Childrens Services Foundation DBA Catalyst Center
CHILDRENS SERVICES FOUNDATION is a public charity based in Sacramento, California. It operates the Catalyst Center, which supports child- and family-serving organizations through training, technical assistance, research, and other capacity-building work. Its 2025 filing reports 48 grants totaling $3,460,624, all to recipients in California.
Key facts about Childrens Services Foundation DBA Catalyst Center
In short: Childrens Services Foundation DBA Catalyst Center gave $3.5M across 48 grants in 2025 (avg $72K), mostly in California. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990.
- EIN
- 94-2901623
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990, 2025
- Annual giving (2025)
- $3,460,624
- Grants made (2025)
- 48
- Average grant
- $72,096
- Median grant
- $79,428
- Total assets
- $22,430,681
- Primary geography
- California (100% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
Data from IRS Form 990, 2025; updated September 2026.
Financial Overview
From 2025 IRS Form 990 · View filing
Total Assets
$22.4M
Annual Giving
$3.5M
Grant Count
48
Avg Grant Size
$72K
Mission & Focus Areas
The Foundation’s stated mission is to promote the health, well-being, and safety of children, youth, and families in California by influencing policy and best practices and strengthening the systems that serve them. The Catalyst Center’s stated approach emphasizes connecting research, policy, and practice; building statewide and cross-sector networks; supporting community-based organizations; and using community data to improve practice.
The 2025 grant listings identify the stated purpose for the largest grants as “CITED funding for CalAIM svcs.” Recipients include organizations whose own mission statements describe services for children, youth, and families. For example, Sacramento Children’s Home says it works to maximize the potential of children and families; Alternative Family Services says it supports vulnerable children and families seeking stability, safety, and well-being; and San Diego Center for Children describes providing therapeutic and educational services to youth and families with behavioral health needs. These are the grantees’ descriptions of their work, not statements of the Foundation’s grant criteria.
Separately from grantmaking, the Catalyst Center website describes no-cost technical assistance, in partnership with the California Department of Social Services, for counties, Tribal partners, and providers strengthening services for children and youth with complex care needs.
Grantmaking
In 2025, the Foundation reported 48 grants totaling $3,460,624. Grants ranged from $5,491 to $174,101, with a median of $79,428. The filing lists all grant dollars as going to California recipients.
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
All grant dollars reported for 2025 went to recipients in California. The Catalyst Center describes its work as serving organizations and communities across California.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 48 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
In 2025 it made 48 grants totaling $3.5M.
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was TLC Child & Family Services ($174K). Together the top 10 received $1.2M.
Grant Size Distribution
48 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was in the $50–100K range: 27 grants of 48 (56%).
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| TLC Child & Family Services Sebastopol, CA | CITED funding for CalAIM svcs | $174,101 |
| Lighthouse Counseling and Fml Lincoln, CA | CITED funding for CalAIM svcs | $160,133 |
| Sacramento Childrens Home Sacramento, CA | CITED funding for CalAIM svcs | $130,022 |
| Alternative Family Services Santa Rosa, CA | CITED funding for CalAIM svcs | $116,833 |
| Alameda Family Services Alameda, CA | CITED funding for CalAIM svcs | $111,080 |
| San Diego Center for Children San Diego, CA | CITED funding for CalAIM svcs | $103,315 |
| Vista Del Mar Child and Famil Los Angeles, CA | CITED funding for CalAIM svcs | $103,165 |
| Casa Pacifica Ctr for Chld Camarillo, CA | CITED funding for CalAIM svcs | $102,519 |
| Helpline Youth Counseling Inc Long Beach, CA | CITED funding for CalAIM svcs | $101,118 |
| Koinonia Family Services Loomis, CA | CITED funding for CalAIM svcs | $100,516 |
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants reported |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $22,430,681 | $25,604,897 | $15,393,882 | $3,460,624 (48 grants) |
| 2023 | $1,536,558 | $1,315,181 | $1,567,537 | 0 grants |
| 2022 | $1,289,208 | $2,350,374 | $1,673,107 | 0 grants |
The Foundation’s filing describes shared employees with the California Alliance of Child and Family Services and says the Foundation reimburses its share of payroll costs, payroll taxes, and benefits.
| Metric | 2025 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $22,430,681 | $1,536,558 | $1,289,208 |
| Revenue | $25,604,897 | $1,315,181 | $2,350,374 |
| Expenses | $15,393,882 | $1,567,537 | $1,673,107 |
| Net Investment Income | $270 | $26 | $86 |
Data update history
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Added Form 990 for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS May 14, 2026)
- Added Form 990-EZ for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS August 31, 2020)
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Chris Stoner Mertz as CEO; Camille Schraeder as Executive Director; Jessica Rosenbaum as Director of Network Operations; Cornelle Jenkins as Vice President of Programs; Misty Berard as Senior Director of Training; Egypt Davis as Assistant Director of MC; Joseph Bradford as IT Project Manager; Ron Brown as Past President; Beth Parsons as President; and Victoria Kelly as a member.
Childrens Services Foundation DBA Catalyst Center is led by Chris Stoner Mertz, CEO on the 2025 filing; 6 of 28 officers listed in 2025 are compensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Chris Stoner Mertz
CEO
New on the 2025 filing
20 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Camille Schraeder
Executive Director
Secretary → Vice President, 2022
Vice President → Executive Director, 2023
On filings since 2019
40 hrs/week
$70K (2023) → $222K (2025)
Beth Parsons
President
Member at Large → President, 2025
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Misty Berard
Senior Director of Training
New on the 2025 filing
40 hrs/week
$138K (2025)
Cornelle Jenkins
Vice President of Programs
Director Strategic Init → Vice President of Programs, 2025
On filings since 2022
40 hrs/week
$160K (2025)
Egypt Davis
Assistant Director of Mc
New on the 2025 filing
40 hrs/week
$138K (2025)
Jessica Rosenbaum
Dr of Network Op
New on the 2025 filing
40 hrs/week
$204K (2025)
Joseph Bradford
It Project Manager
New on the 2025 filing
40 hrs/week
$134K (2025)
Debbie Manners
Member
Secretary → Res. Care Chair, 2022
Res. Care Chair → Member, 2025
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Dretona Maddox
Member
Res. Care Chair → Member at Large, 2022
Member at Large → Member, 2025
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Lorna Little
Secretary
La Reg Representative → Secretary & La Reg Representative, 2023
Secretary & La Reg Representative → Secretary, 2025
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Ron Brown
Past President
Prev. Svs Chair → Past President, 2025
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Kathy Meier McCarthy
Vice President
Beh Hlth Representative → Vice President, 2025
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Leticia Galyean
Member
Bay Reg Representative → Member, 2025
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Stacey Roth
Member
Com. Ins. Chair → Member, 2025
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Victoria Kelly
Member
Membersh. Chair → Member, 2025
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Andrew Timbie
Member
New on the 2025 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Cher Ofstedahl
Member
New on the 2025 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Daniel S Maydeck
Treasurer
New on the 2025 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Ellen McGuirk
Member
New on the 2025 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Erin O'Brien
Member
New on the 2025 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Gene Straub
Member
New on the 2025 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Jeff Farber
Member
New on the 2025 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Jill Jacobs
Member
New on the 2025 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Lena Wilson
Member
New on the 2025 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Thomas Lee
Member
New on the 2025 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Tiffany Sickler
Member
New on the 2025 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Wendy Carpenter
Member
New on the 2025 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (29)
- Former: Andrea Evans (2019–2023) — Central Reg Representative
- Former: Aubree Sweeney (2019–2023) — Juv Just. Chair
- Former: Chris Stoner-Mertz (2019–2023) — CEO
- Former: Helena Lopez (2019–2023) — President
- Former: Joelle Gomez (2019–2023) — Marketing Chair
- Former: Karen Alvord (2019–2023) — Adoption Chair
- Former: Moises Baron (2019–2023) — Past President
- Former: Norma Duque (2020–2023) — Ffa Representative
- Former: Dan Petrie (2021–2023) — Education Chair
- Former: Tammy Wilson (2021–2023) — South Reg Rp
- Former: Tom Alexander (2021–2023) — Com. Ins. Chair
- Former: Dan Maydeck (2022–2023) — Treasurer & Tay Svc R
- Former: Alexandra Volpe (2021–2022) — Program Director
- Former: Arby Fields (2019–2021) — Member at Large
- Former: Laura Heintz (2019–2021) — Past President
- Former: Mary Denton (2019–2021) — Treasurer
- Former: Steve Elson (2019–2021) — Com. Ins. Chair
- Former: Tamara Fleck-Myers (2019–2021) — Membersh. Chair
- Former: Tony Yadon (2019–2021) — Member at Large
- Former: Scott McGuirk (2021) — Ment Hlth Chair
- Former: Stacy Katz (2021) — Bay Reg Representative
- Former: Anna Gleason (2019–2020) — North Reg Representative
- Former: Joe Costa (2019–2020) — Nominating Chair
- Former: Josh Leonard (2019–2020) — Treasurer & Sf Reg Representative
- Former: Joyce Capelle (2019–2020) — Past President
- Former: Ken Berrick (2019–2020) — Education Chair
- Former: Miki Jordan (2019–2020) — La Reg Representative
- Former: Russell Rice (2019–2020) — Res. Care Chair
- Former: Carroll Schroeder (2019) — Executive Director - Retired
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2019–2025. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Compensation Overview
From 2025 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2025 filing was $222K, to Camille Schraeder (Executive Director). 6 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Contact
Mailing address: 2201 K Street, Sacramento, CA 95816
Phone: (916) 449-2273
Website: https://catalyst-center.org
Frequently asked questions about Childrens Services Foundation DBA Catalyst Center
How much does Childrens Services Foundation DBA Catalyst Center give each year?
Childrens Services Foundation DBA Catalyst Center gave $3.5M across 48 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990.
What is Childrens Services Foundation DBA Catalyst Center's typical grant size?
Childrens Services Foundation DBA Catalyst Center's median grant in 2025 was $79,428, and its average grant was $72,096, across 48 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990.
Where does Childrens Services Foundation DBA Catalyst Center give grants?
Childrens Services Foundation DBA Catalyst Center gives mostly in California: 100% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990 went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Los Angeles, CA (5 grants), San Diego, CA (4 grants), Long Beach, CA (3 grants) and Oakland, CA (3 grants).
Does Childrens Services Foundation DBA Catalyst Center give general operating support?
Not in 2025: none of the 48 grants with a stated purpose on Childrens Services Foundation DBA Catalyst Center's 2025 IRS Form 990 were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "CITED funding for CalAIM svcs" (46 grants).
Who are Childrens Services Foundation DBA Catalyst Center's largest grantees?
Childrens Services Foundation DBA Catalyst Center's largest 2025 grantees include TLC Child & Family Services ($174,101), Lighthouse Counseling and Fml ($160,133) and Sacramento Childrens Home ($130,022), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. Together they received 13% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Childrens Services Foundation DBA Catalyst Center?
Childrens Services Foundation DBA Catalyst Center reported $22.4M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Its revenue that year was $25.6M.
What does Childrens Services Foundation DBA Catalyst Center fund?
The Foundation’s stated mission is to promote the health, well-being, and safety of children, youth, and families in California by influencing policy and best practices and strengthening the systems that serve them. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Childrens Services Foundation DBA Catalyst Center?
Childrens Services Foundation DBA Catalyst Center has no public application process in the sources Grantable reviewed. Check catalyst-center.org for current guidelines, or contact the foundation directly before submitting a request.
What is Childrens Services Foundation DBA Catalyst Center's EIN?
Childrens Services Foundation DBA Catalyst Center's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 94-2901623. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2025.
Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990 filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
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