Chamberlin Family Foundation
/OVERVIEW: The Chamberlin Family Foundation's Bay Area grantmaking focuses on Richmond and West Contra Costa County. The foundation has a particular interest in improving education systems.
IP TAKE: The foundation has web presence but does not accept unsolicited proposals.
PROFILE: Established in 2006, the Chamberlin Family Foundation is the foundation of Susan and Steve Chamberlin. Steve is the founder and chairman of Chamberlin Associates, a commercial development firm in the Bay Area. Susan, meanwhile, worked in architecture and project management. The foundation aims to "invest in people and ideas that create transformational and sustainable change in K-12 public education where inequitable opportunities impede student potential." Its grantmaking focus areas are public schools, teachers and leaders and community education advocacy.
The foundation supports public education through grants that serve high-needs students. It supports teachers and education leaders in West Contra Costa as well. Community advocacy grants go to grassroots groups that assist students, parents, and schools. Grantees have included California Charter Schools Association, KIPP Bay Area, Silicon Schools Fund, Berkeley Chess School, Teach for America - Bay Area, and New Leaders, "a national nonprofit that develops transformational school leaders and designs effective leadership policies and practices for school systems across the country." An important grantee here is Richmond Promise. The foundation has given at least $1 million to support the organization which provides "local students with academic and financial support they will need to succeed in college and obtain well-paid employment."
In recent years, the foundation has given away a few million dollars per a year. While grants have been as high as $1 million, most remain below $25,000. Review the funder’s recent tax records to learn more about local giving. The Chamberlin Foundation's grantmaking centers on areas where they family has personal ties, including the city of Richmond, and the surrounding region of West Contra Costa County. Outside of California, a component of the family's giving takes place in Hawaii, where the Chamberlins grew up and met.
The foundation does not accept unsolicited proposals from nonprofits. Direct general questions to the foundation staff via online form.
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