Crankstart Foundation
Preselected recipients only
Crankstart Foundation is a private foundation in San Jose, California. In tax year 2024 it gave $262 million in 435 grants; the typical grant was $250,000 and the largest $10.5 million. It only gives to organizations it selects itself and does not accept unsolicited applications.
From its IRS Form 990-PF for tax year 2024.
- Grants paid, 2024$262 million
- Number of grants435
- Typical grant$250,000
- Largest grant$10.5 million
- Assets$4.4 billion
- New grantees35%
Giving in 2024 was up from $160 million the year before.
35% of its 2024 grantees had not received a grant from it the year before, a mix of repeat and new grantees.
Giving by year
| Tax year | Grants paid | Number of grants | Assets |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | $160 million | 424 | $3.9 billion |
| 2024 | $262 million | 435 | $4.4 billion |
How to apply
Crankstart Foundation says in its IRS filing that it only makes contributions to preselected organizations, so unsolicited applications are unlikely to be considered. Organizations it funds are usually invited.
What Crankstart Foundation funds
Where it gives
Its US grants went to recipients in 19 states, the most to California. It also paid $4.1 million in 7 grants to recipients outside the US.
| State | Grants | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| California | 320 | $132 million |
| District of Columbia | 28 | $25.8 million |
| New York | 32 | $21.1 million |
| Illinois | 14 | $6.9 million |
| Massachusetts | 9 | $5.5 million |
| Maryland | 3 | $1.8 million |
| Virginia | 3 | $700,667 |
| Texas | 2 | $700,000 |
| Arizona | 1 | $625,000 |
| Pennsylvania | 2 | $482,000 |
Grants paid in 2024
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Merit America | To support workforce opportunities in the bay area for workers who will benefit from tech training | $10.5 million |
| Arc Research Institute | To advance research to understand complex human diseases | $10.0 million |
| UCSF Foundation | To support the ucsf health workforce initiative | $9.1 million |
| Pro Publica Inc | For the capital campaign | $5.0 million |
| San Francisco Foundation | For the india basin waterfront park project fund | $5.0 million |
| Neo Philanthropy Inc | To support more equitable democracy to support and expand the electoral justice initiative | $3.0 million |
| San Francisco Foundation | For the crankstart giving fund daf | $3.0 million |
| The Affordability Project Inc | To create affordable homes at 5250 third street in san francisco | $3.0 million |
| Uaspire Inc | To support the san francisco crankstart scholarship initiative | $3.0 million |
| Voter Registration Project | To support the everybody votes campaign (evc) | $3.0 million |
| National Center for Youth Law | To support the youth justice initiative | $2.4 million |
| San Francisco Foundation | To fund the employee giving alignment program | $2.3 million |
| Alliance for Safety and Justice | For the expungement initiative | $2.0 million |
| Climateworks Foundation | To decarbonize maritime shipping | $2.0 million |
| George Washington University | To support the multiracial democracy project to advance proportional representation | $2.0 million |
| The San Francisco Foundation | To the india basin waterfront park equitable development plan fund for neighborhood beautification | $2.0 million |
| Booker Prize Foundation | Year 6 (2024) of the 5 year pledge for general support | $1.9 million |
| A Better Chicago | To fund bold ideas that create opportunity for chicago youth | $1.9 million |
| The Nature Conservancy | To protect, restore, and sustainably manage the worlds mangrove forests | $1.8 million |
| Bay Area Community Services | For keep oakland housed | $1.5 million |
| East Bay Asian Local Development Corporation | To support organizational sustainability and production and preservation of affordable housing | $1.5 million |
| International Refugee Assistance Project | To support the bay area family reunification initiative | $1.5 million |
| Louis D Brandeis Center Inc | For general support | $1.5 million |
| Pro Publica Inc | General support | $1.5 million |
| Spanish-Speaking Unity Council of Alameda County Inc | To provide culturally relevant programs and services to low income oakland residents | $1.5 million |
| Prism the Gift Fund | To support hurricane fund | $1.3 million |
| Rockefeller Family Fund | For funder collaborative on oil and gas to promote increased accountability among us oil & gas companies regarding environmental cleanup expenses | $1.3 million |
| Rockefeller Family Fund | For funder collaborative on oil and gas to work on oil and gas projects in corpus christi | $1.1 million |
| San Francisco Education Fund | To support the literacy coalition in expanding its collaborative pilot to priority sfusd elementary schools | $1.1 million |
| California Immigrant Policy Center | For the advancing representation in california initiative | $1.1 million |
| Casa | To support the temporary protected status initiative | $1.1 million |
| California Calls Education Fund | To continue supporting the civic engagement of marginalized communities in california | $1.0 million |
| Centro Legal de la Raza Inc | To support the bay area family reunification initiative | $1.0 million |
| Civic Space Foundation | To support the civic joy fund | $1.0 million |
| Climate and Clean Energy Equity Fund | To continue advancing structural policy change and advancing community-driven priorities for climate action and clean energy transition | $1.0 million |
| Cornell University | To support the mggg redistricting lab to advance proportional representation | $1.0 million |
| Edvance | To expand higher education pipelines for early childhood educators | $1.0 million |
| Ella Baker Center for Human Rights in California | To support the ca racial justice act initiative | $1.0 million |
| Everytown for Gun Safety Support Fund Inc | General support | $1.0 million |
| Hope Chicago Inc | To provide debt-free postsecondary pathways for chicago students and parents | $1.0 million |
Officers and trustees
- Michael Moritz
- Melissa Narula
- Harriet Heyman
- William Moritz
- Jake Moritz
- Gretchen Selfridge
Questions people ask
Does Crankstart Foundation accept grant applications?
No. Its IRS filing says it only makes contributions to preselected organizations.
How much does Crankstart Foundation give?
$262 million in tax year 2024, across 435 grants, with a typical grant of $250,000.
Who runs Crankstart Foundation?
Its 2024 filing lists Michael Moritz (Chief Executive Officer), Melissa Narula (Ceo), Harriet Heyman (Chief Financial Officer, Secretary) and William Moritz (Director) among 6 officers and trustees.
What does Crankstart Foundation fund?
Based on its grants, mainly community development, education and health.