What Hidden Leaf Foundation does

Hidden Leaf Foundation is a private family foundation established in 1988 by David (Dave) Brown and headquartered in the San Francisco Bay Area. The foundation deploys five-year, trust-based, multi-year general operating grants alongside a portfolio of community investments, ESG-aligned securities, mission-related investments, and East Bay commercial real estate held through Reynolds & Brown. Integrated capital is the foundation's signature approach: grants are paired with non-extractive financing (loans, recoverable grants, asset transfers) co-developed and delivered through Full Spectrum Labs as a core partner. The endowment was structurally enlarged in 2013 when David Brown bequeathed 90% of his estate to the foundation.\n\nThe foundation serves frontline community organizing groups, ecosystem intermediaries, and community economic sovereignty organizations working at the intersection of racial justice and Just Transition in the United States. Its grantee portfolio includes 40+ movement organizations such as APEN, Climate Justice Alliance, Movement Generation, RYSE, Urban Tilth, BOLD, Richmond LAND, and the People's Solar Energy Fund, with a place-based concentration in Richmond, California. The foundation operates with a small staff (four people) plus a mixed board of family members and independent members, and does not accept unsolicited proposals, distributing capital entirely through relationship-driven, peer-funder networks.\n\nRevenue originates from investment returns on the endowment, which is anchored by income-producing commercial real estate in the East Bay, ESG-aligned securities, and mission-related investments. In 2024 the foundation committed $2.5M in traditional grants and $1.5M in community investments, with a five-year commitment to $15M in total support at an 8% payout. Leadership transitioned in 2024-2025, with Supriya Lopez Pillai departing to lead Libra Foundation, Lorelei Williams serving briefly as Interim ED, and Leslie Lindo appointed Executive Director on January 28, 2025.

Name

Hidden Leaf Foundation

Legal name

Hidden Leaf Foundation

Website

https://hiddenleaf.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1988

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Hidden Leaf Foundation is a private Bay Area family foundation that deploys multi-year general operating grants and non-extractive community investments to frontline social and environmental justice organizations advancing Just Transition and racial equity across the United States.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Private Family Foundation / Philanthropic Grantmaking

NAICS

Grantmaking and Giving Services (81321), Environment, Conservation and Wildlife Organizations (813312), Civic and Social Organizations (81341)

SIC

Investors, Nec (6799), Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Private Foundations (BPAGAKAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Community Foundations (BPAGAKAB), Land Trusts & Protected Areas (BPAGAGAC), Affordable Housing & Community Development (Housing, Community Land Trusts) (BPAGALAC)

Keywords

• Philanthropic grantmaking
• Community investments
• Trust-based philanthropy
• Integrated capital
• Social justice funding

Headquarters

HQ city

San Francisco

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Grantmaking / Philanthropic Investments: Multi-year general operating grants to a thriving ecosystem of transformational change initiatives. Hidden Leaf considers grants an investment in the public good with very high social impact and no financial return to the foundation.
2. Community Investments: Program-related investments in core grantees and allied organizations delivered through an integrated capital approach — supporting groups with non-extractive financing (loans, recoverable grants, asset transfers) on terms designed with the community. The majority of community investments are delivered through Full Spectrum Labs.
3. Deep Impact Investments: Mission-related investments in organizations aligned with Hidden Leaf's focus and values that have high impact, low to moderate returns, and may be deemed risky by traditional investment standards. These strengthen cultural, political, legal, and economic foundations for a new economy.
4. ESG and Traditional Investments: Securities and private equity within the endowment that align with environment, social, and governance (ESG) criteria. Capital is used to make the existing economy more just while less harmful and extractive.
5. Real Estate Investments: Income generated to support Hidden Leaf's operations from commercial real estate in the East Bay, developed and managed by Reynolds & Brown, a private company co-founded by Hidden Leaf's founder David (Dave) Brown.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Hidden Leaf Foundation is a private family foundation that makes deep, long-term investments in social and environmental justice movements through a five-year grantmaking program. It provides multi-year general operating grants alongside non-extractive community investments (loans, recoverable grants, asset transfers) to vetted frontline organizing groups and ecosystem intermediaries. Capital deployment is paired with an integrated endowment strategy spanning ESG-aligned securities, mission-related deep impact investments, and East Bay commercial real estate income that funds operations.

Product overview

Hidden Leaf Foundation is a family foundation offering a portfolio of philanthropic and investment products centered on five-year core grants to movement organizations, program-related community investments with non-extractive financing, deep impact mission-related investments, ESG-aligned traditional investments, and East Bay real estate investments. The integrated capital approach combines grants with loans, recoverable grants, and asset transfers designed with and for communities advancing Just Transition and collective liberation. As a trust-based philanthropy organization, Hidden Leaf does not accept unsolicited proposals and makes long-term commitments to a small number of grantee partners.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Multi-Year General Operating Grants

Quantifiable outcome

• $15M in low-barrier, long-term support over 5 years to the transformative organizing field
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers17 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and supporting.

• Full Spectrum LabscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFull Spectrum Labs is an incubator-accelerator that brings people, ideas, and capital together to grow regenerative economies. They serve as Hidden Leaf's visionary advisor and co-developer of its integrated capital approach, delivering the majority of community investments (non-extractive financing including loans, recoverable grants, and asset transfers) to grantees and allied organizations. The partnership is described as a core component of Hidden Leaf's integrated capital strategy.
• Certified Public Accountants, LLPsupportingImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerCCA, LLP is a full-service accounting firm offering a broad range of services for business owners, executives, and professionals. They provide accounting and financial services to support Hidden Leaf's operations.
• Nathan Naik Shara / Shaping Change: Social Justice ConsultingsupportingImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerNathan Naik Shara is a somatic therapist, writer, and teacher whose work focuses on the intersections of individual healing and structural transformation. He is a lead teacher and practitioner with generative somatics, bringing embodied transformation to social and environmental justice leaders. He served as a somatics coach and institutional consultant during Hidden Leaf's Executive Director search process.
• Sogorea Te' Land TrustcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHidden Leaf pays Shuumi Land Tax, an annual contribution in support of the Lisjan Ohlone through the Sogorea Te' Land Trust. This practice reflects the foundation's commitment to aligning capital with sacred values and supporting the return of Indigenous land. Giving Shuumi is described as an opportunity to deepen the practice of repairing, restoring, and relationship building. The Sogorea Te' | Ohlone Learning Center also appears on Hidden Leaf's community investments list.
• Ktisis CapitalsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerKtisis Capital is a consultant partner in Hidden Leaf's 'Broadening Our Approach to Democracy' webinar, which explored mechanisms for foundations to invest in 501(c)(4) infrastructure to support electoral and deep democracy work. The conversation also included Power California and Groundswell Action Fund.
• Walker & Associates ConsultingsupportingImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerWalker & Associates Consulting (W&A), led by Jeannine Walker, facilitated Hidden Leaf's Executive Director search process. The firm conducted an inclusive, thoughtful, and robust search that resulted in the appointment of Leslie Lindo. W&A is described as a trusted partner in the transition process.
• People's Solar Energy FundcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHidden Leaf provided community investment financing to the People's Solar Energy Fund for investments into community-owned solar projects, supporting energy sovereignty and Just Transition.
• Climate Justice Alliance — Reinvest In Our Power Loan FundcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHidden Leaf's community investment financing supports Climate Justice Alliance's 'Reinvest In our Power' Loan Fund, which provides technical support and non-extractive financing to local Just Transition projects building regenerative solidarity economies.
• Justice Funders NetworksupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerJustice Funders Network is an ecosystem intermediary that Hidden Leaf participates in as a member. It connects progressive funders around Just Transition and integrated capital strategies. Tara Brown, former Executive Director and current board member, is an active member of Justice Funder's Just Transition Investment Community.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Ford Foundation: One of the largest US foundations supporting inequality reduction, social justice, and global development. Comparable through overlapping mission areas (racial justice, Just Transition, movement building) and through personnel overlap (board member Alta Starr previously worked as program officer/grantmaker at Ford).
• Tides Foundation: Large progressive foundation and fiscal sponsor supporting movement organizations, social justice, and environmental work. Comparable through shared field of grantmaking for social/environmental justice, and through personnel overlap (Karie Brown, Hidden Leaf board chair, previously served at Tides).

Direct peers

• Libra Foundation: Progressive family foundation that supports movement organizing, racial justice, and Just Transition work. Highly comparable to Hidden Leaf because of overlapping values, multi-year general operating support, and the direct leadership linkage (former Hidden Leaf ED Supriya Lopez Pillai now leads Libra).
• Solidaire Network: A movement-focused donor network and pooled fund supporting front-line organizing. Comparable to Hidden Leaf through shared values, focus on BIPOC-led movement infrastructure, and dedication to long-term, flexible, multi-year general operating support.
• NoVo Foundation: Large progressive family foundation funding social justice, gender equity, and Indigenous communities. Comparable to Hidden Leaf through its private-foundation structure, movement-aligned grantmaking, and emphasis on long-term, trust-based relationships with frontline organizations.
• New World Foundation: Progressive family-style foundation supporting community organizing, movement-building, and leadership development. Comparable to Hidden Leaf because of overlapping grantmaking areas and shared personnel (board member Alta Starr previously served as a program officer at New World Foundation).
• Full Spectrum Labs: Incubator-accelerator and investment advisor co-developing Hidden Leaf's integrated capital approach and deploying the majority of Hidden Leaf's community investments. Directly comparable because it operates in the same integrated-capital/regenerative-economy niche.

Regional players

• Comic Relief USA: Major US-based charitable foundation funding social justice, children's welfare, and poverty alleviation. Comparable through grantmaking program scale and shared leadership lineage (board chair Karie Brown served as SVP of Grants Programs at Comic Relief USA from 2017 to 2021).

Emerging players

• Just Transition Fund: Collaborative philanthropic fund supporting frontline communities transitioning away from extractive economies. Comparable to Hidden Leaf through its Just Transition lens, movement-aligned grantmaking, and integration with grantees such as Climate Justice Alliance that Hidden Leaf also funds.
• Ktisis Capital: Values-aligned impact advisory and investment firm focused on progressive philanthropy, integrated capital, and 501(c)(4) funding infrastructure. Comparable to Hidden Leaf as a peer in the integrated-capital, mission-aligned-investment space and as an explicit collaboration partner on funder education.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/hidden-leaf-foundation

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Hidden Leaf Foundation