Funders › California

Carestar Foundation

Berkeley, CA · EIN 82-1511283. Reported 133 grants totalling $16.0M to 82 recipients across tax years 2021-2024. This foundation did not tell the IRS it funds only preselected organizations.

Yesaccepts unsolicited requests
$75,000median grant on its 990-PF
$16.0Mgranted, 2021-2024
82recipients, as named on its returns
36%of grantees funded again the next year
$61.2Massets, latest filing

Does this foundation accept applications?

Yes -- on its own tax return. Form 990-PF asks every private foundation whether it makes grants only to organizations it selects itself. Of the 91,758 foundations in our data that made a grant and answered, 78% said yes -- and applying to those is wasted effort. Carestar Foundation did not check that box on its most recent filing, which puts it in the minority that is at least open to being approached.

This is the foundation's own statement to the IRS, not our judgement, and it says nothing about whether they have a form, a deadline, or an appetite for new grantees. Treat it as the reason this foundation is worth your research time, not as an invitation. Many small foundations of this kind have no website and no application process -- a letter of inquiry is the normal first step.

How big are its grants?

The median grant is $75,000. Half of everything it gave fell between $25,000 and $158,333; the smallest was $2,000 and the largest $750,000. If you are asking for materially more than the top of that range, you are asking the wrong foundation.

$1,000 - $5,000
7 grants
$5,000 - $10,000
5 grants
$10,000 - $25,000
16 grants
$25,000 - $50,000
4 grants
$50,000 - $100,000
28 grants
$100,000 and Up
56 grants

It also files a Form 990 with Schedule I

Separately from its 990-PF, this organization reported 17 grants on Form 990 Schedule I, with a median of $62,359 and a total of $2,233,429.

The two sets of figures are not comparable, so we do not combine them. Schedule I only requires listing grants over $5,000, while Form 990-PF has no reporting floor. Every grant-size number above this block is from the 990-PF alone; the Schedule I median here describes only the grants that form required it to report. Averaging the two would produce a figure that describes neither.

Every organization it funded

This is the complete list from its filings, largest first. Recipients are grouped by name and state as they were written on the returns, so an organization entered under two different names appears twice. Years funded is the number of separate tax years in which that name received money.

OrganizationLocationTotal receivedGrantsYears fundedLast
Public Health AdvocatesDavis, CA$2,770,000842024
Lundquistharbor UCLATorrance, CA$999,999322024
Loma Linda UniversityLoma Linda, CA$750,000332024
Nuestra ComunidadSanta Rosa, CA$750,000332024
Interface Children & Family ServicesCamarillo, CA$600,000332023
California Indian Museum & Cultural CenterSanta Rosa, CA$500,000222023
Sutter Coast HospitalCrescent City, CA$491,666322024
City of EurekaEureka, CA$425,000322024
Public Health InstituteOakland, CA$420,000112022
Health Access FoundationSacramento, CA$407,000422023
Youth Recovery ConnectionsHollister, CA$333,333112023
Regents of the University of California UcsfLos Angeles, CA$316,666212024
California Pan-Ethnic Health NetworkOakland, CA$309,500432023
Health Resource in Action (hria)Jersey City, NJ$300,000212024
John Muir Health FoundationWalnut Creek, CA$300,000112022
Kings ViewFresno, CA$300,000222024
California Bridge Program (public Health Institute)Oakland, CA$280,000112023
National Indian Justice CenterSanta Rosa, CA$250,000112024
Public Works AllianceSanta Barbara, CA$250,000222023
Possibility LabBerkeley, CA$231,732212024
The Health Alliance for Violence Intervention (health Resources in Action)Jersey City, NJ$225,000222023
Bay Area Youth Emt ProgramOakland, CA$200,001332024
Ca Emergency Medical Services AuthorityRancho Cordova, CA$200,000112024
Hope & Heal FundLos Angeles, CA$200,000222024
Hope and Heal Fund (new Venture Fund)Washington, DC$200,000112021
Anti Police-Terror ProjectOakland, CA$180,000432024
San Francisco Fire DepartmentSan Francisco, CA$170,818222024
TabimomsVacaville, CA$162,500422024
Regents of University of CaliforniaLos Angeles, CA$158,333112023
Exhaling InjusticeSan Diego, CA$150,000222024
Northern California EmsRedding, CA$150,000112023
Prevention InstituteOakland, CA$150,000222023
San Ramon Valley Fire ProtectionSan Ramon, CA$150,000112024
San Ramon Valley Fire Protection DistrictSan Ramon, CA$150,000112023
California Pan-Ethnic Health Network (cpehn)Oakland, CA$125,000112024
San Francisco EmsaSan Francisco, CA$125,000112024
The Regents of the University of California San FranciscoSan Francisco, CA$106,146112021
City Emt (dusty's Fishing Well)Oakland, CA$100,000112023
City Emt (dustys' Fishing Well)Oakland, CA$100,000112022
New Venture FundWashington, DC$100,000112022
Sfary (support for Actively Rising Youth)Benecia, CA$100,000112024
St Joseph Health Northern California LLC Dba Providence St Joseph HospEureka, CA$100,000112022
Support for Actively Rising YouthBenicia, CA$100,000112023
True North Organizing NetworkEureka, CA$100,000112021
Cristo Rey De La Salle East Bay High SchoolOakland, CA$90,000532023
Tower Foundation of SjsuSan Jose, CA$79,182112024
Community Response Works (raheem)Oakland, CA$75,000112023
Concrete Development Inc (united Way of San Joaquin County)Stockton, CA$75,000112023
Health Resources in Action (the Health Alliance for Violence Intervention)Jersey City, NJ$75,000112022
North Valley Labor Federation (united Way of Merced)Modesto, CA$75,000112024
Still I Rise FilmsOakland, CA$75,000112024
Still I Rise Films (bay Area Youth Emt Program)Oakland, CA$75,000112023
United Way of San Joaquin CountyStockton, CA$75,000112022
University of California San FranciscoSan Francisco, CA$75,000112021
Youth AliveOakland, CA$75,000112023
Prehospital Care Research Forum-UCLALos Angeles, CA$65,000112024
Andrew Levitt Center for Social Emergency MedicineBerkeley, CA$62,359112021
Cristo Rey De La SalleOakland, CA$60,000212024
Healing Grace Studios LLCElk Grove, CA$59,400112024
San Francisco Fire Youth AcademySan Francisco, CA$50,000112023
Sf Fire Youth AcademySan Francisco, CA$50,000112024
Stanislaus CountyModesto, CA$50,000112024
Mlk Community Health FoundationLos Angeles, CA$35,000112021
California Paramedic FoundationLa Mesa, CA$30,000322022
Los Angeles Fire Department FoundationLos Angeles, CA$30,000112021
San Diego Fire& RescueEncinitas, CA$30,000112022
Santa Rosa Junior CollegeWindsor, CA$20,000112022
Victorville Fire DeptVictorville, CA$20,000112021
College for Behavioral HealthMesa, AZ$15,000112024
College for Behavioral Health LeadershipMesa, AZ$15,000112023
Days With ZahrahSan Lorenzo, CA$15,000112024
Adventist Community Services (pacific Union Conference of Seventh-Day AdvenWestlake Village, CA$10,000112021
Angel Flight WestSanta Monica, CA$10,000112021
RyseRichmond, CA$10,000112023
UC Berkeley Chicano Latino Alumni AssociationBerkeley, CA$10,000112022
University of the Pacific Mcgeorge School of LawSacramento, CA$7,424112021
Ruby's Place IncCastro Valley, CA$5,000112022
Shepherd's GateLivermore, CA$5,000112022
Sacramento Tree FoundationSacramento, CA$2,500112023
Access Reproductive JusticeOakland, CA$2,000112022
California Immigrant Policy CenterLos Angeles, CA$2,000112022
Services & Immigrant Rights & Education NetworkSan Jose, CA$2,000112022

22 of 82 (27%) received money in more than one year over the 4 years we hold.

Measured the way we measure every foundation -- what share of one year's grantees are funded again the next -- this one retains 36%, across 3 year-to-year transitions. The median foundation retains about 67%, so this one is less consistent than most. This measures how often it paid the same organizations again. It says nothing about whether it would consider a new one.

What the money was for

Taken verbatim from the purpose field of its filings. This is the closest thing to a statement of what this foundation cares about, in its own words.

What kind of organizations it funds

By the activity category the IRS assigns each recipient, for the 56 grants where we could match the recipient to a registered organization. The categories are the IRS's. The match, made from the name and address on the return, is ours.

Health Care
16 grants
Education
10 grants
Civil Rights
7 grants
Arts & Culture
4 grants
Human Services
4 grants
Mental Health
4 grants
Public Safety & Disaster Relief
3 grants
Community Improvement
2 grants

Giving by year

Tax yearGrantsTotalMedian grant
202117$2,233,429$0
202233$3,341,667$75,000
202345$5,155,000$75,000
202438$5,274,463$107,933

Tax years, not calendar years, and the most recent year is usually incomplete -- filings arrive about a year late, so a low final year means late paperwork rather than a foundation winding down.

Already committed for future years

Form 990-PF has a separate schedule for grants approved but not yet paid. Carestar Foundation has 41 of them, worth $10.2M. This is the one part of the filing that looks forward rather than back.

OrganizationLocationApproved
Public Health AdvocatesDavis, CA$750,000
Lundquistharbor UCLATorrance, CA$666,667
Youth Recovery ConnectionsHollister, CA$666,667
Public Health AdvocatesDavis, CA$510,000
California Indian Museum & Cultural CenterSanta Rosa, CA$500,000
Loma Linda UniversityLoma Linda, CA$500,000
Nuestra ComunidadSanta Rosa, CA$500,000
Sutter Coast HospitalCrescent City, CA$466,667
City of EurekaEureka, CA$400,000
Public Health AdvocatesDavis, CA$400,000
The Lundquist InstituteTorrance, CA$333,333
Youth Recovery ConnectionsHollister, CA$333,333
Regents of University of CaliforniaLos Angeles, CA$316,667
Kings ViewFresno, CA$300,000
San Ramon Valley Fire Protection DistrictSan Ramon, CA$300,000

Where its money goes

94% of its giving went to organizations in California. If your organization is based elsewhere, look in the recipient list for grants to your area before writing.

California
$15.1M
New Jersey
$600K
District of Columbia
$300K
Arizona
$30K

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Funders that support the same organizations

These funders gave to organizations this one also funded -- some private foundations, some community foundations and other grantmaking charities. Shared grantees are a sign of overlapping priorities and nothing more: they do not show that any of these funders would consider a new organization. Each page says what its filings show.

Fidelity Investments Charitable Gift Fund23 shared recipientsDonor Advised Charitable Giving Inc22 shared recipientsAmerican Online Giving Foundation Inc18 shared recipientsVanguard Charitable Endowment Program15 shared recipientsThe California Wellness Foundation13 shared recipientsSilicon Valley Community Foundation13 shared recipients

How to approach this foundation

  1. Check you are its size. The median grant is $75,000. A request many times that size asks for something it has rarely or never given.
  2. Check you are in its geography. Its giving is concentrated in California.
  3. Read the recipient list above for organizations like yours. If nothing on it resembles your work, that is a real answer, and a cheap one to get.
  4. Look up the current filing before writing. The 990-PF names the foundation's officers and, where one exists, its application procedure. We link it below.

Related guides

Foundations funding health care in CaliforniaEvery funder in this groupFoundations funding education in CaliforniaEvery funder in this groupFoundations funding arts & culture in CaliforniaEvery funder in this group

Where these numbers come from

Everything above is taken from Carestar Foundation's own Form 990-PF filings, which the IRS publishes in bulk. We used 3 returns (tax years 2022-2024). Grant figures are from its returns. Matching recipients to registered organizations, their IRS classifications, the retention rate and the funders that support the same organizations are our own calculations, described in how we build this.

Address of record on the latest return: 921 Ensenada Avenue, Berkeley, CA, 94707. This is the address the foundation gave the IRS; many small foundations file through an accountant or a bank trust department, so it may not be where post to a programme officer should go.

EIN 82-1511283 · See the original filings on ProPublica · How we build this

This is history, not an open call. Foundation returns are published about a year after the tax year ends. Nothing on this page is a deadline. It is a record of who this foundation has actually funded.

Is something here wrong about your foundation? Email hello@funderscope.com and we will correct it.