Charis Fund
Charis Fund is a family trust established in 1938 and based in Newberg, Oregon. It is a private foundation that supports nonprofit social service organizations and projects addressing social welfare, including hunger, housing and homelessness, at-risk youth, health, and education. The fund is non-denominational and often funds religious organizations that provide services in these areas.
Charis Fund at a glance
In short: Charis Fund gave $453K across 74 grants in 2025 (avg $6K), top state California. 72% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $452,750
- +8.0% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 74
- +1.4% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $6,118
- +6.5% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $6,875
- Total assets
- $3,146,413
- -0.3% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 72% first-time grantees (52 of 72, 2025)
- Primary geography
- California (42% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to Charis Fund
- How to Apply
Applicants submit basic agency information and a one-page executive summary PDF stating the organization’s name, address, and website; the amount requested, capped at $7,500; and a two- to three-paragraph summary of…
Applicants submit basic agency information and a one-page executive summary PDF stating the organization’s name, address, and website; the amount requested, capped at $7,500; and a two- to three-paragraph summary of the organization and proposed project or program. Trustees review summaries and select 50 organizations to receive instructions for submitting a more extensive request; selection for that stage does not guarantee funding. Organizations may receive funding once every three years, applied retroactively. An organization that has received more than $30,000 must wait five years before requesting further funding.
- Review Cycle
- The website describes submission periods in mid-January and mid-July, with exact dates and times announced on the website. The Fall 2026 application portals are closed; the fund expected Spring 2027 applications to open in mid-January 2027, with specific dates to be announced.
- Deadline
- The website describes submission periods in mid-January and mid-July, with exact dates and times announced on the…
- Contact
Application contact: Charis Fund
Mailing address: PO Box 271, San Carlos, CA 94070-0171
Phone: (503) 781-8224
Website: https://charisfund.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 Charis Fund
Who Charis Fund funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was North Beach Citizens ($10K across 2 grants). Together the top 10 received $78K.
Organizations only. It also paid 2 grants to individuals ($15,000), which are not listed by name.
Grant Size Distribution
393 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 393 grants of 393 (100%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
Charis Fund accepts requests from organizations located in California, Oregon, Washington, and Nevada. For nationally based organizations, the request must come from a local organization in one of those states, and the funds must be used there. In 2025, grant dollars went to recipients in California (42%), Oregon (28%), Washington (27%), Nevada (3%), and Washington, D.C. (1%).
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 74 itemized grants.
Cities
Is Charis Fund open to new grantees?
72%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 52 of 72 grantees (72%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $6K; repeat grants $6K. How we count
Medians: $7K first-time, $7K repeat.
- 0% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2022 to 2025 (+4%). Method
- In 2025 it paid out 164% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2020–2025). 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 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $312K (2020) to $453K (2025). In 2025 it made 74 grants totaling $453K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Assistance League of Greater Portla Beaverton, OR | DV Survivor Support Group | $7,500 |
| 2 grants to individuals Recipients not named | — | $15,000 |
| Cancer Lifeline Seattle, WA | Mental Health Care Low Income Cancer | $7,500 |
| CASA Pacifica Centers Camarillo, CA | Cooking Classes Foster Youths | $7,500 |
| CASA Sacramento Sacramento, CA | CASA Volunteer Training | $7,500 |
| Child Abuse Prevention Council Concord, CA | Speak up Be Safe Program | $7,500 |
| Clatsop Community Action Astoria, OR | Mobile Produce Pantry | $7,500 |
| Community Resource Center Stanwood, WA | Move to Stability Hub | $7,500 |
| Community Youth Center Concord, CA | College and Career Center | $7,500 |
| Extra Food Kentfield, CA | Edible Food Rescue Program | $7,500 |
Ready to take the next step with Charis Fund?
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Qualifying Distributions | Net Investment Income | Distributable Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $3,146,413 | $531,538 | $540,260 | $452,750 | 74 | $460,106 | $462,119 | $281,286 |
| 2024 | $3,156,412 | $593,519 | $497,566 | $419,404 | 73 | $426,657 | $526,130 | $276,459 |
| 2023 | $3,063,308 | $342,892 | $464,595 | $397,620 | 76 | $401,748 | $282,044 | $256,020 |
| 2022 | $3,192,265 | $371,834 | $514,974 | $436,000 | 83 | $440,263 | $316,502 | $208,057 |
| 2021 | $3,334,442 | $702,656 | $507,666 | $429,800 | 87 | $431,689 | $632,078 | $201,663 |
| 2020 | $3,144,728 | $393,673 | $373,507 | $311,750 | 60 | — | $334,463 | $199,690 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Charis Fund reported a distributable amount of $281K for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated October 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
Charis Fund’s stated goal is to help initiate or expand programs addressing housing and homelessness, food insecurity and feeding programs, at-risk youth and education, mental health and health care, domestic violence, and substance abuse. It favors projects intended to build ongoing, sustainable community support and gives lower priority to operating funds and general support. The fund says inclusion and nondiscrimination in program delivery are important to its values.
The fund supports 501(c)(3) organizations. Its website excludes requests for the arts, colleges and universities, individual scholarships or sponsorships, and political or lobbying organizations. It also says it cannot give to only preselected charities.
Examples of supported organizations include Food Finders Inc., whose stated mission is to address hunger and food waste while improving nutrition in food-insecure communities, and Free Clinic of Southwest Washington, which says it facilitates access to health care for people otherwise unable to obtain it. San Francisco Safehouse describes its work as providing transitional housing, supportive services, and aftercare for homeless women who have been commercially sexually exploited.
Grantmaking
In 2025, Charis Fund reported 74 grants totaling $452,750. Itemized grants ranged from $2,500 to $7,500, with a median of $6,875. Examples of 2025 awards include $7,500 to Assistance League of Greater Portland for a domestic violence survivor support group, $7,500 to Cancer Lifeline for mental health care for people with low incomes affected by cancer, and $7,500 to Clatsop Community Action for a mobile produce pantry. Food Finders Inc., Family Connections Centers, In Our Backyard, Healthy Rural California, White Pony Express, San Francisco Safehouse, and Silverton Area Community Aid each also received $7,500 in 2025.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Diana Seder as president, Peter Dobbins as vice president, Michael Chappelle as secretary, and Deborah Dobbins Warner as treasurer. It lists David Chappelle, Kathy Simmonds, John D’Anneo, Galen Dobbins, Lewis Dobbins, and Janet Simmonds Pollak as trustees. The fund describes its trustees as volunteers.
Charis Fund is led by Diana Seder, President on every filing since 2020; none of the 10 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Diana Seder
President
On filings since 2020
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Janet Simmonds Pollak
Trustee
On filings since 2020
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
John D'anneo
Trustee
On filings since 2020
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Lewis Dobbins
Trustee
On filings since 2020
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Galen Dobbins
Trustee
On filings since 2021
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
David Chappelle
Trustee
On filings since 2023
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Kathy Simmonds
Trustee
New on the 2025 filing
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Deborah Dobbins Warner
Treasurer
On filings since 2020
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Peter Dobbins
Vice President
On filings since 2020
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Michael Chappelle
Secretary
Trustee → Secretary, 2023
On filings since 2021
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (3)
- Former: Andrea D'anneo Ardzrooni (2020–2024) — Trustee
- Former: Tim Knuth (2020–2023) — Trustee
- Former: Susan Meland (2020–2022) — Secretary
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2025. "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 Charis Fund
How much does Charis Fund give each year?
Charis Fund gave $453K across 74 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $419K across 73 grants.
What is Charis Fund's typical grant size?
Charis Fund's median grant in 2025 was $6,875, and its average grant was $6,118, across 74 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Charis Fund that year got $6K on average.
Where does Charis Fund give grants?
Charis Fund's top state is California, with 42% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. The next largest states were Oregon (28%) and Washington (27%). The most frequent recipient cities were Portland, OR (8 grants), San Francisco, CA (7 grants), Seattle, WA (5 grants) and Concord, CA (4 grants).
Does Charis Fund give general operating support?
Not in 2025: none of the 74 grants with a stated purpose on Charis Fund's 2025 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support.
Who are Charis Fund's largest grantees?
Charis Fund's largest 2025 grantees include North Beach Citizens ($10,000 across 2 grants), Assistance League of Greater Portla ($7,500) and Cancer Lifeline ($7,500), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It also paid 2 grants to individuals ($15,000), which are not listed by name. Together they received 6% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Charis Fund?
Charis Fund reported $3.1M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $460K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $281K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does Charis Fund fund?
Charis Fund’s stated goal is to help initiate or expand programs addressing housing and homelessness, food insecurity and feeding programs, at-risk youth and education, mental health and health care, domestic violence, and substance abuse. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Charis Fund?
Applicants submit basic agency information and a one-page executive summary PDF stating the organization’s name, address, and website; the amount requested, capped at $7,500; and a two- to three-paragraph summary of… Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Charis Fund's EIN?
Charis Fund's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 94-6077619. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated October 2026.
Data update history
(2)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS May 11, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Charis Fund's focus areas in our free grants database
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Charis Fund funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 8, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/charis-fund-morg_884e93528fa840a48a2d5e70bbb642fd
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_946077619_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Charis Fund funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/charis-fund-morg_884e93528fa840a48a2d5e70bbb642fd},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-08. 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 Charis Fund'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.
Charis Fund down — hundreds of funders to go?