Beam Circular
Beam Circular is a Modesto, California-based public charity working to help communities turn waste into economic opportunity and environmental solutions. It advances the circular bioeconomy through public-private projects, collaborative programs, and targeted investments, with its regional work anchored in California’s North San Joaquin Valley.
Beam Circular at a glance
In short: Beam Circular gave $1.2M across 19 grants in 2025 (avg $62K), mostly in California. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $1,180,516
- +1152.5% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 19
- +533.3% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $62,132
- +97.8% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $55,500
- Total assets
- $3,320,863
- +321.6% vs 2024
- Primary geography
- California (81% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990, 2025; updated October 2026.
How to apply to Beam Circular
- How to Apply
-
The organization says it periodically posts opportunities and directs prospective applicants to its Programs page for grant opportunities for businesses, educators, and community organizations. Application requirements and eligibility vary by program.
- Contact
Mailing address: 1111 I Street 310, Modesto, CA 95354
Phone: (415) 418-4759
Website: https://beamcircular.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Beam Circular funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was BioForceTech Corporation ($140K). Together the top 10 received $920K.
Grant Size Distribution
22 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was in the $50–100K range: 10 grants of 22 (45%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
BEAM Circular describes its regional work as anchored in California’s North San Joaquin Valley. In 2025, 81% of its grant dollars went to recipients in California; the remaining reported shares were Georgia, Texas, and Delaware, at 6% each.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 19 itemized grants.
Cities
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2024 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $94K (2024) to $1.2M (2025). In 2025 it made 19 grants totaling $1.2M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| BioForceTech Corporation San Francisco, CA | — | $139,500 |
| Uc Merced Merced, CA | — | $134,165 |
| The Hurd CO Santa Monica, CA | — | $100,000 |
| Terra Rossa LLC Pasadena, CA | — | $90,000 |
| Ecoatex LLC Hull, GA | — | $75,000 |
| Electro-Active Technologies Knoxville, TX | — | $75,000 |
| Gilly Biotechnologies Inc Dover, DE | — | $75,000 |
| VERDE Nanomaterials Inc Davis, CA | — | $70,000 |
| Yosemite Community College Di Modesto, CA | — | $61,000 |
| Olipha Inc El Cerrito, CA | — | $55,500 |
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Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Net Investment Income |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $3,320,863 | $6,517,838 | $5,537,004 | $1,180,516 | 19 | $11,314 |
| 2024 | $787,640 | $1,897,359 | $1,363,920 | $94,252 | 3 | $2,052 |
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
BEAM Circular’s stated mission is to unlock the power of communities to transform waste into economic prosperity and environmental solutions. It says it believes everyone should have access to a good job, clean air and water, and a thriving community.
The organization says its programs aim to advance the circular bioeconomy in the North San Joaquin Valley and grow a bioindustrial manufacturing cluster that can increase access to family-sustaining jobs and a healthy environment. Its stated areas of work include workforce development, research and innovation coordination, business and economic development, community prosperity, and public advocacy. Its website describes a focus on transforming food waste, agricultural sidestreams, and forestry residues into products such as bio-based materials, chemicals, energy, and food ingredients.
Recipients of 2025 grants included businesses, educational institutions, and other organizations. One example is Berkeley Lab Foundation, which received $9,257. The foundation describes its mission as supporting the scientific and educational purposes of the Regents of the University of California in its role managing and operating Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, along with other charitable and educational activities.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2025, BEAM Circular reported 19 grants totaling $1,180,516. Grants ranged from $9,257 to $139,500, with a median grant of $55,500.
Among the largest reported grants were $139,500 to BioForceTech Corporation, $134,165 to UC Merced, $100,000 to The Hurd Co, $90,000 to Terra Rossa LLC, $75,000 each to Ecoatex LLC, Electro-Active Technologies, and Gilly Biotechnologies Inc, and $70,000 to VERDE Nanomaterials Inc. Other grants included $61,000 to Yosemite Community College District, $55,500 to Olipha Inc, $50,874 to Turlock Unified School District, and $50,000 to Upcycled Foods Inc.
BEAM Circular’s website says it periodically posts opportunities for pilot projects, contract and consulting engagements, and funding opportunities. Specific programs described on the website include a 2025 workforce-development grant opportunity for local education institutions, school districts, and nonprofit workforce-training providers, with awards from $5,000 to $500,000; that was a past application cycle. It also described business programs launched in Fall 2024, including grant assistance and matching support; those are past cycles as well.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Karen Warner as President & CEO; Maria Olide as Treasurer & Secretary; Ann Margaret Veneman, Lenny Mendonca, and Richard Anthony Cummings as members; and Michelle Reimers as Chairman.
Beam Circular is led by Karen Warner, President & CEO since 2025 (on filings since 2024); 2 of 6 officers listed in 2025 are compensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Karen Warner
President & CEO
CEO → President & CEO, 2025
On filings since 2024
40 hrs/week
$79K (2024) → $166K (2025)
Michelle Reimers
Chairman
Member → Chairman, 2025
On filings since 2024
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Maria Olide
Treasurer & Secretary
CFO → Treasurer & Secretary, 2025
On filings since 2024
40 hrs/week
$79K (2024) → $78K (2025)
Ann Margaret Veneman
Member
On filings since 2024
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Richard Anthony Cummings
Member
On filings since 2024
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Lenny Mendonca
Member
New on the 2025 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (3)
- Former: Blake Alexander Simmons (2024) — Member
- Former: Harold Herman Schmitz (2024) — Member
- Former: Yamilet Valladolid (2024) — Member
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2024–2025. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Compensation Overview
From 2025 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2025 filing was $166K, to Karen Warner (President & CEO). 2 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Frequently asked questions about Beam Circular
How much does Beam Circular give each year?
Beam Circular gave $1.2M across 19 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. In 2024 it gave $94K across 3 grants.
What is Beam Circular's typical grant size?
Beam Circular's median grant in 2025 was $55,500, and its average grant was $62,132, across 19 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990.
Where does Beam Circular give grants?
Beam Circular gives mostly in California: 81% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990 went to recipients there. The next largest states were Georgia (6%) and Texas (6%). The most frequent recipient cities were Berkeley, CA (2 grants), Modesto, CA (2 grants) and Stockton, CA (2 grants).
Who are Beam Circular's largest grantees?
Beam Circular's largest 2025 grantees include BioForceTech Corporation ($139,500), Uc Merced ($134,165) and The Hurd CO ($100,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. Together they received 32% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Beam Circular?
Beam Circular reported $3.3M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Its revenue that year was $6.5M.
What does Beam Circular fund?
BEAM Circular’s stated mission is to unlock the power of communities to transform waste into economic prosperity and environmental solutions. It says it believes everyone should have access to a good job, clean air and water, and a thriving community. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Beam Circular?
The organization says it periodically posts opportunities and directs prospective applicants to its Programs page for grant opportunities for businesses, educators, and community organizations. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Beam Circular's EIN?
Beam Circular's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 99-3024237. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2024–2025.
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990 filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(2)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Added Form 990 for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS June 25, 2025)
- Added Form 990 for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS July 31, 2026)
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Beam Circular funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 23, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/beam-circular-morg_22ca699fd78b448ead68dbb1b2cd3d88
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_993024237_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Beam Circular funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/beam-circular-morg_22ca699fd78b448ead68dbb1b2cd3d88},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-23. Data licensed CC BY 4.0}
}The figures on this page are open data under CC BY 4.0: reuse them with credit to Grantable and a link. Download the data.
Figures come from Beam Circular's IRS filings (methodology). AI-written summaries, news items and logos are not covered by the open licence. Spot an error? Email hello@grantable.co.
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