Clarence E Heller Charitable Foundation
San Francisco, CA · EIN 94-2814266. Reported 225 grants totalling $11.1M to 131 organizations across tax years 2021-2024. This foundation did not tell the IRS it funds only preselected organizations.
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. Clarence E Heller Charitable 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.
How big are its grants?
The median grant is $35,000. Half of everything it gave fell between $25,000 and $55,000; the smallest was $50 and the largest $800,000. If you are asking for materially more than the top of that range, you are asking the wrong foundation.
Every organization it funded
This is the complete list from its filings, largest first. Years funded is the number of separate tax years in which the organization received money -- more than one means a real relationship rather than a one-off.
| Organization | Location | Total received | Grants | Years funded | Last |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| San Francisco Foundation | San Francisco, CA | $1,669,000 | 4 | 4 | 2024 |
| Inside Climate News | Brooklyn, NY | $450,000 | 3 | 3 | 2023 |
| Friends of the Earth | Berkeley, CA | $330,000 | 4 | 4 | 2024 |
| Californians for Pesticide Reform | Calabasas, CA | $300,000 | 3 | 3 | 2023 |
| Carbon Cycle Institute | Petaluma, CA | $300,000 | 4 | 4 | 2024 |
| Kitchen Table Advisors | Berkeley, CA | $300,000 | 4 | 4 | 2024 |
| Leadership Counsel for Justice and Accountability | Fresno, CA | $300,000 | 4 | 4 | 2024 |
| Mandela Partners | Oakland, CA | $300,000 | 4 | 4 | 2024 |
| As You Sow | El Cerrito, CA | $225,000 | 3 | 3 | 2024 |
| Movement Strategy Center | Oakland, CA | $225,000 | 3 | 3 | 2024 |
| First Nations Development Institute | Longmont, CO | $200,000 | 3 | 3 | 2024 |
| Intermusic Sf | San Francisco, CA | $190,000 | 4 | 4 | 2024 |
| Community Alliance With Family Farmers | Davis, CA | $175,000 | 3 | 3 | 2023 |
| University of California Santa Cruz | Oakland, CA | $175,000 | 2 | 2 | 2023 |
| Bayview Hunters Point Community Advocates | San Francisco, CA | $170,000 | 2 | 2 | 2023 |
| Create Ca | Pasadena, CA | $160,000 | 3 | 3 | 2024 |
| Black Farmer Fund | New York City, NY | $150,000 | 3 | 3 | 2024 |
| California State University Chico | Chico, CA | $150,000 | 2 | 2 | 2023 |
| Urban Tilth | Richmond, CA | $150,000 | 2 | 2 | 2022 |
| Enriching Lives Through Music | San Rafael, CA | $135,000 | 4 | 4 | 2024 |
| Justice Outside | Oakland, CA | $125,000 | 3 | 3 | 2024 |
| Association of California Symphony Orchestras | Los Angeles, CA | $110,000 | 4 | 4 | 2024 |
| Food and Farm Communications Fund | Kansas City, MO | $110,000 | 2 | 2 | 2023 |
| Harmony Project Bay Area | San Francisco, CA | $110,000 | 3 | 3 | 2024 |
| Ecological Farming Association | Soquel, CA | $100,000 | 2 | 2 | 2022 |
| Global Alliance for the Future of Food | Dillon, CO | $100,000 | 2 | 2 | 2022 |
| Healthy Babies Bright Futures | Charlottesville, VA | $100,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Hunters Point Biomonitoring Foundation | San Francisco, CA | $100,000 | 2 | 2 | 2024 |
| Pie Ranch | Pescadero, CA | $100,000 | 2 | 2 | 2024 |
| Ritter Center | San Rafael, CA | $100,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Social & Environmental Entrepreneurs Inc and Californians for Pesticide Ref | Calabasas, CA | $100,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Wishtoyo Foundation | Ventura, CA | $100,000 | 2 | 2 | 2024 |
| California Academy of Sciences | San Francisco, CA | $95,000 | 2 | 2 | 2023 |
| New Century Chamber Orchestra | San Francisco, CA | $90,000 | 2 | 2 | 2024 |
| Yes Nature to Neighborhoods | Richmond, CA | $90,000 | 2 | 2 | 2024 |
| Edsource | Oakland, CA | $87,750 | 3 | 3 | 2024 |
| Luna Dance Institute | Berkeley, CA | $80,000 | 2 | 2 | 2022 |
| Oaktown Jazz Workshops | Oakland, CA | $80,000 | 4 | 4 | 2024 |
| The Exploratorium | San Francisco, CA | $80,000 | 2 | 2 | 2023 |
| Los Angeles County Department of Arts and Culture | Los Angeles, CA | $75,000 | 2 | 2 | 2023 |
| Sacred Heart Community Service | San Jose, CA | $75,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| San Francisco Philharmonic Orchestra | San Francisco, CA | $75,000 | 3 | 3 | 2024 |
| Sustainable Conservation | San Fransico, CA | $75,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| The University Foundation California State University Chico | Chico, CA | $75,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| University of Vermont | Burlington, VT | $75,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Attitudinal Healing Connection | Oakland, CA | $70,000 | 3 | 3 | 2024 |
| Brown Girl Surf | Oakland, CA | $70,000 | 2 | 2 | 2022 |
| League to Save Lake Tahoe | South Lake Tahoe, CA | $70,000 | 2 | 2 | 2022 |
| Community Music Center | San Francisco, CA | $60,000 | 2 | 2 | 2023 |
| Arrowhead Arts Association | Lake Arrowhead, CA | $55,000 | 3 | 3 | 2024 |
| El Sistema Santa Cruz | Santa Cruz, CA | $55,000 | 2 | 2 | 2024 |
| Youth Orchestra Salinas | Salinas, CA | $55,000 | 2 | 2 | 2023 |
| Agroecology Commons | El Sobrante, CA | $50,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Angelica Center for Arts & Music | Los Angeles, CA | $50,000 | 2 | 2 | 2024 |
| Angelica Center for Arts and Music | Los Angeles, CA | $50,000 | 2 | 2 | 2022 |
| California Rural Legal Assistance | Modesto, CA | $50,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| California State University San Marcos Foundation | San Marcos, CA | $50,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Calmatters | Sacramento, CA | $50,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Community Alliance With Family Farmers Foundation | Davis, CA | $50,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Elemental Music | Santa Monica, CA | $50,000 | 2 | 2 | 2023 |
| Hope Collaborative | Oakland, CA | $50,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Lawrence Hall of Science | Oakland, CA | $50,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Resource Renewal Institute | Fairfax, CA | $50,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Santa Rosa Symphony Association | Santa Rosa, CA | $50,000 | 2 | 2 | 2024 |
| The Sierra Fund | Nevada City, CA | $50,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Tides Center and Hope Collaborative | Los Angeles, CA | $50,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Neighborhood Music School | Los Angeles, CA | $45,000 | 2 | 2 | 2023 |
| Association for Environmental and Outdoor Education | Berkeley, CA | $40,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| California Association for Environmental and Outdoor Education | Berkeley, CA | $40,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Luna Kids Dance Inc | Berkeley, CA | $40,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Maidu Summit Consortium | Chester, CA | $40,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Naturebridge | Sausalito, CA | $40,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Organic Farming Research Foundation | Santa Cruz, CA | $40,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Quinteto Latino | Menlo Park, CA | $40,000 | 2 | 2 | 2023 |
| San Francisco Symphony | San Francisco, CA | $40,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Social Good Fund and Salted Roots | Richmond, CA | $40,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| El Sistema USA Salinas | Salinas, CA | $35,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Generation Music and Arts Academy | San Lorenzo, CA | $35,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Girls Garage | Berkeley, CA | $35,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Youth Art Exchange (tides) | San Franscisco, CA | $35,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Gardens of Golden Gate Park | San Francisco, CA | $32,625 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Sonoma Valley Education Foundation | Sonoma, CA | $32,250 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| California Indian Museum and Cultural Center | Santa Rosa, CA | $30,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| California Symphony | Walnut Creek, CA | $30,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Californians Dedicated to Education Foundation | San Francisco, CA | $30,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Cde Foundation | San Francisco, CA | $30,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Communitygrows (tides) | Los Angeles, CA | $30,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Cota - Collaborations Teachers and Artists | San Diego, CA | $30,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Dandan Performing Arts Center | San Lorenzo, CA | $30,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Inner City Youth Orchestra of Los Angeles | Los Angeles, CA | $30,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Kronos Quartet | San Francisco, CA | $30,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Ocean Discovery Institute | San Diego, CA | $30,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Performing Arts Workshop | San Francisco, CA | $30,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| San Francisco Contemporary Music Players | San Francisco, CA | $30,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Sphinx | Detroit, MI | $30,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Turnaround Arts California | Los Angeles, CA | $30,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Black Women for Wellness | Los Angeles, CA | $25,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| California State University San Marcos | San Marcos, CA | $25,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Delirium Musicum | Los Angeles, CA | $25,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra Society | Los Angeles, CA | $25,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra & Chorale | San Francisco, CA | $25,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| San Francisco Philharmonic | San Francisco, CA | $25,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| San Francsico Contemporary Music Players | San Francisco, CA | $25,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Save the Music Foundation | New York, NY | $25,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Teaching Artists Guild | Brooklyn, CA | $25,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Ten Strands | San Rafael, CA | $25,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Youth Outside | Oakland, CA | $25,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Youth Uprising | Oakland, CA | $25,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Independent Arts and Media and Stagewrite | San Francisco, CA | $20,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Monterey Jazz Festival | Monterey, CA | $20,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Musica Sierra | Loyalton, CA | $20,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Northern California Grantmakers | San Francisco, CA | $20,000 | 4 | 4 | 2024 |
| San Francisco Children's Art Center | San Francisco, CA | $20,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Sol-La Music Academy | Santa Monica, CA | $20,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Stagewrite (intersection for the Arts) | San Francisco, CA | $20,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Tuleyome | Woodland, CA | $20,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Grantmakers for Education | Portland, OR | $17,800 | 5 | 4 | 2024 |
| Intersection for the Arts and Arts Education Alliance of the Bay Area | San Francisco, CA | $15,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| League of American Orchestras | New York, NY | $15,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Mercury Soul | San Francisco, CA | $15,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| New West Symphony Association | Thousand Oaks, CA | $15,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| One Found Sound | San Francisco, CA | $15,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Voice of Witness | San Francisco, CA | $15,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Sustainable Agriculture and Food Systems Funders | Santa Barbara, CA | $11,500 | 2 | 2 | 2023 |
| Arts Education Alliance of the Bay Area | San Francisco, CA | $10,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Changescale (multiplier) | San Francisco, CA | $10,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Sustainable Agriculture & Food Systems | Santa Barbara, CA | $7,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Northern California Grantmakers for the Environmental Education Funders Col | San Francisco, CA | $1,130 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Clare Rose Center for Creative Youth Development | San Diego, CA | $1,000 | 2 | 2 | 2023 |
| Environmental Education Funders Collaborative (ncg) | San Francisco, CA | $500 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Grantmakers in the Arts | Bronx, NY | $50 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
55 of 131 (42%) 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 42%, across 3 year-to-year transitions. The median foundation retains about 67%, so this one is less consistent than most. A high number means its list is close to settled and a newcomer has to displace someone; a low one means it is still moving money around, which is where an opening is.
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.
- San Francisco Foundation
FOR THE CLARENCE E. HELLER CHARITABLE FOUNDATION DONOR ADVISED FUND - Inside Climate News
FOR COVERAGE OF KEY ISSUES CONNECTING CLIMATE CHANGE, AGRICULTURE, AND FOOD SYSTEMS - Californians for Pesticide Reform
TO PROTECT PUBLIC HEALTH FROM HIGHLY TOXIC CHEMICALS IN CALIFORNIA AGRICULTURE - University of California Santa Cruz
TO RECRUIT TALENTED STUDENTS TO BECOME AGROECOLOGISTS AND ORGANIC PRACTITIONERS THROUGH DEGREE PROGRAMS AT BERKELEY, DAVIS, AND SANTA CRUZ - Healthy Babies Bright Futures
TO PROTECT INFANTS FROM EXPOSURE TO DANGEROUS CHEMICALS DURING THE FIRST 1,000 DAYS OF LIFE - Bayview Hunters Point Community Advocates
TO SUPPORT FOOD SOVEREIGNTY INITIATIVES
What kind of organizations it funds
By the recipient's own IRS classification, for the 155 grants where we could identify the organization. These are assigned categories, not our guesses.
Giving by year
| Tax year | Grants | Total | Median grant |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 54 | $2,568,300 | $35,000 |
| 2022 | 66 | $2,946,480 | $35,000 |
| 2023 | 63 | $2,993,925 | $35,000 |
| 2024 | 42 | $2,626,900 | $40,000 |
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. Clarence E Heller Charitable Foundation has 50 of them, worth $2,960,000. This is the one part of the filing that looks forward rather than back -- and it also tells you how much of the next year's budget is already spoken for.
| Organization | Location | Approved |
|---|---|---|
| Inside Climate News | Brooklyn, NY | $150,000 |
| Inside Climate News | Brooklyn, NY | $150,000 |
| Californians for Pesticide Reform | Calabasas, CA | $100,000 |
| University of Vermont and State Agricultural College Foundation | Burlington, VT | $100,000 |
| Regents of the University of California and Ucsc Center for Agroecology | Santa Cruz, CA | $100,000 |
| California for Pestacide Reform | Berkeley, CA | $100,000 |
| Bayview Hunters Point Community Advocates | San Francisco, CA | $75,000 |
| California State University Chico | Chico, CA | $75,000 |
| Carbon Cycle Institute | Petaluma, CA | $75,000 |
| Friends of the Earth | Berkeley, CA | $75,000 |
| Kitchen Table Advisors | Berkeley, CA | $75,000 |
| Leadership Counsel for Justice and Accountability | Fresno, CA | $75,000 |
| Mandela Partners | Oakland, CA | $75,000 |
| Sustainable Conservation | San Francisco, CA | $75,000 |
| Urban Tilth | Richmond, CA | $75,000 |
Where its money goes
Foundations concentrate geographically far more than their mission statements suggest. 89% of this one's giving went to organizations in California. If you are outside its footprint, that matters more than how well your programme fits.
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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 the strongest available signal 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 foundation
- Check you are its size. The median grant is $35,000. Asking for ten times that is the most common way small organizations waste a submission.
- Check you are in its geography. Its giving is concentrated in California.
- 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.
- 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
Where these numbers come from
Everything above is taken from Clarence E Heller Charitable Foundation's own Form 990-PF 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: Po Box 190758, San Francisco, CA, 94119. 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 94-2814266 · See the original filings on ProPublica · How we build this
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