Cleo Foundation
Cleo Foundation is a private foundation based in San Francisco, California. It supports organizations working in academic enrichment, outdoor education, and hospice care, with its website identifying Monterey and Mendocino Counties as the communities it serves.
Cleo Foundation at a glance
In short: Cleo Foundation gave $179K across 11 grants in 2024 (avg $16K), mostly in California. 9% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $178,500
- +8.2% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 11
- +0.0% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $16,227
- +8.2% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $15,000
- Total assets
- $3,216,339
- +3.6% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 9% first-time grantees (1 of 11, 2024; small sample)
- Primary geography
- California (100% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to Cleo Foundation
- How to Apply
-
The website describes an invite-only process; invited organizations receive instructions to submit an online application. Grantees must report at the end of the grant period or before submitting a new application, whichever comes first.
- Review Cycle
- The website lists invitations in June 2026 and grant decisions in August 2026. That cycle has passed. The application page also lists a June 2025 invitation cycle with August 2025 decisions; that cycle has passed.
- Deadline
- The website lists invitations in June 2026 and grant decisions in August 2026.
- Contact
Application contact: Ema Henry
Mailing address: 1660 Bush St-Ste 300, San Francisco, CA 94109
Phone: (415) 728-2973
Email: ehenry@pfs-llc.net
Website: https://www.cleofoundation.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Cleo Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Ventana Wilderness Alliance ($30K). Together the top 10 received $169K.
Grant Size Distribution
63 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 63 grants of 63 (100%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation’s website says it makes grants to organizations based in Monterey and Mendocino Counties and supports public charities serving Monterey County. In filing year 2024, all reported grant dollars went to recipients in California.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 11 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is Cleo Foundation open to new grantees?
9%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 1 of 11 grantees (9%) were first-time recipients. With only 11 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 9 points. First grants averaged $14K; repeat grants $17K. How we count
Medians: $14K first-time, $15K repeat.
- 91% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2021 to 2024 (+5%). Method
- In 2024 it paid out 133% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2020–2024). 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 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $165K (2020) to $179K (2024). In 2024 it made 11 grants totaling $179K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Ventana Wilderness Alliance Monterey, CA | TO SUPPORT THE Youth in Wilderness PROGRAM | $30,000 |
| Ct Apptd Spec Advocates of MonTEREY Salinas, CA | General Operating Support | $25,000 |
| Community Partnership for Youth Monterey, CA | TO SUPPORT THE High School Leadership, Life Skills & Job Preparation Program | $20,000 |
| Epicenter of Monterey Salinas, CA | to support SOCIAL EMOTIONAL LEARNING | $15,000 |
| Anderson Valley Education Fndn Boonville, CA | General Operating Support | $15,000 |
| Olinga Learning Gonzales, CA | TO SUPPORT Wings of Knowledge STEM PROGRAM | $15,000 |
| Palenke Arts Seaside, CA | General Operating Support | $15,000 |
| O'Neill Sea Odyssey Santa Cruz, CA | Support for South Monterey County Expansion | $13,500 |
| Big Sur Land Trust Monterey, CA | To Support Youth Outdoor Programs | $10,000 |
| Jacobs Heart Childrens Cancer Suppo Watsonville, CA | To Support Monterey County Programs | $10,000 |
Ready to take the next step with Cleo Foundation?
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Qualifying Distributions | Net Investment Income | Distributable Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $3,216,339 | $178,358 | $222,102 | $178,500 | 11 | $211,599 | $168,151 | $159,282 |
| 2023 | $3,105,057 | $127,104 | $224,257 | $165,000 | 11 | $202,754 | $117,333 | $147,877 |
| 2022 | $2,881,066 | $55,604 | $198,222 | $165,000 | 13 | $193,137 | $55,675 | $157,105 |
| 2021 | $3,692,265 | $149,650 | $216,887 | $170,000 | 13 | $197,075 | $139,355 | $178,302 |
| 2020 | $3,466,426 | $117,779 | $151,470 | $165,000 | 15 | — | $108,479 | $153,658 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Cleo Foundation reported a distributable amount of $159K for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation’s stated funding priorities are academic enrichment, outdoor education, and hospice care. Its website describes academic enrichment as educational supports and project-based learning for youth ages 11–18, and outdoor education as camperships, field trips, and environmental education for the same age group. Its hospice priority covers end-of-life and palliative care for patients of all ages, including emotional support for patients and loved ones.
The foundation supports public charities serving Monterey County. Examples among its 2024 grantees include Ventana Wilderness Alliance, whose mission is to protect, preserve, and restore wilderness qualities and biodiversity in public lands in California’s northern Santa Lucia Mountains and Big Sur coast; Community Partnership for Youth, which describes itself as a prevention program providing alternatives to gangs, drugs, and violence; and Palenke Arts, which says it works to educate, inspire, and transform the Seaside community through the arts. O’Neill Sea Odyssey describes its work as promoting awareness of Monterey Bay ecosystems and conducting educational field trips.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2024, the foundation reported 11 grants totaling $178,500. Grants ranged from $10,000 to $30,000, with a median of $15,000. Notable awards included $30,000 to Ventana Wilderness Alliance for its Youth in Wilderness program; $25,000 to Ct Apptd Spec Advocates of Monterey for general operating support; $20,000 to Community Partnership for Youth for its High School Leadership, Life Skills & Job Preparation Program; and $15,000 each to Epicenter of Monterey, Anderson Valley Education Foundation, Olinga Learning, and Palenke Arts.
The website says requests may be for specific programs or projects or for operating funds; capital improvements and equipment may occasionally be considered, but not computers. Most grants range from $1,000 to $20,000, with a preference for organizations with budgets under $2 million. The foundation does not support religious entities, medical research, individuals, endowments, or annual appeals. The website says proposals are solicited by invitation and that invited applicants submit online proposals with instructions provided by foundation staff. The filing says giving is not restricted to preselected organizations.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Carol W. Casey as President, Patrick Healy as Treasurer/Secretary, and Stephanie Holbrook as a board member.
Cleo Foundation is led by Carol W. Casey, President on every filing since 2020; none of the 3 officers listed in 2024 report compensation.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Carol W. Casey
President
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Patrick Healy
Treasurer & Secretary
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Stephanie Holbrook
Board Member
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2024. "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 Cleo Foundation
How much does Cleo Foundation give each year?
Cleo Foundation gave $179K across 11 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $165K across 11 grants.
What is Cleo Foundation's typical grant size?
Cleo Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $15,000, and its average grant was $16,227, across 11 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Cleo Foundation that year got $14K on average.
Where does Cleo Foundation give grants?
Cleo Foundation gives mostly in California: 100% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Monterey, CA (3 grants) and Salinas, CA (3 grants).
Does Cleo Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 27% of Cleo Foundation's 2024 grants with a stated purpose (3 of 11) were for general or operating support, per its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are Cleo Foundation's largest grantees?
Cleo Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include Ventana Wilderness Alliance ($30,000), Ct Apptd Spec Advocates of MonTEREY ($25,000) and Community Partnership for Youth ($20,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 42% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is Cleo Foundation?
Cleo Foundation reported $3.2M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $212K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $159K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does Cleo Foundation fund?
The foundation’s stated funding priorities are academic enrichment, outdoor education, and hospice care. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Cleo Foundation?
The website describes an invite-only process; invited organizations receive instructions to submit an online application. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Cleo Foundation's EIN?
Cleo Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 94-3269201. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(1)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Cleo Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 15, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/cleo-foundation-morg_e89c666423af4899bf2f5ff5ad7348bb
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_943269201_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Cleo Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/cleo-foundation-morg_e89c666423af4899bf2f5ff5ad7348bb},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-15. 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 Cleo 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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