Clif Family Foundation
The Clif Family Foundation is a private foundation based in Saint Helena, California. Founded in 2006 by Gary Erickson and Kit Crawford, it supports grassroots organizations working to transform food systems, revitalize the environment, and enhance community health.
Clif Family Foundation at a glance
In short: Clif Family Foundation gave $24.1M across 459 grants in 2024 (avg $53K), top state California. 32% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $24,131,694
- +100.0% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 459
- +1.8% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $52,574
- +96.6% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $20,000
- Total assets
- $570,812,519
- +1.3% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 32% first-time grantees (139 of 436, 2024)
- Primary geography
- California (43% 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 Clif Family Foundation
- How to Apply
-
The foundation states that applications should be submitted through its website. Its open-call grants are available to eligible 501(c)(3) organizations, including fiscally sponsored applicants. The 2024 filing lists “OPEN CALL” as the deadline and gives no award restrictions.
- Review Cycle
- The foundation lists 2027 open-call deadlines of March 1 and August 2. The next open-call deadline is March 1, 2027, at 11:59 p.m. PT.
- Deadline
- The foundation lists 2027 open-call deadlines of March 1 and August 2.
- Next open deadline
- March 1, 2027 (Clif Family Foundation Open Call Grant)
- Contact
Application contact: Cliffamilyfoundationorg
Mailing address: 1334 B Vidovich Ave, St Helena, CA 94574
Phone: (510) 596-6383
Website: https://cliffamilyfoundation.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 Clif Family Foundation
Who Clif Family Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was County of Napa ($3.0M). Together the top 10 received $6.2M.
Organizations only. It also paid 19 grants to individuals ($510,000), which are not listed by name.
Grant Size Distribution
2,293 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 2,152 grants of 2,293 (94%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
Open-call guidelines give priority to applicants whose work focuses primarily in the United States and its unincorporated territories. In 2024, California recipients accounted for 43% of grant dollars; recipients in Washington, D.C., New York, Maryland, and Florida accounted for 6%, 5%, 4%, and 4%, respectively.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 459 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is Clif Family Foundation open to new grantees?
32%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 139 of 436 grantees (32%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $99K; repeat grants $32K. How we count
Medians: $25K first-time, $20K repeat.
- 51% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving grew 707% from 2021 to 2024. Method
- In 2024 it paid out 98% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Foundations have until the end of the next year to meet it. 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 $2.5M (2020) to $24.1M (2024). In 2024 it made 459 grants totaling $24.1M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| County of Napa Napa, CA | Enhance Community Health | $3,000,000 |
| Social & Environmental Entrepreneurs Calabasas, CA | Revitalize the Environment | $625,000 |
| State Power Fund dba We Make The Future Kent, OH | Revitalize the Environment | $400,000 |
| The Chisholm Legacy Project Baltimore, MD | Revitalize the Environment | $350,000 |
| Fair Food Network Ann Arbor, MI | Transform Food Systems | $310,000 |
| Coalition of Immokalee Workers Immokalee, FL | Transform Food Systems | $300,000 |
| Community Partners Los Angeles, CA | Transform Food Systems | $300,000 |
| Greater Kansas Community Foundation Kansas City, MO | Transform Food Systems | $300,000 |
| NDN Collective Inc Rapid City, SD | Revitalize the Environment | $300,000 |
| Regenerative Agriculture Foundation Minneapolis, MN | Transform Food Systems | $300,000 |
Ready to take the next step with Clif Family Foundation?
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
In 2024, individual grants ranged from $50 to $3 million, with a median grant of $20,000.
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Qualifying Distributions | Net Investment Income | Distributable Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $570,812,519 | $39,095,472 | $28,125,679 | $24,131,694 | 459 | $27,107,484 | $25,308,455 | $27,656,673 |
| 2023 | $563,707,533 | $29,947,536 | $15,054,363 | $12,062,980 | 451 | $15,066,106 | $27,582,648 | $27,102,028 |
| 2022 | $551,376,013 | $556,164,967 | $5,357,870 | $3,921,849 | 400 | $5,156,613 | $897,614 | $1,172,436 |
| 2021 | $510,407 | $4,129,500 | $3,842,755 | $2,989,560 | 500 | $3,846,584 | — | $48,238 |
| 2020 | $775,782 | $1,952,079 | $4,010,768 | $2,512,646 | 483 | — | — | $91,883 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Clif Family Foundation reported a distributable amount of $27.7M 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 mission is to transform food systems, revitalize the environment, and enhance community health. Its six stated grant priorities are regenerative and organic farming; food production workers’ health and safety; climate justice; healthy food access; inclusive outdoor access; and protection from pollution indoors and outdoors.
Open-call grants support general operating costs. Applicants must be registered as, or fiscally sponsored by, a 501(c)(3) organization. The foundation gives priority to applicants focused primarily in the United States and its unincorporated territories, with strong community ties, operating budgets under $8 million, and grassroots work aimed at change at the local, state, or national level.
Examples of grantees illustrate the range of work funded. The Chisholm Legacy Project describes its work as using a just-transition framework to support communities on the frontlines of climate justice. Fair Food Network says it works to grow community health, wealth, and resilience through food. The Regenerative Agriculture Foundation describes a mission that includes supporting land stewardship, climate solutions, and thriving rural communities.
Grantmaking
The foundation reported $27.6 million in giving to 389 nonprofits in 2025; 83% received general operating support. Its open-call grants typically range from $5,000 to $50,000, last one year, and support general operating costs. Applications are reviewed twice a year, with announcements approximately four months after each deadline.
Notable 2024 grants included $3 million to County of Napa for enhancing community health; $625,000 to Social & Environmental Entrepreneurs and $400,000 to State Power Fund dba We Make The Future, both for environmental work; and $350,000 to The Chisholm Legacy Project for environmental work. Other examples were $310,000 to Fair Food Network and $300,000 each to Coalition of Immokalee Workers and Community Partners for food-systems work.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists these board members: Kathleen F. Crawford, Gary J. Erickson, Kate Watson, Clayton Ward, Anne Jennings, and Elysa Hammond.
Clif Family Foundation's 2024 filing lists 6 officers; 2 of 6 officers listed in 2024 are compensated.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Anne Jennings
Board Member
On filings since 2023
2 hrs/week
$36K (2023) → $36K (2024)
Elysa Hammond
Board Member
New on the 2024 filing
2 hrs/week
$36K (2024)
Gary J. Erickson
Board Member
Secretary & Treasurer → Board Member, 2022
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Kathleen F. Crawford
Board Member
President → Board Member, 2022
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Clayton Ward
Board Member
On filings since 2022
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Kate Watson
Board Member
On filings since 2022
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (3)
- Former: Lydia Erickson (2022–2023) — Board Member
- Former: Thao Pham (2020–2021) — Vice President
- Former: Jennifer Herman (2020) — Director of Accounting
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.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2024 filing was $36K, to Anne Jennings (Board Member). 2 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Frequently asked questions about Clif Family Foundation
How much does Clif Family Foundation give each year?
Clif Family Foundation gave $24.1M across 459 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $12.1M across 451 grants.
What is Clif Family Foundation's typical grant size?
Clif Family Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $20,000, and its average grant was $52,574, across 459 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Clif Family Foundation that year got $99K on average.
Where does Clif Family Foundation give grants?
Clif Family Foundation's top state is California, with 43% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. The next largest states were District of Columbia (6%) and New York (5%). The most frequent recipient cities were Oakland, CA (22 grants), Washington, DC (16 grants), Berkeley, CA (16 grants) and Chicago, IL (15 grants).
Does Clif Family Foundation give general operating support?
Not in 2024: none of the 459 grants with a stated purpose on Clif Family Foundation's 2024 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Enhance Community Health" (168 grants), "Transform Food Systems" (158 grants) and "Revitalize the Environment" (133 grants).
Who are Clif Family Foundation's largest grantees?
Clif Family Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include County of Napa ($3,000,000), Social & Environmental Entrepreneurs ($625,000) and State Power Fund dba We Make The Future ($400,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It also paid 19 grants to individuals ($510,000), which are not listed by name. Together they received 17% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is Clif Family Foundation?
Clif Family Foundation reported $570.8M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $27.1M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $27.7M (roughly 5% of its investment assets). Falling short in one year is not a violation: foundations have until the end of the next year to meet the minimum.
What does Clif Family Foundation fund?
The foundation’s mission is to transform food systems, revitalize the environment, and enhance community health. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Clif Family Foundation?
The foundation states that applications should be submitted through its website. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Clif Family Foundation's EIN?
Clif Family Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 20-4345935. 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). Clif Family Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 9, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/clif-family-foundation-morg_d1eb991df03f454fb9901eb12f500a10
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_204345935_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Clif Family Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/clif-family-foundation-morg_d1eb991df03f454fb9901eb12f500a10},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-09. 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 Clif Family 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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