open call.
- It accepts applications on a rolling basis, so there is no fixed deadline to aim for.
- Bear in mind that 81% of its grant dollars went to organisations it had also funded in the two previous filings, so new applicants should see this as the start of a longer relationship rather than a one-off award.
Overview
Skyline Foundation is a US private foundation based in San Francisco, 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
Skyline Foundation funds organisations that address problems at their roots and shift systems toward a more equitable and just future. Its programme areas are climate solutions, just democracy, equity in education and birth justice. For climate solutions, it supports effective, scalable strategies in solidarity with communities most impacted, including clean-energy policies, climate-mitigating technologies, clean air and water, resilient communities and community power. Its democracy work defends civil rights and civil liberties, expands participation and voting rights, supports economic security, and strengthens journalism. In education, it seeks improved outcomes, especially for low-income students and students of colour, including more equitable school resources, teacher development and college access. In birth justice, it seeks fuller integration of midwifery and equitable, accessible, respectful, safe and affordable care. Its trust-based approach emphasizes multi-year, flexible, general operating support and a long-term, systemic perspective.
Themes
- Climate solutions
- Just democracy
- Equity in education
- Birth justice
- Journalism
Geographic Focus
No geographic focus is stated; the filings show grants mainly in California, New York, District of Columbia and Massachusetts.
How to apply
Organisations whose work aligns with programme priorities may email an inquiry. The team reviews inquiries and schedules meetings only when there is a clear opportunity for partnership. Program Leads invite recommended potential grantees to apply; the Board approves grants.
Application success factors
- Repeat giving: In its TY2024 filing, 81% 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 465 grants to organisations were $250,000 or less.
What the foundation says:
- The organisation’s work should have a clear link to the foundation’s programme strategy and areas of focus.
- The foundation looks for systems-level change and innovation with potential for significant impact.
- It seeks potential long-term partners and considers sustainability and growth trajectory when determining grant amounts.
- The foundation favours organisations that seek to understand and solve complex problems while sidestepping partisanship and ideology.
- It looks for respected organisations that partner effectively, with inclusive and caring leadership and a board accountable to the communities served.
- The foundation emphasizes multi-year, flexible, general operating support and a long-term systemic perspective.
Where grants go
From grants to organisations in the foundation’s filings for tax years 2022–2024.
Grant dollars by state
6 other states: 8%
Outside the US or with no state on the filing: 8%
- The largest single recipient received 5% of grant dollars to organisations.
- In tax year 2024, 81% of grant dollars went to organisations Skyline Foundation had funded in earlier filings.
- No grants were paid directly to organisations outside the US.
- 23% of grant dollars went to intermediaries that regrant to other organisations.
Grants
How much do they typically give?
Share of 194 grants in tax year 2024 by size
Median $250k (tax year 2024)
The largest grants to organisations in the foundation’s latest filing:
- Environmental Defense Fund · General support$3,000,0002024 tax year
- American Civil Liberties Union Foundation · General support$3,000,0002024 tax year
- Sierra Club Foundation · Energy project$2,500,0002024 tax year
- Natural Resources Defense Council · General support$2,000,0002024 tax year
- Economic Security Project · General support$1,500,0002024 tax year
- American Journalism Project · General support$1,500,0002024 tax year
- Rewiring America · General support$1,500,0002024 tax year
- Amalgamated Charitable Foundation · For the charitable purposes of resource equity funders collaborative$1,500,0002024 tax year
Grants to organisations listed in the foundation’s Form 990-PF filings. Grants to individuals are not shown.
Officers and directors
- Angela Filo — CFO & Secretary
- David Filo — President
From the latest Form 990-PF filing
3 years of tax filings
| Year | Total expenses | Grants paid | Assets | Filing document |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 tax year | $79,484,032 | $47,155,707 | $836,387,339 | Filing for 2022 tax year |
| 2023 tax year | $89,365,418 | $65,046,683 | $1,046,937,741 | Filing for 2023 tax year |
| 2024 tax year | $111,149,359 | $80,436,334 | $1,262,052,039 | 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 Skyline Foundation?
Hinchilla drafts your answers around this funder's priorities, using your organisation's own documents.
No credit card required
Contact
- info@skylinefoundation.org
- San Francisco, CA
- skylinefoundation.org
Applying to Skyline Foundation?
Hinchilla drafts your answers around this funder's priorities, using your organisation's own documents.
No credit card required
Contact
- info@skylinefoundation.org
- San Francisco, CA
- skylinefoundation.org