First Push Foundation
First Push Foundation is a private foundation based in Santa Cruz, California. It supports and fosters arts and culture; its 2024 filing reports 12 donations to organizations and the purchase of a building intended for future programming.
First Push Foundation at a glance
In short: First Push Foundation gave $15K across 12 grants in 2024 (avg $1K), top state California. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $15,480
- Grants made (2024)
- 12
- Average grant
- $1,290
- Median grant
- $1,000
- Total assets
- $1,822,686
- Primary geography
- California (35% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated October 2026.
How to apply to First Push Foundation
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests for funds; it states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations.
- Contact
Mailing address: 340 Soquel Ave 205, Santa Cruz, CA 95062
Phone: (831) 325-7264
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who First Push Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Skate Like a Girl ($3K). Together the top 10 received $13K.
Grant Size Distribution
12 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 12 grants of 12 (100%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The 2024 grant dollars went to recipients in California (35%), Washington (26%), Arizona (19%), Colorado (13%), and Florida (6%).
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 12 itemized grants.
Cities
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
In 2024 it made 12 grants totaling $15K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Skate Like a Girl Seattle, WA | Arts and Culture | $3,000 |
| Cowtown Skate Tempe, AZ | Arts and Culture | $2,000 |
| International Skateboarding Hall of Fame Simi Valley, CA | Arts and Culture | $1,480 |
| Launch Community Through Skateboarding Fort Collins, CO | Arts and Culture | $1,000 |
| The Skatepark Project Vista, CA | Arts and Culture | $1,000 |
| Skate Wild Foundation Laguna Niguel, CA | Arts and Culture | $1,000 |
| Skateistan Seattle, WA | Arts and Culture | $1,000 |
| The Technical Assistance Partnership of Arizona Phoenix, AZ | Arts and Culture | $1,000 |
| Friends of Santa Cruz County Parks Santa Cruz, CA | Arts and Culture | $1,000 |
| Fresno Skateboard Salvage Fresno, CA | Arts and Culture | $1,000 |
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Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Qualifying Distributions |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $1,822,686 | $1,850,000 | $31,981 | $15,480 | 12 | $30,251 |
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation states that it was formed to support and foster the arts and culture. Its 2024 grants went to organizations whose own missions include creating inclusive skateboarding communities, expanding access to skateboarding, building safe public skateparks, and supporting parks and recreational and cultural activities. For example, Skate Like a Girl describes its mission as promoting confidence, leadership, and social justice through skateboarding; The Skatepark Project says it helps underserved communities create safe and inclusive public skateparks for youth.
Grantmaking
In 2024, the foundation gave $15,480 across 12 grants. Grants ranged from $1,000 to $3,000, with a median grant of $1,000.
The largest grants were $3,000 to Skate Like a Girl and $2,000 to Cowtown Skate. Other listed recipients included the International Skateboarding Hall of Fame ($1,480), Launch Community Through Skateboarding ($1,000), The Skatepark Project ($1,000), Skate Wild Foundation ($1,000), Skateistan ($1,000), The Technical Assistance Partnership of Arizona ($1,000), Friends of Santa Cruz County Parks ($1,000), Fresno Skateboard Salvage ($1,000), Make Life Skate Life ($1,000), and Boards for Bros ($1,000).
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Robert Denike as president, Nathan Benjamin as secretary, and Michael Eyre as treasurer.
First Push Foundation is led by Robert Denike, President on every filing since 2023; none of the 3 officers listed in 2024 report compensation.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Robert Denike
President
On filings since 2023
No compensation reported
Michael Eyre
Treasurer
On filings since 2023
No compensation reported
Nathan Benjamin
Secretary
On filings since 2023
No compensation reported
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2023–2024. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Frequently asked questions about First Push Foundation
How much does First Push Foundation give each year?
First Push Foundation gave $15K across 12 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
What is First Push Foundation's typical grant size?
First Push Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $1,000, and its average grant was $1,290, across 12 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
Where does First Push Foundation give grants?
First Push Foundation's top state is California, with 35% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. The next largest states were Washington (26%) and Arizona (19%). The most frequent recipient cities were Seattle, WA (2 grants).
Does First Push Foundation give general operating support?
Not in 2024: none of the 12 grants with a stated purpose on First Push Foundation's 2024 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Arts and Culture" (12 grants).
Who are First Push Foundation's largest grantees?
First Push Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include Skate Like a Girl ($3,000), Cowtown Skate ($2,000) and International Skateboarding Hall of Fame ($1,480), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 42% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is First Push Foundation?
First Push Foundation reported $1.8M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Its revenue that year was $1.9M.
What does First Push Foundation fund?
The foundation states that it was formed to support and foster the arts and culture. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from First Push Foundation?
The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests for funds; it states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is First Push Foundation's EIN?
First Push Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 92-2867166. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2023–2024.
Does First Push Foundation accept unsolicited proposals?
No, according to Grantable's research on the foundation's published guidelines. See how to apply ↑
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(1)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2023–2024
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). First Push Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 16, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/first-push-foundation-morg_63b71c1a7df74fbc804d025517f26f4e
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_922867166_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{First Push Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/first-push-foundation-morg_63b71c1a7df74fbc804d025517f26f4e},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-16. 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 First Push 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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