Ethel Frends Charitable Foundation

Private foundation · Grantmaker Dallas, TX EIN: 59-7246019

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.

Key facts about Ethel Frends Charitable Foundation

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.

EIN
59-7246019
Latest 990 filing
Form 990-PF, 2026
Annual giving (2026)
$163,500
Grants made (2026)
33
Average grant
$4,955
Median grant
$5,000
New grantees (estimate)
15% first-time grantees (5 of 33, 2026)
Total assets
$4,038,165
Primary geography
California (89% of itemized 2026 grant dollars)
How to apply
The 2025 filing says the foundation does not restrict giving to preselected organizations. Full details ↓
Deadline
The 2025 filing lists December 1.

Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2026; updated September 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology). Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.

Financial Overview

From 2026 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing

Total Assets

$4.0M

+11.7% YoY

Annual Giving

$164K

+10.1% YoY

Grant Count

33

+10.0% YoY

Avg Grant Size

$5K

+0.1% YoY

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.

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.

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.

Review Cycle

The 2025 filing lists December 1.

Open Grants

1 open opportunity from Ethel Frends Charitable Foundation

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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

8states

Share of all 33 itemized 2026 grant dollars.

Cities

Los AngelesSan DiegoEncinitasNew YorkSanta MonicaBurbankPalm SpringsRancho Santa FeRiversideSan Luis ObispoSanta BarbaraSanta RosaSylmarWashingtonLompocPomonaRancho Palos VerdesGrenada HillsIndioSan Pedro

Giving Over Time

Total grant dollars and number of grants per year

$0$50K$100K$150K$200K42 grants202031 grants202138 grants202232 grants202329 grants202430 grants202533 grants2026

From 2020 to 2026, annual grant giving ranged from $141K (2021) to $173K (2023). In 2026 it made 33 grants totaling $164K.

Grant Insights

How this funder distributes its grants

Top Recipients

Top 10 recipients in 2026

Operation Blankets of Love: $10KOperation Blankets of Love$10KNational Disaster Search Dog Foundation: $10KNational Disaster Search DogFoundation$10KGuide Dogs of America: $10KGuide Dogs of America$10KPasadena Humane Society: $8KPasadena Humane Society$8KHelen Woodward Animal Center: $8KHelen Woodward Animal Center$8KCanine Companions for Independence: $8KCanine Companions forIndependence$8KSan Diego Humane Society & Spca: $8KSan Diego Humane Society &Spca$8KVolunteers of Burbank Animal Shelter: $6KVolunteers of Burbank AnimalShelter$6KShadow's Fund Inc: $5KShadow's Fund Inc$5KSpay-Neuter Action Project: $5KSpay-Neuter Action Project$5K

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

162<$50K$50–100K$100–250K$250–500K$500K–1M$1–5M$5M+

The most common grant size was under $50K: 162 grants of 162 (100%).

Giving History

Grant recipients and amounts by year

RecipientPurposeAmount
Operation Blankets of Love Grenada Hills, CASupport 'Help' Program$10,000
National Disaster Search Dog Foundation Santa Paula, CAUnrestricted General$10,000
Guide Dogs of America Sylmar, CASupport 2 Puppy$10,000
Pasadena Humane Society Pasadena, CAUnrestricted General$7,500
Helen Woodward Animal Center Rancho Santa Fe, CAUnrestricted General$7,500
Canine Companions for Independence Santa Rosa, CAUnrestricted General$7,500
San Diego Humane Society & Spca San Diego, CASupport for Canine Care at$7,500
Volunteers of Burbank Animal Shelter Burbank, CAMedical Fund to Reduce K9$6,000
Shadow's Fund Inc Lompoc, CAUnrestricted General$5,000
Spay-Neuter Action Project Encinitas, CAUnrestricted General$5,000

Financial History

Multi-year comparison from IRS filings

Filing year Assets Revenue Expenses Grants
2026 $4,038,165 $575,057 $258,002 $163,500
2025 $3,614,930 $347,582 $233,660 $148,500
2024 $3,488,956 $142,773 $236,079 $161,500
Revenue
Expenses
Qualifying Distributions
Net Investment Income
$0$250K$500K$750K$1M2020202120222023202420252026
Metric202620252024
Total Assets$4,038,165$3,614,930$3,488,956
Revenue$575,057$347,582$142,773
Expenses$258,002$233,660$236,079
Qualifying Distributions$210,113$192,386$200,954
Net Investment Income$532,706$304,727$96,736
Distributable Amount$222,294$210,484$194,563

Data update history

When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable

  1. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS May 12, 2025)
  2. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2026 (received by the IRS May 28, 2026)
  3. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS June 12, 2020)
  4. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS June 21, 2021)
  5. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS May 31, 2022)
  6. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS June 29, 2023)
  7. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS June 25, 2024)

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

Bank of America — Trustee: $58KBank of AmericaTrustee$58K

The highest reported compensation on the 2026 filing was $58K, to Bank of America (Trustee).

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

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).

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 September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.

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