Carestar Foundation
CARESTAR Foundation is a private foundation based in Berkeley, California, that funds and advocates for improvements to emergency and prehospital care in California through a racial equity lens. Its work includes supporting research, policy, community-centered initiatives, and changes to emergency response systems.
Carestar Foundation at a glance
In short: Carestar Foundation gave $5.3M across 38 grants in 2024 (avg $139K), mostly in California. 56% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $5,274,463
- +2.3% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 38
- -15.6% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $138,802
- +21.2% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $107,933
- Total assets
- $61,244,592
- -2.3% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 56% first-time grantees (18 of 32, 2024)
- Primary geography
- California (94% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to Carestar Foundation
- Invitation Only
-
The foundation’s website asks interested organizations to submit a brief summary of approximately 200–300 words by email and says the application is located on its website. Its filing describes a rolling grant award schedule, with deadlines for certain specific grants. The filing also states that awards focus on racial equity in prehospital care in Northern California and vary in size and duration. Project grants have a 15% indirect rate cap. The separate Community Paramedicine Grants initiative is invitation-only for LEMSAs whose CP or TAD program has been approved by California EMSA.
- Contact
Application contact: Carestar Foundation
Mailing address: 921 Ensenada Avenue, Berkeley, CA 94707
Phone: (510) 717-4249
Website: https://carestarfoundation.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Open Grants
3 open opportunities from Carestar Foundation
CARESTAR Foundation: Transformations & Innovations Grants
Carestar Foundation
Amount
US $1,000,000 - US $3,000,000
Deadline
Deadline not published
CARESTAR Grant Program
Carestar Foundation
Amount
Varies
Deadline
Deadline not published
Leighton Memorial Grant Award
Carestar Foundation
Amount
Varies
Deadline
Deadline not published
Who Carestar Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Public Health Advocates ($800K across 2 grants). Together the top 10 received $3.5M.
Grant Size Distribution
155 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 53 grants of 155 (34%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
CARESTAR describes its work as focused on California. Its website says most grants support local community organizations and collaboratives, and its grant map is intended to show the geographic reach of its giving across the state. In 2024, 94% of grant dollars went to recipients in California and 6% to recipients in New Jersey; the reported share for Arizona was 0%.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 38 itemized grants.
Cities
Is Carestar Foundation open to new grantees?
56%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 18 of 32 grantees (56%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $127K; repeat grants $213K. How we count
Medians: $90K first-time, $125K repeat.
- 44% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving grew 136% from 2021 to 2024. Method
- In 2024 it paid out 182% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). 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 $2.2M (2021) to $5.3M (2024). In 2024 it made 38 grants totaling $5.3M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Public Health Advocates Davis, CA | Seizing the moment: a statewide campaign to transform first response in California cities | $750,000 |
| Lundquistharbor UCLA Torrance, CA | The South La CPR Initiative | $333,333 |
| Lundquistharbor UCLA Torrance, CA | The South La CPR Initiative | $333,333 |
| Loma Linda University Loma Linda, CA | Emergency Management Strategies to Decrease Opioid Deaths | $250,000 |
| National Indian Justice Center Santa Rosa, CA | Cultivating Climate Ready Tribal Community Health Representatives | $250,000 |
| Nuestra Comunidad Santa Rosa, CA | Project Lifeline: 911 Awareness and Equity | $250,000 |
| Sutter Coast Hospital Crescent City, CA | Community Crisis Response Collaborative (CCRC) | $233,333 |
| CA Emergency Medical Services Authority Rancho Cordova, CA | Access & Equity Project | $200,000 |
| City of Eureka Eureka, CA | Crisis Alternative Response of Eureka | $200,000 |
| Regents of the University of California UCSF Los Angeles, CA | New EMS Behavioral Crisis Curriculum | $158,333 |
Ready to take the next step with Carestar 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $61,244,592 | $3,851,612 | $4,392,865 | $5,274,463 | 38 | $6,869,395 | $3,864,596 | $3,766,604 |
| 2023 | $62,671,015 | $-369,384 | $8,908,859 | $5,155,000 | 45 | $6,617,757 | $1,060,148 | $4,463,685 |
| 2022 | $62,153,575 | $7,607,891 | $6,638,742 | $3,341,667 | 33 | $4,434,035 | $7,117,654 | $3,131,302 |
| 2021 | $76,999,854 | $5,057,008 | $3,518,560 | $2,233,429 | 17 | — | $5,057,008 | — |
| 2020 | $74,665,319 | $2,238,243 | $5,416,482 | $4,277,000 | 22 | — | $2,238,243 | — |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Carestar Foundation reported a distributable amount of $3.8M for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated October 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
CARESTAR’s mission is to improve health outcomes for all Californians by using a racial equity lens to fund and advocate for improvements in emergency and prehospital care. Its giving areas are research, multi-sector collaboratives, state and local policy, and workforce initiatives to build a more diverse and inclusive EMS workforce in California. It also supports strategic partnerships and initiatives aimed at engaging communities in systemic change.
The foundation says it awards unrestricted, multi-year grants as much as possible. Most of its grants support local community organizations and/or collaboratives focused on people who identify as Black, Indigenous, and/or people of color. Examples of grantees’ work include Public Health Advocates’ work with communities to promote policies and systems that foster health and racial justice, and Bay Area Youth EMT Program’s goal of developing civic-minded EMTs and firefighters who work with community programs and local EMS and fire agencies.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2024, CARESTAR reported 38 grants totaling $5,274,463. Grant amounts ranged from $10,000 to $750,000, with a median of $107,933. Notable awards included $750,000 to Public Health Advocates for a statewide campaign to transform first response in California cities; two grants of $333,333 each to LundquistHarbor UCLA for the South LA CPR Initiative; $250,000 to Loma Linda University for emergency management strategies to decrease opioid deaths; and $250,000 to the National Indian Justice Center for climate-ready tribal community health representatives.
The foundation also reported grants of $250,000 to Nuestra Comunidad for Project Lifeline: 911 Awareness and Equity, $233,333 to Sutter Coast Hospital for a community crisis response collaborative, and $200,000 each to the California Emergency Medical Services Authority for an access and equity project and the City of Eureka for an alternative crisis response program.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Sandra Shewry as board chair; Joseph Chiang, MD, as vice chair and treasurer; and Jane Smith as secretary. Board members listed are Fatima Angeles, Shani Buggs, Sarah De Guia, Kenneth Meehan, Michael Rodriguez, and Eric Rudnick. Tanir Ami is listed as CEO.
Carestar Foundation is led by Tanir Ami, CEO on every filing since 2020; 2 of 11 officers listed in 2024 are compensated.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Tanir Ami
CEO
On filings since 2020
40 hrs/week
$250K (2020) → $314K (2024)
Sandra Shewry
Board Chair
Secretary → Vice Chair, 2023
Vice Chair → Board Chair, 2024
On filings since 2020
1.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Dion Griffin
CFO
On filings since 2020
8 hrs/week
$43K (2020) → $79K (2024)
Kenneth L. Meehan
Board Member
Chair → Director, 2021
Director → Board Member, 2022
On filings since 2020
0.8 hrs/week
$3K (2021) → $0 (2024)
Fatima Angeles
Board Member
Chair → Board Chair, 2022
Board Chair → Board Member, 2024
On filings since 2020
0.8 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Joseph Chiang MD
Vice Chair & Treasurer
Vice Chair & Treasurer → Secretary & Treasurer, 2023
Secretary & Treasurer → Vice Chair & Treasurer, 2024
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Jane Smith
Scretary
Director → Board Member, 2022
Board Member → Scretary, 2024
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Michael Rodriguez
Board Member
Director → Board Member, 2022
On filings since 2021
0.8 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Sarah De Guia
Board Member
Director → Board Member, 2022
On filings since 2021
0.8 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Shani Buggs
Board Member
On filings since 2022
0.8 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Eric Rudnick
Board Member
New on the 2024 filing
0.8 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (3)
- Former: Jodi Ravel (2020–2021) — Program Manager
- Former: Michael Heil (2020–2021) — Director
- Former: Kacey Hansen (2020) — Director
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 $314K, to Tanir Ami (CEO). 2 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Frequently asked questions about Carestar Foundation
How much does Carestar Foundation give each year?
Carestar Foundation gave $5.3M across 38 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $5.2M across 45 grants.
What is Carestar Foundation's typical grant size?
Carestar Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $107,933, and its average grant was $138,802, across 38 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Carestar Foundation that year got $127K on average.
Where does Carestar Foundation give grants?
Carestar Foundation gives mostly in California: 94% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest state was New Jersey (6%). The most frequent recipient cities were Oakland, CA (6 grants), Los Angeles, CA (4 grants), San Francisco, CA (3 grants) and Davis, CA (2 grants).
Does Carestar Foundation give general operating support?
Not in 2024: none of the 38 grants with a stated purpose on Carestar Foundation's 2024 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support.
Who are Carestar Foundation's largest grantees?
Carestar Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include Public Health Advocates ($800,000 across 2 grants), Lundquistharbor UCLA ($666,666 across 2 grants) and Regents of the University of California UCSF ($316,666 across 2 grants), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 34% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is Carestar Foundation?
Carestar Foundation reported $61.2M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $6.9M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $3.8M (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does Carestar Foundation fund?
CARESTAR’s mission is to improve health outcomes for all Californians by using a racial equity lens to fund and advocate for improvements in emergency and prehospital care. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Carestar Foundation?
The foundation’s website asks interested organizations to submit a brief summary of approximately 200–300 words by email and says the application is located on its website. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Carestar Foundation's EIN?
Carestar Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 82-1511283. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990 filings. Research dossier generated October 2026.
Data update history
(3)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS November 15, 2021)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS November 15, 2022)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Carestar Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Carestar Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 10, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/carestar-foundation-morg_8c0a1852b6fb46849ac1a6ff398171e5
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_821511283_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Carestar Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/carestar-foundation-morg_8c0a1852b6fb46849ac1a6ff398171e5},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-10. 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 Carestar 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.
Carestar Foundation down — hundreds of funders to go?