Dry Creek Foundation
Dry Creek Foundation is a private foundation focused on Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking, based in Pasadena, CA. IRS filing data is available from 2020 through 2024. As of 2024, the organization holds $33.7M in total assets. In 2024, it awarded 10 grants totaling $3.7M. Net investment income was $8.7M.
Key facts about Dry Creek Foundation
- EIN
- 82-3434244
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024
- Annual giving (2024)
- $3,677,876
- Grants made (2024)
- 10
- Average grant
- $367,788
- Median grant
- $120,000
- New grantees (estimate)
- 50% first-time grantees (5 of 10, 2024)
- Total assets
- $33,690,548
- Primary geography
- California (81% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated September 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
Who Dry Creek Foundation funds
By grant dollars, the top recipient states for Dry Creek Foundation's 10 itemized 2024 grants were California (81%) and Vermont (7%). None of its 10 grants with a stated purpose were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "To Support Exempt Organization." (10 grants).
Is Dry Creek Foundation open to new grantees?
50%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 5 of 10 grantees (50%) were first-time recipients. 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 IRS Form 990-PF grant lists (2020–2024). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.
Next steps with Dry Creek Foundation
- How to evaluate Dry Creek Foundation as a funder
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Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$33.7M
+34.6% YoY
Annual Giving
$3.7M
+2.9% YoY
Grant Count
10
+25.0% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$368K
-17.6% YoY
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.
About Dry Creek Foundation
Based on IRS filings
Dry Creek Foundation is a private foundation focused on Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking, based in Pasadena, CA. IRS filing data is available from 2020 through 2024. As of 2024, the organization holds $33.7M in total assets. In 2024, it awarded 10 grants totaling $3.7M. Net investment income was $8.7M.
Focus Areas
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
Grant Distribution by State
Share of all 10 itemized 2024 grant dollars.
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $33,690,548 | $25,035,785 | $28,417,967 |
| Revenue | $18,508,866 | $310,543 | $456,944 |
| Expenses | $4,108,408 | $3,955,839 | $2,308,135 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $3,742,561 | $3,647,771 | $1,867,183 |
| Net Investment Income | $8,741,936 | $387,870 | $903,749 |
| Distributable Amount | $1,649,441 | $1,638,619 | $1,643,060 |
Data update history
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
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
31 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest recipients include Wildlife Conservation Network ($2,615,511), Maliasili Initiatives Inc ($250,000), Conservation Strategy Fund ($150,000).
| 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 |
Leadership & Key People
Officers and directors from IRS filings
Compensation Overview
No officer or director reported compensation in the available filings.
From 2024 IRS filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Charles Knowles | President & Chair of the Board | 2 | — |
| Jon Melburg | VP & Treasurer | 2 | — |
| Margaret McCarthy | Secretary | 2 | — |
| Amanda Buntmann | Assistant Secretary | 2 | — |
| Diane Johnson | Director | 2 | — |
Subject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Dry Creek Foundation?
Dry Creek Foundation is a private foundation focused on Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking, based in Pasadena, CA. It holds $33.7M in total assets as of 2024.
How large is Dry Creek Foundation?
As of 2024, Dry Creek Foundation holds $33.7M in total assets with $18.5M in annual revenue. It awarded 10 grants totaling $3.7M in 2024.
Where does Dry Creek Foundation operate?
Dry Creek Foundation has awarded grants in California, Florida, Montana, New York, Oregon, Vermont.
What size grants does Dry Creek Foundation award?
In 2024, Dry Creek Foundation awarded 10 grants totaling $3.7M — an average of about $368K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is Dry Creek Foundation required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, Dry Creek Foundation reported a distributable amount of $1.6M on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
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.
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Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings.