Karuna Foundation
Niwot, CO · EIN 85-4026412. Reported 153 grants totalling $23.0M to 102 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 Karuna Foundation, by its IRS classification it is an alliance or advocacy organization in animal welfare (NTEE D01).
- How spread out its giving is. 102 distinct organizations, with 15% 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. 44% of one year's grantees are funded again the next, across 3 year-to-year transitions. That is below the 57% median for grantmaking charities, and well below the 67% private foundations manage. A list that turns over this much is one a newcomer can realistically join.
How big are its grants?
The median reported grant is $50,000. Half of what it reported fell between $25,000 and $115,000; the smallest was $6,000 and the largest $2,044,592. 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Million Dollar Vegan | Santa Barbara, CA | $3,335,592 | 2 | 2 | 2022 |
| Vegfund Inc | Washington, DC | $2,460,000 | 3 | 3 | 2023 |
| Million Dollar Vegan Inc | Santa Barbara, CA | $1,898,833 | 2 | 2 | 2024 |
| Vegan Friendly | Santa Monica, CA | $1,431,000 | 3 | 3 | 2024 |
| Effect Partners Fbo Vegan Strong | Minneapolis, MN | $1,150,957 | 4 | 4 | 2024 |
| Educated Choices Program Inc | Peachtree Corners, GA | $1,102,000 | 2 | 2 | 2022 |
| Proveg International Incorporated | Pittsfield, MA | $1,100,000 | 2 | 2 | 2023 |
| Better Food Foundation Inc | Julian, CA | $1,091,180 | 2 | 2 | 2022 |
| Veganfta a Nonprofit Corporation | Vancouver, WA | $995,424 | 4 | 4 | 2024 |
| Waking Justice | Asheville, NC | $687,302 | 4 | 4 | 2024 |
| Food Solutions Action | Washington, DC | $650,000 | 3 | 3 | 2024 |
| Ashas Farm Sanctuary Inc | Newfane, NY | $554,247 | 3 | 3 | 2024 |
| Vegan Hacktivists Inc | Mount Airy, MD | $535,586 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Skylands Animal Sanctuary and Rescue | Wantage, NJ | $465,000 | 3 | 3 | 2024 |
| La Farm Animal Save | Malibu, CA | $365,300 | 4 | 4 | 2024 |
| Greener By Default | Chicago, IL | $360,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Main Street Vegan | New York, NY | $300,000 | 3 | 3 | 2024 |
| Peace 4 Animals | Lakeway, TX | $205,000 | 2 | 2 | 2024 |
| Robert Cheeke LLC | Fort Collins, CO | $204,000 | 4 | 4 | 2024 |
| Better Health Better Life Inc | Baltimore, MD | $162,500 | 2 | 2 | 2024 |
| Climate Healers | Phoenix, AZ | $160,000 | 2 | 2 | 2022 |
| Lantern Publishing & Media Inc | Woodstock, NY | $150,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Oceanic Preservation Society | Greenbrae, CA | $150,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Pro-Animal Future | Boulder, CO | $126,500 | 2 | 2 | 2024 |
| Hindu American Temple and Cultural Center Inc | Morganville, NJ | $125,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Seed Strategies for Ethical and Environmental Development Inc | Albany, NY | $123,250 | 2 | 2 | 2022 |
| Vegan Outreach Inc | Sacramento, CA | $106,000 | 3 | 3 | 2024 |
| Accountability Board Inc | Wakefield, MA | $100,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Animal Advocacy Africa | Wilmington, DE | $100,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| By Any Greens Necessary | Arlington, VA | $100,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Main Street Vegan | New York, NY | $100,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Rethink Priorities | San Francisco, CA | $100,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Imagine Farm | Minneapolis, MN | $91,793 | 3 | 3 | 2024 |
| Physicians Association for Nutrition USA Inc | Holland, MI | $85,000 | 2 | 2 | 2023 |
| Vegkentucky Inc | Louisville, KY | $85,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Pollution LLC | Los Angeles, CA | $76,000 | 2 | 2 | 2022 |
| Catskill Animal Sanctuary Inc | Saugerties, NY | $72,500 | 2 | 2 | 2023 |
| Red Roof Productions | Roswell, GA | $72,500 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| As Vegan | Tempe, AZ | $67,500 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Argofilms | Brewster, MA | $65,000 | 2 | 2 | 2023 |
| Institute for Animal Happiness | Rhinebeck, NY | $65,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Vegan Publishers | Danvers, MA | $60,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Environmental Working Group | Washington, DC | $56,250 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Rowdy Girl Sanctuary Inc | Waelder, TX | $56,164 | 2 | 2 | 2022 |
| Animal Hero Kids Inc | Jupiter, FL | $52,600 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Animal Wellness Action | Santa Monica, CA | $50,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Competitive Markets Action | Washington, DC | $50,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Food 4 Thought Festival Inc | Boston, MA | $50,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Game Changers Foundation Inc | Laguna Niguel, CA | $50,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Give Back Heritage Foundation Inc | Lake Mary, FL | $50,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| La Raza for Liberation | Philadelphia, PA | $50,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Our Planet Theirs Too Inc | Los Angeles, CA | $50,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| People for Better Food | Boston, MA | $50,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Upstream Aquatic Institute Inc | Dover, DE | $50,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Yes on IP3 | Portland, OR | $50,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Catalyst Media Company LLC | Edgewater, MD | $45,741 | 3 | 3 | 2023 |
| Coalition to End Factory Farming | Windsor, CA | $45,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Luvin Arms | Erie, CO | $45,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Dollywood Films LLC | Friendswood, TX | $40,162 | 2 | 2 | 2022 |
| Animal Rights Initiative | Seattle, WA | $40,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Tempe Movement Inc | Gresham, OR | $40,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Thrive Philanthropy Incorporated | Albany, NY | $37,500 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Animal Advocates International | Portland, OR | $35,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Simple Heart Initiative | Santa Cruz, CA | $34,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| World Moot on International Law and Animal Rights Inc | Wilmington, DE | $32,900 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| CASA Vegana LLC | San Juan, PR | $32,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| A Well-Fed World | Washington, DC | $30,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Broken Shovels Farm and Sanctuary School | Henderson, CO | $30,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Center for Jewish Food Ethics | Erie, PA | $30,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Pollination Project Foundation | Martinez, CA | $27,250 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Good Food Institute Inc | Arlington, VA | $27,000 | 2 | 2 | 2022 |
| Jewish Vegan Life | Orlando, FL | $25,500 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Animal Partisan Inc | Glen Allen, VA | $25,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Cotton Branch Farm | Leesville, SC | $25,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Critter Creek Farm Sanctuary Inc | Gainesville, FL | $25,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Solutionary Events | Orlando, FL | $25,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Vine-Veganism Is the Next Evolution Incorporated | Springfield, VT | $25,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Voters for Animal Rights Inc | Brooklyn, NY | $25,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Jv Media | Hendersonville, NC | $24,500 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Red Robin Song Animal Sanctuary Inc | East Chatham, NY | $21,274 | 2 | 2 | 2022 |
| Vegans of Los Angeles | Sunland, CA | $20,600 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| DC Voters for Animals Education Fund | Washington, DC | $20,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Fauna Films Inc | Wilmington, DE | $20,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Vetha Center for Transdisciplinary Studies a Nj Nonprofit Corporatio | Newark, NJ | $20,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Full Circle Farm Sanctuary of Western North Carolina Inc | Warm Springs, GA | $19,681 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Happy Hen Animal Sanctuary | Sn Luis Obisp, CA | $17,500 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Committee of Consciousness | Chester, VA | $15,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Julianas Animal Sanctuary Inc | Gaithersburg, MD | $15,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Animal Alliance Network | Alhambra, CA | $12,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Farm Sanctuary Inc | Watkins Glen, NY | $12,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Kindred Spirits Sanctuary Inc | Citra, FL | $11,642 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Farm of the Free Animal Sanctuary | Good Hope, GA | $10,208 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Animal & Vegan Advocacy International Inc | Washington, DC | $10,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Franklin Community Advocates | Franklin, WI | $10,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Project Counterglow | Cedar Rapids, IA | $10,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Virsa Foundation Inc | Lincoln, MA | $10,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Veg Avengers Marketing | Burnsville, NC | $9,240 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Vegan Publishers Inc | Danvers, MA | $8,590 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Ideagarden Institute Incorporated | Healdsburg, CA | $7,500 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Federation of Jain Associations in North America Jaina | South Daytona, FL | $7,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Project Animal Freedom | Eureka, MO | $6,226 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Grassroots Artists Movement | Brooklyn, NY | $6,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
32 of 102 (31%) 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 the money was for
Taken verbatim from the purpose column of its filings, largest first. This is the closest thing to a statement of what it funds, in its own words.
- Million Dollar Vegan
Advocate for the wellbeing of animals.
What kind of organizations it funds
By each recipient's own IRS classification, for the 73 of 102 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 | 30 | $4,105,630 | $50,000 |
| 2022 | 39 | $7,825,260 | $51,000 |
| 2023 | 47 | $7,205,122 | $50,000 |
| 2024 | 37 | $3,834,980 | $50,000 |
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
39% 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.
Down to the city
Find more funders like Karuna Foundation
We read newly filed IRS returns and email you the grantmakers whose giving matches your state and cause, as they are published. Free.
No spam, unsubscribe in one click. We never sell or share your address.
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 $50,000 -- 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 Karuna 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.
On its most recent return it told the IRS it made grants to 27 section 501(c)(3) organizations and 10 other organizations. That is the filer's own count for one year; the totals above cover every year we hold.
Address of record on the latest return: 7522 Monarch Rd, Niwot, CO, 80503.
EIN 85-4026412 · See the original filings on ProPublica · How we build this
Is something here wrong about your organization? Email [email protected] and we will correct it.