What San Francisco Grantseekers Should Know About the Lisa and Douglas Goldman Fund
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Recent grants include capital support for the renovation of Congregation Emanu-El’s San Francisco temple. Photo: yhelfman/shutterstock
It wasn’t until the Richard and Rhoda Goldman Fund ceased operations and distributed its holdings to three heirs in 2011 that the Bay Area philanthropy sector really started paying attention to the Lisa and Douglas Goldman Fund. At that time, the foundation saw its assets quadruple. Nearly a decade later, here are the top things that nonprofits in San Francisco should know about the Lisa and Douglas Goldman Fund’s priorities and local commitments.
It Has Very Specific Interests
Although the Lisa and Douglas Goldman Fund saw its giving power skyrocket after 2011, it has actually been around since 1992. It has had ample time to work out its strategy and choose very specific interest areas. For instance, education and literacy grants focus on strengthening K-12 public education, while environment grants address the impacts of producing, consuming and disposing of goods, as well as the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions.
Health grants promote sports and recreation, while Jewish community grants aim for a more inclusive local Jewish community and oppose antisemitism. On both a regional and national scale, this funder also supports abortion service delivery, clinics and safety.
It’s Responsive to Urgent Needs
Even though this foundation usually sticks to specific interests, it is also open to expanding its giving in times of crisis. For example, the Goldman Fund established its own Pandemic Emergency Fund in response to COVID-19. This emergency fund pays for food, shelter and safety for vulnerable populations in the San Francisco Bay Area.
Grants Extend Beyond Just the Bay Area
Lisa and Douglas Goldman are San Francisco natives, and their foundation has always placed a high priority on impact in their home city. However, they also keep tabs on efforts within their interest areas that extend beyond the borders of the city. As a result, they frequently fund groups outside the Bay Area.
Some interests definitely have a Bay Area or Northern California-specific focus, especially education, literacy and health. But others are also at least somewhat national in scope, such as democracy and civil liberties, the environment, and some support for reproductive rights and Jewish community. Recent grantees outside the Bay Area include the Center for American Progress in Washington, D.C., Reading is Fundamental, also in D.C., and the Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society in Silver Spring, Maryland.
Unsolicited Letters of Inquiry Are Welcome
Fortunately for local grantseekers, the Lisa and Douglas Goldman Fund is open to learning about new ideas and welcomes unsolicited letters of inquiry. The foundation contacts organizations who submit LOIs to discuss the submission of a formal proposal. This application process is conducted online, and there are no deadlines to submit a LOI.
To learn more about this funder, check out IP’s full profile of the Lisa and Douglas Goldman Fund in our Bay Area & NorCal funding guide.
