Dry Creek Foundation
Dry Creek Foundation is a private foundation based in Pasadena, California. Its 2024 filing reports grants to charitable organizations, including conservation organizations and organizations working in leadership development.
Dry Creek Foundation at a glance
In short: Dry Creek Foundation gave $3.7M across 10 grants in 2024 (avg $368K), mostly in California. 50% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $3,677,876
- +2.9% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 10
- +25.0% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $367,788
- -17.6% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $120,000
- Total assets
- $33,690,548
- +34.6% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 50% first-time grantees (5 of 10, 2024; small sample)
- Primary geography
- California (81% 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 Dry Creek Foundation
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds.
- Contact
Mailing address: 177 E Colorado Blvd 800, Pasadena, CA 91105
Phone: (650) 279-3547
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Dry Creek Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Wildlife Conservation Network ($2.6M). Together the top 10 received $3.7M.
Grant Size Distribution
31 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was in the $100–250K range: 10 grants of 31 (32%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2024, 81% of grant dollars went to recipients in California, 7% to Vermont, 4% each to Oregon and Montana, and 3% to New York. The reported grants also included a recipient in Florida.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 10 itemized grants.
Cities
Is Dry Creek Foundation open to new grantees?
50%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 5 of 10 grantees (50%) were first-time recipients. With only 10 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 10 points. First grants averaged $119K; repeat grants $617K. How we count
Medians: $100K first-time, $130K repeat.
- 50% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving grew 115% from 2021 to 2024. Method
- In 2024 it paid out 227% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). 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 $1.2M (2020) to $3.7M (2024). In 2024 it made 10 grants totaling $3.7M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Wildlife Conservation Network San Francisco, CA | To Support Exempt Organization. | $2,615,511 |
| Maliasili Initiatives Inc Essex Junction, VT | To Support Exempt Organization. | $250,000 |
| Conservation Strategy Fund Arcata, CA | To Support Exempt Organization. | $150,000 |
| Elakha Alliance Siletz, OR | To Support Exempt Organization. | $148,000 |
| Yellowstone Forever Bozeman, MT | To Support Exempt Organization. | $130,000 |
| African Leadership Foundation New York, NY | To Support Exempt Organization. | $110,000 |
| Monterey Bay Aquarium Foundation Monterey, CA | To Support Exempt Organization. | $100,000 |
| Apis Arborea Sebastopol, CA | To Support Exempt Organization. | $79,365 |
| African Community and Conservation Foundation Palm Beach, FL | To Support Exempt Organization. | $50,000 |
| Sea Otter Savvy Moss Landing, CA | To Support Exempt Organization. | $45,000 |
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Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Qualifying Distributions | Net Investment Income | Distributable Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $33,690,548 | $18,508,866 | $4,108,408 | $3,677,876 | 10 | $3,742,561 | $8,741,936 | $1,649,441 |
| 2023 | $25,035,785 | $310,543 | $3,955,839 | $3,572,920 | 8 | $3,647,771 | $387,870 | $1,638,619 |
| 2022 | $28,417,967 | $456,944 | $2,308,135 | $1,827,500 | 4 | $1,867,183 | $903,749 | $1,643,060 |
| 2021 | $30,182,791 | $3,209,896 | $2,157,110 | $1,710,500 | 4 | $1,710,500 | $2,600,950 | $1,835,646 |
| 2020 | $29,090,161 | $2,129,220 | $1,597,547 | $1,193,000 | 5 | — | $1,836,994 | $1,688,246 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Dry Creek Foundation reported a distributable amount of $1.6M 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
No foundation mission statement is provided. Its 2024 grants included organizations whose stated missions span conservation and leadership development. For example, Wildlife Conservation Network says it connects conservationists and supporters and provides conservationists with resources and support; Maliasili Initiatives says it accelerates community-based conservation through local organizations. African Leadership Foundation says it develops young leaders and entrepreneurs for the African continent, primarily by supporting African Leadership Academy.
Other grantees’ stated missions include restoring sea otters to the Oregon coast (Elakha Alliance), supporting Yellowstone National Park through grants and in-kind support (Yellowstone Forever), inspiring ocean conservation (Monterey Bay Aquarium Foundation), and preserving honeybees through habitat restoration and ecological care (Apis Arborea). African Community and Conservation Foundation says it works to preserve African wilderness areas and empower nearby communities.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2024, the foundation reported 10 grants totaling $3,677,876. Grant amounts ranged from $45,000 to $2,615,511, with a median of $120,000. The largest grants included $2,615,511 to Wildlife Conservation Network, $250,000 to Maliasili Initiatives, $150,000 to Conservation Strategy Fund, $148,000 to Elakha Alliance, and $130,000 to Yellowstone Forever. Other reported grants included $110,000 to African Leadership Foundation, $100,000 to Monterey Bay Aquarium Foundation, $79,365 to Apis Arborea, $50,000 to African Community and Conservation Foundation, and $45,000 to Sea Otter Savvy.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Charles Knowles as president and chair of the board; Jon Melburg as vice president and treasurer; Margaret McCarthy as secretary; Amanda Buntmann as assistant secretary; and Diane Johnson as director.
Dry Creek Foundation is led by Charles Knowles, President & Chair of the Board since 2023 (on filings since 2020); none of the 5 officers listed in 2024 report compensation.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Charles Knowles
President & Chair of the Board
Vice President & Secretary → President & Chairman of the Board, 2022
President & Chairman of the Board → President & Chair of the Board, 2023
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Diane N. Johnson
Director
President & Director → Director, 2022
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Margaret McCarthy
Secretary
Vice President & Secretary → Secretary & Audit Committee, 2023
Secretary & Audit Committee → Secretary, 2024
On filings since 2022
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Jon Melburg
Vice President & Treasurer
On filings since 2023
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Amanda Buntmann
Assistant Secretary
New on the 2024 filing
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (3)
- Former: Pegine Grayson (2022–2023) — Assistant Secretary
- Former: Jon Mellberg (2020–2022) — Treasurer
- Former: Namita Dalal (2022) — Grants Administrator
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.
Frequently asked questions about Dry Creek Foundation
How much does Dry Creek Foundation give each year?
Dry Creek Foundation gave $3.7M across 10 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $3.6M across 8 grants.
What is Dry Creek Foundation's typical grant size?
Dry Creek Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $120,000, and its average grant was $367,788, across 10 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Dry Creek Foundation that year got $119K on average.
Where does Dry Creek Foundation give grants?
Dry Creek Foundation gives mostly in California: 81% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest state was Vermont (7%).
Who are Dry Creek Foundation's largest grantees?
Dry Creek Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include Wildlife Conservation Network ($2,615,511), Maliasili Initiatives Inc ($250,000) and Conservation Strategy Fund ($150,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 82% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is Dry Creek Foundation?
Dry Creek Foundation reported $33.7M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $3.7M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $1.6M (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does Dry Creek Foundation fund?
No foundation mission statement is provided. Its 2024 grants included organizations whose stated missions span conservation and leadership development. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Dry Creek Foundation?
The foundation 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 Dry Creek Foundation's EIN?
Dry Creek Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 82-3434244. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Does Dry Creek 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
(1)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Dry Creek Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Dry Creek Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 15, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/dry-creek-foundation-morg_00b1aa642cda4e0db50ce6f131096987
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_823434244_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Dry Creek Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/dry-creek-foundation-morg_00b1aa642cda4e0db50ce6f131096987},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-15. 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 Dry Creek 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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