Cares Foundation
Cares Foundation is a private foundation based in Carmichael, California. Its 2024 filing states that its grants support organizations in the greater Sacramento area that directly serve people with HIV/AIDS or help prevent HIV/AIDS transmission.
Key facts about Cares Foundation
In short: Cares Foundation gave $1.3M across 11 grants in 2024 (avg $122K), mostly in California. 9% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- EIN
- 45-2544055
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024
- Annual giving (2024)
- $1,344,448
- Grants made (2024)
- 11
- Average grant
- $122,223
- Median grant
- $110,000
- New grantees (estimate)
- 9% first-time grantees (1 of 11, 2024; small sample)
- Total assets
- $34,372,984
- Primary geography
- California (100% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- How to apply
- The foundation’s 2024 filing says a requestor must submit a letter of inquiry (LOI) for review and approval before submitting a grant application. Full details ↓
- Deadline
- The 2024 filing lists no deadlines.
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology). Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$34.4M
+5.6% YoY
Annual Giving
$1.3M
-14.5% YoY
Grant Count
11
+0.0% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$122K
-14.5% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Cares Foundation reported a distributable amount of $1.6M for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Is Cares Foundation open to new grantees?
9%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 1 of 11 grantees (9%) were first-time recipients. With only 11 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 9 points. First grants averaged $149K; repeat grants $120K. How we count
Medians: $149K first-time, $95K repeat.
- 91% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2021 to 2024 (+5%). Method
- In 2024 it paid out 93% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Foundations have until the end of the next year to meet it. Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF 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.
Mission & Focus Areas
The 2024 filing describes the foundation’s grant purpose as supporting organizations that serve people with HIV/AIDS or aid in preventing HIV/AIDS transmission. The 2024 grants supported activities including street outreach, HIV/STI testing and prevention, linkage to care, PrEP navigation, syringe exchange, and case management.
Among its grantees, the Sacramento LGBT Community Center says it works to help LGBTQ+ people thrive through health and wellness, advocacy, and community support. Sierra Foothills AIDS Foundation says it provides support services to people and families living with HIV/AIDS and promotes AIDS education and prevention. Sunburst Projects describes its work as serving the HIV/AIDS community through care and services. Golden Rule Services says it works to address disparities in BIPOC communities through culturally competent programs and resources.
Grantmaking
In 2024, the foundation made 11 grants totaling $1,344,448. Grants ranged from $10,000 to $302,163, with a median of $110,000. Its largest awards were $302,163 to Harm Reduction Services for street outreach to homeless people, sex workers, and injection drug users; $191,591 to Community Against Sexual Harm for HIV/STI prevention and PrEP information for sex workers; and $168,565 to the Sacramento LGBT Community Center for HIV/STI testing, linkage to care, and safer-sex supplies.
Other 2024 grants included $150,000 to One Community Health for an HIV testing and care program; $149,303 to Sierra Foothills AIDS Foundation for PrEP navigation; $110,000 to Sunburst Projects for an HIV testing and care program; and $80,000 to Planned Parenthood Mar Monte for HIV/STI education for youth and young adults, including PrEP.
Review Cycle
The 2024 filing lists no deadlines.
How to Apply
The foundation’s 2024 filing says a requestor must submit a letter of inquiry (LOI) for review and approval before submitting a grant application. Awards are restricted to organizations in the greater Sacramento area that directly serve people with HIV/AIDS or help prevent HIV/AIDS transmission.
Open Grants
1 open opportunity from Cares Foundation
Ready to take the next step with Cares Foundation?
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation’s 2024 filing restricts grants to organizations in the greater Sacramento area. All 2024 grant dollars went to recipients in California.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 11 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2020 to 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $1.3M (2021) to $1.6M (2023). In 2024 it made 11 grants totaling $1.3M.
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Harm Reduction Services (HRS) ($302K). Together the top 10 received $1.3M.
Grant Size Distribution
56 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was in the $100–250K range: 24 grants of 56 (43%).
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Harm Reduction Services (HRS) Sacramento, CA | Street outreach to homeless, sex workers and injection drug users | $302,163 |
| Community Against Sexual Harm (Cash) Sacramento, CA | Hiv/sti prevention and provide prep information to sex workers | $191,591 |
| Sacramento LGBT Community Center Sacramento, CA | Hiv/sti testing and linkage to care, safer sex supplies | $168,565 |
| One Community Health Sacramento, CA | HIV Testing, Care Program | $150,000 |
| Sierra Foothills AIDS Foundation Auburn, CA | Prep Navigation to High Risk AIDS Clients | $149,303 |
| Sunburst Projects Sacramento, CA | HIV Testing, Care Program | $110,000 |
| Planned Parenthood Mar Monte San Jose, CA | Hiv/sti education for youth and young adults including prep | $80,000 |
| Safer Alternatives Thru Networking and Exchange (Sane) Sacramento, CA | Syringe Exchange, Risk Reduction Education on-Site | $67,171 |
| Communicare Health Centers West Sacramento, CA | Prep clinic, navigation, referrals for on-site behavioral health services | $65,655 |
| Golden Rule Services Sacramento, CA | Non-medical case management for people of color living with hiv, hiv care | $50,000 |
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Grant total | Number of grants |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $1,344,448 | 11 |
| 2023 | $1,571,828 | 11 |
| 2022 | $1,385,490 | 11 |
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $34,372,984 | $32,554,244 | $29,943,902 |
| Revenue | $1,874,447 | $3,226,395 | $1,594,721 |
| Expenses | $1,743,318 | $1,963,288 | $1,681,272 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $1,523,203 | $1,738,923 | $1,535,727 |
| Net Investment Income | $1,666,443 | $3,027,369 | $1,363,304 |
| Distributable Amount | $1,645,101 | $1,479,257 | $1,391,654 |
Data update history
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS November 11, 2021)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS September 21, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS October 14, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS August 29, 2024)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS October 29, 2025)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
Officers and directors listed on the 2024 filing are Fred Meyers, president; Olivia Kasirye, vice president; Alice Kessler, secretary; John Kay, CFO through January 2024; Robert Styron, CFO as of January 2024; and members Ashley Brand, Erin Cabelera, Graciela Castillo-Krings, Michael Martinez, and Daniel Torres.
Cares Foundation is led by Fred Meyers, President on every filing since 2020; none of the 12 officers listed in 2024 report compensation.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Fred Meyers
President
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Ashley Brand
Member
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Erin Cabelera
Member
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
John Kay
CFO
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Michael Martinez
Member
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Olivia Kasirye
Vice President
Secretary → Vice President, 2021
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Alice Kessler
Secretary
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Daniel Torres
Member
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Ronald Woo
Member
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Graciela Castillo- Krings
Member
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Robert Styron
CFO
Member → CFO, 2024
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Rich Polard
Member
New on the 2024 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (4)
- Former: Richard Pollard (2020–2023) — Member
- Former: Bob Styron (2020–2022) — Member
- Former: Graciela Castillo-Krings (2021–2022) — Member
- Former: Mark Thomas (2020–2021) — Vice 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.
Contact
Application contact: Deborah Bouzard
Mailing address: 6920 Fair Oaks Blvd, Carmichael, CA 95608
Phone: (916) 290-2291
Email: debbie@thecaresfoundation.org
Website: https://caresfoundation.org
Frequently asked questions about Cares Foundation
How much does Cares Foundation give each year?
Cares Foundation gave $1.3M across 11 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $1.6M across 11 grants.
What is Cares Foundation's typical grant size?
Cares Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $110,000, and its average grant was $122,223, across 11 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Cares Foundation that year got $149K on average.
Where does Cares Foundation give grants?
Cares Foundation gives mostly in California: 100% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Sacramento, CA (8 grants).
Does Cares Foundation give general operating support?
Not in 2024: none of the 11 grants with a stated purpose on Cares Foundation's 2024 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support.
Who are Cares Foundation's largest grantees?
Cares Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include Harm Reduction Services (HRS) ($302,163), Community Against Sexual Harm (Cash) ($191,591) and Sacramento LGBT Community Center ($168,565), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 49% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is Cares Foundation?
Cares Foundation reported $34.4M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $1.5M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $1.6M (roughly 5% of its investment assets). Falling short in one year is not a violation: foundations have until the end of the next year to meet the minimum.
What does Cares Foundation fund?
The 2024 filing describes the foundation’s grant purpose as supporting organizations that serve people with HIV/AIDS or aid in preventing HIV/AIDS transmission. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Cares Foundation?
The foundation’s 2024 filing says a requestor must submit a letter of inquiry (LOI) for review and approval before submitting a grant application. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Cares Foundation's EIN?
Cares Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 45-2544055. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Here's the math on researching Cares Foundation by hand.
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