OVERVIEW: The Sara & Evan Williams Foundation supports environmental issues, education and youth in Northern California.
IP TAKE: While the foundation does not have a website or a clear way to get in touch with the couple, the Williamses have shown a willingness to support community-based initiatives in the Bay Area.
PROFILE: Established in 2011, the Sara & Evan Williams Foundation is the philanthropic vehicle of Twitter billionaire Evan Williams and his wife, Sara, who serves as president of the foundation. The foundation has been giving approximately $2 million in grants annually. So far, the top grantmaking areas of interest are the environment, education and youth.
In recent years, the couple has shown an interest in environmental and education reform issues in the San Francisco Bay Area. Past environmental grantees include the Energy Foundation and to the Marin Agricultural Land Trust. The couple has also supported the environment through Community Initiatives, which works with local nonprofits in San Francisco. One of these efforts is Food Systems. Outside of San Francisco, the couple has supported Grist, an environmental news publication in Seattle, and 350.org, an "international effort to raise awareness of the need to decrease carbon dioxide concentration in the atmosphere to 350 parts per million." The couple has also supported the Center for Investigative Reporting in Berkeley and the Computer History Museum. With regard to education, the couple has given to 826 Valencia, which helps youth with their writing, Mission Graduates, which prepares students for college and beyond, and Little School, "a relationship-based, inclusive pre-school committed to providing individualized, quality education to young children." Support has also gone to the Marin Primary and Middle School.
Foundation grants range in size from a few thousand dollars to well into the millions. View examples of past grants in the funder’s tax forms. San Francisco is a significant priority area for this funder, although the couple provides support to national nonprofits too.
It does not appear that this foundation accepts unsolicited grant applications from nonprofits, and it does not have a website to guide grantseekers. The phone number for the foundation is 650-855-6800.
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