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Spruce Street Foundation is a private corporation based in LOS ANGELES, CA. The foundation received its IRS ruling in 1996. The principal officer is Ken Slutsky. It holds total assets of $14.2M. Annual income is reported at $10.2M. Total assets have grown from $4.1M in 2010 to $14.2M in 2023. The foundation is governed by 4 officers and trustees. Tax records are available from 2015 to 2023. Funding is distributed across 9 states, including California, New York, District of Columbia. According to available records, Spruce Street Foundation has made 84 grants totaling $3.9M, with a median grant of $25K. Annual giving has decreased from $1M in 2021 to $793K in 2023. Grantmaking activity was highest in 2022 with $2.1M distributed across 44 grants. Individual grants have ranged from $1K to $400K, with an average award of $46K. The foundation has supported 49 unique organizations. The foundation primarily supports organizations in California, New York, District of Columbia, which account for 77% of all grants. Grantmaking reaches organizations across 10 states. Contributions to this foundation are tax-deductible.
## Approach & Fit Strategy
The Spruce Street Foundation is a private grantmaking foundation based in Los Angeles with $14.2 million in assets and approximately $1.3 million in annual giving across ~21 grants. The foundation explicitly states it "only makes contributions to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds." Its giving is dominated by Stanford Law School, which receives multiple grants totaling $450,000-$1,050,000 annually — representing a massive share of total distributions. Beyond Stanford, the foundation supports civil rights organizations (NAACP Legal Defense Fund, Partners for Justice), arts foundations, and social justice advocacy groups. The foundation is led by David W. Mills (President) and Anne Devereux-Mills (Secretary), and all officers serve without compensation. Organizations seeking support must have a pre-existing relationship with the Mills family or their professional network. The strongest alignment is with legal education, civil liberties, criminal justice reform, and performing arts — particularly organizations operating in California, New York, or Washington DC.
## Funding Patterns & Grant Landscape
The Spruce Street Foundation distributed $1.27 million across 21 grants in 2024, maintaining a relatively small but impactful portfolio. The grant range spans from $5,000 to $450,000, with a median of $25,000. The foundation's giving is highly concentrated: Stanford Law School alone receives the largest grants (up to $450,000 per award, with multiple awards in a single year), while most other recipients receive $5,000-$100,000. Notable non-Stanford recipients include Partners for Justice ($100,000), Battery Powered ($100,000), and NAACP Legal Defense Fund ($100,000). Grant count has fluctuated — 27 awards in 2021, 22 in 2022, 13 in 2023, and 21 in 2024 — but total giving has remained in the $1.0-1.3M range. Revenue is almost entirely from investment activity (99.6% from asset sales in 2024), with no contributions received. The foundation's assets have grown dramatically from $3.6M (2016) to $14.2M (2024), largely driven by investment returns. Operating efficiency is exceptional, with 99.9% of expenses going to charitable disbursements and zero officer compensation. Grant purpose descriptions tend to be vague ("best use of funds," "support for charitable organizations' purpose"), suggesting the foundation trusts its grantees with discretionary use.
## Peer Comparison
| Foundation | Location | Assets | Annual Giving | Grants/Year | Focus Areas | Accepts Applications |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spruce Street Foundation | Los Angeles, CA | $14.2M | $1.3M | 21 | Legal education, civil rights, arts | No (preselected) |
| Weingart Foundation | Los Angeles, CA | $800M+ | $30M+ | 200+ | Human services, education, health | Yes |
| California Community Foundation | Los Angeles, CA | $2B+ | $200M+ | 3,000+ | Broad community | Yes |
| Annenberg Foundation | Los Angeles, CA | $3B+ | $100M+ | 500+ | Education, arts, civic life | Yes (by invitation) |
| Liberty Hill Foundation | Los Angeles, CA | $30M+ | $5M+ | 100+ | Social justice, community power | Yes |
Within the Los Angeles philanthropic landscape, the Spruce Street Foundation is a small, highly focused family foundation. Unlike major LA funders such as the Weingart Foundation ($800M+ assets), California Community Foundation ($2B+), or Annenberg Foundation ($3B+), Spruce Street operates with a boutique approach — 21 grants annually to preselected organizations, with extraordinary concentration on Stanford Law School. Its civil rights and social justice focus overlaps with Liberty Hill Foundation, but Spruce Street's preselected model and national geographic scope distinguish it from Liberty Hill's open-application, LA-focused approach. The foundation's value is in deep, relationship-driven giving rather than broad community impact.
## Recent Activity & Trends
Financial Growth: The Spruce Street Foundation has experienced remarkable asset growth, from $3.6 million in 2016 to $14.2 million in 2024. Revenue spiked to $8.68 million in 2024 (primarily from asset sales), following a negative revenue year in 2023 (-$47,927), suggesting active portfolio management with periodic large realizations.
Governance: The foundation is governed by David W. Mills (President & CEO), Anne Devereux-Mills (Secretary), Kenneth J. Slutsky (Vice President), and Sam S. Leslie (Treasurer). All officers serve without compensation, consistent with a family-managed foundation. The foundation was established in June 1996 and has operated continuously for nearly 30 years.
Grant Trends: The number of grants has varied between 13-27 annually over 2021-2024, but the foundation's core relationships — particularly with Stanford Law School — remain consistent. The 2023 dip to 13 grants may reflect the negative revenue year, with a rebound to 21 grants in 2024 as assets recovered.
Geographic Distribution: While based in Los Angeles, the foundation's giving is nationally distributed: California (7 grants), New York (4), Washington DC (4), and smaller allocations across Colorado, Georgia, Maryland, Massachusetts, North Carolina, and Texas. This national footprint reflects the diversity of the Mills family's philanthropic interests rather than a local community focus.
Website: The domain sprucestreet.org currently resolves to Spruce Street Nursery School in Boston — the foundation does not appear to maintain a public-facing website, consistent with its preselected-only model.
## Application Tips & Strategy
The Spruce Street Foundation explicitly does not accept unsolicited requests for funds. Organizations interested in the foundation should consider the following:
1. Do Not Send Cold Applications — The foundation clearly states it only makes contributions to preselected charitable organizations. Unsolicited proposals will not be reviewed.
2. Stanford Law School Connection — The foundation's dominant relationship with Stanford Law School suggests the Mills family has deep ties to the Stanford legal community. Organizations connected to Stanford's legal education ecosystem or criminal justice reform initiatives may have natural pathways to the foundation through shared networks.
3. Civil Rights & Justice Focus — Beyond Stanford, the foundation consistently supports organizations focused on criminal justice reform (Partners for Justice), civil rights (NAACP Legal Defense Fund), and social justice advocacy. Organizations in these spaces with demonstrated impact and national reach are the strongest candidates for eventual inclusion.
4. Network-Based Approach — With only 21 grants annually, the foundation maintains a small, curated portfolio. Building relationships with current grantee organizations or individuals connected to David W. Mills may create organic introduction opportunities over time.
5. Arts Organizations — The foundation includes performing arts in its portfolio, though these grants tend to be smaller ($5,000-$25,000). Arts organizations with social justice dimensions may find alignment.
6. Contact: David W. Mills, President | Phone: (323) 987-5780 | Address: 1130 S Flower St, Apt 312, Los Angeles, CA 90015
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Smallest Grant
$1K
Median Grant
$25K
Average Grant
$37K
Largest Grant
$400K
Based on 27 grants from the most recent 990-PF filing.
No program descriptions are available for this foundation. Many private foundations report program activities in their annual 990-PF filings — check the Tax Filings section below for the most recent filing.
## Funding Patterns & Grant Landscape The Spruce Street Foundation distributed $1.27 million across 21 grants in 2024, maintaining a relatively small but impactful portfolio. The grant range spans from $5,000 to $450,000, with a median of $25,000. The foundation's giving is highly concentrated: Stanford Law School alone receives the largest grants (up to $450,000 per award, with multiple awards in a single year), while most other recipients receive $5,000-$100,000. Notable non-Stanford recipient.
Spruce Street Foundation has distributed a total of $3.9M across 84 grants. The median grant size is $25K, with an average of $46K. Individual grants have ranged from $1K to $400K.
## Approach & Fit Strategy The Spruce Street Foundation is a private grantmaking foundation based in Los Angeles with $14.2 million in assets and approximately $1.3 million in annual giving across ~21 grants. The foundation explicitly states it "only makes contributions to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds." Its giving is dominated by Stanford Law School, which receives multiple grants totaling $450,000-$1,050,000 annually — representing a ma.
Spruce Street Foundation is headquartered in LOS ANGELES, CA. While based in CA, the foundation distributes grants to organizations across 10 states.
| Name | Title | Compensation | Benefits | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sam S Leslie | Treasurer | $0 | $0 | N/A |
| David W Mills | President | $0 | $0 | N/A |
| Kenneth J Slutsky | Vice President | $0 | $0 | N/A |
| Anne Devereux-Mills | Secretary | $0 | $0 | N/A |
Total Giving
N/A
Total Assets
$14.2M
Fair Market Value
N/A
Net Worth
$14.2M
Grants Paid
N/A
Contributions
N/A
Net Investment Income
N/A
Distribution Amount
N/A
Total Grants
84
Total Giving
$3.9M
Average Grant
$46K
Median Grant
$25K
Unique Recipients
49
Most Common Grant
$25K
of 2023 grantees were first-time recipients
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stanford Law SchoolBest use of funds | Stanford, CA | $350K | 2023 |
| Us Olympic And Paralympic FoundatioTo provide support for the charitable organizations purpose. | Colorado Springs, CO | $147K | 2023 |
| Naacp Legal Defense FundTo provide support for the charitable organizations purpose. | New York, NY | $100K | 2023 |
| Partners For JusticeTo provide support for the charitable organizations purpose. | New York City, NY | $50K | 2023 |
| How Women LeadTo provide support for the charitable organizations purpose. | San Rafael, CA | $25K | 2023 |
| SfmomaTo provide support for the charitable organizations purpose. | San Francisco, CA | $25K | 2023 |
| Atlanta Baseball FoundationBest Use of Funds | Atlanta, GA | $25K | 2023 |
| World Law FoundationBest use of funds | Madrid | $21K | 2023 |
| The Hanalei InitiativeTo provide support for the charitable organizations purpose. | Hanalei, HI | $10K | 2023 |
| A New Way Of LifeTo provide support for the charitable organizations purpose. | Los Angeles, CA | $10K | 2023 |
| Lemo FoundationTo provide support for the charitable organizations purpose. | Redwood City, CA | $10K | 2023 |
| SolaTo provide support for the charitable organizations purpose. | Boston, MA | $10K | 2023 |
| Wellesley CollegeTo provide support for the charitable organizations purpose. | Wellesley, MA | $10K | 2023 |
| Peninsula Arts GuildBest use of funds | Menlo Park, CA | $150K | 2022 |
| Hopwell FundBest use of funds | Washington, DC | $100K | 2022 |
| Care IncBest use of funds | Sherman Oaks, CA | $100K | 2022 |
| Chapman UniversityBest use of funds | Orange, CA | $100K | 2022 |
| Pioneer Works Art FoundationBest use of funds | Brooklyn, NY | $60K | 2022 |
| Michael RomanoGeneral use | Los Angeles, CA | $35K | 2022 |
| Geanco FoundationBest use of funds | Los Angeles, CA | $25K | 2022 |
| The Laurel FoundationBest use of funds | Pasadena, CA | $25K | 2022 |
| New York Civil Liberties UnionTo provide support for the charitable organizations purpose. | New York, NY | $25K | 2022 |
| Susan ChampionGeneral use | Los Angeles, CA | $25K | 2022 |
| Equality CaliforniaBest use of funds | Los Angeles, CA | $15K | 2022 |
| Sambuddhaloka Buddhist Vihara TemplBest use of funds | Moreno Valley, CA | $10K | 2022 |
| Project KesherBest use of funds | New York, NY | $10K | 2022 |
| Freedom ReadsOperating funds | Hamden, CT | $10K | 2022 |
| Waco Theater CenterBest use of funds | Los Angeles, CA | $10K | 2022 |
MENLO PARK, CA
LOS ANGELES, CA
PALO ALTO, CA