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The Leonard And Sophie Davis Fund

Annual Giving
$20.1M
Grant Range
$0K - $3.6M

The Leonard And Sophie Davis Fund

Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: $20,132,020 (2023)
  • Success Rate: Not publicly disclosed (invitation-only)
  • Decision Time: Not publicly disclosed
  • Grant Range: $20 - $3,600,000
  • Median Grant: $50,000
  • Geographic Focus: National (U.S.-based), with some international support
  • Assets: Approximately $195 million (2020)
  • Application Process: Invitation-only; does not accept unsolicited proposals

Contact Details

Address: 68 Jordan Ave, San Francisco, CA 94118-2503

Tax ID: 94-3402266

Note: The foundation does not provide public contact information for grant inquiries and does not accept unsolicited applications.

Overview

The Leonard And Sophie Davis Fund is a private family foundation established in 2001 by Leonard and Sophie Davis, founders of the Colonial Penn Insurance Group. Leonard Davis was instrumental in the passage of Medicare, co-founded AARP in 1958, and pioneered health insurance for Americans over 65. The foundation is now led by their son, Alan S. Davis, who serves as President and CEO. With assets of approximately $195 million and annual grantmaking of over $20 million, the fund is currently in spend-down mode—dramatically increasing its giving in response to societal crises. The foundation supports progressive organizations focused on democracy, racial justice, healthcare, education (particularly higher education), economic inequality, environmental protection, human rights, and Jewish causes. Under Alan Davis's leadership, the fund has shifted toward more aggressive grantmaking, particularly through its WhyNot Initiative social justice program and the Crisis Charitable Commitment, which encourages foundations and wealthy donors to significantly increase their charitable giving.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

WhyNot Initiative (Social Justice Program) The foundation's social change program focusing on:

  • Racial equity and Black-led organizations
  • Voting rights and democracy protection
  • Wealth inequality awareness

Crisis Charitable Commitment Launched July 2020, this initiative encourages foundations and donor-advised funds to distribute at least 6-10% of assets annually. To date, signers have increased giving by $690 million total, including $185.4 million for racial justice and $164.6 million to safeguard democracy.

Healthcare Access and Research Continuing Leonard Davis's legacy with support for:

  • University-based health economics research
  • Programs expanding healthcare access for underserved populations
  • Medical education and research institutions
  • Disease-specific foundations (Celiac Awareness, Cystic Fibrosis, etc.)

Higher Education Traditionally the fund's largest giving area, supporting:

  • Universities and colleges
  • Scholarship programs
  • Health professions education

Jewish Causes and Holocaust Remembrance

  • U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum (gifts exceeding $1 million)
  • America-Israel Cultural Foundation
  • American Friends of Israel Philharmonic Orchestra
  • Israel Institute of Technology
  • Hebrew educational institutions

Priority Areas

The foundation gives toward:

  • Democracy and Electoral Integrity: Voter registration, vote-by-mail administration, election security, progressive judicial policy
  • Racial Justice: Black-led organizations, civil rights, community activism
  • Healthcare: Access expansion, health economics research, medical education
  • Higher Education: Universities, particularly those advancing social justice
  • Economic Policy: Progressive economic reform, wealth inequality
  • Environmental Protection: Climate and conservation initiatives
  • Human Rights and Civil Liberties: Tolerance, inclusion, human rights advocacy
  • Jewish Philanthropy: Cultural, educational, and remembrance organizations

Recent Major Grant Recipients (2023)

  • Tides Foundation (San Francisco) - $3,600,000 for social service and educational programs
  • Florida Gulf Coast University - $1,500,000 for social service and educational programs
  • California Community Foundation (Los Angeles) - $1,100,000
  • San Francisco Foundation - $1,100,000
  • University of Pennsylvania's Leonard Davis Institute - $3,500,000 (2025) for healthcare access research

What They Don't Fund

Based on the foundation's progressive orientation, they likely do not fund:

  • Conservative political organizations
  • Organizations opposed to voting rights expansion
  • Anti-immigrant initiatives
  • Climate change denial organizations

However, explicit exclusions are not publicly documented.

Governance and Leadership

Alan S. Davis - President and CEO Son of Leonard and Sophie Davis, Alan leads both the foundation and its WhyNot Initiative. He serves on the advisory board of Patriotic Millionaires and is a member of Solidaire, a progressive donor collective. Under his leadership, the foundation dramatically increased annual giving from $12 million to $17 million during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Key Quote from Alan Davis: "Income is what we spend, and wealth is what we hoard. Rich people are hoarders... We have a major crisis. We have to get that money out the door to ameliorate it."

On increasing philanthropic impact: "Giving like you've never given before. And now! Each of us probably has a different sense of what is the number one need, but we should all agree that unless we increase the size of the pie, all we are doing is moving chess pieces around the board."

Mary Lou Dauray (Davis) - Vice President and CFO Wife of Alan Davis, she is described as a political fine artist focused on environmental causes.

James Hassan - Director

The foundation operates as a private family foundation with trustee discretion over grantmaking decisions.

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

This funder does not have a public application process. The Leonard And Sophie Davis Fund does not accept unsolicited proposals and is described as "not particularly accessible, especially to smaller organizations."

Grants are made at the discretion of the trustees, who proactively identify organizations aligned with the foundation's mission. The foundation appears to support established progressive organizations and institutions with which it has existing relationships or institutional connections.

Getting on Their Radar

Crisis Response and Collaborative Initiatives: The foundation significantly increased funding during COVID-19 and has demonstrated responsiveness to urgent societal needs. Organizations working in crisis response areas (democracy protection, racial justice, pandemic relief) aligned with progressive values may be more likely to receive consideration.

Pooled Funds and Fiscal Sponsors: The foundation makes substantial grants through intermediary organizations like:

  • Tides Foundation (largest 2023 recipient at $3.6 million)
  • California Community Foundation
  • San Francisco Foundation
  • New Venture Fund
  • Proteus Fund

Organizations working with these fiscal sponsors or collaborative funding initiatives may gain indirect access to Davis Fund support.

Progressive Networks: The foundation is connected to progressive donor networks including Solidaire and the Patriotic Millionaires. Organizations with visibility in these networks or recommended by peer funders may receive consideration.

University Partnerships: Given the foundation's strong support for higher education and health research, academic institutions with programs in health economics, social justice, or areas aligned with the fund's mission appear to be natural partners.

Decision Timeline

Not publicly disclosed. The foundation operates on a trustee-discretionary basis rather than fixed application cycles.

Success Rates

Not publicly disclosed. As an invitation-only funder, traditional success rate metrics are not applicable.

Spend-Down Status

Important Note: The foundation is currently spending down its assets, meaning it is intentionally increasing grantmaking levels and will eventually distribute all assets and close. This creates both urgency (increased giving now) but also a finite timeline for the foundation's operations. No specific end date has been publicly announced.

Application Success Factors

Since this foundation does not accept unsolicited applications, traditional "application success factors" do not apply. However, the following insights about the foundation's priorities and approach may be useful:

Progressive Values Alignment: The foundation explicitly supports "left-of-center organizations" and progressive causes. Alan Davis is actively involved in progressive donor networks and advocacy for increased philanthropic giving, particularly through the Crisis Charitable Commitment.

Crisis Response and Urgency: The foundation dramatically increased funding during COVID-19, demonstrating responsiveness to urgent societal needs. Alan Davis emphasized: "We have a major crisis. We have to get that money out the door to ameliorate it."

Established Organizations: Major grant recipients include well-known progressive organizations like Demos, American Constitution Society, FairVote, Center for American Progress, and institutional partners like major universities and community foundations.

Racial Justice Prioritization: Davis has acknowledged "previous inadequate funding to Black-led and racial justice groups" and made this a COVID-era priority, suggesting increased attention to Black-led organizations and racial equity work.

Democratic Infrastructure: During 2020, the foundation prioritized "voter registration, vote-by-mail administration, voter education, and election security," indicating strong support for democracy protection organizations.

Health Equity and Access: Continuing Leonard Davis's legacy, the foundation supports programs "empowering diverse voices in the health care field and expanding access to care for underserved populations."

Institutional Legacy Connections: The foundation maintains relationships with institutions connected to Leonard Davis's legacy, including the Leonard Davis Institute of Health Economics at the University of Pennsylvania and programs at various universities.

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  • No Public Application Process: This foundation does not accept unsolicited proposals; direct applications are not possible
  • Progressive Orientation: Explicitly supports left-of-center organizations; conservative or centrist organizations are not a fit
  • Spend-Down Mode: Foundation is intentionally increasing giving and will eventually close; this creates current opportunity but finite timeline
  • Intermediary Strategy: Consider partnerships with Tides Foundation, California Community Foundation, San Francisco Foundation, or other fiscal sponsors that receive significant Davis Fund support
  • Crisis Responsiveness: Foundation dramatically increased giving during COVID-19; demonstrates willingness to respond to urgent societal needs
  • Network Connections: Visibility in progressive donor networks (Solidaire, Patriotic Millionaires, Crisis Charitable Commitment signers) may increase likelihood of consideration
  • Racial Justice and Democracy Priority: Recent emphasis on Black-led organizations, voting rights, and democratic infrastructure
  • Relationship-Driven: Grantmaking based on trustee discretion and existing relationships rather than competitive process

References

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