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Taube Philanthropies

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Taube Philanthropies, established by Tad and Dianne Taube, is guided by the principles of a democratic society, including economic opportunity, individual freedom, intellectual diversity on university campuses and American pride. The foundation is dedicated to ensuring all citizens have equal opportunity to reach their highest potential.

For nearly 30 years, the foundation has supported programs in the San Francisco Bay Area, Poland, and Israel, focusing on education and scholarship, Jewish cultural renewal and heritage preservation, community and institution building, and public policy initiatives that uphold core American values.

Taube Philanthropies is rooted in collaborative giving, working with fellow philanthropists and partner organizations to amplify impact, expand opportunity, and inspire a lasting culture of generosity. Through these partnerships, the foundation has helped pioneer a new era of collaborative philanthropy by pooling capital, sharing risk, and measuring outcomes to ensure that resources are used in meaningful ways for the greater good.

Taube Philanthropies remains steadfast in its mission to advance liberty, opportunity, and human dignity for generations to come.

Our Approach to Philanthropy

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Executive Director’s Message

For more than two decades at Taube Philanthropies, I have had the privilege of working closely with Tad and Dianne Taube to advance their distinctive model of philanthropy, which measures success by the partnerships it creates, the institutions it strengthens and, most importantly, the people it empowers.

Applying this approach to giving across medicine, education, Jewish life, civic leadership, and youth well-being has given me a deep understanding of the principles and practices that produce impact across generations, not simply grant cycles.

Today, under Dianne’s leadership as Chairman and CEO, one of my most important responsibilities as Executive Director is to bring that institutional knowledge to bear.

Collaborating with Dianne and our Board, our staff and I help sustain the legacy commitments that have defined Taube Philanthropies, while executing the new priorities Dianne is establishing.

There is much to build upon: empowering young people through partnerships with Bay Area sports foundations; advancing medical research in pediatric cancer, addiction, and neurodegenerative disease; strengthening civic discourse on university campuses; reacting quickly to provide disaster relief; and revitalizing Jewish life in Poland.

Drawing on the Foundation’s experience and relationships, I am confident the years ahead are full of promise.

Shana Penn
Executive Director

Areas of Focus

Medical Research & Innovation

Medical breakthroughs rarely follow predictable timelines. Private philanthropy gives researchers the independence and sustained resources to pursue discoveries that extend lives and reduce suffering.

At Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital Stanford, a matching grant established the Taube Stem Cell Pediatric Cancer Research Fund. Led by Dr. Agnieszka Czechowicz, this work advances antibody-based stem cell transplantation, reducing reliance on toxic chemotherapy and radiation and improving outcomes and quality of life for children with cancer and rare genetic diseases.

The foundation is also contributing to the transformation of UCSF’s Parnassus campus into a state-of-the-art medical and research complex, including the Taube Family Mount Sutro Gateway. Designed by the acclaimed architectural firm Herzog and de Meuron, it will connect the campus to the surrounding natural reserve.

The Tad and Dianne Taube Pavilion at Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital Stanford provides a welcoming setting for children and families receiving care.

Student Well-Being & Mental Health

The scale of mental health challenges facing college students calls for more than crisis response. Taube Philanthropies prioritizes early intervention and campus-wide strategies that make well-being part of everyday life.

Santa Clara University’s Initiative for Student Well-Being, a signature program of the foundation, is a nationally recognized model that integrates mental health care directly into the student experience through on-site therapists, basic needs support, and substance-free housing. The program reflects Dianne Taube’s commitment to proactive, accessible care for young people at a time when student anxiety and depression continue to rise.

A campus mural illustrates the eight dimensions of wellness central to Santa Clara University’s Initiative for Student Well-Being.

Youth Empowerment & Community Partnerships

Today’s young people will become tomorrow’s citizens and leaders. Access to positive role models and structured activities builds life skills and leads to more successful transitions into adulthood. When athletes and teams take an active role in their communities, they show that each child’s potential is valued.

Taube Philanthropies pairs the reach of Bay Area sports with the expertise of local youth organizations. Through long-standing partnerships with the San Francisco 49ers’ Touchdowns for Kids, the Golden State Warriors’ Hoops 4 Kids, and the San Jose Sharks’ Goals for Kids, the foundation funds programs that improve educational outcomes and life prospects for local youth.

Through Hoops 4 Kids, the Warriors turn three-pointers on the court into support for Bay Area youth off it.

Jewish Peoplehood

Jewish Peoplehood recognizes Judaism as both a faith and a living civilization, sustained by a shared history and bonds that connect Jewish people across geography. Taube Philanthropies works to keep that history visible, connecting Jewish communities to each other and to their shared heritage.

In the Bay Area, the foundation has longstanding relationships with Hillels, Jewish community centers, communal organizations, and academic institutions. Taube Philanthropies founded Stanford University’s Taube Center for Jewish Studies and helped bring the Taube Family Archive of the International Military Tribunal at Nuremberg to Stanford Libraries. In Israel, the foundation has contributed to the National Library of Israel, the Israel Museum, Hebrew University, and Anu – Museum of the Jewish People.

Poland holds a singular place in this history. Through the Jewish Heritage Initiative in Poland and founding support for the POLIN Museum of the History of Polish Jews, Taube Philanthropies has helped preserve the thousand-year history of Polish Jewry while contributing to the revival of Jewish life today.

On the site of the former Warsaw Ghetto, POLIN Museum brings the history of Polish Jewry into conversation with the present.

Diplomacy, Policy & Academic Leadership

Freedom of inquiry is essential to a free society. Universities and policy institutions uphold that standard through rigorous research unconstrained by prevailing opinion.

The Foundation puts this into practice through partnerships that shape diplomacy, national security, and public policy. At Pepperdine University, Dr. Kiron Skinner holds the Taube Family Chair of International Relations and Politics and is the founding director of the Institute for Diplomacy, Security, and Innovation. She brings scholarship into public decision-making by convening leaders around current issues and involving students in advanced research.

At Stanford, former U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice serves as the Tad and Dianne Taube Director of the Hoover Institution, while Taube-named fellowships at the Stanford Institute for Economic Policy Research support research on economic policy. The George P. Shultz Fellowship at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library and Institute cultivates emerging scholars of Reagan-era history and policy.

Air Force One and the presidential motorcade are displayed at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library, home to the Taube-supported George P. Shultz Fellowship.

Arts, Culture & Civic Life

Great art resonates long after the applause fades. Taube Philanthropies directs private giving to preserve cultural memory and bring creative work to wider audiences, ensuring it continues to inspire joy and deepen understanding for future generations.

Taube Philanthropies has funded projects that have enriched the lives of millions across California. The foundation’s gifts to the San Francisco Opera include the Dianne and Tad Taube Atrium Theater, a 299-seat intimate venue within the Wilsey Center for Opera, while Opera broadcasts at the ballpark have brought music to larger audiences.

The foundation recently helped restore The Bay Lights, returning the iconic installation to the Bay Bridge. Taube Philanthropies is also preparing to unveil the Taube Family Carriage House and Automobile Gallery at the San Mateo County History Museum in Redwood City, a dynamic new cultural space designed to engage the community through exhibitions, events, and educational programming.

Reconfigurable seating lets the Dianne and Tad Taube Atrium Theater adapt to experimental performance styles while preserving exceptional acoustics.

Taube Philanthropies Directors 

Dianne Taube, Chairman and CEP

Juddson Taube

Mark Taube

Sean Taube

Shana Penn, Executive Director

Jeffrey Farber

Greg Galli

Ken Marciano

Alan Zafran