Cottonwood Spring is a private foundation focused on Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking, based in SANTA CRUZ, CA. IRS filing data is available from 2021 through 2024. As of 2024, the organization holds $9.6M in total assets. In 2024, it awarded 22 grants totaling $650K. Net investment income was $608K.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$9.6M
+1.6% YoY
Annual Giving
$650K
+25.0% YoY
Grant Count
22
+4.8% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$30K
+19.3% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Cottonwood Spring reported a distributable amount of $631K for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
About Cottonwood Spring
Based on IRS filings
Cottonwood Spring is a private foundation focused on Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking, based in SANTA CRUZ, CA. IRS filing data is available from 2021 through 2024. As of 2024, the organization holds $9.6M in total assets. In 2024, it awarded 22 grants totaling $650K. Net investment income was $608K.
Focus Areas
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
Grant Distribution by State
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $9,640,941 | $9,487,357 | $9,801,649 |
| Revenue | $940,172 | $332,838 | $119,885 |
| Expenses | $786,707 | $647,130 | $318,236 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $652,884 | $546,403 | $244,750 |
| Net Investment Income | $607,575 | $142,784 | $140,475 |
| Distributable Amount | $630,673 | $484,155 | $473,695 |
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
Grant Size Distribution
51 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include Animal Legal Defense Fund ($35,000), Community Action Board of Santa Cruz County Inc ($35,000), Housing Matters ($35,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Amah Mutsun Land Trust Santa Cruz, CA | General support | $30,000 |
| Animal Legal Defense Fund Cotati, CA | General support | $35,000 |
| Animal Outlook Washington, DC | General support | $30,000 |
| Building Decarbonization Coalition Lewes, DE | General support | $25,000 |
| Center for Carbon Removal Washington, DC | General support | $25,000 |
| Committee to Protect Journalists Inc New York, NY | General support | $30,000 |
| Community Action Board of Santa Cruz County Inc Watsonville, CA | General support | $35,000 |
| Global Change Data Lab | General support | $30,000 |
| Global Press Institute Washington, DC | General support | $30,000 |
| Housing Matters Santa Cruz, CA | General support | $35,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Officers and directors from IRS filings
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Weston Arthur Hermann | Sec., Treas. | 1 | — |
| Yael Kisel | President | 1 | — |
Subject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Cottonwood Spring?
Cottonwood Spring is a private foundation focused on Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking, based in SANTA CRUZ, CA. It holds $9.6M in total assets as of 2024.
How large is Cottonwood Spring?
As of 2024, Cottonwood Spring holds $9.6M in total assets with $940K in annual revenue. It awarded 22 grants totaling $650K in 2024.
Where does Cottonwood Spring operate?
Cottonwood Spring has awarded grants in California, District of Columbia, Delaware, Massachusetts, Maryland, New York.
What size grants does Cottonwood Spring award?
In 2024, Cottonwood Spring awarded 22 grants totaling $650K — an average of about $30K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is Cottonwood Spring required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, Cottonwood Spring reported a distributable amount of $631K on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is Cottonwood Spring's EIN?
Cottonwood Spring's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 87-3653199. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2021–2024.
Explore Open Grants
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Data last updated April 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings.
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