Betsy Gordon Foundation
The Betsy Gordon Foundation is a private foundation based in Phoenix, Arizona. Its 2025 filing reports 25 grants totaling $227,446, with awards supporting organizations including educational, community-service, arts, health, and humanitarian organizations.
Betsy Gordon Foundation at a glance
In short: Betsy Gordon Foundation gave $227K across 25 grants in 2025 (avg $9K), mostly in California. 24% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $227,446
- -23.6% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 25
- +0.0% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $9,098
- -23.6% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $1,000
- Total assets
- $15,987
- -69.3% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 24% first-time grantees (6 of 25, 2025)
- Primary geography
- California (91% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to Betsy Gordon Foundation
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds.
- Contact
Mailing address: 14441 N 14Th St, Phoenix, AZ 85022
Phone: (602) 548-0092
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Betsy Gordon Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was California Institute of Integral Studies ($63K). Together the top 10 received $212K.
Grant Size Distribution
115 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 97 grants of 115 (84%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2025, 91% of grant dollars went to California recipients. The remaining reported shares were 4% to Washington, DC, 2% to Maryland, 2% to New York, and less than 1% to Arkansas.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 25 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is Betsy Gordon Foundation open to new grantees?
24%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 6 of 25 grantees (24%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $3K; repeat grants $11K. How we count
Medians: $2K first-time, $1K repeat.
- 56% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving fell 62% from 2022 to 2025. Method
- In 2025 it paid out well above its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2019–2025). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2019 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $158K (2023) to $593K (2022). In 2025 it made 25 grants totaling $227K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| California Institute of Integral Studies San Francisco, CA | General Operations | $63,000 |
| Tibetan Association of No California Richmond, CA | General Operations | $60,000 |
| Grip-Training Institute Fremont, CA | General Operations | $54,951 |
| Institute for Health and Healing San Francisco, CA | General Operations | $10,000 |
| World Central Kitchen Washington, DC | General Operations | $10,000 |
| International Inst for Humanistic Studies Petaluma, CA | General Operations | $5,000 |
| The Sramani Institute Randallstown, MD | General Operations | $5,000 |
| Threshhold Foundation Brewster, NY | General Operations | $2,495 |
| Breast Cancer Prevention Partners San Francisco, CA | General Operations | $1,000 |
| Canal Alliance San Rafael, CA | General Operations | $1,000 |
Ready to take the next step with Betsy Gordon Foundation?
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Qualifying Distributions | Net Investment Income | Distributable Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $15,987 | $202,166 | $238,287 | $227,446 | 25 | $235,230 | $105,366 | $334 |
| 2024 | $52,108 | $301,251 | $308,022 | $297,577 | 25 | $305,113 | $162,381 | $1,885 |
| 2023 | $58,879 | $198,479 | $165,383 | $158,000 | 16 | $165,383 | $89,052 | $1,604 |
| 2022 | $25,783 | $585,435 | $602,728 | $593,255 | 26 | $602,728 | — | $3,388 |
| 2021 | $43,076 | $438,559 | $403,211 | $398,250 | 23 | — | $162,704 | $4,876 |
| 2020 | $7,728 | $572,302 | $576,671 | $570,784 | 36 | — | $165,276 | $656 |
| 2019 | $12,097 | $518,159 | $512,501 | $505,562 | 29 | — | $22,301 | $2,727 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Betsy Gordon Foundation reported a distributable amount of $334 for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2025 grants, listed as general-operations support, went to organizations with varied missions. For example, the California Institute of Integral Studies describes itself as an institution of higher education with interdisciplinary programs. World Central Kitchen says it provides meals in response to humanitarian, climate, and community crises. Canal Alliance describes its work serving Marin’s low-income immigrant community, while Destiny Arts Center says it uses the arts to inspire social change and support youth development.
Other 2025 recipients include Breast Cancer Prevention Partners, which says it works to prevent breast cancer by eliminating exposure to linked toxic chemicals and radiation; the Living-Dying Project, which describes offering support to people facing life-threatening illness and other difficult situations; and the Mountain Play Association, which produces live theatrical experiences and an annual outdoor production.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2025, the foundation made 25 grants totaling $227,446. Grant amounts ranged from $1,000 to $63,000, with a median of $1,000. The largest awards were $63,000 to the California Institute of Integral Studies, $60,000 to the Tibetan Association of Northern California, and $54,951 to Grip-Training Institute. Other notable grants included $10,000 each to the Institute for Health and Healing and World Central Kitchen, and $5,000 each to the International Institute for Humanistic Studies and the Sramani Institute. The listed grants were for general operations.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Elizabeth Gordon as president; Jean Merlin as secretary; and Louis Leeburg as treasurer. Trustees listed are Sandra Harner, Susie Heumann, Sandra Hobson, Ricci Coddington, and Brandon Nothstine. The filing notes that Sandra Hobson passed away in June 2025 and Ricci Coddington retired in November 2025.
Betsy Gordon Foundation is led by Elizabeth Gordon, President on every filing since 2019; none of the 8 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Elizabeth Gordon
President
On filings since 2019
0.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Ricci Coddington
Trustee
On filings since 2019
0.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Sandra Harner
Trustee
On filings since 2019
0.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Sandra Hobson
Trustee
On filings since 2019
0.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Susie Heumann
Trustee
On filings since 2024
0.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Brandon Nothstine
Trustee
New on the 2025 filing
0.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Jean Merlin
Secretary
On filings since 2019
0.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Louis Leeburg
Treasurer
On filings since 2019
0.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2019–2025. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Frequently asked questions about Betsy Gordon Foundation
How much does Betsy Gordon Foundation give each year?
Betsy Gordon Foundation gave $227K across 25 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $298K across 25 grants.
What is Betsy Gordon Foundation's typical grant size?
Betsy Gordon Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $1,000, and its average grant was $9,098, across 25 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Betsy Gordon Foundation that year got $3K on average.
Where does Betsy Gordon Foundation give grants?
Betsy Gordon Foundation gives mostly in California: 91% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were San Francisco, CA (5 grants), San Rafael, CA (4 grants), Oakland, CA (2 grants) and New York, NY (2 grants).
Does Betsy Gordon Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 100% of Betsy Gordon Foundation's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (25 of 25) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are Betsy Gordon Foundation's largest grantees?
Betsy Gordon Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include California Institute of Integral Studies ($63,000), Tibetan Association of No California ($60,000) and Grip-Training Institute ($54,951), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 78% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Betsy Gordon Foundation?
Betsy Gordon Foundation reported $16K in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $235K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $334 (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does Betsy Gordon Foundation fund?
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2025 grants, listed as general-operations support, went to organizations with varied missions. For example, the California Institute of Integral Studies describes itself as an institution of higher education with interdisciplinary programs. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Betsy Gordon Foundation?
The foundation makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Betsy Gordon Foundation's EIN?
Betsy Gordon Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 11-3634807. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2025.
Does Betsy Gordon Foundation accept unsolicited proposals?
No, according to Grantable's research on the foundation's published guidelines. See how to apply ↑
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(8)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS March 4, 2020)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS March 15, 2021)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS March 3, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS February 7, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS February 6, 2024)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS February 7, 2025)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS March 2, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2019–2025
Live grants for the work Betsy Gordon Foundation funds
Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking Open opportunities, soonest deadline first.
- Nixa Affiliate Grantmaking Program Up to US $10,000 · Due October 19, 2026
- Community and School Grants $28,000 total pool; 10-15 grants expected · Due October 19, 2026
- Mary Pinola/Crescenta Valley Chamber Education Fund $500 - $5,000 for ongoing programs; up to $15,000 for Strategic Initiative Grants · Due October 19, 2026
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Betsy Gordon Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Betsy Gordon Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 19, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/betsy-gordon-foundation-morg_674833664ef6483ca7b7777c347aaf6e
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_113634807_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Betsy Gordon Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/betsy-gordon-foundation-morg_674833664ef6483ca7b7777c347aaf6e},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-19. 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 Betsy Gordon Foundation'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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