Community Initiatives
Community Initiatives is an Oakland, California–based public charity that provides fiscal sponsorship and administrative support to nonprofit projects, startups, networks, and collaborations. Its 2023 filing describes its role as acting as a thought partner and sponsoring projects for community benefit and positive social change.
Community Initiatives at a glance
In short: Community Initiatives gave $23.1M across 101 grants in 2025 (avg $229K), mostly in California. 69% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $23,133,262
- +134.1% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 101
- +20.2% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $229,042
- +94.7% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $19,779
- Total assets
- $75,263,317
- +1.2% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 69% first-time grantees (69 of 100, 2025)
- Primary geography
- California (90% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990, 2025; updated September 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to Community Initiatives
- Contact
Mailing address: 1000 Broadway 480, Oakland, CA 94607
Phone: (415) 230-7700
Website: https://communityin.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Community Initiatives funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was House of Victory Foundation ($16.7M). Together the top 10 received $20.7M.
Grant Size Distribution
423 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 302 grants of 423 (71%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
Community Initiatives describes its sponsored projects as working in diverse geographic areas. In 2025, 90% of reported grant dollars went to California recipients, with 5% to Massachusetts, 3% to New York, and 1% each to Florida and Ohio.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 101 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is Community Initiatives open to new grantees?
69%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 69 of 100 grantees (69%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $51K; repeat grants $632K. How we count
Medians: $17K first-time, $30K repeat.
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990 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 $5.0M (2022) to $23.1M (2025). In 2025 it made 101 grants totaling $23.1M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| House of Victory Foundation Los Angeles, CA | Support for promoting and fostering charitable and educational community activities including public speaking and athletic camps, utilizing the active participation of student-athletes and provides a forum for future generations to grow and develop in their areas of passion while emphasizing the importance of charitable and community involvement. | $16,725,249 |
| Bulldog Bread Foundation Fresno, CA | To support charitable and educational community initiatives and activities | $1,170,500 |
| Feather River Land Trust Quincy, CA | Support for the construction of visitor and maintenance facilities at the north entrance of the sierra valley preserve, an area of land owned by grantee for preservation purposes, in order to better enable free public access to and exploration of such lands | $1,155,597 |
| Boarddev Corporation New York, NY | Support to build tech capacity in the nonprofit sector | $413,250 |
| Immigrants Rising San Francisco, CA | Exited Project Grant Disbursement | $362,705 |
| The Nature Conservancy Sacramento, CA | To support the wildfire resilient landscapes and communities project, a collaborative research and coalition-building effort to expand wildfire resilience in California. | $250,392 |
| Exygy Inc San Francisco, CA | To increase access to affordable housing and other public benefit programs that support low income, marginalized and underserved communities to become highly contributing and successful participants in an equitable society. | $199,500 |
| The Carpentries Inc Davis, CA | Exited Project Grant Disbursement | $164,992 |
| Shift Project Ltd New York, NY | Support for work related to the taskforce on inequality and social-related financial disclosures | $146,400 |
| General Assembly Space Inc New York, NY | Support to train high-potential adults with barriers to education and employment and secure them employment in high-wage, high-growth jobs in the digital economy. | $144,000 |
Ready to take the next step with Community Initiatives?
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Net Investment Income |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $75,263,317 | $86,764,695 | $89,142,542 | $23,133,262 | 101 | $2,414,427 |
| 2024 | $74,356,841 | $77,611,739 | $68,349,743 | $9,881,154 | 84 | $1,824,054 |
| 2023 | $56,232,715 | $59,435,734 | $55,372,330 | $6,891,361 | 34 | $762,255 |
| 2022 | $48,904,163 | $57,867,676 | $46,310,794 | $4,976,806 | 76 | $46,655 |
| 2021 | $38,228,924 | $45,233,184 | $41,056,672 | $9,337,499 | 128 | $18,697 |
| 2020 | $32,963,465 | $33,654,695 | $35,385,742 | $9,468,832 | 97 | $223,137 |
| 2019 | $32,789,457 | $31,427,064 | $32,571,900 | $7,949,163 | 78 | $272,054 |
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
Community Initiatives states that it acts as a thought partner and provides administrative services to nonprofit startups, established initiatives, networks, and collaborations. Its mission is to sponsor projects for the benefit of communities in service to positive social change.
According to its 2023 filing, services to fiscally sponsored projects include financial management, human resources and grants management, nonprofit management, payroll, tax filing, legal support, and coaching. The filing identifies arts and culture, education, environment, health, human services, public affairs, and social justice among the areas served by its projects.
Examples of supported organizations illustrate the range of work represented in its grants. Feather River Land Trust says its mission is to conserve the lands and waters of the Feather River region and steward their ecological, cultural, and educational values. Sierra Business Council describes its mission as advancing community vitality, economic prosperity, environmental quality, and social fairness in the Sierra Nevada. Shift Project says it works to transform business practices to promote respect for people’s lives and dignity.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2025, Community Initiatives reported 101 grants totaling $23,113,936. Grant amounts ranged from $5,100 to $16,725,249, with a median grant of $19,779.
The largest reported grant was $16,725,249 to House of Victory Foundation for charitable and educational community activities involving student-athletes. Other large grants included $1,170,500 to Bulldog Bread Foundation for charitable and educational community initiatives, and $1,136,271 to Feather River Land Trust for visitor and maintenance facilities at the North Entrance of the Sierra Valley Preserve. Additional grants included $250,392 to The Nature Conservancy for a California wildfire-resilience project and $199,500 to Exygy Inc to increase access to affordable housing and public-benefit programs.
For prospective fiscal sponsorship projects, the website says an inquiry form must be submitted before an invitation to apply. After an introductory call and invitation, applicants submit an application with supporting documentation, including a cover letter requesting fiscal sponsorship, a four-page application form, and a first-year budget. Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis; the website recommends planning for a six-to-TBD-week period from initial inquiry to full activation. The 2023 filing says grant recipients undergo due diligence, receive written grant agreements, and are required to submit periodic reports on fund use, compliance, and progress toward the grant purpose.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Barbara Rhomberg as chair; Dee Dee Mendoza as secretary; and Maya Tussing as treasurer. Directors listed are Mary Ann Fake, Casey Budesilich, Abbas Moloo, Sharon C Lincoln, Diana Villalta, and Ruth Williams. Williams is also listed as CEO. Mamie Funahashi is listed as CFO from January 13, 2025.
Community Initiatives is led by Ruth Williams, CEO since 2022 (on filings since 2019); 10 of 18 officers listed in 2025 are compensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Ruth Williams
CEO
President & CEO → CEO, 2022
On filings since 2019
40 hrs/week
$263K (2019) → $442K (2025)
Hedy Chang
Executive Director & Attendance
Executive Director & Attendance Works → Executive Director & Attendance, 2025
On filings since 2019
40 hrs/week
$205K (2019) → $206K (2025)
Julie Dorf
Executive Director & Cnl. for Global Eq.
Executive Director & Council for Global Equality → Executive Director & Council for Global Eq, 2020
Executive Director & Council for Global Eq → Executive Director & Cnl. for Global Eq., 2025
On filings since 2019
40 hrs/week
$167K (2019) → $231K (2025)
Lucy Blake
President & Nps
President → President & Northern Sierra P'ship, 2023
President & Northern Sierra P'ship → President & Nps, 2024
On filings since 2020
40 hrs/week
$174K (2020) → $233K (2025)
Samantha Tran
Executive Director & Cal Policy
Executive Director & Cal Policy Collab. → Executive Director & Cal Policy, 2025
On filings since 2024
40 hrs/week
$266K (2024) → $266K (2025)
Mark Bromley
Council Chair & Council for Global Eq
Council Chair & Council for Global Eq → Council Chair, 2022
Council Chair → Council Chair & Council for Global Eq, 2023
On filings since 2019
40 hrs/week
$164K (2019) → $216K (2025)
Barbara Rhomberg
Chair
Director → Chair, 2023
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Mary Ann Fake
Director
Treasurer → Chair, 2021
Chair → Director, 2023
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Abbas Moloo
Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Casey Budesilich
Director
New on the 2025 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Diana Villalta
Director
New on the 2025 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Sharon C. Lincoln
Director
New on the 2025 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Carl Taibl
CFO
On filings since 2020
40 hrs/week
$99K (2021) → $273K (2025)
David McGee
Senior Vice President Hr & Operations
Vice President Hr & Operations → Senior Vice President Hr & Operations, 2025
On filings since 2022
40 hrs/week
$170K (2022) → $253K (2025)
Kathleen Bolts
Vice President of Client Services
On filings since 2024
40 hrs/week
$199K (2024) → $190K (2025)
Mamie Funahashi
CFO
Vice President Strategic Partnerships → CFO, 2025
On filings since 2024
40 hrs/week
$270K (2024) → $277K (2025)
Dee Dee Mendoza
Secretary
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Maya Tussing
Treasurer
Director → Treasurer, 2023
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (21)
- Former: Janet Camarena (2019–2024) — Director
- Former: Loren Pogir (2019–2024) — Director
- Former: Michael McBride (2024) — Executive Director & Live Free
- Former: Phillipe Wallace (2019–2023) — Treasurer
- Former: Robert Weiner (2019–2023) — Director
- Former: Betsy Block (2021–2023) — Director
- Former: Louise Woodley (2021–2023) — Director, Ctr. for Sci. Collab. & Committee Eng.
- Former: Heidi Gatty Hernandez (2022) — Vice President Client Services
- Former: Marcus Strother (2022) — Executive Director
- Former: Chris McCrum (2019–2021) — Director
- Former: Keith Chreston (2019–2021) — CFO
- Former: Kenji Treanor (2019–2021) — Director
- Former: Steve Barton (2019–2021) — Director
- Former: Connie Lee (2019–2020) — Secretary
- Former: Sara Myers Allen (2019–2020) — Director, Jewish Teen Edu & Engage Funder Collaborative
- Former: Alison Fong (2019) — Chair
- Former: Evan Boido (2019) — Vice Chair
- Former: Hue Tran (2019) — Executive Director & Tech for Social Impact
- Former: Janine Guillot (2019) — Treasurer
- Former: Sarah Bacon (2019) — Vice Chair
- Former: Zoe Hutton (2019) — Director
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 $442K, to Ruth Williams (CEO). 10 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Frequently asked questions about Community Initiatives
How much does Community Initiatives give each year?
Community Initiatives gave $23.1M across 101 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. In 2024 it gave $9.9M across 84 grants.
What is Community Initiatives's typical grant size?
Community Initiatives's median grant in 2025 was $19,779, and its average grant was $229,042, across 101 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Organizations receiving their first grant from Community Initiatives that year got $51K on average.
Where does Community Initiatives give grants?
Community Initiatives gives mostly in California: 90% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990 went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were San Francisco, CA (6 grants), New York, NY (4 grants), Los Angeles, CA (2 grants) and Lowell, MA (2 grants).
Does Community Initiatives give general operating support?
Not in 2025: none of the 101 grants with a stated purpose on Community Initiatives's 2025 IRS Form 990 were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Support for Project Lead the Way (PLTW) Programming" (37 grants), "Support for Openscied (Ose) Programming Grant" (11 grants) and "Exited Project Grant Disbursement" (6 grants).
Who are Community Initiatives's largest grantees?
Community Initiatives's largest 2025 grantees include House of Victory Foundation ($16,725,249), Bulldog Bread Foundation ($1,170,500) and Feather River Land Trust ($1,155,597), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. Together they received 82% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Community Initiatives?
Community Initiatives reported $75.3M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Its revenue that year was $86.8M.
What does Community Initiatives fund?
Community Initiatives states that it acts as a thought partner and provides administrative services to nonprofit startups, established initiatives, networks, and collaborations. Its mission is to sponsor projects for the benefit of communities in service to positive social change. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Community Initiatives?
Community Initiatives has no public application process in the sources Grantable reviewed. Check communityin.org for current guidelines, or contact the foundation directly before submitting a request.
What is Community Initiatives's EIN?
Community Initiatives's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 94-3255070. 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.
Data update history
(8)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS May 8, 2020)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS February 24, 2021)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS February 1, 2022)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS January 30, 2023)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS January 30, 2024)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS February 10, 2025)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS April 1, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2019–2025
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Community Initiatives's focus areas in our free grants database
Similar Funders
Funders that support many of the same organizations
Stupski Foundation
San Francisco, CA
The Stupski Foundation funds work in health, food justice, early brain development, serious illness care, and postsecondary success, primarily in Hawaiʻi and San Francisco and Alameda Counties. Its 2024 grants ranged from $5,000 to $2.5 million, with a median of $150,000, but it is spending down and expects to support existing partners; it does not accept unsolicited requests.
Assets
$168.7M
Grants
205
Total Given
$51.5M
The California Wellness Foundation
Los Angeles, CA
The California Wellness Foundation funds California-focused work to improve health and wellness, including community-led efforts, direct services, advocacy, and civic engagement. Its 2024 grants ranged from $150 to $1 million, with a median of $7,500. It is not accepting unsolicited requests in 2026.
Assets
$1.0B
Grants
681
Total Given
$48.8M
Surdna Foundation Inc
New York, NY
Surdna Foundation supports U.S. nonprofits working toward just and sustainable communities, with a focus on racial justice, inclusive economies, healthy environments, and thriving cultures. In 2025, grants ranged from $500 to about $4.08 million, with a median of $90,000; it does not accept unsolicited requests and awards are invitation-based.
Assets
$1.2B
Grants
397
Total Given
$56.5M
The James Irvine Foundation
San Francisco, CA
The James Irvine Foundation funds initiatives that help low-income Californians advance economically, including career opportunities, worker rights, inclusive local economies, and related policies and housing affordability. Its 2024 grants ranged from $150 to $11.15 million, with a median of $10,000; its focus is California. It does not accept unsolicited funding requests or inquiries and gives only to preselected organizations.
Assets
$3.4B
Grants
654
Total Given
$154.1M
The David and Lucile Packard Foundation
Los Altos, CA
The David and Lucile Packard Foundation funds charitable organizations working on just societies, healthy families and communities, and a healthy natural world, including climate solutions, ocean conservation, and science. Its 2024 grants had a median of $150,000, and half of grant dollars went to California recipients. It accepts unsolicited requests, but less than 1% of its grants come from them.
Assets
$8.5B
Grants
1,029
Total Given
$350.0M
East Bay Community Foundation
Oakland, CA
East Bay Community Foundation funds arts and culture for social justice, racial-equity capacity building, community organizing and movement building, and inclusive economic models, prioritizing communities affected by structural inequities. Its 2025 grants had a median of $25,000, though amounts varied widely, and generally support organizations in Alameda and Contra Costa counties. Most strategy-guided grants are by invitation, with applications opened periodically; donor-advised fund grants may also be made without an application.
Assets
$514.0M
Grants
842
Total Given
$62.8M
More similar funders
More Funders in California
Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Community Initiatives funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 16, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/community-initiatives-morg_4fa674cc961949bc991358461a4bcbf5
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_943255070_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Community Initiatives funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/community-initiatives-morg_4fa674cc961949bc991358461a4bcbf5},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-16. 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 Community Initiatives'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.
Community Initiatives down — hundreds of funders to go?