Civic Space Foundation
Civic Space Foundation is a public charity based in San Francisco, California, formed in 2022. It invests in people, organizations, and projects working to create civic gathering spaces and joyful public events. In San Francisco, it uses the name Civic Joy Fund for this work.
Civic Space Foundation at a glance
In short: Civic Space Foundation gave $3.0M across 31 grants in 2025 (avg $95K), mostly in California. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $2,952,456
- -29.1% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 31
- +3.3% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $95,241
- -31.4% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $40,000
- Total assets
- $6,364,748
- +32.7% vs 2024
- Primary geography
- California (97% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990, 2025; updated November 2026.
How to apply to Civic Space Foundation
- How to Apply
-
The Civic Seed Fund page invites interested local leaders to apply and describes the program’s coaching and targeted grantmaking.
- Contact
Mailing address: 760 Fell Street, San Francisco, CA 94117
Phone: (415) 990-7178
Website: https://civicspacefoundation.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Civic Space Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Into The Streets ($1.3M). Together the top 10 received $2.4M.
Grant Size Distribution
65 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 35 grants of 65 (54%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation says it invests in civic gathering spaces around the country. Its Civic Joy Fund work is in San Francisco. In 2024, 92% of grant dollars went to recipients in California, 7% to Oregon, and 1% to Washington, DC.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 31 itemized grants.
Cities
How Civic Space Foundation gives
- 35% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990 filings (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 2023 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $55K (2023) to $4.2M (2024). In 2025 it made 31 grants totaling $3.0M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Into The Streets San Francisco, CA | First Thursdays & Mini Eid St. Fair | $1,276,500 |
| Valencia Corridor Merch Assoc San Francisco, CA | Neighborhood Night Markets | $350,000 |
| Johns Grill San Francisco, CA | Third Thursdays | $115,000 |
| BE Chinatown San Francisco, CA | Neighborhood Night Market | $114,594 |
| Excelsior Action Group San Francisco, CA | Night Market & Block Party | $112,973 |
| Urban Land Institute Washington, DC | Market St Reimagined | $102,500 |
| Community Youth Center of SF San Francisco, CA | Neighborhood Night Markets | $100,000 |
| Noe Valley Merch & Prof Assoc San Francisco, CA | Neighborhood Night Markets | $100,000 |
| SF Black Wallstreet Fdn San Francisco, CA | Neighborhood Night Markets | $100,000 |
| Cole Valley Merchants Assoc San Francisco, CA | Neighborhood Night Markets | $75,000 |
Ready to take the next step with Civic Space Foundation?
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Net Investment Income |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $6,364,748 | $7,980,381 | $5,748,478 | $2,952,456 | 31 | $45,978 |
| 2024 | $4,797,683 | $8,294,519 | $5,578,236 | $4,163,040 | 30 | $41,179 |
| 2023 | $1,354,762 | $2,763,059 | $1,499,897 | $55,000 | 4 | $8,283 |
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The organization’s stated mission is to “partner and invest in the people, organizations, and projects working to build civic gathering spaces around the country.” Its Civic Joy Fund supports creative civic gathering spaces and art in San Francisco; reported activities include Summer of Music, SF Is a Drag, Halloween events, Adopt-A-Block opportunities, and mural and other art projects. Its Civic Space program has begun a listening tour to identify target cities for civic gathering and event spaces.
The 2024 grantees included organizations with varied missions. For example, Excelsior Action Group says it educates and assists entrepreneurs and small businesses; Oasis Arts says it supports LGBTQ and BIPOC artists through collaboration, development, and mentorship; and American Journalism Project says it supports local news organizations and helps launch and grow local newsrooms.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2024, the foundation reported 30 grants totaling $4,163,040. Grant amounts ranged from $5,150 to $2,060,000, with a median of $50,000. Its largest grants included $2,060,000 to Into the Streets for First Thursdays and Mini Grants; $643,563 to Noise Pop Industries LLC for Summer of Music; and $289,441 to Broke But Grand LLC for Paint the City. Other notable grants included $126,340 to Chris & Greg Events LLC for Night Markets, $120,000 to BEChinatown for Night Markets, and $100,000 each to Community Youth Center of SF for Night Markets and North Beach Business Association for Mini Grants. Its 2025 filing, the latest on this page, reports 31 grants totaling $3 million.
The Civic Seed Fund offers hands-on coaching and targeted grantmaking to help local leaders organize public events that make streets and neighborhoods more vibrant and connected.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Emanuel Yekutiel as Executive Director and President, Robert Ayruch as Secretary, Max Patinkin as Treasurer, and Lala Wu as Director.
Civic Space Foundation is led by Emanuel Yekutiel, Executive Director & President since 2024 (on filings since 2023); 3 of 6 officers listed in 2025 are compensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Emanuel Yekutiel
Executive Director & President
Int Executive Director & President → Executive Director & President, 2024
On filings since 2023
40 hrs/week
$103K (2023) → $154K (2025)
Luke Spray
Executive Director
New on the 2025 filing
40 hrs/week
$146K (2025)
Lala Wu
Chair
Director → Chair, 2025
On filings since 2024
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Caleb Hilladakis
Managing Director
New on the 2025 filing
40 hrs/week
$137K (2025)
Max Patinkin
Treasurer
On filings since 2023
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Robert Avruch
Secretary
On filings since 2023
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2023–2025. "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 $154K, to Emanuel Yekutiel (ED/President). 3 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Frequently asked questions about Civic Space Foundation
How much does Civic Space Foundation give each year?
Civic Space Foundation gave $3.0M across 31 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. In 2024 it gave $4.2M across 30 grants.
What is Civic Space Foundation's typical grant size?
Civic Space Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $40,000, and its average grant was $95,241, across 31 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990.
Where does Civic Space Foundation give grants?
Civic Space Foundation gives mostly in California: 97% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990 went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were San Francisco, CA (28 grants).
Does Civic Space Foundation give general operating support?
Not in 2025: none of the 31 grants with a stated purpose on Civic Space Foundation's 2025 IRS Form 990 were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Neighborhood Block Party" (7 grants) and "Neighborhood Night Markets" (7 grants).
Who are Civic Space Foundation's largest grantees?
Civic Space Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include Into The Streets ($1,276,500), Valencia Corridor Merch Assoc ($350,000) and Johns Grill ($115,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. Together they received 59% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Civic Space Foundation?
Civic Space Foundation reported $6.4M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Its revenue that year was $8.0M.
What does Civic Space Foundation fund?
The organization’s stated mission is to “partner and invest in the people, organizations, and projects working to build civic gathering spaces around the country.” See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Civic Space Foundation?
The Civic Seed Fund page invites interested local leaders to apply and describes the program’s coaching and targeted grantmaking. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Civic Space Foundation's EIN?
Civic Space Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 88-1045135. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2023–2025.
Data last updated November 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990 filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(4)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Added Form 990 for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS September 23, 2026)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS November 5, 2024)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS October 6, 2025)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2023–2024
Live grants for the work Civic Space Foundation funds
Education Open opportunities, soonest deadline first.
- UK Annual Writing Award: 'Pleasure in the Task of Writing' £250 (1st prize); £50 (runners-up); books for school library · Due November 5, 2026
- Nellie Mae Event Sponsorship Fund Grant Up to US $5,000 · Due November 5, 2026
- Rubin and Gloria Feldman Family Educational Institute Up to $5,000 · Due November 5, 2026
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Civic Space Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Civic Space Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/civic-space-foundation-morg_29b1c423047e43deaa66afdb4087490f
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_881045135_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Civic Space Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/civic-space-foundation-morg_29b1c423047e43deaa66afdb4087490f},
note = {Accessed 2026-11-05. 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 Civic Space 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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