Cheeryble Foundation

ENCINO, CA EIN: 95-4121906

The Cheeryble Foundation is a private, family foundation established in 1987 and based in Encino, California. As a 501(c)(3) organization, the foundation operates as a non-operating private foundation with tax-exempt status since August 1988. The foundation's primary purpose is to provide liquidity for making grants to other nonprofit organizations by holding investments for interest and dividend income and selling securities.

Financial Overview

From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing

Total Assets

$2.7M

-4.2% YoY

Annual Giving

$268K

-41.5% YoY

Grant Count

-8.3% YoY

Avg Grant Size

$6K

-36.2% YoY

Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Cheeryble Foundation reported a distributable amount of $156K for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.

Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated April 2026.

Mission & Focus Areas

The foundation supports nonprofit organizations across multiple sectors, with particular emphasis on:

Human services
Health
Education, including libraries
Children and youth
Arts and culture, including museums
Environmental conservation and preservation of natural resources

The foundation primarily provides unrestricted grants to eligible nonprofit organizations.

Grantmaking

The foundation provides general operating support and project support to eligible organizations.

How to Apply

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Geographic Focus

Where this funder awards grants

California
Colorado
Connecticut
Hawaii
Illinois
Massachusetts
North Carolina
New York
Virginia
Washington, D.C.

The foundation's broad geographic funding suggests a commitment to diverse community support across multiple U.S. cities and states, including major locations such as Los Angeles, New York, and Washington, D.C., as well as smaller communities.

Grant Distribution by State

California $1.7M (88%)

Hawaii $148K (8%)

District of Columbia $26K (1%)

Massachusetts $19K (1%)

Virginia $12K (1%)

New York $11K (1%)

Illinois $8K (0%)

Colorado $3K (0%)

+8 more states

States

Alabama California Colorado Connecticut District of Columbia Hawaii Illinois Massachusetts Missouri North Carolina New York South Carolina Virginia Vi Washington

Cities

AlhambraAmherstBeltonBostonCarpinteriaCharlottesvilleChicagoDenverDuarteDurangoFairfieldFalls ChurchGoletaHiloHonoluluIopKailua KonaKamuelaLos AngelesMalibu

Financial History

Multi-year comparison from IRS filings

Most Recent Financial Data (2023):

Total Assets: $2,787,575
Total Revenue: $412,575
Total Expenses: $464,610
Total Liabilities: $0

Grant Activity:

Total Giving (2023): $268,150
Number of Grants: 29 grants documented

The foundation maintains a healthy financial position with assets exceeding $2.7 million and operates with positive asset management despite annual expenses exceeding revenue in recent years.

Revenue

Expenses

Qualifying Distributions

Net Investment Income

Metric	2024	2023	2022
Total Assets	$2,669,803	$2,787,575	$2,839,610
Revenue	$157,437	$412,575	$106,560
Expenses	$275,209	$464,610	$374,348
Qualifying Distributions	$268,150	$458,459	$368,286
Net Investment Income	$157,437	$306,913	$79,112
Distributable Amount	$156,120	$146,599	$154,348

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

200 grants across all recorded years

Giving History

Grant recipients and amounts by year

Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include The Thriving Initiative ($100,000), The Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art ($25,000), Cancer Foundation of Santa Barbara ($15,450).

Recipient	Purpose	Amount
CANCER FOUNDATION OF SANTA BARBARA SANTA BARBARA, CA	UNRESTRICTED	$15,450
CANCER RESEARCH INSTITUTE NEW YORK, NY	UNRESTRICTED	$1,030
DIRECT RELIEF SANTA BARBARA, CA	UNRESTRICTED	$1,024
DOMESTIC VIOLENCE SOLUTIONS SANTA BARBARA, CA	UNRESTRICTED	$6,000
DR LORNA BREEN HEROES' FOUNDATION CHARLOTTESVILLE, VI	UNRESTRICTED	$1,023
ENSEMBLE THEATER COMPANY SANTA BARBARA, CA	UNRESTRICTED	$500
FAMILY SERVICE AGENCY OF SANTA BARBARA SANTA BARBARA, CA	UNRESTRICTED	$5,000
FIRST TEE SANTA BARBARA, CA	UNRESTRICTED	$500
GREATER GOOD CHARITIES SEATTLE, WA	UNRESTRICTED	$1,046
HAWAII PUBLIC RADIO HONOLULU, HI	UNRESTRICTED	$3,600

Leadership & Key People

Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings

Zora Charles - President
Les Charles - CFO/Secretary

Both leaders serve on a voluntary basis without compensation.

Compensation Overview

From 2024 IRS filing

From 2024 filing

Name	Title	Hours	Compensation
ZORA CHARLES	PRESIDENT	5	—
LES CHARLES	CFO/SECRETARY	5	—

Frequently Asked Questions

What does Cheeryble Foundation fund?

The foundation supports nonprofit organizations across multiple sectors, with particular emphasis on: • Human services • Health • Education, including libraries • Children and youth • Arts and culture, including museums • Environmental conservation and preservation of natural resources The foundation primarily provides unrestricted grants to eligible nonprofit organizations.

How do I apply for a grant from Cheeryble Foundation?

**Grant Activity:** • The foundation made 29 grants in 2023, with total giving of $268,150 • Recent notable grants include: • Cancer Foundation of Santa Barbara: $66,185 (unrestricted) • Family Service Agency of Santa Barbara County: $55,190 (unrestricted) • Santa Barbara Museum of Art: $15,000 (unrestricted) **Types of Support:** The foundation provides general operating support and project support to eligible organizations. **Application Process:** The foundation is open to new applicants, wi…

Where does Cheeryble Foundation make grants?

The Cheeryble Foundation primarily supports nonprofit organizations located in southern California, with particular emphasis on Santa Barbara. However, grants are occasionally made to organizations in other states. The foundation supports a wide range of geographic locations including: • California • Colorado • Connecticut • Hawaii • Illinois • Massachusetts • North Carolina • New York • Virginia • Washington, D.C. The foundation's broad geographic funding suggests a commitment to diverse commu…

What size grants does Cheeryble Foundation award?

In 2024, Cheeryble Foundation awarded 44 grants totaling $268K — an average of about $6K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.

How much is Cheeryble Foundation required to give away each year?

Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, Cheeryble Foundation reported a distributable amount of $156K on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.