Fat Tire Foundation
/OVERVIEW: The Fat Tire Foundation’s grantmaking includes support of health, education and human services.
IP TAKE: The Fat Tire Foundation feels like a funder in transition. Its grantmaking has increased in recent years and, after many years of keeping a low profile, it now has a website currently under construction. Additionally, in a blog post, Jeff Jordan wrote that he’s begun “thinking about the next chapter of [his] career,” which may signal a desire to focus more of his attention on philanthropy in the near future. In the meantime, the foundation does not accept unsolicited proposals or requests for funding. Grantseekers can reach out with questions at fattirefoundation@gmail.com.
PROFILE: Founded in 2006, the Fat Tire Foundation was established by tech mogul Jeff Jordan and his wife Karen. Its mission states that it seeks to “Cure T1D,” “Eliminate inequality in the Bay Area,” “Provide increased opportunity through education,” and “Protect the natural world.” Jeff Jordan worked as senior vice president of finance for Disney Stores at the Walt Disney Company and held executive positions at companies including Hollywood Entertainment, Reel.com, eBay, and OpenTable. Jordan is a general partner at the venture capital firm Andreessen Horowitz. Karen Jordan has worked in investment banking and currently chairs the research committee of the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation and has served on the boards of the Starlight Children’s Foundation, the Stanford GSB Alumni Association and the Stanford Healthcare Community Council.
While the foundation is not transparent and does not give details or name goals for its specific programs, its mission suggests that Fat Tire Foundation prioritizes education, healthcare, the environment, and the local Bay Area.
Grants for Public Health and Access, and Diseases
While the Fat Tire Foundation does not elaborate on its funding areas, support for type 1 diabetes research is a clear priority as the Jordans’ daughter was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes. The foundation has given over $2.5 million combined to Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation and JDRF International, and it has supported The Carb DM, The Diatribe Foundation, and Beyond Type 1. Karen sits on the board of JRDF as well as The Carb DM, which “fosters connections among people with diabetes, their loved ones, and medical professionals.
In addition to diabetes groups, Fat Tire has given to other health organizations, including Stand4Lyme Foundation, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, Partners in Health, American Heart Association, National Multiple Sclerosis Society, National Network of Abortion Funds, and Pacific Stroke Association.
Grants for Education
The Fat Tire Foundation gives some of its largest education grants to Stanford University, the Jordan’s alma mater, and they are Stanford parents as well. Other higher education grants have gone to Amherst College, where Jeff earned his bachelor’s degree.
The foundation supports K-12 groups as well, almost all of which are in the Bay Area, including Lick-Wilmerding-Lux Alumni Assn, Archdiocese of Sf Serra High School, Portola Valley Schools Foundation, and Sacred Heart Schools.
Grants for Bay Area and Community Development
While Fat Tire’s largest grants tend to go to larger national organizations, the largest quantity of grants go to smaller, local Bay Area groups, which run the gamut from youth services and animal welfare to homeless shelters and local culture. Previous grantees include Boys & Girls Club of the Peninsula, Humane Society of Silicon Valley, Hamilton Families, and KQED, the local San Francisco PBS station.
Fat Tire also strongly supports local food banks, including San Francisco-Marin Food Bank, Ecumenical Hunger Program, and Second Harvest Food Bank.
Grants for Environment
The foundation does not name specific goals for its funding in this area, but past grants have gone to the Humane Society of Silicon Valley, the Wolf Conservation Center, the World Wildlife Fund, and Acterra.
Important Grant Details
Grants range from $50 to $650,000, but the most common amount is $1,000. The foundation gave away almost $2 million in a recent year. It does not accept unsolicited applications and prefers to pre-select the organizations it supports. Unfortunately, Fat Tire maintains a minimalist public website that limits available information; however, grantseekers can reach out at fattirefoundation@gmail.com or via the mailing address provided below.
PEOPLE:
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CONTACT:
50 Paso del Arroyo
Portola Valley, CA 94028
(650) 529-0345
