Funding Priorities
Crescent Porter Hale Foundation believes in a thriving Bay Area community where those who are underserved receive the supports they need to lead fulfilling lives. To this end, the foundation supports nonprofit organizations who provide enrichment opportunities for underserved youth, help people meet their basic needs, and administer scholarships for K-8th grade children to attend Catholic schools. We fund in San Francisco, Alameda, Contra Costa, and Marin counties.
Middle School Youth Success
The foundation funds nonprofit organizations that provide high-quality enrichment opportunities to underserved middle school-aged youth (ages 11-14). For the purposes of this grant application, we define underserved youth as low-income youth (those eligible for free and reduced price lunch), as well as youth from other marginalized groups (e.g. youth of color, immigrant youth).
Organizations funded by the foundation intentionally promote one or more of the following outcomes among middle school-aged youth:
- Improved social/emotional skills
- Increased access to music and arts education
- Enhanced academic skills and acquisition of “21st century” skills, which include foundational literacies (e.g. scientific literacy, technology literacy) and cognitive competencies/character qualities (e.g. critical thinking, creativity, persistence, leadership, and initiative)
- Increased exposure to future education options and career paths
For the foreseeable future, all grantmaking under the Middle School Youth Success program area will occur through a request for proposal process.
If you have any questions related to the Middle School Youth Success category, contact:
Derek Aspacher
daspacher@pfs-llc.net
(415) 561-6540 ext. 249
For technical questions related to using the grants portal, contact:
Araceli Ayala
aayala@pfs-llc.net
(415) 561-6540 ext. 274
Eligibility Requirements
- Work in and serve residents of Alameda, Contra Costa, Marin, and/or San Francisco counties.
- Offer dedicated programming for youth in the middle school age range (11-14) (potentially in conjunction with other age groups)
- Serve low-income or otherwise underserved youth as a primary target population
- Offer in-school or out-of-school programming that promotes social-emotional learning, access to music and arts education, acquisition of academic or 21st century skills, and exposure to future education options and career options. While not an exhaustive list, examples of programs include:
- Social-emotional and character development:
- Community service, with an emphasis on leadership and character development
- Outdoor leadership, with an emphasis on leadership and character development
- Arts or music education (i.e. visual arts, performance arts, media arts, music) with an emphasis on hands-on acquisition of skills, rather than one-off experiences such as seeing a performance
- Academic enrichment programs, academic supports, and tutoring (i.e. STEM, coding, debate) Note: We do not support programs focused solely on academic remediation
- College and career pathways programs
- Mentoring programs
- Social-emotional and character development:
Eligible Uses of Funds
- General support when all or a significant part of an organization’s programming targets middle school youth, and the whole organization serves youth in general
- Specific programs that support middle school youth
- Organizational expansion/new programming focused on middle school youth
- Capital needs that would enhance the ability of an organization to serve middle school youth
Safety Net Program for Seniors
In 2018, the Crescent Porter Hale Foundation undertook a strategic review process of its Safety Net grants portfolio. As a result, in mid-2019, the foundation launched a grants strategy that provides targeted funding to food programs that have a significant focus on seniors. All funds have been allocated until mid-2023 via our multi-year grantmaking initiative focused on bolstering the food supply for older adults through food banks, food rescue agencies, and Meals on Wheels programs.
Applications for Safety Net grants are by invitation only.
If you have any questions related to the Safety Net grants portfolio, contact:
Eunice Valentine
evalentine@pfs-llc.net
(415) 561-6540 ext. 228
For technical questions related to using the grants portal, contact:
Araceli Ayala
aayala@pfs-llc.net
(415) 561-6540 ext. 274
Eligibility Requirements
- All grantmaking occurs through a request for proposal or invitation process
- Organizations that work in and serve residents of Alameda, Contra Costa, Marin, and/or San Francisco counties
- Public charities operating under an IRS 501(c)(3) status or fiscally sponsored by a 501(c)(3) organization
- Organizations that have an annual financial audit in accordance with approved accounting practices (or financial statements for the last completed fiscal year if audited financial statements are not available)
K-8 Catholic School Scholarships
We believe that Catholic education (K-8) offers one of the best opportunities for underserved children to receive a quality education and be immersed in a community that provides both the social-emotional and academic supports needed to put them on a pathway to graduate from high school. Studies have shown that youth who finish middle school in good standing have a much higher rate of high school graduation.
The Crescent Porter Hale Foundation supports a number of K-8 school scholarship programs. Applications for K-8 school scholarship programs are accepted by invitation only.
If you have any questions related to the K-8 Catholic Schools Scholarships, contact:
Eunice Valentine
evalentine@pfs-llc.net
(415) 561-6540 ext. 228
For technical questions related to using the grants portal, contact:
Araceli Ayala
aayala@pfs-llc.net
(415) 561-6540 ext. 274
Eligibility Requirements
- All grantmaking occurs through a request for proposal or invitation process
- Organizations that work in and serve residents of Alameda, Contra Costa, Marin, and/or San Francisco counties
- Public charities operating under an IRS 501(c)(3) status or fiscally sponsored by a 501(c)(3) organization
- Organizations that have an annual financial audit in accordance with approved accounting practices (or financial statements for the last completed fiscal year if audited financial statements are not available)
Middle School Youth Success
The foundation funds nonprofit organizations that provide high-quality enrichment opportunities to underserved middle school-aged youth (ages 11-14). For the purposes of this grant application, we define underserved youth as low-income youth (those eligible for free and reduced price lunch), as well as youth from other marginalized groups (e.g. youth of color, immigrant youth).
Organizations funded by the foundation intentionally promote one or more of the following outcomes among middle school-aged youth:
- Improved social/emotional skills
- Increased access to music and arts education
- Enhanced academic skills and acquisition of “21st century” skills, which include foundational literacies (e.g. scientific literacy, technology literacy) and cognitive competencies/character qualities (e.g. critical thinking, creativity, persistence, leadership, and initiative)
- Increased exposure to future education options and career paths
For the foreseeable future, all grantmaking under the Middle School Youth Success program area will occur through a request for proposal process.
If you have any questions related to the Middle School Youth Success category, contact:
Derek Aspacher
daspacher@pfs-llc.net
(415) 561-6540 ext. 249
For technical questions related to using the grants portal, contact:
Araceli Ayala
aayala@pfs-llc.net
(415) 561-6540 ext. 274
Eligibility Requirements
- Work in and serve residents of Alameda, Contra Costa, Marin, and/or San Francisco counties.
- Offer dedicated programming for youth in the middle school age range (11-14) (potentially in conjunction with other age groups)
- Serve low-income or otherwise underserved youth as a primary target population
- Offer in-school or out-of-school programming that promotes social-emotional learning, access to music and arts education, acquisition of academic or 21st century skills, and exposure to future education options and career options. While not an exhaustive list, examples of programs include:
- Social-emotional and character development:
- Community service, with an emphasis on leadership and character development
- Outdoor leadership, with an emphasis on leadership and character development
- Arts or music education (i.e. visual arts, performance arts, media arts, music) with an emphasis on hands-on acquisition of skills, rather than one-off experiences such as seeing a performance
- Academic enrichment programs, academic supports, and tutoring (i.e. STEM, coding, debate) Note: We do not support programs focused solely on academic remediation
- College and career pathways programs
- Mentoring programs
- Social-emotional and character development:
Eligible Uses of Funds
- General support when all or a significant part of an organization’s programming targets middle school youth, and the whole organization serves youth in general
- Specific programs that support middle school youth
- Organizational expansion/new programming focused on middle school youth
- Capital needs that would enhance the ability of an organization to serve middle school youth
Safety Net Program for Seniors
In 2018, the Crescent Porter Hale Foundation undertook a strategic review process of its Safety Net grants portfolio. As a result, in mid-2019, the foundation launched a grants strategy that provides targeted funding to food programs that have a significant focus on seniors. All funds have been allocated until mid-2023 via our multi-year grantmaking initiative focused on bolstering the food supply for older adults through food banks, food rescue agencies, and Meals on Wheels programs.
Applications for Safety Net grants are by invitation only.
If you have any questions related to the Safety Net grants portfolio, contact:
Eunice Valentine
evalentine@pfs-llc.net
(415) 561-6540 ext. 228
For technical questions related to using the grants portal, contact:
Araceli Ayala
aayala@pfs-llc.net
(415) 561-6540 ext. 274
Eligibility Requirements
- All grantmaking occurs through a request for proposal or invitation process
- Organizations that work in and serve residents of Alameda, Contra Costa, Marin, and/or San Francisco counties
- Public charities operating under an IRS 501(c)(3) status or fiscally sponsored by a 501(c)(3) organization
- Organizations that have an annual financial audit in accordance with approved accounting practices (or financial statements for the last completed fiscal year if audited financial statements are not available)
K-8 Catholic School Scholarships
We believe that Catholic education (K-8) offers one of the best opportunities for underserved children to receive a quality education and be immersed in a community that provides both the social-emotional and academic supports needed to put them on a pathway to graduate from high school. Studies have shown that youth who finish middle school in good standing have a much higher rate of high school graduation.
The Crescent Porter Hale Foundation supports a number of K-8 school scholarship programs. Applications for K-8 school scholarship programs are accepted by invitation only.
If you have any questions related to the K-8 Catholic Schools Scholarships, contact:
Eunice Valentine
evalentine@pfs-llc.net
(415) 561-6540 ext. 228
For technical questions related to using the grants portal, contact:
Araceli Ayala
aayala@pfs-llc.net
(415) 561-6540 ext. 274
Eligibility Requirements
- All grantmaking occurs through a request for proposal or invitation process
- Organizations that work in and serve residents of Alameda, Contra Costa, Marin, and/or San Francisco counties
- Public charities operating under an IRS 501(c)(3) status or fiscally sponsored by a 501(c)(3) organization
- Organizations that have an annual financial audit in accordance with approved accounting practices (or financial statements for the last completed fiscal year if audited financial statements are not available)
By the Numbers
grants paid in 2022
million paid in 2022
million paid over 10 Years