Horizons Foundation
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
For 45 years, Horizons' mission has been to support nonprofits serving and advocating for the LGBTQ community through grantmaking and programs; to increase philanthropic giving to LGBTQ causes; and to secure the community's long-term future for generations to come through legacy gifts from LGBTQ people across the community. While much of Horizons' grantmaking and programs focus on our San Francisco Bay Area home, multiple Horizons' initiatives and funds drive impact on LGBTQ issues of national and international concern.
- Income
- $15.4 million
- Spending
- $12.4 million
- Spent on programs
- 89%
- Reserves
- 47.1 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 74%
- Employees
- 18
- Volunteers
- 50
- Highest pay
- $320,960, president
Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Financial health
Good: 85 out of 100. Higher than 75% of charities in its peer group (community improvement, $10m to $100m).
Reserves
35 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 47.1 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 3% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 20% of income.
Income trend
0 of 15Income fell 39% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1589% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 6 cents.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Governance
Strong: 100 out of 100. Higher than 42% of charities in its peer group (community improvement, $10m to $100m).
Independent board
25 of 2516 of 16 voting board members are independent.
Conflict of interest policy
15 of 15Has a written conflict of interest policy.
Whistleblower policy
8 of 8Has a written whistleblower policy.
Record keeping policy
7 of 7Has a written policy on keeping and destroying records.
Board minutes
5 of 5Keeps minutes of board meetings.
Board sees the tax return
10 of 10Gave the board a copy of this return before filing it.
Pay set independently
5 of 5Sets its chief executive's pay through independent review and comparison.
Independent check of accounts
15 of 15Its accounts were audited by an independent accountant.
No reported misuse
10 of 10Reports no diversion of assets, excess benefits or loans to insiders.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Impact evidence
Describes programs. Its tax return describes what it does but we have found no measurable results in it.
Programs described in its return (3)
- $10.3 million spent. Grantmaking: Horizons Foundation provided direct financial support to nonprofit organizations through 1,561 grants to 792 organizations totaling $8,494,628 in 2025. Grants addressed multiple issues and populations related to the LGBTQ community, including health, HIV/AIDS, youth, arts, elders, communities of color, transgender rights, community building, and civil and human rights in the San Francisco Bay Area, other parts of the United States, and the world. In keeping with Horizons' values, grants supported both smaller, more grassroots organizations that few foundations will fund as well as more established LGBTQ institutions. Millions of additional grant dollars were generated from donor-advised, field-of-interest, and scholarship funds, as well as a groundbreaking multi-year initiative to support nonprofits focused on transgender people of color. Grants ranged from $100 to $200,000 and provided LGBTQ and allied nonprofits with both operating support and project support. In addition, Horizons supported a continuing opportunity for executive directors of LGBTQ organizations to receive on-going support in their challenging roles.
- $686,173 spent. Promoting Philanthropy: A lack of financial resources has long limited the capacity of nonprofit organizations to meet the varied and serious needs of the LGBTQ community, both in the Bay Area and beyond. Horizons is committed to bridging this gap not only through grantmaking but also by increasing community giving. This work included: (A) Horizons promoted giving by LGBTQ people for LGBTQ causes by offering expert seminars to educate donors and the LGBTQ community about current issues, giving strategies, and funding opportunities; (B) Horizons worked with individual donors to define their philanthropic goals and develop giving strategies for both life-time and legacy gifts; (C) The foundation also built philanthropy by convening and working with scores of financial and legal advisors serving the LGBTQ community in the San Francisco Bay Area; and (D) The Foundation led innovative research and testing efforts to strengthen the fundraising capabilities of LGBTQ nonprofits in the Bay Area and across the country.
- $69,943 spent. Securing the LGBTQ Future: There is an immense opportunity to bring additional financial resources to the LGBTQ community through legacy giving (giving from donors' estates). Horizons has long been a regional and national leader in efforts to realize this opportunity. In the Bay Area, the foundation continually promoted legacy giving as a way for donors - larger or smaller - to have profound impact through a legacy gift. We also continued to build the LGBTQ Community Endowment Fund to provide permanent resources for promoting rights and well-being of LGBTQ people. The Endowment is being built almost entirely through estate gifts, and more than 380 people have informed Horizons that the foundation is included in their estates. On a national level, Horizons continued to lead development of the groundbreaking National LGBTQ Legacy Giving Initiative. This visionary and unprecedented initiative is helping other LGBTQ communities across the country also realize the opportunity in legacy giving.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Legitimacy checks
Is it registered with the IRS? Passed.
Listed in the IRS master file of tax-exempt organizations as a 501(c)(3) charitable organization.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Has the IRS revoked its tax-exempt status? Passed.
Not on the IRS automatic revocation list.
Source: Automatic revocation of exemption list, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Are donations tax-deductible? Passed.
On the IRS list of organizations eligible to receive tax-deductible contributions.
Source: Publication 78 data: organizations eligible for tax-deductible contributions, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Is it keeping up with its IRS filings? Passed.
Most recent return on file covers the year ending June 2025.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.
Recognized by the IRS since March 1981.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Is it in good standing with state regulators? Passed.
Not on California's list of charities barred from soliciting. Other states are not yet checked.
Source: May Not Operate or Solicit for Charitable Purposes list, California Attorney General, Registry of Charities and Fundraisers, file dated October 21, 2026.
Ratings and checks are our reading of public records, using the published method. They are not a statement about anyone's honesty. If you work for this organization, you can send corrections or results, confirm you want gifts through Veridonate, or ask to be removed from giving.