Eat Learn Play Foundation
Eat. Learn. Play. Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization based in Oakland, California, founded in 2019 by Stephen and Ayesha Curry. The foundation works to transform the school experience for Oakland students through direct support and grantmaking to tax-exempt organizations that serve low-income children and families.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$17.2M
+18.4% YoY
Annual Giving
$10.5M
+34.8% YoY
Grant Count
13
-35.0% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$808K
+107.4% YoY
Mission & Focus Areas
Mission Statement: "We support children's well-being through access to nutritious meals, quality reading resources and opportunities to play and be active—because everyone deserves the chance to live a happy, healthy childhood."
The foundation operates through a whole child, whole school approach:
For the Whole Child: Providing resources and support for kids to thrive at school, including access to nutritious food, high-dosage literacy tutoring, and sports opportunities.
For the Whole School: Transforming school spaces to ensure equitable access to dignified, joyful places to eat, learn, and play, including renovations to schoolyards, cafeterias, libraries, and gyms.
Primary Focus Areas:
- Nutrition and ending childhood hunger
- Literacy and quality education resources
- Physical activity and safe play spaces
Grantmaking
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation primarily operates within Oakland Unified School District (OUSD) in Oakland, California, with some grantmaking activity extending to Pennsylvania and Maryland.
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
As of 2024:
- Total Assets: $17,188,713
- Total Revenue: $22,810,906
- Total Expenses: $21,509,441
- Net Income: $1,301,465
- Total Liabilities: $5,270,000
As of 2023:
- Total Assets: $14,513,296
- Total Revenue: $20,441,332
- Total Expenses: $17,250,652
Staffing: 16 employees (as of 2024)
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $17,188,713 | $14,513,296 | $11,330,488 |
| Revenue | $22,810,906 | $20,441,332 | $17,778,322 |
| Expenses | $21,509,441 | $17,250,652 | $16,384,758 |
| Qualifying Distributions | — | — | — |
| Net Investment Income | $485,213 | $251,348 | $5,875 |
| Distributable Amount | — | — | — |
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
93 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
No grants recorded for .
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
Co-Founders: Stephen and Ayesha Curry
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| STEPHEN CURRY | CO FOUNDER | 2 | — |
| AYESHA CURRY | CO FOUNDER & PRESIDENT | 2 | — |
| ALREDO BD SILVA | TREASURER | 1 | — |
| JENNIFER AAKER | SECRETARY | 1 | — |
| FRANK ZECCA | TREASURER (THRU 12/18/24), DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| ANEEL BHUSRI | DIRECTOR | 0.5 | — |
| ARNE DUNCAN | DIRECTOR | 0.5 | — |
| YVETTE RADFORD | DIRECTOR | 0.5 | — |
| ROBIN WASHINGTON | DIRECTOR | 0.5 | — |
| CHRIS HELFRICH | CEO | 40 | $398,908 |
| WILLIAM MISENHIMER | CFO | 40 | $269,557 |
| COURTNEY HARVEY | COO | 40 | $223,159 |
| SIDNEY GRIFFIN | VP MARKETING & COMMUNICATIONS | 40 | $186,724 |
| MARISSA TRAMBLEY | VP PHILANTHROPY & ADVOCACY | 40 | $193,653 |
| MEI WU | CHIEF OF STAFF | 40 | $163,353 |
| KRISTIN FACK | DIRECTOR OF PEOPLE & OPERATIONS | 40 | $139,378 |
| ANDRA CHAO | SENIOR MANAGER, PROGRAMS | 40 | $120,119 |
| JESSICA RUSSELL | SR. MANAGER, MARKETING & COMM | 40 | $110,907 |
Recent News & Activity
Recent developments and announcements
**January 2026:** Premiered "Building Joy: A Movement to Reimagine Oakland's Schoolyards," a short documentary highlighting the foundation's efforts to transform underutilized schoolyards into vibrant, student-centered spaces supporting learning, physical activity, creativity, and community connection.
**February 2026:** Celebrated the successful completion of the Super Schools community initiative, which delivered 9 million school meals and expanded physical activity opportunities for over 33,000 Bay Area students across 60 schools.
**December 2025:** Featured in a Good Morning America segment with Stephen and Ayesha Curry discussing their work.
**2025:** Partnered with MasterClass to gift 18,000 memberships to Bay Area educators, administrators, and community partners.
Eat. Learn. Play. Partners with MasterClass by Gifting 18,000 Memberships\**2024:** Released "From Struggle to Strength: Advancing Literacy in Oakland," a short documentary highlighting the foundation's literacy initiatives and the critical need for literacy interventions in Oakland's public schools.
Eat. Learn. Play. Makes Historic Commitment to Advance Literacy in Oakland\**March 2026:** Supported the 2026 Oakland Marathon as a community event bringing joy of movement to the town.
Subject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
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Similar funders by location and focus area
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Data last updated April 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
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