Ernest Gallo Foundation

Private foundation · EIN 94-6061537 · since 1958·California, Indiana·Updated 13 October 2026

At a glance

$3.7M

Annual giving, 2023 tax year

From the Form 990-PF filing

$2,500 to $1.4M

Grant range

From grants in the 990-PF filings

$50,000

Typical grant (median)

9 grants in the latest filing

Invitation only

Unsolicited applications are not accepted

This funder does not accept unsolicited applications. The foundation chooses the organisations it funds itself.

Key takeaways

The foundation states that it does not accept unsolicited requests, so a small nonprofit should not send a cold proposal and should look first for an introduction or an invitation.
Its grants mainly support general operations, with some support for rare-disease research and for performing arts education and activities, so general operating support or work in those areas is the closest fit.
Half of its 18 grants to organisations across its two most recent filings were $30,000 or less, and the typical band, where about 8 in 10 grants fall, runs from $2,500 to $1,400,000, though its largest grant was $2,000,000, so a modest request is the realistic starting point.
In the filing, 96% of grant dollars to organisations went to organisations it had also funded before, which suggests that its giving is relationship-led and hard for newcomers to win.
Its filings show grants mainly in Indiana and California, but no geographic focus is stated, so do not assume that an area is required.

Overview

Ernest Gallo Foundation is a US private foundation based in Modesto, CA.

What they fund

Profile based on the foundation's IRS Form 990-PF filings (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 filings show grants mainly for general operations, alongside support for rare-disease research and performing arts education and activities. Recipients include a university, a children's health foundation, youth advocates, community-service organisations, an arts centre, a community foundation and a religious order. The grant record therefore spans educational and health-related institutions, youth and community services, arts and religious organisations. It does not state a general funding field or eligibility criteria for applicants. Most recorded grants are for general operations; the other stated purposes are to facilitate research on rare diseases and to support performing arts education and activities.

Geographic Focus

No geographic focus is stated; the filings show grants mainly in Indiana and California.

How to apply

The foundation states that it does not accept unsolicited requests.

Application success factors

Repeat giving: In its TY2023 filing, 96% of its grant dollars to organisations went to organisations it had also funded in its TY2022 filing.
Grant size: Across its TY2022 and TY2023 filings, half of its 18 grants to organisations were $30,000 or less.

Where grants go

From grants to organisations in the foundation’s filings for tax years 2022–2023.

Grant dollars by state

Indiana54%

California46%

Texas<1%

The largest single recipient received 54% of grant dollars to organisations.
In tax year 2023, 96% of grant dollars went to organisations Ernest Gallo 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

9 grants in the latest filing analysed · median $50,000

How much do they typically give?

Share of 9 grants in tax year 2023 by size

Under $1k11%

$1k–$2.5k0%

$2.5k–$5k11%

$5k–$10k0%

$10k–$25k0%

$25k–$50k22%

$50k–$100k11%

$100k–$250k22%

$250k–$500k0%

$500k–$1M0%

$1M and over22%

Median $50,000 (tax year 2023)

The largest grants to organisations in the foundation’s latest filing:

University of Notre Dame · General operations
$2,000,0002023 tax year
Lucile Packard Foundation for Children's Health · General operations
$1,400,0002023 tax year
Jordan's Guardian Angels · General operations
$100,0002023 tax year
John Burton Advocates for Youth · General operations
$100,0002023 tax year
Mark Stephen Gallo Memorial Fund · General operations
$50,0002023 tax year
United Samaritans Foundation · General operations
$30,0002023 tax year
Gallo Center for the Arts · General operations
$25,0002023 tax year
Stanislaus Community Foundation · General operations
$2,5002023 tax year

Grants to organisations listed in the foundation’s Form 990-PF filings. Grants to individuals are not shown.

Officers and directors

Christopher D Gallo — Vice President
Ernest J Gallo — Vice President
Mary C Gallo — Treasurer
Matthew I Friedrich — Secretary
Joseph E Gallo — President

From the latest Form 990-PF filing

2 years of tax filings

Year	Total expenses	Grants paid	Assets	Filing document
2022 tax year	$2,276,437	$1,889,500	$55,136,809	Filing for 2022 tax year
2023 tax year	$4,084,475	$3,708,000	$63,333,514	Filing for 2023 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

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