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Ernest Gallo Foundation

Annual Giving
$3.7M
Grant Range
$1K - $1.0M

Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: $3.7 million (2024)
  • Total Assets: $43.3 million (2024)
  • Grant Range: $500 - $1,000,000
  • Number of Awards: 9 annually (recent years)
  • Geographic Focus: Primarily California (especially Modesto region), with select national institutions
  • Application Policy: No unsolicited applications accepted

Contact Details

Ernest Gallo Foundation Modesto, CA EIN: 94-6061537

Note: The foundation does not have a public website, email, or phone number for grant inquiries.

Overview

Established in 1955 by Ernest Gallo, co-founder of the E. & J. Gallo Winery, the Ernest Gallo Foundation is a private foundation with approximately $43.3 million in total assets and annual giving of $3.7 million. The foundation continues the philanthropic legacy of Ernest Gallo, who passed away in 2007, supporting organizations in the fields of education, healthcare, religion, and the performing arts. The foundation typically makes 8-9 grants annually, ranging from moderate gifts to substantial seven-figure awards. Major historical contributions include founding the Ernest Gallo Clinic & Research Center at UCSF in 1980 (focusing on neuroscience and alcohol's effects on the brain), and establishing endowed professorships at Stanford University and other institutions. The foundation operates as a traditional family foundation with all-volunteer governance by members of the Gallo family.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

The foundation does not have structured grant programs with defined application cycles. All grants are awarded through trustee discretion to preselected organizations.

Typical Grant Sizes:

  • Small to Medium Grants: $500 - $100,000
  • Major Grants: $600,000 - $1,000,000

Priority Areas

Based on historical giving patterns and stated focus areas:

  • Higher Education: Major research universities and medical schools, including endowed professorships and general operational support
  • Healthcare: Children's hospitals, medical research centers, and health-related nonprofits (particularly neuroscience and rare disease research)
  • Religion: Support for religious institutions and faith-based organizations
  • Performing Arts: Arts organizations and cultural institutions
  • Local Community Support: Organizations serving the Modesto, CA region and other locations with Gallo Winery operations (Fresno, Livingston, Napa, Sonoma in California; Chester County, South Carolina; Canandaigua, New York)

Recent Grant Recipients (2023):

  • University of Notre Dame: $1,000,000 for General Operations
  • Lucile Packard Foundation for Children's Health: $667,000 for General Operations
  • Jordan's Guardian Angels: $100,000 to facilitate research on rare diseases

Historical Major Gifts:

  • 2008: $800,000 to University of Notre Dame
  • 2008: $600,000 to Stanford University
  • 2008: $3.835 million to Lucile Packard Foundation for Children's Health
  • 1980: Multi-million dollar gift to establish Ernest Gallo Clinic and Research Center at UCSF

What They Don't Fund

Given their preselected approach and historical patterns:

  • The foundation does not respond to unsolicited applications
  • Organizations without existing connections to the Gallo family or their business interests are unlikely to be considered
  • The foundation appears to focus on established institutions rather than startup organizations

Governance and Leadership

The Ernest Gallo Foundation is governed entirely by members of the Gallo family, with all officers serving without compensation:

Current Officers:

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

The foundation has zero employees, operating as an all-volunteer family foundation with investment management and administrative support handled externally.

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

This foundation does not have a public application process. The foundation explicitly states that it "only makes contributions to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds."

Grants are awarded at the discretion of the trustees to organizations the Gallo family has identified through their own networks, business connections, and personal relationships.

Getting on Their Radar

The Ernest Gallo Foundation operates through pre-existing relationships with the Gallo family and their business interests. Based on their giving patterns, organizations most likely to receive consideration have:

  • Geographic connections: Organizations headquartered in or serving communities where E. & J. Gallo Winery has operations (Modesto, Fresno, Livingston, Napa, Sonoma in California; Chester County, SC; Canandaigua, NY)
  • Institutional relationships: Established relationships with major universities where family members have attended or served on boards
  • Family connections: Personal connections to Gallo family members through board service, social networks, or business relationships
  • Alignment with legacy interests: Organizations advancing neuroscience research, children's health, or causes championed by Ernest Gallo during his lifetime

Organizations seeking to build awareness with the foundation should note that Stephanie Gallo (a family member) recently joined the UC Merced Foundation Board of Trustees in 2025, suggesting potential interest in that institution.

Decision Timeline

Not applicable - the foundation does not accept applications. Grant decisions are made at trustee meetings throughout the year based on organizations they have identified.

Success Rates

Not applicable due to the invitation-only nature of grants.

Reapplication Policy

Not applicable - organizations cannot apply or reapply as there is no public application process.

Application Success Factors

Since the foundation does not accept unsolicited applications, the following factors appear to influence which organizations receive support:

For Organizations Already Known to the Foundation:

  1. Long-term institutional relationships: The foundation demonstrates loyalty to institutions they have supported historically, particularly Notre Dame, Stanford, UCSF, and Lucile Packard Foundation for Children's Health

  2. Flexible funding requests: Recent grants show preference for "General Operations" support rather than highly restricted project funding, suggesting the foundation trusts grantee organizations to allocate funds appropriately

  3. Alignment with founder's legacy: Ernest Gallo's personal interests in neuroscience, children's health, education, and the arts continue to guide funding decisions

  4. Geographic connection: Organizations serving communities where the Gallo family has business or personal ties receive consideration

  5. Major institutional capacity: The foundation tends to support established, well-known institutions with significant operational capacity rather than small grassroots organizations

  6. Research orientation: Multiple grants support medical and scientific research, particularly in neuroscience and rare diseases

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  • This foundation does not accept unsolicited proposals - do not submit applications or letters of inquiry unless you have been specifically invited to do so
  • The Ernest Gallo Foundation operates through trustee discretion, awarding grants only to preselected organizations with existing relationships to the Gallo family
  • Organizations with the strongest chance of support have geographic ties to Gallo Winery communities (especially Modesto, CA) or long-standing relationships with the family
  • The foundation makes relatively few grants annually (8-9) but they can be substantial, ranging from $500 to over $1 million
  • Focus areas include higher education, healthcare (especially children's health and neuroscience), religion, and performing arts
  • Recent grants emphasize unrestricted general operating support rather than project-specific funding
  • The foundation continues to honor Ernest Gallo's legacy, particularly his interests in neuroscience research and medical education
  • All officers are Gallo family members serving without compensation, indicating this is a traditional family foundation likely to continue supporting causes aligned with family values and interests

References

  1. Cause IQ - Ernest Gallo Foundation Profile, https://www.causeiq.com/organizations/ernest-gallo-foundation,946061537/ (accessed January 14, 2026)

  2. ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer - Ernest Gallo Foundation, https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/946061537 (accessed January 14, 2026)

  3. Wikipedia - Ernest Gallo, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ernest_Gallo (accessed January 14, 2026)

  4. UCSF News - "UCSF Acknowledges Generosity of Late Ernest Gallo" (March 2007), https://www.ucsf.edu/news/2007/03/102374/ucsf-acknowledges-generosity-late-ernest-gallo (accessed January 14, 2026)

  5. Instrumentl - Ernest Gallo Foundation 990 Report, https://www.instrumentl.com/990-report/ernest-gallo-foundation (accessed January 14, 2026)

  6. Stanislaus Community Foundation - Gallo Giving, https://www.stanislauscf.org/gallogiving (accessed January 14, 2026)

  7. IRS Form 990-PF filings for Ernest Gallo Foundation (tax years 2022-2024), available through ProPublica and other nonprofit databases

  8. UC Merced News - "Winery Executive Stephanie Gallo Joins UC Merced Foundation Board of Trustees" (2025), https://news.ucmerced.edu/news/2025/winery-executive-stephanie-gallo-joins-uc-merced-foundation-board-trustees (accessed January 14, 2026)

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