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
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include Kaboom ($4,030,359), Oakland Unified School District ($1,400,000), Open Literacy Llc ($1,200,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| KABOOM BETHESDA, MD | RENOVATION OF ELEMENTARY SCHOOL PLAY SPACES AT OAKLAND UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT. | $4,030,359 |
| RODRIGUEZ COMMUNITY GROUP LLC DENVER, CO | RESEARCH AND SUPPORT PROJECT FOR FOOD, TUTORING AND PLAY ACTIVITIES FOR ELEMENTARY STUDENTS OF OAKLAND UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT | $325,000 |
| OPEN LITERACY LLC PITTSBURGH, PA | 1:1 READING TUTORING PILOT PROJECT IN OAKLAND UNIFIED SCHOOL DIST. ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS | $1,200,000 |
| OAKLAND PUBLIC EDUCATION FUND OAKLAND, CA | MATERIALS FOR TIER 3 TUTORING IN OAKLAND UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS | $27,500 |
| IGNITE READING PBC SAN FRANCISCO, CA | 1:1 READING TUTORING PILOT PROJECT IN OAKLAND UNIFIED SCHOOL DIST. ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS | $1,200,000 |
| OAKLAND UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT OAKLAND, CA | TIERED TUTORING LITERACY COORDINATOR AND EMERGENCY FLOWATER STATION AND ACCESS TO WATER BOTTLES DUE TO LEAD IN DRINKING FOUNTAIN WATER AND FOR OAKLAND CENTRAL KITCHEN AT THE OAKLAND UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT | $1,400,000 |
| OAKLAND LITERACY COALITION OAKLAND, CA | BOOKS FOR ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS IN OAKLAND UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT AND GENERAL OPERATING EXPENSES | $375,000 |
| READING PARTNERS OAKLAND, CA | TIER 2 TUTORING FOR ELEMENTARY SCHOOL STUDENTS AS OAKLAND UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT | $100,000 |
| ARIZONA STATE UNIVERSITY FOUNDATION TEMPE, AZ | ANALYSIS AND EVALUATION OF TUTORING PILOT AT OAKLAND UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT | $150,000 |
| ALMA ADVISORY GROUP LLC CHICAGO, CA | NUTRITION SERVICES FOR OAKLAND UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT CENTRAL KITCHEN FOR FOOD PREPARATION FOR FOOD FOR STUDENTS | $113,964 |
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
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Eat Learn Play Foundation fund?
**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…
How do I apply for a grant from Eat Learn Play Foundation?
**Grant Activity (2023):** • Total giving: $10,508,913 • Typical award range: $17,050–$4,030,359 • Through grants and programs, the foundation provided 2,000,000 nutritious meals to food-insecure children, distributed over 150,000 children's books, and completed major renovations of 6 schoolyards **Recent Initiatives:** • Launched a $50 million campaign for Oakland students • Made a $25 million investment to advance literacy in Oakland • Partnered with KABOOM! on schoolyard transformation proje…
Where does Eat Learn Play Foundation make grants?
The foundation primarily operates within Oakland Unified School District (OUSD) in Oakland, California, with some grantmaking activity extending to Pennsylvania and Maryland.
What size grants does Eat Learn Play Foundation award?
In 2024, Eat Learn Play Foundation awarded 13 grants totaling $10.5M — an average of about $808K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
What is Eat Learn Play Foundation's EIN?
Eat Learn Play Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 83-1373602. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Eat Learn Play Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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Data last updated June 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
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