Tosa Foundation

The Tosa Foundation operates as one of the most tightly controlled family foundations in American philanthropy. Founded in 1992 and led by Tashia F. Morgridge (President) and her husband John D. Morgridge — former chairman of Cisco Systems — alongside their son John P. Morgridge (CFO), the foundation runs a closed-door grantmaking model with no public application process, no grants page, and no published funding guidelines. Its IRS filing confirms application_instructions as "none" and the foundation is marked preselected-only in every philanthropy database that tracks it.

The giving philosophy is deeply personal and place-based. The Morgridges give where they have knowledge — primarily Wisconsin, where both attended UW-Madison and where the Tosa name itself references Wauwatosa, a Milwaukee suburb — and Silicon Valley, where they built their careers. John has articulated this directly: "The two places we're involved in, we have pretty good knowledge about, and I think that gives you leverage." This means nearly every grantee relationship began with a personal connection, not a cold proposal.

For first-time applicants, the critical insight is that there is no traditional application pathway. Organizations that have successfully received Tosa grants share common characteristics: deep roots in Wisconsin public education or UW system affiliation; a Silicon Valley or Bay Area technology-in-education angle; ties to the Squam Lakes region of New Hampshire (where the Morgridges have a personal presence); or an established relationship with CARE, City Year, or another anchor grantee that could provide an introduction.

The foundation's grantmaking follows a sustained-partnership model. Its top 50 grantees typically appear across 4-6 grant cycles, with organizations like Milwaukee Public Schools, Boys & Girls Club of Greater Milwaukee, City Year, Book Trust, and Second Harvest of Silicon Valley receiving annual support over five or more years. First-time gifts are rare and almost invariably preceded by personal board-level engagement. Organizations expecting a single-cycle relationship will be disappointed — Tashia Morgridge has stated explicitly that "philanthropy is not short-term... you have to keep working at it."

The realistic path to a Tosa grant runs through introductions from UW-Madison alumni leadership, Cisco alumni networks, or existing grantee executive directors who can vouch for the mission alignment. The Morgridge Family Foundation — the second-generation entity — may offer a slightly more accessible entry point for organizations in child welfare and workforce development.

Tosa Foundation's giving shows dramatic year-to-year swings driven by large, one-time institutional gifts rather than a steady annual payout. Across available fiscal years, total giving ranged from a low of $37.4 million (FY2019) to a high of $113.5 million (FY2015) and $108.8 million (FY2021). FY2023 recorded $89.8 million in total giving, FY2022 dropped to $47.9 million, and FY2020 came in at $62.3 million. This volatility reflects the foundation's practice of making periodic mega-gifts — $25M-$30M tranches — to the University of Wisconsin Foundation and Morgridge Institute for Research, alongside its steady baseline of smaller annual grants.

Grant size distribution is strikingly bimodal. The recorded median grant is $5,000, and many community-level grantees in New Hampshire and Wisconsin receive $15,000-$50,000 annually. However, the average grant across 198 recorded transactions is $544,269, pulled sharply upward by transformational institutional gifts. The range spans $66 (minimum) to $30 million (Stanford University, single grant). Organizations in the community tier — food banks, arts organizations, local schools — should expect grants of $25,000-$150,000 per cycle. Institutional research and higher education partners should expect $1M-$25M.

By sector, the database of 817 grants totaling $349.9 million breaks down approximately as follows: Education accounts for roughly 60% of total dollar value, concentrated in the University of Wisconsin Foundation ($121.7M across 6 grants), Fund for Wisconsin Scholars ($52M across 4 grants), Milwaukee Public Schools ($9.3M), Wauwatosa School District ($4.4M), City Year/City Year Milwaukee ($3M+), Boys & Girls Club ($4.7M), and Book Trust ($2.3M). Medical/research represents approximately 17%, driven almost entirely by Morgridge Institute for Research ($55M across 5 grants). International development and human services each contribute roughly 5-8%, with CARE, African Leadership Foundation, Covenant House, and multiple food bank partners receiving multi-year support.

Geographically, California leads with 357 of 817 recorded grants — largely community organizations in Silicon Valley. Wisconsin accounts for 86 grants (but the largest dollar amounts), New Hampshire 79, New York 41, Virginia 29, DC 39, Massachusetts 25, Texas 17, and Georgia 16. The CA and NH grant counts reflect the foundation's community-level annual giving; the WI grants reflect fewer but much larger institutional gifts.

The following table compares Tosa Foundation to peer funders at similar asset levels, all classified under NTEE code T (Philanthropy & Grantmaking):

Tosa is unique among this cohort for the sheer volatility of its annual giving — swinging from $37M to $109M based on one or two transformational gifts — and for maintaining such strong place-based focus. The Zilber Family Foundation offers the closest analog: both are Wisconsin-rooted family foundations with Milwaukee public education at their core, though Zilber focuses more on urban community development while Tosa anchors around technology in schools and university research. Driehaus is notable as the only peer with a partially open application process, though still highly selective. Tosa's lack of any public-facing infrastructure puts it at the extreme closed end of the spectrum even within this peer group of family foundations.

The most recent confirmed major grant is a $1 million donation to the City of Wauwatosa for Hart Park flood recovery, made in response to significant flooding in August 2025. This emergency grant underscores the foundation's deep and enduring ties to the Wauwatosa, Wisconsin community — the city whose name ("Tosa") the foundation bears.

Prior to 2025, the foundation's most headline-generating action was a $125 million commitment to the University of Wisconsin-Madison announced in 2021 to help fund the new School of Computer, Data and Information Sciences. This single pledge — structured across multiple tranches through the University of Wisconsin Foundation — made the Morgridges among the most consequential individual donors in UW history and reflected both their Wisconsin roots and their technology-sector perspective.

FY2024 data shows total assets declining sharply from $481.4 million (FY2023) to $391.6 million, with revenue of $52.6 million recorded — a meaningful asset drawdown that suggests substantial grant disbursements or strategic portfolio rebalancing in FY2024. Grant-paid figures are not yet reported for FY2024.

Leadership has remained stable: Tashia F. Morgridge as Director/President (uncompensated) and John P. Morgridge as Director/CFO (uncompensated) continue to steer day-to-day operations, with John D. Morgridge (now in his late 80s) listed as Director at $30,000 annual compensation — down from $50,000 in the foundation's earlier years. No leadership transitions have been publicly announced. The increasing flow of funds to the Morgridge Family Foundation ($8M across 2 grants) suggests deliberate generational succession planning is underway.

Understand the closed-door reality first. Tosa Foundation does not accept unsolicited applications. No grants portal exists. No RFP has ever been published. The foundation's own IRS filings list application instructions as "none." Approaching Tosa with a cold email or letter of inquiry will not succeed. Accepting this constraint is the prerequisite to a productive strategy.

Map your network to the Morgridge orbit. The highest-probability path is a warm introduction from: (1) a University of Wisconsin-Madison senior administrator or major donor, (2) a Cisco Systems alumni leader, (3) an executive director of a current Tosa grantee (City Year, Boys & Girls Club of Milwaukee, Book Trust, Second Harvest of Silicon Valley, Squam Lakes Conservation Society), or (4) a Silicon Valley technology company executive in the Morgridges' social network. Document your UW connections, Cisco partnerships, or shared board members with existing grantees before making any outreach.

Lead with Wisconsin and technology in education. The Wisconsin Technology Initiative — which defines the foundation's original mission — signals the clearest alignment language. Proposals or relationship-building conversations should emphasize K-12 public school partnerships, instructional technology integration, measurable student engagement outcomes, and teacher professional development. Avoid framing work in private school, charter, or higher-ed contexts unless you have a direct UW system relationship.

Mirror the foundation's long-term commitment language. Tashia Morgridge has publicly stated that "philanthropy is not short term." Conversations and any eventual materials should demonstrate your organization's multi-decade track record, your willingness to share annual progress reports, and your commitment to replicating or scaling best practices — echoing the accountability and learning culture Tosa instills in its grantees.

Target the Morgridge Family Foundation as an alternative entry point. This second-generation entity (directed by the Morgridges' son and daughter-in-law) focuses on child welfare and workforce development and may have a slightly more accessible introduction pathway through their own grantee community. A relationship there could create a bridge to Tosa over time.

If in New Hampshire or Silicon Valley: Food security, conservation (especially Squam Lakes region), and community health organizations in NH have sustained multi-year Tosa relationships. Silicon Valley-based human services organizations — especially those addressing homelessness, food access, and youth development — are well-represented in Tosa's California grant portfolio. Regional community foundation officers in these areas may know the Morgridges personally.