Dean and Margaret Lesher Foundation
Historical FunderWalnut Creek, California · EIN 68-0208980 · Private foundation
Grants paid (2025)$5.3M
Organizations funded64
Typical grant$25,000
Total assets$101.6M
Half of its grants to organizations were between $15,000 and $50,000.
From the return
How to apply
The foundation filed the following application information (Form 990-PF Part XV, tax year 2025):
| Contact | Devorah Levine Executive Director |
|---|---|
| Address | 1333 N California Blvd 575, Walnut Creek CA 94596 |
| Phone | 9259359988 |
| Form and materials | Provide a letter of inquiry articulating a specific project or program in mind. Submit the letter together with an application that must be obtained from the Foundation. |
| Deadlines | None |
| Restrictions | Grants are limited to projects and programs within Contra Costa County. |
Copied as filed. Deadlines on a tax return describe the foundation's usual process; they are not confirmation of a current open cycle.
What it funds
Share of grant lines on the latest return, classified from the purpose each grant states.
Where it gives
1% of grants went outside California.
Grants paid in tax year 2025
| Recipient | Location | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|
| Diablo Regional Arts Association | Walnut Creek, CA | General Support | $285,000 |
| John Muir Health Foundation | Walnut Creek, CA | John Muir Cancer Center | $200,000 |
| Friends of the Oakley Library | Oakley, CA | Capital Grant | $200,000 |
| Rubicon Programs Inc | Richmond, CA | Equipping East Bay Communities to Achieve Lasting Mobility | $110,000 |
| City of Walnut Creek | Walnut Creek, CA | Capital Improvements and Upgrades & Implementing New Strategic Plan | $100,000 |
| Bay Area Legal Aid | Oakland, CA | Contra Costa Legal Safety Net Project | $80,000 |
| Village Community Resource Center | Brentwood, CA | Post Pandemic Responsive Programming in East Contra Costa | $80,000 |
| California Symphony Orchestra | Walnut Creek, CA | General Operations for California Symphony 2022-2024 | $75,000 |
| Meals on Wheels of Contra Costa Inc | Martinez, CA | Meals for Homebound Elders in Contra Costa County | $75,000 |
| Richmond Community Foundation | Richmond, CA | Ensuring Opportunity Campaign to End Poverty in Contra Costa | $75,000 |
| The RYSE Center | Richmond, CA | Rooted and Rysing: Black and Brown Young People Leading in He | $75,000 |
| We Care Services for Children | Concord, CA | We Care Services for Children | $70,000 |
| SHELTER Inc | Concord, CA | Preventing and Ending Homelessness for Children, Women, and | $65,000 |
| Bay Area Rescue Mission | Richmond, CA | Love Without Limits Program | $55,000 |
| Jewish Family Community Services of | Berkeley, CA | General Support | $50,000 |
| Winter Nights Family Shelter Inc | Pleasant Hill, CA | Winter Nights Family Shelter | $50,000 |
| Arts Contra Costa County ARTSCCC | Richmond, CA | General Operations | $50,000 |
| Diablo Ballet | Walnut Creek, CA | General support | $50,000 |
| Mission Edge El Timpano | San Francisco, CA | Media designed for CCC Latinos | $50,000 |
| West County Public Educ Fund | Richmond, CA | General Support | $50,000 |
| Richmond Art Center | Richmond, CA | General Support | $45,000 |
| Trinity Center Walnut Creek | Walnut Creek, CA | Transformational Opportunities | $45,000 |
| Ujima Family Recovery Services | San Pablo, CA | General Support | $45,000 |
| United Way Bay Area | San Francisco, CA | SparkPoint Contra Costa | $40,000 |
| Girl Scouts of Northern California | Alameda, CA | Girl Scouts Discover Together / Increasing Access to Girl Scouting | $35,000 |
| Mt Diablo Education Foundation | Concord, CA | General Operations | $35,000 |
| Contra Costa Senior Legal Services | Concord, CA | Contra Costa Senior Legal Services (CCSLS) | $33,500 |
| Contra Costa County Library | Martinez, CA | Book Purchases at Juvenile Hall & Orin Allen Youth Rehabilitation | $33,000 |
| Mindful Life Project | Richmond, CA | Covid Related Grant Proposal for Martinez Un | $30,000 |
| Renaissance Entrepreneurship Center | San Francisco, CA | Creating Pathways to Economic Vitality for Lower-Income Contra Costa Residents | $30,000 |
| Immigration Institute of the Bay Ar | San Francisco, CA | CARE Fund grant | $28,000 |
| Headwaters Science Institute | Soda Springs, CA | School-Based Research Experience for Richmond Students | $25,000 |
| St Mary's College of California | Moraga, CA | Dean and Margaret Lesher Foundation Scholarship for Teacher P | $25,000 |
| Habitat for Humanity East BaySilico | Oakland, CA | General Support | $25,000 |
| Hidden Genius Project | Richmond, CA | Intensive Immersion program | $25,000 |
| Shotgun Players Inc | Berkeley, CA | General Support | $25,000 |
| Child Abuse Prevention Council | Concord, CA | Child abuse prevention council general support | $20,000 |
| Community Resources for Science | Berkeley, CA | Activating wonder for elementary success through science | $20,000 |
| The Basic Fund | Oakland, CA | Scholarships | $20,000 |
| Parents of African American Achieve | Pittsburg, CA | General Support | $18,000 |
| Contra Costa College | San Pablo, CA | Vocal and piano showcase & children's concernt | $16,700 |
| Kennedy-King Memorial College Schol | Martinez, CA | Kennedy-King General ScholarshipKennedy-King General Scholarship | $16,000 |
| Community Education Partnerships | Berkeley, CA | CEP academic support and mentoring | $15,000 |
| Lions Center for the Visually Impai | Pittsburg, CA | General Support | $15,000 |
| Marine Science Institute | Redwood City, CA | General Support | $15,000 |
| Contra Costa County Office of Educa | Pleasant Hill, CA | CCCOE, Center for Community Arts & Lesher Foundation Partnership 2023 | $15,000 |
| Contra Costa Historical Society | Martinez, CA | Digital Upgrade | $15,000 |
| Hester Savage Fund for Equity in Cl | Dublin, CA | CARE Fund Grant | $15,000 |
| NIAD Art Center | Richmond, CA | General Support | $15,000 |
| Project Avary | San Rafael, CA | Improving the Lives of Children with Parents in Prison | $10,000 |
| Walnut Creek Library Foundation | Walnut Creek, CA | Childrens Area Refresh & Childrens Programs | $10,000 |
| Sweet Beginnings Social Good Fund | Martinez, CA | General Support | $10,000 |
| Contra Costa Wind Symphony | Walnut Creek, CA | Contra Costa Wind Symphony Support | $9,000 |
| Earth Island Institute | Berkeley, CA | Education program | $7,500 |
| United Latino Voices of Contra Cost | Pittsburg, CA | CARE Fund grant | $7,500 |
| Council on Foundations | Washington, DC | General Support | $6,500 |
| Aim High for High School | San Francisco, CA | Expanding Aim High Magic in Richmond: 2023 & 2024 Middle School Summer Enrichment | $5,000 |
| REading ADvantage Inc | Brentwood, CA | Read Me A Story | $5,000 |
| Via Rehabilitation Services Inc | Santa Clara, CA | Camperships for Contra Costa County Youths with Developmental | $5,000 |
| Beat the Streets Inc | Antioch, CA | CARE fund grant | $5,000 |
Showing the 60 largest of 64 grants to organizations.
The return also lists 64 grants to individuals ($2,615,100). We do not publish the names of individual recipients.
Giving by year
| Tax year | Grants paid | Grant lines |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $5,300,800 | 128 |
| 2024 | $5,529,375 | 139 |
| 2023 | $4,956,200 | 126 |
Sources
- IRS Form 990-PF, tax year 2025, filed Aug 25, 2026 - IRS e-file batch, object ID 202612379349100611
- IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search for EIN 68-0208980
- Profile updated Nov 5, 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.