Crankstart Foundation
Invitation OnlySan Jose, California · EIN 94-3377099 · Private foundation
Grants paid (2024)$201.3M
Organizations funded435
Typical grant$250,000
Total assets$4.4B
Half of its grants to organizations were between $75,000 and $500,000.
From the return
How to apply
On its return for tax year 2024 the foundation checked the box saying it only makes contributions to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds.
What it funds
Share of grant lines on the latest return, classified from the purpose each grant states.
Where it gives
25% of grants went outside California.
Grants paid in tax year 2024
| Recipient | Location | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|
| Merit America | Washington, DC | To support workforce opportunities in the bay area for workers who will benefit from tech training | $10,500,000 |
| Arc Research Institute | Palo Alto, CA | To advance research to understand complex human diseases | $10,000,000 |
| Ucsf Foundation | San Francisco, CA | To support the ucsf health workforce initiative | $9,100,000 |
| Pro Publica Inc | New York, NY | For the capital campaign | $5,000,000 |
| San Francisco Foundation | San Francisco, CA | For the india basin waterfront park project fund | $5,000,000 |
| Neo Philanthropy Inc | New York, NY | To support more equitable democracy to support and expand the electoral justice initiative | $3,000,000 |
| San Francisco Foundation | San Francisco, CA | For the crankstart giving fund daf | $3,000,000 |
| The Affordability Project Inc | San Francisco, CA | To create affordable homes at 5250 third street in san francisco | $3,000,000 |
| Uaspire Inc | Boston, MA | To support the san francisco crankstart scholarship initiative | $3,000,000 |
| Voter Registration Project | Washington, DC | To support the everybody votes campaign (evc) | $3,000,000 |
| National Center for Youth Law | Oakland, CA | To support the youth justice initiative | $2,400,000 |
| San Francisco Foundation | San Francisco, CA | To fund the employee giving alignment program | $2,300,000 |
| Alliance for Safety and Justice | Oakland, CA | For the expungement initiative | $2,000,000 |
| Climateworks Foundation | San Francisco, CA | To decarbonize maritime shipping | $2,000,000 |
| George Washington University | Washington, DC | To support the multiracial democracy project to advance proportional representation | $2,000,000 |
| The San Francisco Foundation | San Francisco, CA | To the india basin waterfront park equitable development plan fund for neighborhood beautification | $2,000,000 |
| Booker Prize Foundation | London, UK | Year 6 (2024) of the 5 year pledge for general support | $1,930,580 |
| A Better Chicago | Chicago, IL | To fund bold ideas that create opportunity for chicago youth | $1,850,000 |
| The Nature Conservancy | Sacramento, CA | To protect, restore, and sustainably manage the worlds mangrove forests | $1,829,667 |
| Bay Area Community Services | Oakland, CA | For keep oakland housed | $1,500,000 |
| East Bay Asian Local Development Corporation | Oakland, CA | To support organizational sustainability and production and preservation of affordable housing | $1,500,000 |
| International Refugee Assistance Project | New York City, NY | To support the bay area family reunification initiative | $1,500,000 |
| Louis D Brandeis Center Inc | Washington, DC | For general support | $1,500,000 |
| Pro Publica Inc | New York, NY | General support | $1,500,000 |
| Spanish-Speaking Unity Council of Alameda County Inc | Oakland, CA | To provide culturally relevant programs and services to low income oakland residents | $1,500,000 |
| Prism the Gift Fund | London, UK | To support hurricane fund | $1,292,480 |
| Rockefeller Family Fund | New York, NY | For funder collaborative on oil and gas to promote increased accountability among US oil & gas companies regarding environmental cleanup… | $1,250,000 |
| Rockefeller Family Fund | New York, NY | For funder collaborative on oil and gas to work on oil and gas projects in corpus christi | $1,150,000 |
| San Francisco Education Fund | San Francisco, CA | To support the literacy coalition in expanding its collaborative pilot to priority sfusd elementary schools | $1,125,000 |
| California Immigrant Policy Center | Los Angeles, CA | For the advancing representation in california initiative | $1,100,000 |
| Casa | Hyattsville, MD | To support the temporary protected status initiative | $1,100,000 |
| California Calls Education Fund | Los Angeles, CA | To continue supporting the civic engagement of marginalized communities in california | $1,000,000 |
| Centro Legal de LA Raza Inc | Oakland, CA | To support the bay area family reunification initiative | $1,000,000 |
| Civic Space Foundation | San Francisco, CA | To support the civic joy fund | $1,000,000 |
| Climate and Clean Energy Equity Fund | Washington, DC | To continue advancing structural policy change and advancing community-driven priorities for climate action and clean energy transition | $1,000,000 |
| Cornell University | Ithaca, NY | To support the mggg redistricting lab to advance proportional representation | $1,000,000 |
| Edvance | San Francisco, CA | To expand higher education pipelines for early childhood educators | $1,000,000 |
| Ella Baker Center for Human Rights in California | Oakland, CA | To support the ca racial justice act initiative | $1,000,000 |
| Everytown for Gun Safety Support Fund Inc | New York, NY | General support | $1,000,000 |
| Hope Chicago Inc | Chicago, IL | To provide debt-free postsecondary pathways for chicago students and parents | $1,000,000 |
| Huckleberry Youth Programs Inc | San Francisco, CA | To participate in the sf youth justice initiative | $1,000,000 |
| Mission Asset Fund | San Francisco, CA | To transition bay area daca recipients to other forms of legal status | $1,000,000 |
| Monterey Bay Aquarium Foundation | Monterey, CA | To support research and conservation | $1,000,000 |
| Non-Profit Housing Association of Northern California | San Francisco, CA | To increase affordable housing in the region through policy advocacy | $1,000,000 |
| Pico California | Los Angeles, CA | To continue supporting the civic engagement of marginalized communities in california | $1,000,000 |
| San Francisco District Attorney's Office | San Francisco, CA | San francisco healing justice initiative | $1,000,000 |
| San Francisco Housing Accelerator Fund | San Francisco, CA | To support innovations in affordable housing development and policy in san francisco | $1,000,000 |
| Standwithus Center for Legal Justice | Los Angeles, CA | For general support | $1,000,000 |
| State Democracy Project | Brooklyn, NY | For pro-democracy center to advance free and fair elections in key states | $1,000,000 |
| Tides Center | Los Angeles, CA | To support all home's regional efforts to prevent and end homelessness | $1,000,000 |
| Ufw Foundation | Los Angeles, CA | To continue providing direct services and empowerment opportunities to california farm workers | $1,000,000 |
| Way to Rise | Washington, DC | To support voter engagement and mobilization | $1,000,000 |
| Root & Rebound | Oakland, CA | For the expungement initiative | $900,000 |
| Social and Environmental Entrepreneurs | Calabasas, CA | For wren collective to support the indigent defense initiative | $850,000 |
| 3Rd Street Youth Center & Clinic | San Francisco, CA | To support health, development, and stable housing for young people | $750,000 |
| 826 Valencia | San Francisco, CA | To support writing education for low-income san francisco youth | $750,000 |
| Bay Area Community Services Inc | Oakland, CA | To provide stable housing for residents in oakland | $750,000 |
| Chinatown Community Development Center Inc | San Francisco, CA | To support low-income san franciscans and development of affordable housing | $750,000 |
| Code for America Labs | San Francisco, CA | To strengthen safety net benefits delivery for low-income california residents | $750,000 |
| Cornell University | Ithaca, NY | To support cornell law school's bay area daca initiative to build the infrastructure needed for daca recipients to transition to other… | $750,000 |
Showing the 60 largest of 435 grants to organizations.
Grants approved for future payment
| Recipient | Location | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|
| Booker Prize Foundation | London, | General support | $11,614,418 |
| Climateworks Foundation | San Francisco, CA | To decarbonize maritime shipping | $4,750,000 |
| A Better Chicago | Chicago, IL | To fund bold ideas that create opportunity for chicago youth | $3,700,000 |
| The Nature Conservancy | Sacramento, CA | To protect, restore, and sustainably manage the worlds mangrove forests | $3,659,334 |
| Rockefeller Family Fund | New York, NY | For funder collaborative on oil and gas to promote increased accountability among US oil & gas companies regarding environmental cleanup… | $2,500,000 |
| Rockefeller Family Fund | New York, NY | For funder collaborative on oil and gas to work on oil and gas projects in corpus christi | $2,300,000 |
| California Immigrant Policy Center | Los Angeles, CA | For the advancing representation in california initiative | $2,200,000 |
| Cornell University | Ithaca, NY | To support the mggg redistricting lab to advance proportional representation | $2,000,000 |
| Social and Environmental Entrepreneurs | Calabasas, CA | For wren collective to support the indigent defense initiative | $1,700,000 |
| 826 Valencia | San Francisco, CA | To support writing education for low-income san francisco youth | $1,500,000 |
| International Refugee Assistance Project | New York City, NY | To support the bay area family reunification initiative | $1,500,000 |
| Jewish Vocational & Career Counseling Service | San Francisco, CA | To support low income job seekers in accessing career training to achieve economic mobility | $1,500,000 |
| Neo Philanthropy Inc | New York, NY | To support more equitable democracy to support and expand the electoral justice initiative | $1,500,000 |
| Tides Advocacy | San Francisco, CA | To support reentry providers association of california for the expungement initiative | $1,300,000 |
| Center for Biological Diversity Inc | Tucson, AZ | To promote increased accountability among US oil & gas companies regarding environmental cleanup expenses | $1,250,000 |
| New York University | New York, NY | To support the state energy & environmental impact center to promote increased accountability among US oil & gas companies regarding… | $1,250,000 |
| National Center for Youth Law | Oakland, CA | To support the youth justice initiative | $1,200,000 |
| San Francisco Education Fund | San Francisco, CA | To support the literacy coalition in expanding its collaborative pilot to priority sfusd elementary schools | $1,125,000 |
| Alliance for Safety and Justice | Oakland, CA | For the expungement initiative | $1,000,000 |
| Edvance | San Francisco, CA | To expand higher education pipelines for early childhood educators | $1,000,000 |
| George Washington University | Washington, DC | To support the multiracial democracy project to advance proportional representation | $1,000,000 |
| Hope Chicago Inc | Chicago, IL | To provide debt-free postsecondary pathways for chicago students and parents | $1,000,000 |
| San Francisco Housing Accelerator Fund | San Francisco, CA | To support innovations in affordable housing development and policy in san francisco | $1,000,000 |
| Earthjustice | San Francisco, CA | To reduce oil & gas production and extraction projects in corpus christi | $900,000 |
| League of Conservation Voters | Washington, DC | For chispa texas to reduce oil & gas production and extraction projects in corpus christi | $900,000 |
| Texas Campaign for the Environment Fund | Austin, TX | To reduce oil & gas production and extraction projects in corpus christi | $900,000 |
| Tides Foundation | Los Angeles, CA | For smart justice california education fund to support the indigent defense initiative | $900,000 |
| Conservation International Foundation | Arlington, VA | To protect, restore, and sustainably manage the worlds mangrove forests | $751,334 |
| 3Rd Street Youth Center & Clinic | San Francisco, CA | To support health, development, and stable housing for young people | $750,000 |
| Bay Area Community Services Inc | Oakland, CA | To provide stable housing for residents in oakland | $750,000 |
| Chinatown Community Development Center Inc | San Francisco, CA | To support low-income san franciscans and development of affordable housing | $750,000 |
| Code for America Labs | San Francisco, CA | To strengthen safety net benefits delivery for low-income california residents | $750,000 |
| Enterprise Community Partners Inc | San Francisco, CA | To strengthen the regions affordable housing system | $750,000 |
| Groundswell Fund | San Francisco, CA | To support reproductive justice | $750,000 |
| Healthright 360 | San Francisco, CA | To support low income individuals with medical care, behavioral health services, and substance use disorder treatment | $750,000 |
| Larkin Street Youth Services | San Francisco, CA | To support unhoused and at-risk youth | $750,000 |
| Mission Economic Development Agency | San Francisco, CA | To support the creation and preservation of housing opportunities for low-income san franciscans | $750,000 |
| Non-Profit Housing Association of Northern California | San Francisco, CA | To increase affordable housing in the region through policy advocacy | $750,000 |
| Tenderloin Neighborhood Development Corporation | San Francisco, CA | To support organizational expansion, supportive services, and housing retention in san francisco | $750,000 |
| Uaspire Inc | Boston, MA | To increase completion of the college financial aid process | $750,000 |
| Immigrant Legal Resource Center | San Francisco, CA | For the advancing representation in california initiative | $700,000 |
| Young Community Developers | San Francisco, CA | To participate in the sf youth justice initiative | $600,000 |
| Regents of the University of California at Berkeley | Berkeley, CA | To support ucb school of education to increase capacity to train veteran teachers to gain national board certification | $540,000 |
| Alameda Health Consortium | San Leandro, CA | To support the recruitment and retention of member clinics healthcare workforce | $500,000 |
| Center for Employment Opportunities | New York, NY | To improve job retention and long-term outcomes in the bay area | $500,000 |
| Destiny Arts Center | Oakland, CA | To provide arts education to oakland and san francisco youth | $500,000 |
| Families in Action for Quality Education | Oakland, CA | To support lit for literacy campaign to advance oakland student literacy outcomes | $500,000 |
| Growth Sector Company | San Francisco, CA | To grow a youth apprenticeship program in san francisco and oakland leading to engineering jobs at caltrans | $500,000 |
| Hamilton Families | San Francisco, CA | To provide stable housing for families in san francisco | $500,000 |
| Huckleberry Youth Programs Inc | San Francisco, CA | To participate in the sf youth justice initiative | $500,000 |
| Immigrants Rising | San Francisco, CA | To advance equity in college affordability for california immigrants and support immigrant entrepreneurs | $500,000 |
| LA Cocina Inc | San Francisco, CA | To support small food entrepreneurs in san francisco | $500,000 |
| Management Leadership for Tomorrow | Bethesda, MD | To support career advising and coaching for san francisco students | $500,000 |
| Mercy Housing California | San Francisco, CA | To mercy housing california to support operations and programming at the sunnydale hub | $500,000 |
| Mission Area Health Associates Dba Mission Neighborhood Health Center | San Francisco, CA | To provide quality health services to low-income communities | $500,000 |
| Mission Bit | San Francisco, CA | To support computer science coursework for san francisco students | $500,000 |
| President and Fellows of Harvard College | Cambridge, MA | To support the harvard law school election law clinic to advance proportional representation | $500,000 |
| Safe & Sound | San Francisco, CA | To support the family services alliance to better meet the needs of san francisco families | $500,000 |
| San Francisco Arts Education Project | San Francisco, CA | To support arts education for low-income san francisco youth | $500,000 |
| San Francisco Community Clinic Consortium | San Francisco, CA | For support of the community health worker training program in their member clinics | $500,000 |
Giving by year
| Tax year | Grants paid | Grant lines |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $201,283,740 | 588 |
| 2023 | $203,617,328 | 492 |
Sources
- IRS Form 990-PF, tax year 2024, filed Nov 13, 2025 - IRS e-file batch, object ID 202543179349103724
- IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search for EIN 94-3377099
- Profile updated Nov 4, 2026
Facts on this page come from the foundation's own IRS Form 990-PF filings as published by the IRS. Grantvello does not know whether a foundation is accepting proposals right now: a past grant is not an open opportunity. Always confirm current guidelines with the funder before applying.