CNC Foundation
CNC Foundation is a private foundation based in Palo Alto, California. Its 2025 filing reports 39 grants totaling $3,410,873 to charitable organizations, including recipients in journalism, election education, disability employment, education, and other fields.
CNC Foundation at a glance
In short: CNC Foundation gave $3.4M across 39 grants in 2025 (avg $87K), mostly in California. 18% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $3,410,873
- +75.8% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 39
- -4.9% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $87,458
- +84.8% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $11,000
- Total assets
- $1,253,815
- -34.3% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 18% first-time grantees (7 of 39, 2025)
- Primary geography
- California (95% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to CNC Foundation
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds.
- Contact
Mailing address: 1423 Hamilton Avenue, Palo Alto, CA 94301
Phone: (650) 926-5326
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who CNC Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Kitp House Project ($1.5M). Together the top 10 received $3.1M.
Grant Size Distribution
178 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 163 grants of 178 (92%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2025, 95% of grant dollars went to recipients in California. The remaining grant dollars went to recipients in Wisconsin (2%), Washington, DC (1%), Arizona (1%), and Indiana (1%).
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 39 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is CNC Foundation open to new grantees?
18%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 7 of 39 grantees (18%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $406K; repeat grants $18K. How we count
Medians: $150K first-time, $10K repeat.
- 74% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving grew 753% from 2022 to 2025. Method
- In 2025 it paid out 805% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2019–2025). 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 2019 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $292K (2020) to $3.4M (2025). In 2025 it made 39 grants totaling $3.4M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Kitp House Project Palo Alto, CA | Charitable | $1,525,000 |
| Regents of the University of California Oakland, CA | Charitable | $640,000 |
| Calmatters Sacramento, CA | Charitable | $500,000 |
| Californians to Defend the Open Primary San Rafael, CA | Assist in advocacy and defense of open primary system | $150,000 |
| Adas Cafe Palo Alto, CA | Charitable | $60,000 |
| Intervarsity Christian Fellowship Madison, WI | Charitable | $59,800 |
| Journey with Jesus Foundation Palo Alto, CA | Charitable | $50,000 |
| The Salvation Army Palo Alto, CA | Charitable | $45,700 |
| International Justice Mission Washington, DC | Charitable | $45,000 |
| Menlo Church Menlo Park, CA | Charitable | $42,000 |
Ready to take the next step with CNC 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $1,253,815 | $3,613,333 | $3,476,075 | $3,410,873 | 39 | $3,272,796 | $3,429,454 | $406,325 |
| 2024 | $1,907,540 | $1,479,879 | $1,959,185 | $1,940,274 | 41 | $1,955,487 | $1,476,181 | $467,448 |
| 2023 | $2,594,658 | $282,985 | $433,579 | $416,500 | 31 | $416,500 | $265,906 | $384,831 |
| 2022 | $2,848,676 | $498,360 | $409,681 | $399,900 | 31 | $399,900 | $488,579 | $378,615 |
| 2021 | $2,824,449 | $345,570 | $475,612 | $467,100 | 36 | $467,100 | $342,058 | $355,437 |
| 2020 | $3,114,921 | $429,329 | $295,254 | $291,950 | 33 | — | $426,025 | $258,990 |
| 2019 | $3,199,617 | $325,134 | $349,984 | $329,600 | 33 | — | $304,750 | $239,976 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, CNC Foundation reported a distributable amount of $406K for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2025 grants show support for organizations with varied missions. For example, CalMatters says its journalism is intended to inform Californians about the people and interests shaping issues that affect their lives. Californians to Defend the Open Primary says it educates the public about and defends California’s open, nonpartisan primary election laws. Ada’s Cafe says it hires, trains, and empowers people with disabilities through its food-service business and engages local youth in cafe work.
Other 2025 recipients include Eastside College Preparatory, which says it opens educational opportunities for students historically underrepresented in higher education, and the Foundation for a College Education, which says it works to increase four-year college graduation among first-generation, low-income students of color from East Palo Alto and surrounding communities.
Grantmaking
In 2025, the foundation reported 39 grants totaling $3,410,873. Grants ranged from $150 to $1,525,000, with a median grant of $11,000. The largest awards included $1,525,000 to KITP House Project, $640,000 to the Regents of the University of California, and $500,000 to CalMatters. Other notable grants were $150,000 to Californians to Defend the Open Primary, $60,000 to Ada’s Cafe, $59,800 to InterVarsity Christian Fellowship, and $50,000 to Journey with Jesus Foundation.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Charles T. Munger Jr. and Charlotte Lowell as co-trustees.
CNC Foundation's 2025 filing lists 2 officers; none of the 2 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Charles T. Munger Jr.
Co-Trustee
On filings since 2019
No compensation reported
Charlotte Lowell
Co-Trustee
On filings since 2019
No compensation reported
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.
Frequently asked questions about CNC Foundation
How much does CNC Foundation give each year?
CNC Foundation gave $3.4M across 39 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $1.9M across 41 grants.
What is CNC Foundation's typical grant size?
CNC Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $11,000, and its average grant was $87,458, across 39 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from CNC Foundation that year got $406K on average.
Where does CNC Foundation give grants?
CNC Foundation gives mostly in California: 95% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Palo Alto, CA (9 grants), Oakland, CA (2 grants), East Palo Alto, CA (2 grants) and Los Angeles, CA (2 grants).
Does CNC Foundation give general operating support?
Not in 2025: none of the 39 grants with a stated purpose on CNC Foundation's 2025 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Charitable" (36 grants).
Who are CNC Foundation's largest grantees?
CNC Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include Kitp House Project ($1,525,000), Regents of the University of California ($640,000) and Calmatters ($500,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 78% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is CNC Foundation?
CNC Foundation reported $1.3M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $3.3M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $406K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does CNC Foundation fund?
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2025 grants show support for organizations with varied missions. For example, CalMatters says its journalism is intended to inform Californians about the people and interests shaping issues that affect their lives. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from CNC Foundation?
The foundation states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is CNC Foundation's EIN?
CNC Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 77-6160567. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2025.
Does CNC Foundation accept unsolicited proposals?
No, according to Grantable's research on the foundation's published guidelines. See how to apply ↑
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(7)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS September 23, 2025)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS May 9, 2026)
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS June 15, 2020)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS May 11, 2021)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS June 24, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS March 20, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS May 13, 2024)
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in CNC Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
Similar Funders
Funders with grantees in common, and similar funders in California
Silicon Valley Community Foundation
Mountain View, CA
Silicon Valley Community Foundation funds work in areas such as housing, economic security, education, health, the environment, arts and culture, and civic engagement, with Community Action Grants supporting local, community-led organizations in San Mateo and Santa Clara counties. Its 2024 grants had a median of $51,716, though amounts varied widely; applications depend on the program, and SVCF states that it does not accept unsolicited proposals for advised funds.
Assets
$12.3B
Grants
3,576
Total Given
$3.2B
Christian Community Foundation Inc
Colorado Springs, CO
WaterStone supports domestic and international nonprofits, including Christian ministries and charitable and educational organizations, through donor-directed grants; eligible organizations must be IRS-recognized 501(c)(3)s whose mission aligns with its Statement of Faith. Its 2025 grants had a median of $20,000, with awards ranging from $5,028 to $11 million, and were concentrated in Texas and Colorado. Grant recommendations come from donor-advised fund holders; the profile does not state that it accepts unsolicited requests.
Assets
$746.4M
Grants
1,651
Total Given
$161.8M
California Community Foundation
Los Angeles, CA
The California Community Foundation supports nonprofits through discretionary and donor-directed grants, with discretionary priorities including education, health, housing and immigration, alongside other areas such as arts, civic engagement and economic opportunity. Its 2025 grants had a median of $50,000, and its work is focused on Los Angeles County; prospective discretionary applicants are asked to contact the relevant program officer before submitting a letter of intent.
Assets
$2.3B
Grants
2,174
Total Given
$326.6M
The William & Flora Hewlett Foundation
Menlo Park, CA
The William & Flora Hewlett Foundation funds education, climate and conservation, the arts, democracy, gender equity, racial justice, and efforts to strengthen nonprofits and philanthropy, with work spanning the San Francisco Bay Area, the U.S. West, and locations including East and West Africa and Mexico. Its 2024 grants had a median award of $150,000, though amounts varied widely. It generally does not accept unsolicited requests, but sometimes invites proposals through open processes.
Assets
$14.2B
Grants
2,001
Total Given
$625.0M
Marin Community Foundation
Novato, CA
Marin Community Foundation funds work in affordable housing and homelessness, community resilience and power, as well as social services, education, arts and conservation, with a focus on marginalized Marin County residents and some broader U.S. and international grantmaking. Its 2025 grants had a median of $25,000, though amounts varied widely. The profile does not state whether it accepts unsolicited requests.
Assets
$1.3B
Grants
1,573
Total Given
$186.1M
Direct Relief
Santa Barbara, CA
Direct Relief supports healthcare providers serving people affected by poverty or emergencies, including community health centers, clinics, and grassroots organizations, with medicines, supplies, and funding for health access and equity. In 2025, its grants had a median award of about $65,000, and its work spans all 50 U.S. states and countries around the world; the profile does not state whether it accepts unsolicited requests.
Assets
$1.3B
Grants
1,367
Total Given
$337.4M
More similar funders
More Funders in California
Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). CNC Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/cnc-foundation-morg_7cc29494f8514d31aa08a6923df0f329
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_776160567_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{CNC Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/cnc-foundation-morg_7cc29494f8514d31aa08a6923df0f329},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-12. 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 CNC 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.
CNC Foundation down — hundreds of funders to go?