CS Fund
CS Fund is a private foundation based in Petaluma, California. It seeks to create an equitable democracy and achieve a just transition to regenerative economies and food systems, supporting organizations and movements working toward systemic change.
CS Fund at a glance
In short: CS Fund gave $6.5M across 129 grants in 2025 (avg $51K), mostly in California. 31% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $6,540,120
- +20.0% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 129
- +21.7% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $50,699
- -1.4% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $40,000
- Total assets
- $5,002,812
- -26.5% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 31% first-time grantees (31 of 101, 2025)
- Primary geography
- California (51% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated September 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to CS Fund
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
CS Fund says it does not accept unsolicited requests at this time. Organizations whose work aligns with its strategy may share contact information and a brief overview of their work; submissions are reviewed periodically, and a Program Director may follow up if there is fit and capacity. The 2023 filing lists Bailey Malone as the contact for applications and refers to Statement 18 for application materials, deadlines, and award restrictions.
- Contact
Application contact: Bailey Malone
Mailing address: 245 Kentucky St Ste E, Petaluma, CA 94952-2877
Phone: (707) 874-2942
Website: https://www.csfund.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who CS Fund funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Tides Foundation ($1.2M across 3 grants). Together the top 10 received $3.1M.
Grant Size Distribution
405 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 255 grants of 405 (63%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
CS Fund says it supports organizations in the United States and the Global South. Its Just Transitions program describes work across movement geographies, cultures, and countries, while its Aligning Philanthropy program makes grants in the United States. In 2025, 51% of grant dollars went to recipients in California, 22% to the District of Columbia, 12% to New York, 5% to Massachusetts, and 2% to Minnesota.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 129 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is CS Fund open to new grantees?
31%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 31 of 101 grantees (31%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $24K; repeat grants $83K. How we count
Medians: $20K first-time, $50K repeat.
- 58% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving grew 126% from 2022 to 2025. Method
- In 2025 it paid out well above 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 $776K (2019) to $6.5M (2025). In 2025 it made 129 grants totaling $6.5M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Tides Foundation San Francisco, CA | Donor Advised Fund | $1,085,000 |
| Friends of Action Group on Erosion Technology and Concentration Inc Oakland, CA | Action Group on Erosion, Technology and Concentration | $250,000 |
| Government Accountability Project Washington, DC | General Support | $150,000 |
| Center for Constitutional Rights New York, NY | General Support | $145,000 |
| Tides Center San Francisco, CA | Community Justice Exchange | $145,000 |
| Partnership for Civil Justice Fund Washington, DC | General Support | $130,000 |
| Global Greengrants Fund Boulder, CO | Agroecology Fund | $105,000 |
| American Economic Liberties Project Washington, DC | Rethink Trade | $100,000 |
| Project on Government Oversight Inc Washington, DC | General Support | $100,000 |
| Social and Environmental Entrepreneurs Calabasas, CA | In Defense of Movements | $100,000 |
Ready to take the next step with CS Fund?
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 | $5,002,812 | $8,200,705 | $10,253,865 | $6,540,120 | 129 | $8,763,895 | $1,326,876 | $336,374 |
| 2024 | $6,810,159 | $7,169,388 | $8,082,523 | $5,451,350 | 106 | $7,363,273 | $606,224 | $412,289 |
| 2023 | $6,661,400 | $5,306,856 | $6,381,705 | $4,201,150 | 76 | $5,287,396 | $495,789 | $392,016 |
| 2022 | $6,733,721 | $5,246,831 | $4,984,560 | $2,897,300 | 45 | $3,784,594 | $1,327,255 | $414,149 |
| 2021 | $8,523,825 | $2,258,155 | $2,574,040 | $1,923,700 | 49 | — | $245,555 | $408,914 |
| 2020 | $7,253,232 | $3,087,833 | $2,523,719 | $1,571,000 | 44 | — | $319,982 | $1,091,418 |
| 2019 | $7,205,644 | $2,792,457 | $1,909,107 | $775,800 | 33 | — | $867,892 | $306,960 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, CS Fund reported a distributable amount of $336K 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
CS Fund’s stated aim is to create an equitable democracy and achieve a just transition to regenerative economies and food systems. It seeks to address root causes and support systemic solutions by building the capacity and power of communities and movements. Its approach includes support for legal, policy, education, organizing, power-building, narrative, and culture-change strategies.
The foundation says it supports local, national, and global organizations and prioritizes grassroots organizations connected to movements and movement organizations accountable to communities. Among its 2025 grantees, the Government Accountability Project describes its work as promoting government and corporate accountability and defending whistleblowers. The Center for Constitutional Rights describes itself as a legal and educational organization that works with social justice movements to protect rights and dismantle systems of oppression. Global Greengrants Fund says it supports grassroots environmental action and social justice through small grants.
Grantmaking
CS Fund reported 129 grants totaling $6,540,120 in 2025. Grant amounts ranged from $500 to $1,085,000, with a median of $40,000. The largest grant was $1,085,000 to Tides Foundation for a donor-advised fund. Other notable grants included $250,000 to Friends of Action Group on Erosion Technology and Concentration; $150,000 to the Government Accountability Project for general support; $145,000 each to the Center for Constitutional Rights for general support and Tides Center for the Community Justice Exchange; and $130,000 to the Partnership for Civil Justice Fund for general support.
CS Fund says it provides long-term, multi-year general and program support, as well as rapid-response and out-of-cycle grants. It also says it seeks to reduce grantees’ administrative burden and to organize other funders to invest in critical strategies and organizations.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Marise Meynet Sheehan as president and trustee; Corinne Meadows-Efram as vice-president and trustee; Maryanne Mott and Michael Warsh as trustees; Teresa Robinson as secretary and trustee; and Kau'i Keliipio as treasurer and trustee. Bailey Malone is listed as executive director.
CS Fund is led by Bailey Malone, Executive Director on every filing since 2019; 6 of 7 officers listed in 2025 are compensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Bailey Malone
Executive Director
On filings since 2019
32 hrs/week
$174K (2019) → $271K (2025)
Marise Meynet Sheehan
President & Trustee
New on the 2025 filing
5 hrs/week
$16K (2025)
Corinne Meadows-Efram
Vice President & Trustee
On filings since 2019
5 hrs/week
$12K (2019) → $16K (2025)
Kau'i Keliipio
Treasurer & Trustee
On filings since 2019
4 hrs/week
$4K (2019) → $6K (2025)
Michael Warsh
Trustee
Trustee → Secretary & Trustee, 2022
Secretary & Trustee → Trustee, 2023
On filings since 2019
4 hrs/week
$4K (2019) → $6K (2025)
Teresa Robinson
Secretary & Trustee
On filings since 2019
4 hrs/week
$4K (2019) → $6K (2025)
Maryanne Mott
Trustee
On filings since 2019
4 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (3)
- Former: Marise Meynet Stewart (2019–2024) — President & Trustee
- Former: Sandra Smithey (2022) — Trustee
- Former: See Also Federal Stmts (2019–2021) — For Compensation
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 $271K, to Bailey Malone (Executive Director). 6 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Frequently asked questions about CS Fund
How much does CS Fund give each year?
CS Fund gave $6.5M across 129 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $5.5M across 106 grants.
What is CS Fund's typical grant size?
CS Fund's median grant in 2025 was $40,000, and its average grant was $50,699, across 129 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from CS Fund that year got $24K on average.
Where does CS Fund give grants?
CS Fund gives mostly in California: 51% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest states were District of Columbia (22%) and New York (12%). The most frequent recipient cities were Washington, DC (25 grants), New York, NY (16 grants), Oakland, CA (13 grants) and San Francisco, CA (12 grants).
Does CS Fund give general operating support?
Yes: 39% of CS Fund's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (50 of 129) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are CS Fund's largest grantees?
CS Fund's largest 2025 grantees include Tides Foundation ($1,200,000 across 3 grants), Friends of Action Group on Erosion Technology and Concentration Inc ($556,700 across 7 grants) and Center for the Study of the Americas ($237,000 across 4 grants), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 30% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is CS Fund?
CS Fund reported $5.0M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $8.8M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $336K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does CS Fund fund?
CS Fund’s stated aim is to create an equitable democracy and achieve a just transition to regenerative economies and food systems. It seeks to address root causes and support systemic solutions by building the capacity and power of communities and movements. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from CS Fund?
CS Fund says it does not accept unsolicited requests at this time. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is CS Fund's EIN?
CS Fund's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 95-3607882. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2025.
Does CS Fund accept unsolicited proposals?
No, according to Grantable's research on the foundation's published guidelines. See how to apply ↑
Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(8)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS August 13, 2020)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS August 16, 2021)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS June 1, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS May 26, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS May 24, 2024)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS March 12, 2025)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS February 11, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2019–2025
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in CS Fund's focus areas in our free grants database
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). CS Fund funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 10, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/cs-fund-morg_4d569e63d95744fca7c3234ceb4e9cff
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_953607882_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{CS Fund funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/cs-fund-morg_4d569e63d95744fca7c3234ceb4e9cff},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-10. 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 CS Fund'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.
CS Fund down — hundreds of funders to go?