Funding search · EIN 680208980 · Walnut Creek, CA
Dean and Margaret Lesher Foundation
A private foundation (files IRS Form 990-PF). Most private foundations do not take unsolicited applications; the route in is usually a program officer.
- 407
- grants reported
- $15.3M
- total given
- 2022–2024
- filing years
- $25,000
- median grant
Based on grants this organization reported to the IRS for tax years 2022–2024. This is what they filed, not a complete record of their giving, and recent years may be incomplete because filings lag.
What they fund
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Funding pattern
What this funder pays for, at what size, and how to position adjacent work. Read from their filings, with every number checked against the record.
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3 grants matching “schol” · $46,000
- $16,000
Kennedy-King Memorial College Schol · Martinez, CA · 2024
Kennedy-King General ScholarshipKennedy-King General Scholarship
- $15,000
Kennedy-King Memorial College Schol · Martinez, CA · 2023
Kennedy-King General ScholarshipKennedy-King General Scholarship
- $15,000
Kennedy-King Memorial College Schol · Martinez, CA · 2022
Kennedy-King General ScholarshipKennedy-King General Scholarship
Top recipients
Repeat recipients are the strongest signal of whether a funder has an open door or quietly re-funds the same organizations.
- Diablo Regional Arts Association6 grants · $800,000
- First 5 Contra Costa3 grants · $643,000
- Contra Costa Family Justice Allianc5 grants · $417,500
- John Muir Health Foundation2 grants · $400,000
- California Symphony Orchestra3 grants · $355,000
- East Bay Community Foundation3 grants · $340,000
- Food Bank of Contra Costa Solano3 grants · $330,000
- Opportunity Junction5 grants · $311,000
- Stand for Families Free of Violence3 grants · $304,525
- Meals On Wheels Diablo Region3 grants · $300,000
Giving over time
Grant history
The 100 largest of 407 grants.
- $260,000
Diablo Regional Arts Association · Walnut Creek, CA · 2024
General Support
- $260,000
Diablo Regional Arts Association · Walnut Creek, CA · 2023
Phase Two Lesher Center for the Arts Strategic Plan
- $230,000
First 5 Contra Costa · Concord, CA · 2023
Ready Community, Ready Schools, Ready Families
- $230,000
First 5 Contra Costa · Concord, CA · 2022
Ready Community, Ready Schools, Ready Families
- $210,000
Diablo Regional Arts Association · Walnut Creek, CA · 2022
DRAA & Lesher Center for Arts Reopening Season
- $200,000
John Muir Health Foundation · Walnut Creek, CA · 2024
John Muir Cancer Center
- $200,000
John Muir Health Foundation · Walnut Creek, CA · 2023
John Muir Cancer Center
- $183,000
First 5 Contra Costa · Concord, CA · 2024
Ready Community, Ready Schools, Ready Families
- $155,000
California Symphony Orchestra · Walnut Creek, CA · 2022
General opperating fund, purchase of musical intruments for elementary school
- $152,500
Contra Costa Family Justice Allianc · Richmond, CA · 2024
Contra Costa Family Justice Center
- $152,500
Contra Costa Family Justice Allianc · Richmond, CA · 2023
Contra Costa Family Justice Center
- $150,000
Ujima Family Recovery Services · San Pablo, CA · 2023
Ujima Family Recovery Services (Ujima Homes)
- $130,000
Food Bank of Contra Costa Solano · Concord, CA · 2024
FY 23-25 Food Bank General Support
- $120,000
East Bay Community Foundation · Oakland, CA · 2024
East Contra Costa STRONG Nonprofits Initiative
- $120,000
East Bay Community Foundation · Oakland, CA · 2023
East Contra Costa STRONG Nonprofits Initiative
- $110,000
Monument Crisis Center · Concord, CA · 2024
General Support
- $104,525
Stand for Families Free of Violence · Concord, CA · 2024
Agency Core Support
- $100,000
California Symphony Orchestra · Walnut Creek, CA · 2024
General Operations for California Symphony 2022-2024
- $100,000
City of Walnut Creek · Walnut Creek, CA · 2024
Capital Improvements and Upgrades & Implementing New Strategic Plan
- $100,000
Meals On Wheels Diablo Region · Walnut Creek, CA · 2024
general operating support
- $100,000
Opportunity Junction · Antioch, CA · 2024
Training, Counseling and Job Placement for East Contra Costa Re
- $100,000
Rubicon Programs · Richmond, CA · 2024
Equipping East Bay Communities to Achieve Lasting Mobility
- $100,000
Tandem Partners in Early Learning · Martinez, CA · 2024
Early Learning Innovations in East Contra Costa
- $100,000
California Symphony Orchestra · Walnut Creek, CA · 2023
General Operations for California Symphony 2022-2024
- $100,000
Food Bank of Contra Costa Solano · Concord, CA · 2023
FY 23-25 Food Bank General Support
- $100,000
Meals On Wheels Diablo Region · Walnut Creek, CA · 2023
general operating support
- $100,000
Opportunity Junction · Antioch, CA · 2023
Training, Counseling and Job Placement for East Contra Costa Re
- $100,000
Stand for Families Free of Violence · Concord, CA · 2023
Agency Core Support
- $100,000
Contra Costa Family Justice Allianc · Richmond, CA · 2022
Contra Costa Family Justice Center
- $100,000
East Bay Community Foundation · Oakland, CA · 2022
East Contra Costa STRONG Nonprofits Initiative
- $100,000
Food Bank of Contra Costa Solano · Concord, CA · 2022
FY 2020-21, 2021-22 General Operating Support
- $100,000
Meals On Wheels Diablo Region · Walnut Creek, CA · 2022
general operating support
- $100,000
Opportunity Junction · Antioch, CA · 2022
Training, Counseling and Job Placement for East Contra Costa Re
- $100,000
Rubicon Programs · Richmond, CA · 2022
Equipping East Bay Communities to Achieve Lasting Mobility
- $100,000
Stand for Families Free of Violence · Concord, CA · 2022
Agency Core Support
- $95,000
First Place for Youth · Oakland, CA · 2024
My First Place Contra Costa County
- $95,000
Richmond Community Foundation · Richmond, CA · 2022
Ensuring Opportunity Campaign to End Poverty in Contra Costa
- $90,000
Monument Impact · Concord, CA · 2024
Technology for Success
- $88,000
Tandem Partners in Early Learning · Martinez, CA · 2022
Early Learning Innovations in East Contra Costa
- $85,000
East Bay Center for the Performing · Richmond, CA · 2024
East Bay Center General Operating Support
- $85,000
Hope Solutions · Plesant Hill, CA · 2024
Operations
- $85,000
Richmond Community Foundation · Richmond, CA · 2024
Ensuring Opportunity Campaign to End Poverty in Contra Costa
- $80,000
Meals On Wheels of Contra Costa · Martinez, CA · 2024
Meals for Homebound Elders in Contra Costa County
- $80,000
The Ryse Center · Richmond, CA · 2024
Rooted and Rysing: Black and Brown Young People Leading in He
- $80,000
Yes Nature To Neighborhoods · Richmond, CA · 2024
Base Camp Capital Campaign; Community & Outdoor Leadership Development for Richmond Youth &
- $80,000
Contra Costa Crisis Center · Walnut Creek, CA · 2023
Community Safety Net Services and the Contra Costa Services Network Program
- $77,500
We Care Services for Children · Concord, CA · 2024
We Care Services for Children
- $75,000
Bay Area Legal Aid · Oakland, CA · 2024
Contra Costa Legal Safety Net Project
- $75,000
Greater Richmond Interfaith Program · Richmond, CA · 2024
Homeless Services
- $75,000
Bay Area Legal Aid · Oakland, CA · 2023
Contra Costa Legal Safety Net Project
- $75,000
City of Walnut Creek · Walnut Creek, CA · 2023
Capital Improvements and Upgrades & Implementing New Strategic Plan
- $75,000
East Bay Center for the Performing · Richmond, CA · 2023
East Bay Center General Operating Support
- $75,000
Greater Richmond Interfaith Program · Richmond, CA · 2023
Homeless Services
- $75,000
Hope Solutions · Plesant Hill, CA · 2023
Operations
- $75,000
Meals On Wheels of Contra Costa · Martinez, CA · 2023
Meals for Homebound Elders in Contra Costa County
- $75,000
The Ryse Center · Richmond, CA · 2023
Rooted and Rysing: Black and Brown Young People Leading in He
- $75,000
Village Community Resource Center · Brentwood, CA · 2023
Post Pandemic Responsive Programming in East Contra Costa
- $75,000
Bay Area Legal Aid · Oakland, CA · 2022
Contra Costa Legal Safety Net Project
- $75,000
City of Walnut Creek · Walnut Creek, CA · 2022
Capital improvements and upgrades
- $75,000
East Bay Center for the Performing · Richmond, CA · 2022
East Bay Center General Operating Support
- $75,000
Greater Richmond Interfaith Program · Richmond, CA · 2022
Homeless Services
- $75,000
Meals On Wheels of Contra Costa · Martinez, CA · 2022
Meals for Homebound Elders in Contra Costa County
- $75,000
The Ryse Center · Richmond, CA · 2022
Rooted and Rysing: Black and Brown Young People Leading in He
- $75,000
Village Community Resource Center · Brentwood, CA · 2022
Post Pandemic Responsive Programming in East Contra Costa
- $70,000
Loaves Fishes of Contra Costa · Martinez, CA · 2024
Nourishing Lives in Contra Costa County
- $70,000
Tandem Partners in Early Learning · Martinez, CA · 2023
Early Learning Innovations in East Contra Costa
- $70,000
We Care Services for Children · Concord, CA · 2023
We Care Services for Children
- $68,000
Shelter · Concord, CA · 2024
Preventing and Ending Homelessness for Children, Women, and
- $65,000
Loaves Fishes of Contra Costa · Martinez, CA · 2023
Nourishing Lives in Contra Costa County
- $65,000
Shelter · Concord, CA · 2023
Preventing and Ending Homelessness for Children, Women, and
- $65,000
Loaves Fishes of Contra Costa · Martinez, CA · 2022
Nourishing Lives in Contra Costa County
- $60,000
Court Appointed Special Advocates C · Concord, CA · 2024
Filling the Gaps for Foster Children in Contra Costa County
- $60,000
Diablo Ballet · Walnut Creek, CA · 2023
Diablo Ballets 2022-25 Season Title Support
- $60,000
Mindful Life Project · Richmond, CA · 2023
Mindfulness and SEL Programming in Contra Costa Schools
- $60,000
Bay Area Children'S Theatre · Oakland, CA · 2022
Theater Arts Outreach Program
- $60,000
Diablo Ballet · Walnut Creek, CA · 2022
Diablo Ballets 2022-25 Season Title Support
- $60,000
Interfaith Council of Contra Costa · Pleasant Hill, CA · 2022
Mountain View Family Shelter
- $60,000
Monument Impact · Concord, CA · 2022
Technology for Success
- $60,000
Shelter · Concord, CA · 2022
Preventing and Ending Homelessness for Children, Women, and
- $55,000
Bay Area Rescue Mission · Richmond, CA · 2024
Love Without Limits Program
- $55,000
Shepherd'S Gate · Livermore, CA · 2024
Core Programming for Homeless and Abused Women and Children
- $55,000
White Pony Express · Concord, CA · 2024
Food Rescue Project
- $55,000
Bay Area Rescue Mission · Richmond, CA · 2023
Love Without Limits Program
- $55,000
Bay Area Rescue Mission · Richmond, CA · 2022
Basic needs for single women and women with children
- $50,000
Arts Contra Costa County Artsccc · Richmond, CA · 2024
General Operations
- $50,000
California State Univ East Bay Fdn · Hayward, CA · 2024
Mathematics, engineering, science achievement
- $50,000
Cityside Jouralism Initiative · Berkeley, CA · 2024
Civicorps' Contra Costa County Expansion Project
- $50,000
Civicorps · Oakland, CA · 2024
Civicorps Contra Costa County Expansion Project
- $50,000
El Timpano-Independent Arts Media · San Francisco, CA · 2024
General Operations
- $50,000
Lindsay Wildlife Experience · Walnut Creek, CA · 2024
Environmental Education for Title I Schools in Contra Costa Count
- $50,000
St Vincent De Paul of Contra Costa · Pittsburg, CA · 2024
General Operating Support
- $50,000
Winter Nights Family Shelter · Pleasant Hill, CA · 2024
Winter Nights Family Shelter
- $50,000
California State Univ East Bay Fdn · Hayward, CA · 2023
Mathematics, engineering, science achievement
- $50,000
Civicorps · Oakland, CA · 2023
Civicorps Contra Costa County Expansion Project
- $50,000
Cope Family Support Center · Walnut Creek, CA · 2023
General operating support
- $50,000
Court Appointed Special Advocates C · Concord, CA · 2023
Filling the Gaps for Foster Children in Contra Costa County
- $50,000
Diablo Regional Arts Association · Walnut Creek, CA · 2023
General Support
- $50,000
Habitat for Humanity East Baysilico · Oakland, CA · 2023
Affordable Housing and Financial Stability for Contra Costa County
- $50,000
Shepherd'S Gate · Livermore, CA · 2023
Core Programming for Homeless and Abused Women and Children
- $50,000
St Vincent De Paul of Contra Costa · Pittsburg, CA · 2023
General Operating Support
Grants already paid are the record; PaperOrbit reads your paper and finds the funders whose record matches it — then explains why.
Search funders like this oneSource: IRS Form 990-PF, Part XV, as filed by the foundation. These are grants already paid — a record of what this funder backs, not an open call.

