San Francisco-centric giving is a common topic we cover here at IP since the Bay Area is a philanthropy hotspot. However, one local funder that you may not have heard of here is the Charles N. Felton and Charlotte Ashley Felton Endowment, a small, low-key funder that is all about helping the people who need it most in the city. The endowment has an accessible and straightforward approach to grantmaking.
Here are some top things to know about the Charles N. Felton and Charlotte Ashley Felton Endowment to guide San Fransisco nonprofits.
Exclusive to San Francisco
Kate Felton Neilson created the Charles N. Felton and Charlotte Ashley Felton Endowment in memory of her parents. The family lived in Menlo Park, California, and her father, Charles, served as U.S. Senator of California from 1891 to 1893. Kate Felton Neilson wished for the foundation’s grantmaking to specifically help the people of the city of San Francisco.
Broad topics of interest
Fields of interest at the Charles N. Felton and Charlotte Ashley Felton Endowment are relatively broad and include arts, culture, humanities, education, health, human services and public/society benefit. However, the top causes for this funder are typically music and education. The Felton Endowment awards grants to organizations that “advance the musical or educational uplift of the City of San Francisco” or that “benefit, relieve or uplift economically disadvantaged people in the City of San Francisco.”
Typical foundation giving
The Felton Endowment centers its grantmaking on program support rather than general operating support or other forms of giving. The average grant size for this funder is $3,000 to $5,000, and the foundation gives one to three grants per year. The average total giving per year is about $12,000.
Apply through Wells Fargo Bank
The Felton Endowment is an accessible grantmaker with an annual application deadline of April 15. However, the foundation accepts applications year-round, so your request will be considered at the annual grant meeting regardless of when you submit it.
Wells Fargo Bank is the endowment’s trustee and handles grant administration. Grantseekers submit applications through Wells Fargo’s online system and receive an email confirming their submissions. Applicants can expect to hear back with a decision from the funder within about three months of the application deadline, by around mid-July.
To learn more, check out IP’s full profile of the Charles N. Felton and Charlotte Ashley Felton Endowment, which is part of our Bay Area and Northern California funding guide.
