BRT Charitable Foundation
BRT Charitable Foundation is a private foundation based in San Francisco, California. Its 2024 grants supported organizations working on conservation, wildlife protection, climate and environmental issues, and related causes.
BRT Charitable Foundation at a glance
In short: BRT Charitable Foundation gave $2.5M across 43 grants in 2024 (avg $59K), top state California. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $2,550,000
- +308.0% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 43
- +290.9% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $59,302
- +4.4% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $30,000
- Total assets
- $36,242,153
- +12.6% vs 2023
- Primary geography
- California (31% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated October 2026.
How to apply to BRT Charitable 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: 575 Market Street 4Th Floor, San Francisco, CA 94105
Phone: (650) 743-7697
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who BRT Charitable Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Great Plains Conservation Foundation ($450K). Together the top 10 received $1.6M.
Grant Size Distribution
60 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 45 grants of 60 (75%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2024, California received 31% of grant dollars, Florida 21%, Washington 20%, Georgia 8%, and Arizona 6%. The remaining share went to recipients in other states.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 43 itemized grants.
Cities
How BRT Charitable Foundation gives
- 9% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- In 2024 it paid out 173% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (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 2022 to 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $160K (2022) to $2.5M (2024). In 2024 it made 43 grants totaling $2.5M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Great Plains Conservation Foundation Jupiter, FL | General Operating Support | $450,000 |
| Donor Advised Charitable Giving Inc San Francisco, CA | General Operating Support | $300,000 |
| Big Life Foundation USA Ridgefield, WA | General Operating Support | $200,000 |
| Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund Atlanta, GA | General Operating Support | $200,000 |
| David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust USA Laguna Hills, CA | General Operating Support | $150,000 |
| Kako Earth Chandler, AZ | General Operating Support | $130,000 |
| Rewild Austin, TX | General Operating Support | $60,000 |
| Sinkyone Sanctuary Geyserville, CA | Animal Protection & Welfare | $50,000 |
| Planet Reimagined New York, NY | General Operating Support | $50,000 |
| Tides Foundation DAF Los Angeles, CA | General Operating Support | $50,000 |
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Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Qualifying Distributions | Net Investment Income | Distributable Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $36,242,153 | $7,073,014 | $2,921,779 | $2,550,000 | 43 | $2,736,531 | $826,671 | $1,585,064 |
| 2023 | $32,178,026 | $29,926,144 | $2,966,536 | $625,000 | 11 | $784,847 | $928,175 | $990,370 |
| 2022 | $2,899,769 | $3,153,202 | $253,454 | $160,000 | 6 | $255,618 | — | $65,185 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, BRT Charitable Foundation reported a distributable amount of $1.6M for 2024 — 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 2024 grants included support for conservation and wildlife organizations, as well as organizations working on climate and environmental issues.
The grantees describe their work in varied ways. Great Plains Conservation Foundation says it works to conserve and expand natural habitats in Africa, with a long-term commitment to the environment, wildlife, and local communities. Big Life Foundation USA says it seeks to protect East Africa’s wildlife and wild lands in collaboration with local communities and other partners. Re:wild says it protects and restores the wild. Planet Reimagined describes itself as a creative climate incubator working to develop and scale solutions for people and the planet. Other supported organizations include SeaLegacy Foundation, which describes its work as ocean-focused storytelling and diplomacy; Save Our Wild Salmon, which works to protect and restore salmon and steelhead populations; and Amazon Conservation Team, which partners with Indigenous and other local communities to protect tropical forests and strengthen traditional culture.
Grantmaking
In 2024, the foundation made 43 grants totaling $2,550,000. Grants ranged from $7,500 to $450,000, with a median grant of $30,000. The largest awards included $450,000 to Great Plains Conservation Foundation, $300,000 to Donor Advised Charitable Giving Inc, $200,000 each to Big Life Foundation USA and Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund, and $150,000 to David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust USA. Each was listed for general operating support.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Frank Van Veenendaal as board chair/secretary, Paola Bernazzani as executive director, Tony Rodoni as treasurer, and Suzanne DiBianca as director.
BRT Charitable Foundation is led by Paola Bernazzani, Executive Director on every filing since 2022; none of the 4 officers listed in 2024 report compensation.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Paola Bernazzani
Executive Director
On filings since 2022
40 hrs/week
$69K (2022) → $0 (2024)
Frank Van Veenendaal
Board Chair & Secretary
On filings since 2022
4 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Suzanne Dibianca
Director
On filings since 2022
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Tony Rodoni
Treasurer
On filings since 2022
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (1)
- Former: Frank Vanveendaal (2020–2021) — President
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 2022 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2022 filing was $69K, to Paola Bernazzani (Executive Director).
Frequently asked questions about BRT Charitable Foundation
How much does BRT Charitable Foundation give each year?
BRT Charitable Foundation gave $2.5M across 43 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $625K across 11 grants.
What is BRT Charitable Foundation's typical grant size?
BRT Charitable Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $30,000, and its average grant was $59,302, across 43 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
Where does BRT Charitable Foundation give grants?
BRT Charitable Foundation's top state is California, with 31% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. The next largest states were Florida (21%) and Washington (20%). The most frequent recipient cities were San Francisco, CA (7 grants), Bellingham, WA (4 grants), New York, NY (3 grants) and Washington, DC (3 grants).
Does BRT Charitable Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 91% of BRT Charitable Foundation's 2024 grants with a stated purpose (39 of 43) were for general or operating support, per its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are BRT Charitable Foundation's largest grantees?
BRT Charitable Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include Great Plains Conservation Foundation ($450,000), Donor Advised Charitable Giving Inc ($300,000) and Big Life Foundation USA ($200,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 37% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is BRT Charitable Foundation?
BRT Charitable Foundation reported $36.2M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $2.7M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $1.6M (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does BRT Charitable Foundation fund?
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2024 grants included support for conservation and wildlife organizations, as well as organizations working on climate and environmental issues. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from BRT Charitable 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 BRT Charitable Foundation's EIN?
BRT Charitable Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 84-2541048. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Does BRT Charitable 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
(1)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). BRT Charitable Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/brt-charitable-foundation-morg_1d5ca121446e4a708fc07a2f53cc469a
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_842541048_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{BRT Charitable Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/brt-charitable-foundation-morg_1d5ca121446e4a708fc07a2f53cc469a},
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 BRT Charitable 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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