Ecology Center
Ecology Center is a nonprofit public charity based in Berkeley, California, founded in 1969. It works to improve the health and environmental well-being of urban communities, with a mission to inspire and build a sustainable, healthy, and just future for the East Bay, California, and beyond.
Ecology Center at a glance
In short: Ecology Center gave $10.6M across 50 grants in 2024 (avg $212K), mostly in California. 2% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $10,614,858
- +21.0% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 50
- -2.0% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $212,297
- +23.4% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $42,722
- Total assets
- $8,844,960
- +16.9% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 2% first-time grantees (1 of 50, 2024)
- Primary geography
- California (100% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990, 2024 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990, 2024; updated September 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to Ecology Center
- How to Apply
Ecology Center’s fiscal sponsorship application checklist asks for a cover sheet, letter of interest describing the project, need for sponsorship, requested services, and activity timeline, plus an operations plan,…
Ecology Center’s fiscal sponsorship application checklist asks for a cover sheet, letter of interest describing the project, need for sponsorship, requested services, and activity timeline, plus an operations plan, fundraising plan, and resumes or descriptions of key project personnel. Applicants are asked whether the project aligns with Ecology Center’s mission, whether an internationally sponsored project has a U.S. office, and how much the project has raised. The checklist gives an estimated 30–60 days from application to approval and says the process may be expedited under extenuating circumstances.
- Contact
Mailing address: 1231 2Nd Street, Berkeley, CA 94710
Phone: (510) 526-1131
Website: https://ecologycenter.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Ecology Center funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Pacific Coast Farmers Market Association ($1.9M). Together the top 10 received $8.7M.
Grant Size Distribution
230 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 132 grants of 230 (57%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
All grant dollars reported for 2024 went to recipients in California. Ecology Center’s stated mission centers on the East Bay and California, and its website describes work beyond those areas as well.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 50 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is Ecology Center open to new grantees?
2%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 1 of 50 grantees (2%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $6K; repeat grants $217K. How we count
Medians: $6K first-time, $43K repeat.
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990 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 $3.1M (2020) to $10.6M (2024). In 2024 it made 50 grants totaling $10.6M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Pacific Coast Farmers Market Association Concord, CA | Food Insecurity Nutrition Incentive (Fini) Grant Program | $1,905,840 |
| Heart of the City Farmers' Market San Francisco, CA | Food Insecurity Nutrition Incentive (Fini) Grant Program | $1,715,135 |
| Urban Village Farmers' MKT Ass Oakland, CA | Food Insecurity Nutrition Incentive (Fini) Grant Program | $1,057,215 |
| Hunger Action Los Angeles Los Angeles, CA | Food Insecurity Nutrition Incentive (Fini) Grant Program | $1,026,063 |
| Alchemist Community Developmen Sacramento, CA | Food Insecurity Nutrition Incentive (Fini) Grant Program | $915,603 |
| Agricultural Institute of Marin San Rafael, CA | Food Insecurity Nutrition Incentive (Fini) Grant Program | $833,501 |
| Sustainable Economic Enterprises of Los Angeles Los Angeles, CA | Food Insecurity Nutrition Incentive (Fini) Grant Program | $457,743 |
| Agriculture & Land-Based Training Salinas, CA | Food Insecurity Nutrition Incentive (Fini) Grant Program | $315,783 |
| North Coast Growers Association Arcata, CA | Food Insecurity Nutrition Incentive (Fini) Grant Program | $286,913 |
| Petaluma People Services Center Petaluma, CA | Food Insecurity Nutrition Incentive (Fini) Grant Program | $197,813 |
Ready to take the next step with Ecology Center?
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Net Investment Income |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $8,844,960 | $18,141,347 | $17,773,012 | $10,614,858 | 50 | $46,503 |
| 2023 | $7,563,699 | $15,921,962 | $15,575,637 | $8,771,302 | 51 | $30,439 |
| 2022 | $7,578,376 | $14,736,227 | $14,821,226 | $7,942,819 | 46 | $16,895 |
| 2021 | $7,185,570 | $13,640,615 | $12,708,660 | $6,241,724 | 45 | $39,596 |
| 2020 | $5,209,969 | $8,954,918 | $9,272,242 | $3,115,060 | 38 | $20,722 |
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The organization’s stated mission is to inspire and build a sustainable, healthy, and just future for the East Bay, California, and beyond. Its programs include recycling and waste reduction, education on sustainable living, youth environmental leadership, farmers’ markets, and fiscal sponsorship. The organization also describes work on sustainable food systems, zero waste, and climate resilience and equity.
In its 2024 filing, Ecology Center listed fiscally sponsored projects including Bay Area Coalition for Headwaters, Berkeley Community Gardening Collaborative, Bay Area Seed Interchange Library, Environmental Literacy Curriculum Project, Indigenous Permaculture Project, West Berkeley Alliance for Clean Air and Safe Jobs, and Greywater Action.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2024, Ecology Center reported 50 grants totaling $10,614,858. Grants ranged from $5,575 to $1,905,840, with a median of $42,722. The largest listed grants were for the Food Insecurity Nutrition Incentive (FINI) Grant Program.
Among the largest recipients were Pacific Coast Farmers Market Association ($1,905,840), Heart of the City Farmers’ Market ($1,715,135), Urban Village Farmers’ Market Association ($1,057,215), Hunger Action Los Angeles ($1,026,063), and Agricultural Institute of Marin ($833,501). All 2024 grant dollars went to recipients in California.
The recipients describe a range of work. Pacific Coast Farmers Market Association says it operates certified farmers’ markets in six Bay Area counties to support California farmers and communities. Heart of the City Farmers’ Market says it addresses food insecurity, supports local small-scale agriculture, provides nutrition education, and distributes food assistance. Hunger Action Los Angeles says its work includes Market Match at farmers’ markets in Los Angeles County, providing bonus dollars for low-income shoppers to purchase fresh produce. Agricultural Institute of Marin describes its mission as building a healthy, earth-friendly, equitable local and regional food and agricultural system.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Rebecca Prager as board president, Kad Smith as vice president, Peter Schultze-Allen as treasurer, and Craig Dittmann as secretary. Naomi Torres and Sue Chaing are listed as board members. Martin Bourque is listed as executive director.
Ecology Center is led by Martin Bourque, Executive Director on every filing since 2020; 6 of 12 officers listed in 2024 are compensated.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Martin Bourque
Executive Director
On filings since 2020
40 hrs/week
$142K (2020) → $183K (2024)
Rebecca Prager
Board President
On filings since 2023
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Ben Mah
Recyling Driver
On filings since 2023
40 hrs/week
$107K (2023) → $124K (2024)
Reyes Sandoval
Recyling Driver
On filings since 2023
40 hrs/week
$103K (2023) → $116K (2024)
Encarnacion Rivera
Recyling Driver
New on the 2024 filing
40 hrs/week
$105K (2024)
Miguel Navvaro
Recyling Driver
New on the 2024 filing
40 hrs/week
$101K (2024)
Oscar Moreno
Recyling Driver
New on the 2024 filing
40 hrs/week
$105K (2024)
Kad Smith
Vice President
On filings since 2020
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Naomi Torres
Board Member
On filings since 2020
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Peter Schultze-Allen
Treasurer
On filings since 2020
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Craig Dittmann
Secretary
On filings since 2022
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Sue Chaing
Board Member
On filings since 2023
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (4)
- Former: Deborah Beyea (2020–2023) — Deputy Director
- Former: Becca Prager (2020–2022) — Board President
- Former: Ladan Sobhani (2020–2022) — Board Member
- Former: Michele Gee (2020) — Board Member
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.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2024 filing was $183K, to Martin Bourque (Executive Director). 6 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Frequently asked questions about Ecology Center
How much does Ecology Center give each year?
Ecology Center gave $10.6M across 50 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990. In 2023 it gave $8.8M across 51 grants.
What is Ecology Center's typical grant size?
Ecology Center's median grant in 2024 was $42,722, and its average grant was $212,297, across 50 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990. Organizations receiving their first grant from Ecology Center that year got $6K on average.
Where does Ecology Center give grants?
Ecology Center gives mostly in California: 100% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990 went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Concord, CA (2 grants), San Francisco, CA (2 grants), Los Angeles, CA (2 grants) and Oakland, CA (2 grants).
Does Ecology Center give general operating support?
Not in 2024: none of the 50 grants with a stated purpose on Ecology Center's 2024 IRS Form 990 were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Food Insecurity Nutrition Incentive (Fini) Grant Program" (50 grants).
Who are Ecology Center's largest grantees?
Ecology Center's largest 2024 grantees include Pacific Coast Farmers Market Association ($1,905,840), Heart of the City Farmers' Market ($1,715,135) and Urban Village Farmers' MKT Ass ($1,057,215), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990. Together they received 44% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is Ecology Center?
Ecology Center reported $8.8M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990. Its revenue that year was $18.1M.
What does Ecology Center fund?
The organization’s stated mission is to inspire and build a sustainable, healthy, and just future for the East Bay, California, and beyond. Its programs include recycling and waste reduction, education on sustainable living, youth environmental leadership, farmers’ markets, and fiscal sponsorship. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Ecology Center?
Ecology Center’s fiscal sponsorship application checklist asks for a cover sheet, letter of interest describing the project, need for sponsorship, requested services, and activity timeline, plus an operations plan,… Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Ecology Center's EIN?
Ecology Center's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 94-1703351. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990 filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(6)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS November 15, 2021)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS November 14, 2022)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS November 14, 2023)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS November 15, 2024)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS November 14, 2025)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Ecology Center's focus areas in our free grants database
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Ecology Center funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 15, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/ecology-center-morg_01aab6b5bcff411e922a4ea9e553e569
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_941703351_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Ecology Center funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/ecology-center-morg_01aab6b5bcff411e922a4ea9e553e569},
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 Ecology Center'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.
Ecology Center down — hundreds of funders to go?