CARESTAR Foundation is a private foundation based in Berkeley, California, dedicated to reimagining emergency and prehospital care across the state. Founded in 2017, the organization operates with a racial equity lens to fund and advocate for improvements to California's emergency response system.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$61.2M
-2.3% YoY
Annual Giving
$5.3M
+2.3% YoY
Grant Count
38
-15.6% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$139K
+21.2% YoY
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.
Mission & Focus Areas
Mission: To improve health outcomes for all Californians by using a racial equity lens to fund and advocate for improvements to the emergency response system. The foundation's overarching vision is "Elevating Communities, Transforming Care."
Core Commitments:
- Ensuring communities have the voice, power, and influence to transform emergency and prehospital care
- Partnering with Local Emergency Medical Services Agencies (LEMSAs) across the state to bring greater innovation and collaboration
- Building trust among all Californians to safely and confidently engage with emergency and prehospital care organizations
- Advocating for local and state emergency and prehospital care policies that center equity and community voices
Funding Areas:
The foundation invests in systems, processes, and policies that guide emergency response in California across four primary giving areas:
- Research: Identifying gaps, challenges, best practices, and innovations to bring greater racial equity to emergency and prehospital care
- Collaboratives: Multi-sector collaboratives that test new ideas, center community voices, and catalyze new ways for Californians to engage with equitable emergency response
- Policy: State and local policy initiatives and partnerships with advocacy organizations to incentivize innovation and community-centered care
- Workforce: Initiatives to build a more diverse and inclusive EMS workforce in California to better reflect communities served
The foundation also supports strategic partnerships focused on engaging communities as catalysts for systemic transformation and key initiatives reimagining emergency and prehospital care with a racial equity lens.
Grantmaking
Organizations interested in funding consideration should send a brief summary (approximately 200-300 words) via email to grants@carestarfoundation.org.
Grant Range
s:**
Grant Types
How to Apply
es announced periodically
Ready to take the next step with Carestar Foundation?
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
CARESTAR Foundation focuses its grantmaking exclusively in California, with particular emphasis on supporting work that addresses local needs across different counties and regions. The foundation partners with LEMSAs across the state and maintains mapping tools to track grant distribution geographically.
Grant Distribution by State
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
Assets & Giving (2023-2024):
- Total assets: $61.2–$62.7 million
- Total giving: $5.3 million (2024)
- Total expenses: $8.9 million (2023)
- Total revenues: -$369,384 (2023)
Tax Status:
- 501(c)(3) organization
- EIN: 82-1511283
- IRS ruling year: 2017
Rating: The foundation holds a Three-Star rating with a 77% score, indicating strong accountability and financial practices.
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $61,244,592 | $62,671,015 | $62,153,575 |
| Revenue | $3,851,612 | $-369,384 | $7,607,891 |
| Expenses | $4,392,865 | $8,908,859 | $6,638,742 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $6,869,395 | $6,617,757 | $4,434,035 |
| Net Investment Income | $3,864,596 | $1,060,148 | $7,117,654 |
| Distributable Amount | $3,766,604 | $4,463,685 | $3,131,302 |
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
Grant Size Distribution
133 grants across all recorded years
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
Rolling / Open
CARESTAR Grant Program
CARESTAR FOUNDATION
Amount
Varies
Deadline
Rolling / Open
Leighton Memorial Grant Award
CARESTAR FOUNDATION
Amount
Varies
Deadline
Rolling / Open
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include Public Health Advocates ($750,000), Lundquistharbor Ucla ($333,333), Lundquistharbor Ucla ($333,333).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| ANTI POLICE-TERROR PROJECT OAKLAND, CA | ANTI POLICE-TERROR PROJECT AND MENTAL HEALTH FIRST | $20,000 |
| BAY AREA YOUTH EMT PROGRAM OAKLAND, CA | BAY EMT PROGRAM | $66,666 |
| 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 |
| COLLEGE FOR BEHAVIORAL HEALTH MESA, AZ | FELLOWSHIP SPONSORSHIP | $15,000 |
| CALIFORNIA PAN-ETHNIC HEALTH NETWORK (CPEHN) OAKLAND, CA | CALFORNIA PAN-ETHNIC HEALTH NETWORK (CPEHN) | $125,000 |
| CRISTO REY DE LA SALLE OAKLAND, CA | CORPORATE WORK STUDY PROGRAM | $50,000 |
| CRISTO REY DE LA SALLE OAKLAND, CA | BOARD DISCRETIONARY GRANT | $10,000 |
| DAYS WITH ZAHRAH SAN LORENZO, CA | BEHIND THE STATION DOOR | $15,000 |
| EXHALING INJUSTICE SAN DIEGO, CA | EXHALING INJUSTICE | $75,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The foundation employs 5 staff members. Specific leadership names and titles were not detailed in the available sources.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| SANDRA SHEWRY | BOARD CHAIR | 1.5 | — |
| JOSEPH CHIANG MD | VICE CHAIR/TREASURER | 1 | — |
| JANE SMITH | SCRETARY | 1 | — |
| FATIMA ANGELES | BOARD MEMBER | 0.75 | — |
| SHANI BUGGS | BOARD MEMBER | 0.75 | — |
| SARAH DE GUIA | BOARD MEMBER | 0.75 | — |
| KENNETH MEEHAN | BOARD MEMBER | 0.75 | — |
| MICHAEL RODRIGUEZ | BOARD MEMBER | 0.75 | — |
| ERIC RUDNICK | BOARD MEMBER | 0.75 | — |
| TANIR AMI | CEO | 40 | $314,075 |
| DION GRIFFIN | CFO | 8 | $78,900 |
Recent News & Activity
Recent developments and announcements
The foundation continues to expand its grantmaking and convening work. Recent activities include:
Hosting various industry events and convenings focused on transformation and innovation in emergency and prehospital care
Conducting research and producing publications relating to prehospital and emergency care
Initiating development of an online resource library
Providing administrative and technical assistance to grantee partners
Maintaining and supporting a network connecting emergency medical system providers, hospitals, trauma centers, and community-based organizations
CARESTAR Foundation Awards $400,000 Grant to California Emergency MedicalThe foundation published a 2023 Annual Review documenting its progress and impact in the field.
Subject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Carestar Foundation fund?
**Mission:** To improve health outcomes for all Californians by using a racial equity lens to fund and advocate for improvements to the emergency response system. The foundation's overarching vision is "Elevating Communities, Transforming Care." **Core Commitments:** • Ensuring communities have the voice, power, and influence to transform emergency and prehospital care • Partnering with Local Emergency Medical Services Agencies (LEMSAs) across the state to bring greater innovation and collabora…
How do I apply for a grant from Carestar Foundation?
**Grant Types:** • General Operating Grants – supporting organizations aligned with the foundation's mission, vision, and priorities • Project/Program Grants – supporting specific work or programs aligned with the foundation's mission, vision, and priorities • Specific Awards and Initiatives – grants with specific focus areas and application processes announced periodically **Grant Characteristics:** • The foundation awards unrestricted, multi-year grants as much as possible • Maintains a 15% i…
Where does Carestar Foundation make grants?
CARESTAR Foundation focuses its grantmaking exclusively in **California**, with particular emphasis on supporting work that addresses local needs across different counties and regions. The foundation partners with LEMSAs across the state and maintains mapping tools to track grant distribution geographically.
What size grants does Carestar Foundation award?
In 2024, Carestar Foundation awarded 38 grants totaling $5.3M — an average of about $139K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is Carestar Foundation required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, Carestar Foundation reported a distributable amount of $3.8M on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
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.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Carestar Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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Data last updated June 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
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