Lindskog Foundation

The Lindskog Foundation is a young, privately held California foundation that achieved tax-exempt status in February 2019 and rapidly scaled after receiving approximately $11.3 million in contributions in FY2020 — propelling assets from $1.6M to over $15M in a single year. Today the foundation holds $16.7M in assets and distributes $660,000-$900,000 annually under the leadership of President David A Bradlow, the sole compensated officer whose salary has grown from $55,000 in 2021 to $90,000 in FY2025.

The foundation's giving philosophy is unmistakably relationship-driven. Among 18 documented grants, every top recipient has received multiple awards — 3-4 grants apiece for the five largest recipients — with cumulative relationships spanning multiple fiscal years. Marin Health Medical Center Foundation received four grants totaling $509,000; the Alzheimer's Association received three totaling $350,000; Conservation Corps North Bay and Buckelew Programs each received three grants. This pattern signals that Lindskog builds long-term partnerships rather than making one-off awards, and that entering the portfolio as a first-time grantee requires patience and relationship cultivation.

First-time applicants should not expect an immediate large grant. The documented data suggests an entry range of $75,000-$100,000 for new relationships, with subsequent grants scaling higher as trust is established. There is no publicly documented LOI requirement, but the foundation states that "a grant application form must be completed and submitted" — implying a proprietary intake form that applicants must request directly by calling (415) 206-0635.

Geographic concentration is strict: 100% of documented grants went to California organizations, with a pronounced Marin County and San Francisco Bay Area footprint that mirrors the foundation's own address at 3947 23rd St, San Francisco, CA 94114. Out-of-state organizations have no documented funding pathway.

The foundation's selective volume — just 6-7 grants per year — makes programmatic alignment critical. Successful applications have addressed hospital capital needs, Alzheimer's awareness, career pathways for underserved youth, suicide prevention, literacy, and youth academic leadership. Healthcare and mental health together represent approximately 67% of all documented giving.

The Lindskog Foundation has maintained consistent annual giving since reaching active grantmaking scale in 2021. Direct grants paid to grantees totaled $609,000 (2021), $721,200 (2022), $661,492 (2023), and $662,560 (2024 per third-party database), with FY2025 charitable disbursements of $757,128. Total giving including set-asides and administrative charitable expenditures ran modestly higher: $806,360 (2021), $908,511 (2022), $847,558 (2023). Annual payout is approximately 4-6% of assets, consistent with the IRS excise tax minimum for private foundations plus a buffer.

Across 18 documented grants totaling $2,041,692, the average award is $113,427. Individual transaction amounts range from $50,000 (Hospice By The Bay, operating support) to $234,000 (Marin Health Foundation, single capital grant for a DePuy Velys Knee Robot). The median grant is approximately $87,500. Most first-time grants appear to cluster in the $75,000-$100,000 range before scaling with relationship depth.

By program area, healthcare dominates: Marin Health Medical Center Foundation ($509,000 over 4 grants) plus Marin Health Foundation ($234,000 for 1 capital grant) total $743,000, or 36% of all documented giving. Mental health and Alzheimer's awareness combined — Alzheimer's Association ($350,000 over 3 grants) plus Buckelew Programs ($275,000 over 3 suicide prevention grants) — accounts for $625,000 or 31%. Conservation and workforce development (Conservation Corps North Bay, $300,000 over 3 Career Pathways Program grants) represents 15%. Education and literacy (Bridge The Gap $248,692 over 2 literacy grants plus Next Generation Scholars $75,000 for youth academic/leadership development) totals $323,692 or 16%. End-of-life care (Hospice By The Bay $50,000) rounds the portfolio at 2%.

Geographically, 100% of documented grants went to California organizations. The foundation's asset base grew from $13.7M (2022) to $16.7M (2025), supported by net investment income of $349,674-$923,209 annually. This growing asset base suggests the foundation's giving capacity could increase modestly over the next 3-5 years.

The five peer foundations in the Lindskog Foundation's asset tier (approximately $16.7M) are matched by asset size and NTEE category. Publicly available data on peer grantmaking is limited, but the comparison below uses confirmed figures where available:

Among this peer cohort, the Lindskog Foundation stands out for having the most thoroughly documented grantmaking record and a discernible program thesis centered on Northern California health and human services. With confirmed annual giving of $660,000-$908,000 and a stated acceptance of applications from California 501(c)(3) organizations, it is the most accessible funder in the peer group. None of the peer foundations maintain public websites with grant guidelines, making Lindskog's accessible application process a relative differentiator. For California-based nonprofits working in healthcare, mental health, or workforce development, the Lindskog Foundation offers a more defined and achievable funding pathway than its asset-equivalent peers.

Public records yield limited announcements from the Lindskog Foundation in 2025-2026, consistent with its characteristically low public profile. The foundation has no documented social media presence, and its website (lindskogfoundation.org) returned an access error during this research period, suggesting either a private-access configuration or a site under reconstruction.

The most meaningful recent signals come from IRS filing data. The most recent available filing (FY2025) shows net assets of $16,703,465 — up from $15,262,387 in FY2023 — driven by steady net investment income and realized asset gains. Investment income contributed $579,641 in FY2023 and asset sales represented 66.4% of FY2025 revenue ($1,176,958 total). Charitable disbursements in FY2025 reached $757,128, a modest increase from $661,492 in FY2023.

Two notable leadership developments are visible in recent filings: Aron Oliner has appeared as Director in recent records, replacing Charles P Maher who was listed through FY2023. President David A Bradlow's compensation grew from $60,000 (2022-2023) to $90,000 in FY2025, a 50% increase over two years that may reflect expanded responsibilities or a broadened organizational mandate.

The foundation's sustained support for its core grantee base — Marin Health Medical Center Foundation, Alzheimer's Association, Conservation Corps North Bay, Buckelew Programs, and Bridge The Gap — shows no evidence of strategic pivot. Hospice By The Bay and Next Generation Scholars appear to be newer, single-grant relationships, suggesting the foundation maintains modest but real capacity for first-time grantees each year.

The Lindskog Foundation's application process is straightforward by private foundation standards: a completed grant application form must be submitted, with no stated deadline. The form is proprietary and not publicly available online — applicants must contact the foundation directly at (415) 206-0635 to request it. This initial call also serves as a de facto pre-qualification conversation and an early relationship-building touchpoint with the office of President David A Bradlow.

Timing: Despite the "no submission deadline" language, the foundation operates on a calendar fiscal year. Submitting in Q1 (January-March) or Q2 (April-June) is strategically sensible, as annual giving decisions likely consolidate in the second half of the year. Avoid submitting during year-end holiday periods when staff attention is divided.

Eligibility gatekeepers: Applicants must hold IRS 501(c)(3) status. The geographic restriction to California organizations is not formally stated in application instructions but is absolute based on 18 out of 18 documented grants going to California recipients. Marin County and San Francisco Bay Area organizations appear to have a structural advantage given the foundation's address and grantee concentration.

Framing your proposal: Mirror the specific language used in successful Lindskog grants. Phrases like "career pathways program," "suicide prevention outreach," "living with Alzheimer's awareness," "literacy program," and "operating support for hospital rebuild" appear verbatim in funded grant descriptions. Proposals framed in clinical, outcome-oriented language with defined populations served will resonate more than broad community benefit claims.

First-time ask size: Calibrate your initial request to $75,000-$100,000. The documented data shows that new-relationship grants appear to cluster here before scaling to $150,000-$234,000 in subsequent cycles. Overreaching on a first ask risks disqualification from a funder that values measured relationship development.

What to avoid: Do not submit without confirming programmatic fit. The foundation's highly selective portfolio (6-7 grants/year) means misaligned applications consume goodwill and close doors. Do not assume a digital submission portal exists — confirm submission method (mail vs. email) during your initial call.

Stewardship: If funded, send a brief impact update at six months and a full report at year-end. The foundation's track record of 3-4 consecutive grants to top recipients makes stewardship a high-ROI activity.