OVERVIEW: The Eucalyptus Foundation makes grants for K-12 education, the arts, the environment, economic and community development, music, human rights and global security, most often in California.
IP TAKE: Despite its small size and low-profile, the Eucalyptus Foundation has conducted some major grantmaking in its areas of interest. This funder awards grants to support specific projects as well as general operating costs. The Eucalyptus Foundation lacks transparency, which restrict information about its grantmaking strategies and interests.
While most of the foundation’s grantmaking remains in California, specifically in the Bay Area, some grants have gone to organizations in New York, Illinois, Colorado and Chile, among a handful of other one-off places. It is not an accessible grantmaker, preferring a proactive approach to grantmaking. This is ultimately a tough nut to crack since this funder likes to keep its cards close. Getting through the door will require some deep networking and patience.
PROFILE: Based in San Francisco, California, the Eucalyptus Foundation – not to be confused Eucalyptus Foundation, Inc., a Brooklyn-based giver – is a private organizations that keeps a low public profile despite its sizable assets. It was established in 1992. According to its tax filings, Frances Koshland Geballe is the Foundation's major financial contributor. Geballe is the daughter of Daniel Koshland Sr. who, along with brother-in-law Walter Hass, helped turn Levi Strauss into a multi-billion dollar company. Koshland was also involved with the creation of the Levi Strauss and San Francisco Foundations. As of 2019 they had $2.8 million in revenue and $66 million in assets.
Eucalyptus makes grants for education, arts and culture, the environment, human services, community and economic development, health, public safety, human rights, and science research. Due to the Foundation’s low-profile, it is unclear what approaches and strategies it takes towards its grantmaking; however, below are some insights.
Grants for K-12 and Youth
The majority of the Eucalyptus Foundation’s K-12 and youth grants support institutions located in its home state of California. Education grants encompass the majority of this funder’s giving in recent years. While it tends to give broadly in these areas — with funding interests spanning international schools to prepatory schools or established universities — the Foundation is highly focused supporting schools and youth outfits in the Bay Area, East Palo Alto and Berkeley. Funding related to youth tends to focus on access to education, skills training, housing, and human services, as well as recreation.
Past grantees include the Albany Education Foundation, which received a general operating support grant; and the Mid-Peninsula Education Center, which received a grant for minority student tuition scholarships. Other past education grantees include Streetcode Academy, Aim High for High School, Ravenswood Education Foundation, Khan Academy, and East Palo Alto Tennis and Tutoring, among others.
Grants for Economic and Community Development
As with its other areas of funding, the Eucalyptus Foundation maintains broad interests in economic and community development. However, across these interest areas, students and youth remain the largest beneficiaries. The Foundation tends to invest in youth recreation, sports, food security, job skills training, housing and homelessness, vocational and career counseling, among other youth-centered interests, though there are occasional grants for organizations that support families and seniors.
Past grantees include Jewish Vocational & Career Counseling Service, KickStart-International, Western Regional Advocacy Project, Boys & Girls Club San Francisco, Build Change, Tenderloin Neighborhood Development Corp., and Good Samaritan Family Resource Center of San Francisco, among others.
Grants for the Arts and Music
Eucalyptus does not name music grantmaking specifics because it prefers to fund music more broadly. This permits the Foundation to invest in a wide variety of music-related projects. While Eucalyptus supports music organizations across the country, it awards most of its grants to those located in California. In recent years it has expanded its arts giving to include art festivals, art and music education, youth enrichment opportunities, and the performing arts.
Past grantees include the San Francisco Choral Society, the San Francisco Symphony, International Festival of Art & Ideas, UC Merced Foundation, and Save the Bay, among others.
Grants for the Environment
Though the Foundation takes a broad approach with undefined giving strategies towards its environmental grants, it appears interested in programs and projects that support environmental education, biodiversity in the Bay Area, and marine conservation. This area of funding is a smaller are of funding for the Foundation, but has increased in recent years. Past grantees include Friends of the Urban Forest, Save the Bay, NatureBridge, and Save the Snakes, among others.
Grants for Human Rights and Security
The Eucalyptus Foundation’s human rights grantmaking is relatively broad; however, it has prioritized awards for projects that support the rights of those living in conflict zones and peace-building movements. Human rights, however, are not the foundation's dominant area of grantmaking. This used to be a bigger part of past giving, though it is unclear if this will change in the future.
Important Grant Details:
Eucalyptus Foundation grants range anywhere from $1,000 to $1 million; however, grants typically range from $5,000 to $500,000.
The Eucalyptus Foundation tends to give for annual campaigns, capital and infrastructure, capital campaigns, continuing support, and curriculum development.
Its taxes claim to primarily give to community development and education, though it also gives to international development and human rights.
Children, youth and students are the most common beneficiaries of giving, but some grants are awarded for projects focused on families and seniors.
The Eucalyptus Foundation does not accept unsolicited grant applications or requests for funding. Also, the Foundation does not seem to have a formal, paid staff; however, its board meets twice annually to make grantmaking decisions. Grantseekers can email Eucalyptus at inbox@eucalyptusassoc.com or the phone number provided below.
PEOPLE:
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CONTACT:
Eucalyptus Foundation
P.O. Box 29550
San Francisco, California 94129
(415) 561-3346