Ethel Frends Charitable Foundation
The Ethel Frends Charitable Foundation is a private foundation based in Dallas, Texas. It supports canine care and canine education, with its grant program focused on organizations serving specified counties in California.
Ethel Frends Charitable Foundation at a glance
In short: Ethel Frends Charitable Foundation gave $164K across 33 grants in 2026 (avg $5K), mostly in California. 15% of 2026 grantees were new. Source: 2026 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2026)
- $163,500
- +10.1% vs 2025
- Grants made (2026)
- 33
- +10.0% vs 2025
- Average grant
- $4,955
- +0.1% vs 2025
- Median grant
- $5,000
- Total assets
- $4,038,165
- +11.7% vs 2025
- New grantees (estimate)
- 15% first-time grantees (5 of 33, 2026)
- Primary geography
- California (89% of itemized 2026 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2026 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2026; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to Ethel Frends Charitable Foundation
- How to Apply
-
The 2025 filing says the foundation does not restrict giving to preselected organizations. It lists Hector Santillan at Bank of America as the contact and directs applicants to the Bank of America philanthropic grant-search page for forms and materials. The grant program describes support for established organizations and says program support and small, program-related capital expenses may be considered.
- Review Cycle
- The 2025 filing lists December 1.
- Deadline
- The 2025 filing lists December 1.
- Contact
Application contact: Hector Santillan - Bank Of America
Mailing address: 333 S Hope St Fl 23, Los Angeles, CA 90071-1406
Phone: (213) 861-5228
Email: ca.grantmaking@bofa.com
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Open Grants
1 open opportunity from Ethel Frends Charitable Foundation
Who Ethel Frends Charitable Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2026
The largest 2026 recipient was Operation Blankets of Love ($10K). Together the top 10 received $76K.
Grant Size Distribution
162 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 162 grants of 162 (100%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The grant program identifies eight California counties: Los Angeles, Ventura, Santa Barbara, San Luis Obispo, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, and San Diego. In filing year 2026, 89% of grant dollars went to recipients in California; the remaining reported shares went to New York (3%), Washington, DC (3%), New Mexico (3%), and Washington state (2%).
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2026 grant dollars across all 33 itemized grants.
Cities
Is Ethel Frends Charitable Foundation open to new grantees?
15%
first-time grantees, 2026
In 2026, 5 of 33 grantees (15%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $3K; repeat grants $5K. How we count
Medians: $3K first-time, $5K repeat.
- 70% of 2026 grantees were also funded in 2025. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2023 to 2026 (−5%). Method
- In 2026 it paid out 95% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Foundations have until the end of the next year to meet it. Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2020–2026). 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 2026, annual grant giving ranged from $141K (2021) to $173K (2023). In 2026 it made 33 grants totaling $164K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Operation Blankets of Love Grenada Hills, CA | Support 'Help' Program | $10,000 |
| National Disaster Search Dog Foundation Santa Paula, CA | Unrestricted General | $10,000 |
| Guide Dogs of America Sylmar, CA | Support 2 Puppy | $10,000 |
| Pasadena Humane Society Pasadena, CA | Unrestricted General | $7,500 |
| Helen Woodward Animal Center Rancho Santa Fe, CA | Unrestricted General | $7,500 |
| Canine Companions for Independence Santa Rosa, CA | Unrestricted General | $7,500 |
| San Diego Humane Society & SPCA San Diego, CA | Support for Canine Care at | $7,500 |
| Volunteers of Burbank Animal Shelter Burbank, CA | Medical Fund to Reduce K9 | $6,000 |
| Shadow's Fund Inc Lompoc, CA | Unrestricted General | $5,000 |
| Spay-Neuter Action Project Encinitas, CA | Unrestricted General | $5,000 |
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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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | $4,038,165 | $575,057 | $258,002 | $163,500 | 33 | $210,113 | $532,706 | $222,294 |
| 2025 | $3,614,930 | $347,582 | $233,660 | $148,500 | 30 | $192,386 | $304,727 | $210,484 |
| 2024 | $3,488,956 | $142,773 | $236,079 | $161,500 | 29 | $200,954 | $96,736 | $194,563 |
| 2023 | $3,589,842 | $-73,067 | $265,324 | $172,500 | 32 | $212,235 | $40,175 | $191,259 |
| 2022 | $3,899,076 | $801,376 | $243,943 | $156,000 | 38 | $202,282 | $757,646 | $218,873 |
| 2021 | $3,672,167 | $259,686 | $218,276 | $141,000 | 31 | — | $225,608 | $195,114 |
| 2020 | $3,324,402 | $261,872 | $215,040 | $142,000 | 42 | — | $239,847 | $180,146 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Ethel Frends Charitable Foundation reported a distributable amount of $222K for 2026 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation’s stated purpose is to support and promote canine care and/or canine education. Its grant program identifies Los Angeles, Ventura, Santa Barbara, San Luis Obispo, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, and San Diego counties in California as its service area.
Examples of supported work include disaster-response dog training: the National Disaster Search Dog Foundation says it rescues and trains dogs to work with firefighters and other first responders to find people buried in disaster wreckage. Canine Companions for Independence says it provides trained service dogs and ongoing support to people with disabilities at no cost to clients. Animal welfare grantees describe work including sheltering and adopting companion animals, providing care for abandoned animals, and supporting animal emergency and disaster relief.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2026, the foundation reported 33 grants totaling $163,500. Grants ranged from $2,500 to $10,000, with a median of $5,000.
Among the larger 2026 grants were $10,000 each to Operation Blankets of Love and the National Disaster Search Dog Foundation, and $10,000 to Guide Dogs of America. The foundation also awarded $7,500 each to Pasadena Humane Society, Helen Woodward Animal Center, Canine Companions for Independence, and San Diego Humane Society & SPCA.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2026 filing lists Bank of America as trustee.
Ethel Frends Charitable Foundation's only listed officer is Bank Of America, Trustee on every filing since 2022 (compensated).
Officers on the 2026 filing
Bank Of America
Trustee
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
$56K (2022) → $58K (2026)
Former officers (1)
- Former: Bank Of America N A (2020–2021) — Trustee
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2026. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Compensation Overview
From 2026 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2026 filing was $58K, to Bank of America (Trustee).
Frequently asked questions about Ethel Frends Charitable Foundation
How much does Ethel Frends Charitable Foundation give each year?
Ethel Frends Charitable Foundation gave $164K across 33 grants in 2026, according to its 2026 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2025 it gave $149K across 30 grants.
What is Ethel Frends Charitable Foundation's typical grant size?
Ethel Frends Charitable Foundation's median grant in 2026 was $5,000, and its average grant was $4,955, across 33 grants on its 2026 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Ethel Frends Charitable Foundation that year got $3K on average.
Where does Ethel Frends Charitable Foundation give grants?
Ethel Frends Charitable Foundation gives mostly in California: 89% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2026 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Los Angeles, CA (3 grants), San Diego, CA (2 grants) and Encinitas, CA (2 grants).
Does Ethel Frends Charitable Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 64% of Ethel Frends Charitable Foundation's 2026 grants with a stated purpose (21 of 33) were for general or operating support, per its 2026 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are Ethel Frends Charitable Foundation's largest grantees?
Ethel Frends Charitable Foundation's largest 2026 grantees include Operation Blankets of Love ($10,000), National Disaster Search Dog Foundation ($10,000) and Guide Dogs of America ($10,000), according to its 2026 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 18% of its itemized 2026 grant dollars.
How large is Ethel Frends Charitable Foundation?
Ethel Frends Charitable Foundation reported $4.0M in total assets on its 2026 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $210K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $222K (roughly 5% of its investment assets). Falling short in one year is not a violation: foundations have until the end of the next year to meet the minimum.
What does Ethel Frends Charitable Foundation fund?
The foundation’s stated purpose is to support and promote canine care and/or canine education. Its grant program identifies Los Angeles, Ventura, Santa Barbara, San Luis Obispo, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, and San Diego counties in California as its service area. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Ethel Frends Charitable Foundation?
The 2025 filing says the foundation does not restrict giving to preselected organizations. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Ethel Frends Charitable Foundation's EIN?
Ethel Frends Charitable Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 59-7246019. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2026.
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(7)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS May 12, 2025)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2026 (received by the IRS May 28, 2026)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS June 12, 2020)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS June 21, 2021)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS May 31, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS June 29, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS June 25, 2024)
Live grants for the work Ethel Frends Charitable Foundation funds
Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking Open opportunities, soonest deadline first.
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Browse active grant opportunities in Ethel Frends Charitable Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Ethel Frends Charitable Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 21, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/ethel-frends-charitable-foundation-morg_f82218143ccf41d0b2aa98752b133303
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_597246019_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Ethel Frends Charitable Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/ethel-frends-charitable-foundation-morg_f82218143ccf41d0b2aa98752b133303},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-21. 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 Ethel Frends Charitable 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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