Before his death in 1984, John A. Margoes arranged for a philanthropic foundation in his will that would support his charitable interests in the future. He envisioned the foundation to be a “resource and catalyst to support imaginative and creative program opportunities that [enable] low-income and other disadvantaged youth to obtain a college education and people with mental disabilities to live in non-institutional environments and lead productive lives.”
This foundation is solely dedicated to organizations in the San Francisco Bay Area, and it’s a good one to know if you are involved in one of two very specific fields of nonprofit work. Here’s an overview of how the Margoes Foundation approaches grantmaking in Northern California.
Two areas of interest
The first program area that the Margoes Foundation takes an interest in is post-secondary education access and completion. The foundation looks to help low-income and otherwise disadvantaged students get to college and pursue successful careers. Margoes often funds programs for mentoring, tutoring, computer literacy, art, music and supplemental math and science.
The foundation’s other interest area is helping people who live with mental illness. Its focus is primarily on young people who are moving out of residential therapeutic care to independent living. The goal of these grants is to empower people with mental illness to live independent, productive lives.
Margoes and venture philanthropy
Another aspect of the Margoes Foundation’s giving is venture philanthropy. This funder offers three-year, $150,000 grants for “new or early-stage social impact organizations developing innovative programs or services to empower low-income, under-represented students for advancement in society.” The foundation’s Venture Philanthropy Awards come in $50,000 annual installments and typically have an open application between October and February.
Applying for a Margoes grant
Pacific Foundation Services, LLC manages the Margoes Foundation and maintains a straightforward website to guide grantseekers. The foundation typically accepts applications during the month of February and then makes grant decisions in May.
Other important things to know
Here are a few other key points to keep in mind as you approach the Margoes Foundation for support.
Contact the foundation’s managing director to discuss your request before submitting an application
Only grantseekers in the San Francisco Bay Area receive support
The foundation may require a site visit before funding a program
Organizations can only receive one grant per 12-month period
Technical help with the application is available on the foundation’s FAQ page
You can learn more about this funder in IP’s full profile of the Margoes Foundation