Sonora Area Foundation
Sonora, CA · EIN 93-1023051. Reported 180 grants totalling $5,018,720 to 104 organizations across tax years 2021-2024, on Form 990 Schedule I.
Does this grantmaker accept applications?
Its tax return does not say, and we will not guess. Private foundations file Form 990-PF, which asks outright whether they fund only organizations they select themselves -- 78% say yes, and that one answer is what lets the rest of this site tell you which foundations are worth approaching. Grantmaking charities like this one file a regular Form 990 instead, and the IRS never puts the question to them. Anyone claiming to know the answer from the filing is inventing it.
Three things in the filing do bear on it:
- What kind of organization it is. For Sonora Area Foundation, the IRS classifies it as a community foundation (NTEE T31Z).
- How spread out its giving is. 104 distinct organizations, with 7% of the dollars going to the largest single recipient. That is genuinely spread out -- the mark of a funder making many independent decisions rather than underwriting one institution.
- How much its list changes. 53% of one year's grantees are funded again the next, across 3 year-to-year transitions. That is about the 57% median for grantmaking charities -- noticeably lower than the 67% private foundations manage. Organizations like this one rotate more of their list each year, which is where an opening for a newcomer tends to be.
How big are its grants?
The median reported grant is $14,750. Half of what it reported fell between $9,000 and $31,986; the smallest was $5,420 and the largest $288,000. If you are asking for materially more than the top of that range, you are asking the wrong organization.
Every organization it funded
This is the complete list from its filings, largest first. Recipients are grouped by the EIN the filer reported, not by name, so an organization that was typed differently in two years appears once rather than twice.
| Organization | Location | Total received | Grants | Years funded | Last |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sierra Repertory Theatre Incor Porated | Sonora, CA | $353,961 | 4 | 4 | 2024 |
| Interfaith Community Social Services | Sonora, CA | $333,609 | 4 | 4 | 2024 |
| Youth Sports Foundation of Tuolumne County | Sonora, CA | $301,679 | 2 | 2 | 2023 |
| Sierra Bible Church | Sonora, CA | $248,926 | 2 | 2 | 2022 |
| Cornerstone Bible Church of Sonora | Sonora, CA | $200,000 | 2 | 2 | 2024 |
| Columbia College Foundation | Sonora, CA | $199,400 | 4 | 4 | 2024 |
| Sierra Bible Church | Sonora, CA | $189,629 | 3 | 2 | 2024 |
| Symons Family Fund | Sonora, CA | $153,138 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Sierra Senior Providers Inc | Sonora, CA | $144,064 | 4 | 4 | 2024 |
| Sonora High School | Sonora, CA | $140,030 | 4 | 3 | 2024 |
| Tuolumne County Social Services | Sonora, CA | $132,654 | 3 | 3 | 2024 |
| Watch Resources Inc | Sonora, CA | $126,053 | 4 | 4 | 2024 |
| Foothill Pregnancy Center | Sonora, CA | $122,900 | 3 | 3 | 2024 |
| Habitat for Humanity International Inc | Sonora, CA | $115,900 | 4 | 4 | 2024 |
| University of California Berkeley Foundation | Berkeley, CA | $111,400 | 3 | 3 | 2024 |
| Resiliency Village | Soulsbyville, CA | $107,450 | 3 | 3 | 2024 |
| Soulsbyville Elementary School | Soulsbyville, CA | $90,551 | 6 | 3 | 2024 |
| San Joaquin County Office of Educat | Stockton, CA | $84,737 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Word of Life Fellowship Inc | Mi Wuk Vlg, CA | $84,540 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Faith Home Network | Jamestown, CA | $82,000 | 2 | 2 | 2022 |
| Pinecrest Expedition Academy | Strawberry, CA | $73,500 | 3 | 3 | 2023 |
| Central Sierra Search and Rescue Inc | Sonora, CA | $64,771 | 2 | 2 | 2024 |
| Sierra Waldorf School | Jamestown, CA | $61,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Mother Lode Christian School | Tuolumne, CA | $55,500 | 3 | 3 | 2023 |
| Center for a Non Violent Community | Sonora, CA | $55,078 | 2 | 2 | 2024 |
| Spiritual Roads Inc | Sonora, CA | $54,460 | 3 | 3 | 2024 |
| Amador-Tuolumne Community Resources | Jackson, CA | $51,750 | 3 | 3 | 2024 |
| Sonora Community Hospital | Roseville, CA | $51,084 | 3 | 3 | 2024 |
| Friends of the Animal Community | Sonora, CA | $47,300 | 3 | 3 | 2024 |
| Hilltop Church | Sonora, CA | $45,850 | 2 | 2 | 2023 |
| A-Tcaa | Sonora, CA | $45,399 | 2 | 2 | 2022 |
| Childrens Holiday Party Inc | Sonora, CA | $43,100 | 4 | 4 | 2024 |
| Nancys Hope | Sonora, CA | $41,500 | 3 | 3 | 2024 |
| Mother Lode Fairgrounds | Sonora, CA | $38,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Southern Tuolumne County Historical Society | Big Oak Flat, CA | $35,000 | 2 | 2 | 2024 |
| Twain Harte Community Services Dist | Twain Harte, CA | $34,161 | 2 | 2 | 2023 |
| St Jude Childrens Research Hospital Inc | Memphis, TN | $33,000 | 2 | 2 | 2024 |
| Humane Society of Tuolumne County Incorporated | Jamestown, CA | $31,986 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| General Council on Finance & Admins of the United | Nashville, TN | $31,491 | 2 | 2 | 2024 |
| Calvary Chapel Sonora | Soulsbyville, CA | $30,500 | 2 | 2 | 2024 |
| Friends of Sonora Police Department | Sonora, CA | $29,558 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Sonora Seventh-Day Adventist Church | Sonora, CA | $27,165 | 2 | 2 | 2024 |
| Southside Senior Services Inc | Groveland, CA | $26,000 | 2 | 2 | 2023 |
| Horses of Warriors | Sonora, CA | $24,485 | 2 | 2 | 2023 |
| Historic Sonora Chamber of Commerce | Sonora, CA | $23,000 | 2 | 2 | 2024 |
| Saint Matthew Lutheran Church | Sonora, CA | $22,056 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Hawaii Community Foundation | Honolulu, HI | $20,700 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Teenworks Inc of Tuolumne County California | Sonora, CA | $20,250 | 3 | 3 | 2024 |
| Cal Baseball Foundation | Walnut Creek, CA | $20,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Samaritans Purse | Boone, NC | $20,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| United States Catholic Conference | Washington, DC | $20,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Columbia College | Sonora, CA | $19,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Black Hats | Sonora, CA | $18,250 | 2 | 2 | 2024 |
| Tuolumne City Memorial Museum | Tuolumne, CA | $16,500 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Medecins Sans Frontieres USA Inc | New York, NY | $15,000 | 2 | 2 | 2024 |
| Northern California Christian Service Camp | Twain Harte, CA | $15,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Sun Valley Policy Forum Inc | Ketchum, ID | $15,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| United States Fund for Unicef | New York, NY | $14,000 | 2 | 2 | 2024 |
| Tuolumne County Arts Alliance Inc | Sonora, CA | $13,553 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Friends of Tuolumne Co Library | Sonora, CA | $13,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| NAMI Tuolumne County | Sonora, CA | $12,500 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Calvary Relief International | Soulsbyville, CA | $12,000 | 2 | 2 | 2024 |
| Twain Harte Chapel in the Pines | Twain Harte, CA | $12,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Give Someone a Chance | Jamestown, CA | $11,750 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Friends of the Tuolumne County Library | Sonora, CA | $11,425 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Sierra Hope | Angels Camp, CA | $11,418 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| International Mountain Bicycling Association | Groveland, CA | $10,792 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Tuolumne County Alliance for Resources and Environment Inc | Sonora, CA | $10,400 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Coastal Christian School | Pismo Beach, CA | $10,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Evangelical Free Church of Groveland | Groveland, CA | $10,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Little League Baseball Inc | Williamsport, PA | $10,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Our Rescue | Sandy, UT | $10,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Resilience Counseling Center Inc | Sonora, CA | $10,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| San Francisco Opera Association | San Francisco, CA | $10,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Tuolumne County Sheriffs Posse | Sonora, CA | $10,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| University of the Pacific | Stockton, CA | $10,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Yosemite Chamber of Commerce | Groveland, CA | $10,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| HOPE58 | Clovis, CA | $9,600 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Area 12 Agency on Aging | Sonora, CA | $9,500 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Tuolumne Safe | Twain Harte, CA | $9,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Bellview Elementary School | Sonora, CA | $8,500 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Western American Diocese of Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russi | San Francisco, CA | $8,400 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| High Sierra Timber Management | Twain Harte, CA | $8,303 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Jamestown Family Resource Center | Jamestown, CA | $8,200 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Christian Heights Assembly of God | Sonora, CA | $8,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Stephen Siller Tunnel to Towers Foundation | Staten Island, NY | $8,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| 1PILEATATIME | Sonora, CA | $7,500 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Friends of the World Food Program Inc | Washington, DC | $7,500 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| JR Cats Football Program Inc | Sonora, CA | $7,500 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Return to Hill Valley | San Diego, CA | $7,500 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Shriners Hospitals for Children | Tampa, FL | $7,500 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Tuolumne County Visitors Bureau Incorporated | Sonora, CA | $7,500 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Murphys Creek Theatre | Murphys, CA | $7,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Rotarun Ski Club Inc | Hailey, ID | $7,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Sonora Bach Festival | Sonora, CA | $6,837 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Sonora Lions Club | Standard, CA | $6,500 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| First Presbyterian Church of Columbia | Columbia, CA | $6,292 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Motherlode Martin Luther King Jrcommittee | Tuolumne, CA | $6,200 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Aronos Research Club Incorporated | Sonora, CA | $6,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Chester & Push Horse Rescue | Sonora, CA | $6,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Summerville Parent Nursery School | Tuolumne, CA | $5,835 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| International Association of Lions Clubs | Standard, CA | $5,700 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Summerville High Quarterback Club | Twain Harte, CA | $5,500 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Twain Harte Chamber of Commerce | Twain Harte, CA | $5,500 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
43 of 104 (41%) received money in more than one year over the 4 years we hold. Remember the $5,000 floor: an organization funded every year at $3,000 shows up here as never funded at all.
What kind of organizations it funds
By each recipient's own IRS classification, for the 62 of 104 recipients we could match to a registered organization. These are assigned categories, not our guesses -- Schedule I reports the recipient's EIN, so this is a lookup rather than a name match.
Giving by year
| Tax year | Grants reported | Total | Median grant |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 33 | $1,393,390 | $22,056 |
| 2022 | 48 | $1,185,212 | $12,750 |
| 2023 | 41 | $926,636 | $11,800 |
| 2024 | 58 | $1,513,482 | $15,745 |
Tax years, not calendar years, and the most recent year is usually incomplete -- Form 990 arrives about a year after the year it covers, so a low final year means late paperwork rather than a grantmaker winding down.
Where its money goes
96% of its giving went to organizations in California. Community foundations and federated funds are usually the most geographically bounded funders there are -- being outside the footprint is normally disqualifying in a way that a weak programme fit is not.
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Funders that support the same organizations
These grantmakers and private foundations gave to organizations this one also funded. Shared grantees are the strongest signal available that two funders have overlapping priorities -- and a funder already backing your peers is a far warmer prospect than one that merely lists your cause.
How to approach this grantmaker
- Look for a published programme first. Unlike most private foundations, organizations of this kind often do run open, deadlined grant cycles with written guidelines. Its own website is the authority on that; this page is the authority on who it has actually paid.
- Check you are its size. The median reported grant is $14,750 -- and because grants under $5,000 need not be reported, it very likely writes smaller cheques than this page can see.
- Check you are in its geography. Its giving concentrates in California.
- Read the recipient list for organizations like yours. If nothing on it resembles your work, that is a real answer and a cheap one to get.
Related guides
Where these numbers come from
Everything above is taken from Sonora Area Foundation's own Form 990 Schedule I filings, which the IRS publishes in bulk. We used 4 returns (tax years 2021-2024). Nothing here is scraped, inferred or estimated.
Address of record on the latest return: 362 S Stewart St, Sonora, CA, 95370.
EIN 93-1023051 · See the original filings on ProPublica · How we build this
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