Brides for a Cause
Brides for a Cause is a Portland, Oregon-based public charity that raises money for women-focused nonprofits by collecting and reselling donated wedding dresses and bridal accessories. It supports eligible 501(c)(3) organizations through monetary gifts and some in-kind donations.
Brides for a Cause at a glance
In short: Brides for a Cause gave $704K across 56 grants in 2024 (avg $13K), top state California. 18% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $703,757
- -5.7% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 56
- +12.0% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $12,567
- -15.8% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $10,000
- Total assets
- $3,399,358
- +28.6% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 18% first-time grantees (10 of 56, 2024)
- Primary geography
- California (20% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990, 2024 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990, 2024; updated September 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to Brides for a Cause
- How to Apply
-
The website invites nominations of eligible charities for consideration.
- Contact
Mailing address: 2505 Se 11Th Avenue 120, Portland, OR 97202
Phone: (503) 282-4000
Website: https://bridesforacause.com
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Brides for a Cause funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Goodwill Columbia Willamette ($50K). Together the top 10 received $244K.
Grant Size Distribution
193 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 180 grants of 193 (93%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
Brides for a Cause says it gives to local and national nonprofits in the United States. In 2024, the largest shares of grant dollars went to organizations in New York and California (22% each), followed by Washington (16%), Oregon (15%), and the District of Columbia (13%).
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 56 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is Brides for a Cause open to new grantees?
18%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 10 of 56 grantees (18%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $10K; repeat grants $13K. How we count
Medians: $10K first-time, $10K repeat.
- 82% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2021 to 2024 (+9%). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990 filings (2020–2024). 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 2020 to 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $635K (2020) to $746K (2023). In 2024 it made 56 grants totaling $704K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Goodwill Columbia Willamette Portland, OR | Attire for Resale | $50,208 |
| Brides Across America North Andover, MA | General Support/Attire for Resale | $45,250 |
| The Princess Project San Francisco, CA | General Support | $40,000 |
| Goodwill of Olympics & Rainie Tacoma, WA | Attire for Resale | $31,659 |
| Goodwill Sacramento Valley Sacramento, CA | Attire for Resale | $21,533 |
| Goodwill Seattle Seattle, WA | Attire for Resale | $12,909 |
| Abbys Closet Inc West Linn, OR | General Support/Attire for Resale | $12,198 |
| 9 to 5 National Association Milwaukee, WI | General Support | $10,000 |
| American Assoc of Univ Women Washington, DC | General Support | $10,000 |
| American Cancer Society Hagerstown, MD | General Support | $10,000 |
Ready to take the next step with Brides for a Cause?
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $3,399,358 | $3,070,091 | $2,447,731 | $703,757 | 56 |
| 2023 | $2,642,361 | $2,176,105 | $2,191,131 | $746,013 | 50 |
| 2022 | $1,963,497 | $1,992,911 | $1,960,632 | $704,995 | 45 |
| 2021 | $1,942,953 | $1,896,434 | $1,748,888 | $645,950 | 26 |
| 2020 | $1,885,045 | $1,822,660 | $1,512,644 | $634,820 | 16 |
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The organization’s stated mission is to provide financial assistance to women-focused charities by collecting and reselling donated wedding gowns and accessories. Its website says eligible charitable partners must be 501(c)(3) organizations that provide services or assistance to women. Its listed areas of support include women in need, women’s health, women’s rights and equality, education and business, maternity care, and support for women in the military.
The range of grantees is reflected in their own stated missions. For example, Every Mother Counts works to make pregnancy and childbirth safe, respectful, and equitable; GenerateHope provides housing, recovery, and transition programs for survivors of sex trafficking; and Jubilee Women’s Center supports women experiencing poverty, including through transitional housing. Other 2024 grantees include PERIOD, which works to address period poverty and stigma, and Equality Now, which seeks legal and systemic change addressing violence and discrimination against women and girls.
Grantmaking
In 2024, Brides for a Cause reported giving $550,000 to 52 local and national charitable causes. Grants ranged from $10,000 to $40,000, with a median of $10,000. The largest listed grant was $40,000 to The Princess Project for general support. Other listed grants of $10,000 included Abby’s Closet, American Cancer Society, Astraea Lesbian Foundation, Bradley Angle, and Cocoon House. The organization also reported providing $153,866 in in-kind donations of wedding dresses, special-occasion dresses, and bridal accessories to other 501(c)(3) organizations.
Its website reports that in 2025 it donated $1,000,000 to 67 nonprofits. It also invites people to nominate a charity for consideration; the charity must be a 501(c)(3) and help women in some way. The organization says its board approves all monetary gifts, and its 2024 filing states that recipients are screened for 501(c)(3) status and support of women.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Erin Scharf as Executive Director; Brenda Chovanak as President; Heather Clark as Treasurer; Brian Wolf as Secretary; and Kelsey Chu and Linda Harris as Directors.
Brides for a Cause is led by Erin Scharf, Executive Director on every filing since 2020; 1 of 6 officers listed in 2024 is compensated.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Erin Scharf
Executive Director
On filings since 2020
40 hrs/week
$113K (2020) → $148K (2024)
Brenda Chovanak
President
On filings since 2020
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Kelsey Chu
Director
On filings since 2020
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Linda Harris
Director
On filings since 2020
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Brian Wolf
Secretary
On filings since 2020
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Heather Clark
Treasurer
Director → Treasurer, 2021
On filings since 2020
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (1)
- Former: Karolina Davison (2020) — Treasurer
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2024. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2024 filing was $148K, to Erin Scharf (Executive Dir.).
Frequently asked questions about Brides for a Cause
How much does Brides for a Cause give each year?
Brides for a Cause gave $704K across 56 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990. In 2023 it gave $746K across 50 grants.
What is Brides for a Cause's typical grant size?
Brides for a Cause's median grant in 2024 was $10,000, and its average grant was $12,567, across 56 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990. Organizations receiving their first grant from Brides for a Cause that year got $10K on average.
Where does Brides for a Cause give grants?
Brides for a Cause's top state is California, with 20% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990. The next largest states were Washington (19%) and Oregon (19%). The most frequent recipient cities were New York, NY (9 grants), Portland, OR (7 grants), Washington, DC (7 grants) and Seattle, WA (5 grants).
Does Brides for a Cause give general operating support?
Yes: 93% of Brides for a Cause's 2024 grants with a stated purpose (52 of 56) were for general or operating support, per its 2024 IRS Form 990. Recurring purposes include "Attire for Resale" (4 grants).
Who are Brides for a Cause's largest grantees?
Brides for a Cause's largest 2024 grantees include Goodwill Columbia Willamette ($50,208), Brides Across America ($45,250) and The Princess Project ($40,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990. Together they received 19% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is Brides for a Cause?
Brides for a Cause reported $3.4M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990. Its revenue that year was $3.1M.
What does Brides for a Cause fund?
The organization’s stated mission is to provide financial assistance to women-focused charities by collecting and reselling donated wedding gowns and accessories. Its website says eligible charitable partners must be 501(c)(3) organizations that provide services or assistance to women. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Brides for a Cause?
The website invites nominations of eligible charities for consideration. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Brides for a Cause's EIN?
Brides for a Cause's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 81-1902616. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990 filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(6)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS October 20, 2021)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS December 1, 2022)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS October 11, 2023)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS October 29, 2024)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS November 11, 2025)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Brides for a Cause's focus areas in our free grants database
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Brides for a Cause funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/brides-for-a-cause-morg_a0893ce83d304485a5a6859e61a4f42f
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_811902616_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Brides for a Cause funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/brides-for-a-cause-morg_a0893ce83d304485a5a6859e61a4f42f},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-12. 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 Brides for a Cause'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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