The Alexandra And Spencer Wells
The A and S Wells Charitable Foundation is a private foundation dedicated to supporting a variety of causes primarily in the arts, education, and health sectors. Its mission reflects a commitment to enhancing cultural and educational opportunities, as evidenced by significant funding to organizations such as the San Francisco Film Society and Columbia University. Additionally, the foundation shows interest in historical preservation and health-related initiatives, supporting entities like Every Mother Counts. The foundation operates with a focus on unrestricted grants, allowing recipients flexibility in how they utilize the funds. While it is based in California, its support extends to organizations across multiple states.
Source: Zeffy Agent · Mar 2026
Ideal Applicant
Small-to-mid-sized arts, culture, or education nonprofits (and occasionally health or historical organizations) that match the foundation's past grantees and can be nominated or introduced to the board.
Good Fit
- • Alignment with arts, culture, education, or similar missions the foundation has funded before.
- • A connection or introduction to the foundation trustees or to organizations already funded.
- • Capacity to accept general operating support or modest unrestricted grants.
- • Geographic presence in California or visibility to national grantees the foundation favors.
Geography
Observed grants in the latest year went to recipients across ten states, and roughly half of giving flowed outside the foundation's state, indicating a multi-state footprint rather than a strictly local fund.
Recipient Variety
The foundation funded 21 distinct organizations in the latest year with a large share (16) that were new that year, and three years of filings show dozens of independent grantees rather than a tiny closed circle.
New Applicants
The foundation's materials state it funds only preselected applicants and there is no public application portal; although many new organizations were added in the latest year, the observed pattern and the stated invitation-only policy make it unlikely an unfamiliar applicant could enter without nomination or a direct introduction.
Source: Zeffy Agent · Mar 2026
