The Leonard & Sophie Davis Fund
At a glance
This funder does not accept unsolicited applications. The foundation chooses the organisations it funds itself.
Key takeaways
- The filing says the Fund makes contributions only to preselected charitable organisations and does not accept unsolicited requests, so a small nonprofit should not send a cold proposal and should look for a warm introduction instead.
- Its stated concerns are racial justice, economic justice, and democracy and elections, so work that clearly sits in one of these areas is the strongest fit to show in any approach.
- Most of its grants fall between $20,000 and $460,000, with a median of $50,000, so a request in that region is typical, though the largest grant was about $4,600,000, so that band is not a ceiling.
- About 41% of the grant dollars it paid to organisations went to groups it had also funded in earlier filings, which suggests relationships matter a great deal, and the filing gives no deadlines to aim for.
Overview
The Leonard & Sophie Davis Fund 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 web pages about the foundation (tides.org), with every statement checked against those sources. Sources read on 12 October 2026.
Priority Areas
The Fund’s president describes its longstanding focus as racial and economic justice; he also says elections, democratic structures and people power have become important to its grantmaking. The filings record grants to charitable organisations, with nearly all purposes described broadly as support for social-service or educational programmes. Thus, the Fund’s own account identifies justice and democratic change as its stated concerns, while the filing’s grant descriptions do not disclose a narrower common project focus. Its application information says that contributions go only to preselected charitable organisations and that unsolicited requests are not accepted.
Themes
- Racial justice
- Economic justice
- Democracy and elections
Geographic Focus
No geographic focus is stated; the filings show grants mainly in California, New York, District of Columbia and Florida.
How to apply
The Fund does not accept unsolicited requests; it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organisations.
Application success factors
- Repeat giving: In its TY2024 filing, 41% 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 310 grants to organisations were $50,000 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: 4%
- The largest single recipient received 14% of grant dollars to organisations.
- In tax year 2024, 41% of grant dollars went to organisations The Leonard & Sophie Davis Fund had funded in earlier filings.
- No grants were paid directly to organisations outside the US.
- 46% of grant dollars went to intermediaries that regrant to other organisations.
Grants
How much do they typically give?
Share of 51 grants in tax year 2024 by size
Median $160k (tax year 2024)
The largest grants to organisations in the foundation’s latest filing:
- Tides Foundation · Support for social service programs or educational programs$4,605,0002024 tax year
- University of Southern California Leonard Davis School of Gerontology · Support for social service programs or educational programs$2,500,0002024 tax year
- San Francisco Foundation · Support for social service programs or educational programs$1,550,0002024 tax year
- Pennsylvania Alliance Foundation · Support for social service programs or educational programs$1,240,0002024 tax year
- Raymond F. Kravis Center · Support for social service programs or educational programs$1,125,0002024 tax year
- State Democracy Project · Support for social service programs or educational programs$1,120,0002024 tax year
- Focus for Democracy Fund · Support for social service programs or educational programs$1,100,0002024 tax year
- Accelerate Change · Support for social service programs or educational programs$1,100,0002024 tax year
Grants to organisations listed in the foundation’s Form 990-PF filings. Grants to individuals are not shown.
Officers and directors
- James Hassan — Director
- Mary Lou Davis — Chief Financial Officer
- Alan S Davis — Chief Executive Officer
From the latest Form 990-PF filing
3 years of tax filings
| Year | Total expenses | Grants paid | Assets | Filing document |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 tax year | $22,693,511 | $20,505,000 | $183,885,714 | Filing for 2022 tax year |
| 2023 tax year | $21,589,334 | $20,132,020 | $194,971,782 | Filing for 2023 tax year |
| 2024 tax year | $26,026,595 | $24,304,250 | $200,671,805 | 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
🎯 You've done the research. Now write an application they can't refuse.
Hinchilla combines funder's specific priorities with your organisation's past successful grants and AI analysis of what reviewers want to see.
Data privacy and security by default
Your organisation's past successful grants and experience
AI analysis of what reviewers want to see
A compelling draft application in 10 minutes instead of 10 hours
Spotted something that needs correcting? Let us know
At a glance
Applying to The Leonard & Sophie Davis Fund?
Hinchilla drafts your answers around this funder's priorities, using your organisation's own documents.
No credit card required
Contact
- San Francisco, CA
Applying to The Leonard & Sophie Davis Fund?
Hinchilla drafts your answers around this funder's priorities, using your organisation's own documents.
No credit card required
Contact
- San Francisco, CA