Ceres Charitable Foundation
Ceres Charitable Foundation is a private foundation based in Beaverton, Oregon. It supports educational programs and infrastructure, as well as certain medical procedures in developing nations. Its website describes working with communities, NGOs, and other charitable groups to direct resources to projects where goals align.
Ceres Charitable Foundation at a glance
In short: Ceres Charitable Foundation gave $131K across 19 grants in 2024 (avg $7K), mostly in California. 11% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $130,963
- +2.2% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 19
- -40.6% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $6,893
- +72.1% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $5,000
- Total assets
- $2,538,987
- +7.2% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 11% first-time grantees (2 of 19, 2024; small sample)
- Primary geography
- California (61% 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 Ceres Charitable Foundation
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- Yes
- How to Apply
-
Ceres accepts unsolicited requests: its website invites written proposals. It asks applicants to describe the project and intended beneficiaries, need, benefits, goals, and motivation; provide a cost breakdown and identify other resources; and summarize the project team’s experience, including brief biographies of key members and details of prior charitable projects. The 2024 filing directs applicants to the foundation’s website for forms, materials, and restrictions. The website’s stated education criteria include need, community support, local experience to ensure success, and inclusion of girls. No deadline is stated in the provided materials.
- Contact
Application contact: Scott Mcdonald
Mailing address: 14525 Sw Millikan Way 28224, Beaverton, OR 97005
Phone: (408) 838-6493
Website: http://www.cerescf.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Open Grants
1 open opportunity from Ceres Charitable Foundation
Who Ceres Charitable Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Montalvo Arts Center ($32K). Together the top 10 received $107K.
Grant Size Distribution
132 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 131 grants of 132 (99%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
Ceres’ website describes work on educational and medical projects in developing nations. Its 2024 grant dollars went to recipients in multiple U.S. states: California received 61%, New York 19%, the District of Columbia 6%, and Massachusetts and Arizona 4% each.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 19 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is Ceres Charitable Foundation open to new grantees?
11%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 2 of 19 grantees (11%) were first-time recipients. With only 19 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 5 points. First grants averaged $7K; repeat grants $7K. How we count
Medians: $7K first-time, $5K repeat.
- 68% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2021 to 2024 (+5%). Method
- In 2024 it paid out 110% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). 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.
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2020 to 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $113K (2020) to $131K (2024). In 2024 it made 19 grants totaling $131K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Montalvo Arts Center Saratoga, CA | Support the charitable organization's general mission. | $31,500 |
| Doctors Without Borders New York, NY | Support the charitable organization's general mission. | $15,000 |
| Second Harvest Food Bank San Jose, CA | Support the charitable organization's general mission. | $10,000 |
| The Global Uplift Project fka ODFL Livermore, CA | Support the "Save A Girl" campaign. | $10,000 |
| Fistula Foundation San Jose, CA | Support the charitable organization's general mission. | $10,000 |
| ProPublica New York, NY | Support the charitable organization's general mission. | $10,000 |
| Union of Concerned Scientist Cambridge, MA | Support the charitable organization's general mission. | $5,450 |
| Earthjustice San Francisco, CA | Support the charitable organization's general mission. | $5,163 |
| Make-A-Wish Foundation Phoenix, AZ | Support the charitable organization's general mission. | $5,000 |
| American Indian College Fund Denver, CO | Support the charitable organization's general mission. | $5,000 |
Ready to take the next step with Ceres Charitable 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 | $2,538,987 | $248,650 | $160,245 | $130,963 | 19 | $134,194 | $231,353 | $121,580 |
| 2023 | $2,369,315 | $-337,313 | $140,678 | $128,200 | 32 | $128,200 | $50,851 | $130,212 |
| 2022 | $2,455,853 | $93,949 | $138,458 | $124,706 | 22 | $124,706 | $82,291 | $129,354 |
| 2021 | $2,972,309 | $129,111 | $149,926 | $124,600 | 26 | $127,481 | $115,032 | $138,548 |
| 2020 | $2,623,760 | $65,983 | $122,051 | $112,924 | 33 | — | $57,025 | $116,450 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Ceres Charitable Foundation reported a distributable amount of $122K 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
The foundation’s stated mission is to fund infrastructure for new schools, support existing educational programs, and make grants for “non-evasive, non-life threating, but life changing” medical procedures in developing nations. Its website says education proposals are assessed for demonstrated need, community support, local capacity to carry out the project, and inclusion of girls. It also says the foundation may work with NGOs and other charitable groups when goals align or those organizations are better placed to manage resources.
The 2024 grants included organizations with a range of missions. For example, Second Harvest Food Bank says it provides dignified, equitable, and consistent access to nutritious food; Earthjustice describes its work as using law and partnerships to protect people’s health and the environment; and the American Indian College Fund says it invests in Native students and tribal college education. These are the grantees’ stated missions, not additional stated focus areas of the foundation.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2024, Ceres made 19 grants totaling $130,963. Grant amounts ranged from $1,600 to $31,500, with a median of $5,000.
Notable 2024 grants included $31,500 to Montalvo Arts Center; $15,000 to Doctors Without Borders; $10,000 each to Second Harvest Food Bank, The Global Uplift Project for its “Save A Girl” campaign, Fistula Foundation, and ProPublica; and $5,450 to the Union of Concerned Scientist.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Scott McDonald as Chairman and Alan Tracey and Zach Taylor as Directors.
Ceres Charitable Foundation is led by Scott McDonald, Chairman on every filing since 2020; none of the 3 officers listed in 2024 report compensation.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Scott McDonald
Chairman
On filings since 2020
10 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Alan Tracey
Director
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Zach Taylor
Director
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
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.
Frequently asked questions about Ceres Charitable Foundation
How much does Ceres Charitable Foundation give each year?
Ceres Charitable Foundation gave $131K across 19 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $128K across 32 grants.
What is Ceres Charitable Foundation's typical grant size?
Ceres Charitable Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $5,000, and its average grant was $6,893, across 19 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Ceres Charitable Foundation that year got $7K on average.
Where does Ceres Charitable Foundation give grants?
Ceres Charitable Foundation gives mostly in California: 61% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest states were New York (19%) and District of Columbia (6%). The most frequent recipient cities were San Francisco, CA (3 grants), Washington, DC (3 grants), New York, NY (2 grants) and San Jose, CA (2 grants).
Does Ceres Charitable Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 95% of Ceres Charitable Foundation's 2024 grants with a stated purpose (18 of 19) were for general or operating support, per its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are Ceres Charitable Foundation's largest grantees?
Ceres Charitable Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include Montalvo Arts Center ($31,500), Doctors Without Borders ($15,000) and Second Harvest Food Bank ($10,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 43% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is Ceres Charitable Foundation?
Ceres Charitable Foundation reported $2.5M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $134K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $122K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does Ceres Charitable Foundation fund?
The foundation’s stated mission is to fund infrastructure for new schools, support existing educational programs, and make grants for “non-evasive, non-life threating, but life changing” medical procedures in developing nations. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Ceres Charitable Foundation?
Ceres accepts unsolicited requests: its website invites written proposals. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Ceres Charitable Foundation's EIN?
Ceres Charitable Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 26-1598048. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Does Ceres Charitable Foundation accept unsolicited proposals?
Yes, 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
Live grants for the work Ceres Charitable Foundation funds
Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking Open opportunities, soonest deadline first.
- Nixa Affiliate Grantmaking Program Up to US $10,000 · Due October 19, 2026
- Community and School Grants $28,000 total pool; 10-15 grants expected · Due October 19, 2026
- Mary Pinola/Crescenta Valley Chamber Education Fund $500 - $5,000 for ongoing programs; up to $15,000 for Strategic Initiative Grants · Due October 19, 2026
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Ceres Charitable Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Ceres Charitable Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 18, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/ceres-charitable-foundation-morg_9078877f01f340aa9c94baefc42d7c02
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_261598048_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Ceres Charitable Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/ceres-charitable-foundation-morg_9078877f01f340aa9c94baefc42d7c02},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-18. 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 Ceres 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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