The Cestra Butner Family Foundation is a private independent foundation based in Oakland, California. Established in 2016, it operates as a 501(c)(3) organization focused on philanthropic grantmaking to support charitable causes across multiple sectors.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$12.8M
-3.2% YoY
Annual Giving
$1.4M
+22.8% YoY
Grant Count
15
+15.4% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$93K
+6.4% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Cestra Butner Family Foundation reported a distributable amount of $649K for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation's primary funding focus areas include:
- Education
- Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking
- Human Services
- Historic Buildings Preservation and Historic Preservation
- Arts
Grantmaking
The foundation indicates it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited applications for funds.
How to Apply
**
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation primarily supports organizations in California, Georgia, and Massachusetts, with particular emphasis on the Oakland area.
Grant Distribution by State
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
As of December 2023:
- Total Assets: $13,241,990
- Total Revenues: $271,488
- Total Expenses: $1,820,423
- Total Giving: $1,400,000 (2024 filing)
Revenue Sources:
- Investment income and dividends: $307,153 (2023)
The foundation has no paid employees and operates with limited staffing.
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $12,819,757 | $13,241,990 | $12,575,363 |
| Revenue | $856,907 | $271,488 | $1,313,952 |
| Expenses | $1,274,855 | $1,820,423 | $1,368,911 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $1,414,458 | $1,157,595 | $973,580 |
| Net Investment Income | $780,110 | $236,572 | $1,224,795 |
| Distributable Amount | $648,545 | $625,043 | $623,503 |
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
63 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include Children's Fairyland ($375,000), Peace Corps Foundation ($250,000), Oakland Symphony ($175,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| 100 BLACK MEN OF AMERICA INC ATLANTA, GA | SCHOLARSHIPS | $25,000 |
| ALPHA GAMMA BOULE FOUNDATION OAKLAND, CA | GENERAL SUPPORT | $25,000 |
| BOULE FOUNDATION ATLANTA, GA | GENERAL SUPPORT | $25,000 |
| CHILDREN'S FAIRYLAND OAKLAND, CA | GENERAL SUPPORT | $375,000 |
| ALS THERAPY DEVELOPMENT INSTITUTE WATERTOWN, MA | GENERAL SUPPORT | $25,000 |
| HIDDEN GENIUS PROJECT OAKLAND, CA | GENERAL SUPPORT | $125,000 |
| KIDS FOR THE BAY BERKELEY, CA | GENERAL SUPPORT | $25,000 |
| LEND A HAND FOUNDATION OAKLAND, CA | GENERAL SUPPORT | $20,000 |
| OAKLAND ROTARY ENDOWMENT OAKLAND, CA | GENERAL SUPPORT | $15,000 |
| OAKLAND SYMPHONY OAKLAND, CA | GENERAL SUPPORT | $175,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
- Cestra Butner - Trustee
- Teresa Butner - Trustee
Both trustees serve on a limited-hours basis with no reported compensation.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| CESTRA BUTNER | TRUSTEE | 2 | — |
| TERESA BUTNER | TRUSTEE | 2 | — |
Recent News & Activity
Recent developments and announcements
The foundation has been active in supporting Oakland-based organizations and youth initiatives. Recent grant activity demonstrates ongoing commitment to education and community support in the Oakland area.
Butler Snow | Announcing the Butler Snow Foundation 2025 Grant RecipientsSubject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Cestra Butner Family Foundation fund?
The foundation's primary funding focus areas include: • Education • Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking • Human Services • Historic Buildings Preservation and Historic Preservation • Arts
How do I apply for a grant from Cestra Butner Family Foundation?
**Grant Characteristics:** • Typical grant awards range from $15,000 to $375,000 • Median grant amount: $25,000 • The foundation made 15 grants in its most recent filing period **Recent Grants (2023):** • Oakland Children's Fairyland: $375,000 (General Support) • Oakland Symphony (OEBS): $175,000 (General Support) • OK Program of Oakland: $125,000 (General Support) **Application Process:** The foundation indicates it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not …
Where does Cestra Butner Family Foundation make grants?
The foundation primarily supports organizations in California, Georgia, and Massachusetts, with particular emphasis on the Oakland area.
What size grants does Cestra Butner Family Foundation award?
In 2024, Cestra Butner Family Foundation awarded 15 grants totaling $1.4M — an average of about $93K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is Cestra Butner Family Foundation required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, Cestra Butner Family Foundation reported a distributable amount of $649K on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is Cestra Butner Family Foundation's EIN?
Cestra Butner Family Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 81-0730704. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Cestra Butner Family 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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