Perkins Hunter Foundation is a private foundation that primarily makes grants to left-of-center, youth-focused, and education-oriented organizations. ¹ Thomas Perkins, Alec Perkins, and Jamel Perkins are the Perkins Hunter Foundation’s directors. ²

During the 2020 election cycle, the Perkins Hunter Foundation made grants to various organizations including $400,000 to the San Francisco Foundation, $100,000 to Tipping Point Community, $75,000 to Freedom Forward, $25,000 to the Voter Registration Project, $15,000 to New Venture Fund, and 15,000 to pro-abortion organization NARAL Pro-Choice America. ³

History and Leadership

Perkins Hunter Foundation was founded in 1987. ⁴ The foundation was given nonprofit status from the Internal Revenue Service that same year. ⁵ Thomas Perkins, Alec Perkins, and Jamel Perkins are the Perkins Hunter Foundation’s directors. ⁶

Previously, Jamel Perkins was the president of the board of the San Francisco Education Fund. In 2016, she co-founded Freedom Forward, an organization that aims to stop sex trafficking. Jamel Perkins’ son Alec is the former board chair of Tipping Point, ⁷ an organization that received six-figure grants from the Perkins Hunter Foundation at several points between 2012 and 2021. ⁸

Activities and Funding

Perkins Hunter Foundation is a private foundation whose primary activity is making grants to left-of-center, youth-focused, and education-oriented organizations. ⁹ The foundation is also a partner of the Green Light Fund, ¹⁰ which is in partnership with the left-of-center Network for Good donation platform. ¹¹

In 2021, Perkins Hunter Foundation issued grants of $350,000 to Tipping Point Community, $150,000 to Freedom Forward, $25,000 to the San Francisco Educational Fund, $25,000 to Greenbelt Alliance, and others. ¹²

In 2020, Perkins Hunter Foundation issued grants to various groups including $400,000 to the San Francisco Foundation, $100,000 to Tipping Point Community, $75,000 to Freedom Forward, $25,000 to the Voter Registration Project, $15,000 to America Votes, $15,000 to pro-abortion NARAL Pro-Choice America, $15,000 to Voto Latino, $15,000 to New Venture Fund, $10,000 to Accelerate Change, $10,000 to Foundation for Social Impact, $10,000 to Turnout Activism, $5,000 to Feel Good Voting, $10,000 to Hopewell Fund, $10,000 to left-leaning Count Every Vote, and $7,000 to All Americans Vote. ¹³

Perkins Hunter Foundation has also supported children’s programs and youth sports activities ¹⁴ by making grants to the Erikson Institute, ¹⁵ the Boys and Girls Club of America and other youth-focused organizations. ¹⁶

In 2019, the Perkins Hunter Foundation made financial contributions supporting the left-of-center Chicago Community Trust (CCT). ¹⁷ Within CCT, there is a Perkins Hunter Foundation Fund. ¹⁸

Perkins Hunter Foundation has also made grants to the left-of-center Tides Foundation, ¹⁹ Ofxam America, Teach For America, National Public Radio (NPR), and others. ²⁰

Funding

Perkins Hunter Foundation is a private foundation whose main source of funding is capital gains from and sales of the foundation’s investments. In 2021, Perkins Hunter Foundation reported revenue of $1,684,000 and expenses of $673,411. That year, the foundation reported that $1,292,805 of its total income came from capital gain net income from its securities holdings. ²¹

Previously, the Perkins Hunter Foundation received funding from the Perkins Revocable Trust. ²²

In 2020, Perkins Hunter Foundation reported revenue of $580,858 and expenses of $892,400. ²³

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