Wayne and Gladys Valley Foundation

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OVERVIEW: The Wayne and Gladys Valley Foundation supports education at all levels, Catholic organizations, medical research, health care, parks and recreation and youth programs in the East Bay Area and throughout California.

IP TAKE: Since the Wayne and Gladys Valley Foundation is terminating soon, the board of directors is approving larger grant awards than usual. Pitch a capital grant proposal to build a new facility or upgrade equipment because these are major components of the wind-down strategy. This is an approachable funder that provides multi-year support for the same organizations over time. While many grants stay in the foundation’s hometown, it does fund nationally on occasion, although these are rare. The foundation accepts unsolicited applications via USPS, and it invites potential grantees to reach out with questions at info@wgvalley.org.

PROFILE: Established in 1977, the Wayne and Gladys Valley Foundation supports the East Bay Area of California. Wayne Valley was the founder and majority owner of Citation Builders, a San Leandro developer that became one of the largest single-family homebuilders in California. After Wayne and Gladys passed away, the board of directors unanimously voted in 2003 to terminate the foundation with a wind-down process. To implement this wind-down process, the foundation is awarding grants that are larger than usual. Funding interest areas include education at all levels, Catholic organizations, medical research, health care, parks and recreation, and youth programs.

Grants for the Bay Area and Community Development

The Wayne and Gladys Valley Foundation supports many capital improvement projects to construct new facilities and upgrade equipment. The foundation awards grants for programs aimed at improving medical research, health care, park recreation, and youth services in the Bay Area, although there is not as much of a budget for these areas of interest.

Valley’s community development giving is limited to Alameda and Contra Costa counties in California. The foundation has consistently supported Alameda County Community Food Bank, the Alameda Boys and Girls Club, and it has given at least $600,000 to the Alameda County Library. It has provided steady support for Bay Area Learning Disability Foundation, Bay Area Rescue Mission, Oakland Children’s Fairyland, and Insight Housing in Berkley.  

Grants for Higher Education and K-12 Education

The Valley Foundation is a strong supporter of higher education across California, although it has given substantial sums to schools in Oregon too. The foundation gave $30 million to University of California, San Francisco to create the Wayne and Gladys Valley Center for Vision. It also helped establish the Gladys Valley Marine Studies Building at Oregon State University. The foundation gave $15 million to Santa Clara University in 2004 to help with construction of its library. Other recent grants of $5 million dollars have gone to both California State University, East Bay and University of California, Davis.

The foundation does not give to K-12 schools as frequently or in the amounts it allocates to higher education, but there are some exceptions. It has given over $30 million to Bellarmine College Preparatory and over $20 million to Bishop O'Dowd High School over the years. It has also given at least $10 million to Milton-Freewater Unified School District No.7 in Oregon. Other grantees include Saint Elizabeth Elementary School, Corpus Christi School, Redwood Day School, and Salesian College Preparatory, all of which are located in California.

Grants for Public Health and Access, Science Research, and Diseases

Valley’s healthcare grantmaking goes to both large and small organizations. It has given $4.5 million to Alameda Health System, $2 million to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, and steady support for Bay Area Tumor Institute has totaled hundreds of thousands of dollars. Other groups that have received support include Bay Point Family Health, Lucile Packard Foundation for Children's Health, Mercy Retirement & Care Center, and UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospitals.

The foundation’s disease grantmaking typically goes to two primary causes: ophthalmology and Alzheimer’s. All May See Foundation received almost $2 million over the years for eye disease research and treatment at UCSF’s Wayne and Gladys Valley Center for Vision. Alzheimer’s organizations that have received steady support over the years include Alzheimer's Disease and Related Disorders Association, Alzheimer’s Services of the East Bay, and Alzheimer’s Association, Northern California and Northern Nevada.

Important Grant Details

The foundation has been giving around $27 million annually in recent years. The average grant size is $25,000.

  • The funder mostly supports nonprofits benefiting Alameda and Contra Costa counties in California.

  • It is based in Oakland, California and awards many grants here.

  • The Valley Foundation accepts unsolicited grant applications via mail.

  • The staff values concise applications and outlines its requirements on the Application Procedures page.

Direct general inquiries to the foundation staff at 510-466-6060 or info@wgvalley.org.

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