The Bernard Osher Foundation
San Francisco, California · EIN 942506257 · Private foundation
Based in San Francisco, California, The Bernard Osher Foundation has awarded $47.4M across 416 grants in our index of public IRS filings, with giving recorded as recently as 2024. Its largest grant on record went to Education. This profile covers its focus areas, top grant recipients, year-by-year giving, and how a nonprofit should approach it.
What The Bernard Osher Foundation funds
The Bernard Osher Foundation's giving carries a documented focus on arts & culture, criminal justice, education, environment & conservation, higher education.
Populations it has supported include justice involved.
Grant history
The largest grants Bespoke Grants has on record for The Bernard Osher Foundation, by amount:
| Recipient | Location | Grant | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Education EDUCATION | San Francisco, CA | $8.3M | 2018 |
| Education EDUCATION | San Francisco, CA | $4.4M | 2020 |
| Arts and Humanities Grants ARTS AND HUMANITIES GRANTS | San Francisco, CA | $3.8M | 2018 |
| Northwestern University OSHER ONLINE ENDOWMENT | Chicago, IL | $3.1M | 2023 |
| Arts and Humanities Grants ARTS AND HUMANITIES GRANTS | San Francisco, CA | $2.2M | 2020 |
| Arts and Humanities Grants ARTS AND HUMANITIES GRANTS | San Francisco, CA | $2.1M | 2017 |
| Education EDUCATION | San Francisco, CA | $1.7M | 2017 |
| Bismarck State College LIFELONG LEARNING INSTITUTES | Bismarck, ND | $1.1M | 2022 |
| Drake University LIFELONG LEARNING INSTITUTES | Des Moines, IA | $1.1M | 2022 |
| University of Dayton REENTRY SCHOLARSHIPS | Dayton, OH | $1.1M | 2022 |
| UC Merced Foundation REENTRY SCHOLARSHIPS | Mercd, CA | $1.1M | 2022 |
| The University of Texas at Austin REENTRY SCHOLARSHIPS | Austin, TX | $1.1M | 2022 |
| University of Missouri-st Louis REENTRY SCHOLARSHIPS | St Louis, MO | $1.1M | 2023 |
| North Carolina A&t University REENTRY SCHOLARSHIPS | Greensboro, NC | $1.1M | 2023 |
| Alcorn State University REENTRY SCHOLARSHIPS | Lorman, MS | $1.1M | 2023 |
The Bernard Osher Foundation giving by year
Total grants Bespoke Grants has indexed for each filing year:
How to apply for funding from The Bernard Osher Foundation
The Bernard Osher Foundation's public IRS filing does not spell out a formal application process. Foundations of this size often give primarily to organizations they already know, so a concise letter of inquiry or a warm introduction is usually the best first contact — not a full proposal. You can review the foundation directly at osherfoundation.org.
Is The Bernard Osher Foundation the right funder for your nonprofit?
This page shows what The Bernard Osher Foundation has funded. Bespoke Grants tells you whether it fits your mission — and finds every other foundation that does. Free, no credit card.
Match my nonprofit to funders →Frequently asked questions about The Bernard Osher Foundation
- Does The Bernard Osher Foundation accept grant applications?
- The Bernard Osher Foundation's public filing does not specify an application process. A brief letter of inquiry or a warm introduction is usually the best first step with a private foundation of this size.
- What does The Bernard Osher Foundation fund?
- The Bernard Osher Foundation's grants focus on arts & culture. Recent recipients include Education, Education, Arts and Humanities Grants. Its full grant history is listed above.
- How much does The Bernard Osher Foundation give in grants?
- The Bernard Osher Foundation reported $7.1M in grants in its most recent IRS filing (FY2020). Across all years in our data it has awarded $47.4M over 416 grants.
- Where is The Bernard Osher Foundation located?
- The Bernard Osher Foundation is based in San Francisco, California. Its IRS employer identification number (EIN) is 942506257.
- How can I find foundations similar to The Bernard Osher Foundation?
- Bespoke Grants matches your nonprofit against 225,000+ foundations like The Bernard Osher Foundation, ranking each by how well it fits your mission, location, and budget — with the reasoning shown. It is free to search.
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