Forest Creatures Foundation Ltd
Forest Creatures Foundation Ltd is a San Francisco-based private foundation that makes grants to support a culture of enduring peace, coexistence, and community. Its stated interests include environmental and climate justice, sustainable and alternative food systems, dramatic and performance arts, media, and grassroots systems change.
Forest Creatures Foundation Ltd at a glance
In short: Forest Creatures Foundation Ltd gave $1.9M across 29 grants in 2025 (avg $66K), mostly in California. 50% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $1,922,560
- +282.6% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 29
- +16.0% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $66,295
- +229.8% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $40,000
- Total assets
- $23,136,952
- +1.6% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 50% first-time grantees (11 of 22, 2025; small sample)
- Primary geography
- California (61% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated September 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to Forest Creatures Foundation Ltd
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests for funding and states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations.
- Contact
Mailing address: 1459 18Th Street 327, San Francisco, CA 94107
Phone: (415) 308-8107
Website: https://www.forestcreatures.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Forest Creatures Foundation Ltd funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Center for Empowered Politics ($525K across 2 grants). Together the top 10 received $1.5M.
Grant Size Distribution
61 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 46 grants of 61 (75%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2025, 61% of grant dollars went to recipients in California and 26% to recipients in the District of Columbia. New York received 6%, Florida 3%, and Texas 3%.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 29 itemized grants.
Cities
Is Forest Creatures Foundation Ltd open to new grantees?
50%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 11 of 22 grantees (50%) were first-time recipients. With only 22 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 5 points. First grants averaged $65K; repeat grants $110K. How we count
Medians: $50K first-time, $70K repeat.
- 50% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- In 2025 it paid out 189% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990 filings (2023–2025). 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 2022 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $52 (2022) to $1.9M (2025). In 2025 it made 29 grants totaling $1.9M.
Hatched bars: grants paid as reported on the IRS filing, which lists no individual grants for that year.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Center for Empowered Politics Oakland, CA | General Support - Seed the Vote | $500,000 |
| Working America Education Fund Washington, DC | General Support | $250,000 |
| Earth Island Institute Inc Berkeley, CA | General Support | $140,000 |
| Hopewell Fund Washington, DC | Vote Forward Education Fund | $125,000 |
| Vote Forward Washington, DC | General Support for Voter Turnout Education | $125,000 |
| Urban Tilth Richmond, CA | General Support | $85,000 |
| Cornell Lab of Ornithology Ithica, NY | General Support | $75,000 |
| Movement Generation Berkeley, CA | Creative Wildfire Project | $75,000 |
| Ocean Awareness Projec Inc Richmond, CA | Blue Frontier Campaign | $70,000 |
| Bavc San Francisco, CA | General Support | $50,000 |
Ready to take the next step with Forest Creatures Foundation Ltd?
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Qualifying Distributions | Net Investment Income | Distributable Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $23,136,952 | $1,243,736 | $2,418,033 | $1,922,560 | 29 | $2,010,395 | $681,140 | $1,064,531 |
| 2024 | $22,776,437 | $1,152,607 | $947,478 | $502,500 | 25 | $585,588 | $258,487 | $1,013,637 |
| 2023 | $20,220,164 | $21,269,747 | $286,742 | $55,000 | 7 | $95,642 | — | $399,018 |
| 2022 | $1,601,033 | $1,571,128 | $7,379 | $52 | Total only | — | $-552 | — |
| 2021 | $34,359 | $1 | $12,026 | — | — | — | $1 | — |
| 2020 | $34,904 | $30,004 | $21,880 | — | — | — | $4 | — |
| 2019 | $26,070 | $25,877 | $26,815 | — | — | — | $19 | — |
"Total only": grants paid as reported on the IRS filing, which lists no individual grants for that year.
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Forest Creatures Foundation Ltd reported a distributable amount of $1.1M for 2025 — 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 says it seeks to advance deep, progressive, transformational, systemic change, guided by community engagement and support for those doing the work. Its stated areas of interest include environmental and climate justice, sustainable and alternative food systems, dramatic and performance arts, media, and grassroots systems change.
Its 2025 grantees illustrate some of the kinds of organizations it supports. For example, Center for Empowered Politics describes its work as people-of-color-led grassroots movement building and integrated voter engagement; Urban Tilth says it educates diverse communities about organic gardening and supports sustainable local food production; and Earth Island Institute says it supports environmental initiatives addressing urgent threats to life on Earth. Movement Generation describes its work as advancing a just transition toward healthy, resilient local economies.
Grantmaking
The foundation made 29 grants totaling $1,922,560 in 2025. Awards ranged from $2,500 to $500,000, with a median grant of $40,000. Its reported grant totals were $502,500 across 25 grants in 2024 and $55,000 across 7 grants in 2023.
Among the largest 2025 grants were $500,000 to Center for Empowered Politics for general support and Seed the Vote; $250,000 to Working America Education Fund for general support; $140,000 to Earth Island Institute for general support; and $125,000 each to Hopewell Fund for the Vote Forward Education Fund and to Vote Forward for voter-turnout education. Other grants included $85,000 to Urban Tilth, $75,000 to Cornell Lab of Ornithology, and $75,000 to Movement Generation.
The foundation has two grant cycles per year, with an emphasis on small organizations without national support. Its board identifies grantee organizations. Legacy Grants honor Leonard Kurz and support organizations he championed, prioritizing independent productions and new media.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists David Fierberg as President/CEO/Director; Deborah Baron as VP/Treasurer/Director; and Margi Clark, Marcy Michael, and Nalani Ford-Peden as directors.
Forest Creatures Foundation Ltd is led by David Fierberg, President, CEO & Director since 2021 (on filings since 2019); 2 of 5 officers listed in 2025 are compensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
David Fierberg
President, CEO & Director
Secretary & Director → President, CEO & Director, 2021
On filings since 2019
15 hrs/week
$57K (2023) → $86K (2025)
Deborah Baron
Vice President, Treasurer & Director
Treasurer & Director → Vice President, Treasurer & Director, 2021
On filings since 2019
15 hrs/week
$57K (2023) → $86K (2025)
Marcy Michael
Director
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Margi Clark
Director
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Nalani Ford-Peden
Director
On filings since 2024
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (3)
- Former: Nalani Ford Peden (2023) — Director
- Former: Mark Berman (2021–2022) — Secretary & Director
- Former: Leonard M. Kurz (2019–2020) — President, CEO & Director Cha
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2019–2025. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Compensation Overview
From 2025 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2025 filing was $86K, to David Fierberg (President/CEO/Director). 2 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Frequently asked questions about Forest Creatures Foundation Ltd
How much does Forest Creatures Foundation Ltd give each year?
Forest Creatures Foundation Ltd gave $1.9M across 29 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $503K across 25 grants.
What is Forest Creatures Foundation Ltd's typical grant size?
Forest Creatures Foundation Ltd's median grant in 2025 was $40,000, and its average grant was $66,295, across 29 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Forest Creatures Foundation Ltd that year got $65K on average.
Where does Forest Creatures Foundation Ltd give grants?
Forest Creatures Foundation Ltd gives mostly in California: 61% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest states were District of Columbia (26%) and New York (6%). The most frequent recipient cities were Berkeley, CA (4 grants), Oakland, CA (3 grants), Washington, DC (3 grants) and Richmond, CA (3 grants).
Does Forest Creatures Foundation Ltd give general operating support?
Yes: 79% of Forest Creatures Foundation Ltd's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (23 of 29) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are Forest Creatures Foundation Ltd's largest grantees?
Forest Creatures Foundation Ltd's largest 2025 grantees include Center for Empowered Politics ($525,000 across 2 grants), Working America Education Fund ($250,000) and Earth Island Institute Inc ($150,000 across 2 grants), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 48% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Forest Creatures Foundation Ltd?
Forest Creatures Foundation Ltd reported $23.1M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $2.0M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $1.1M (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does Forest Creatures Foundation Ltd fund?
The foundation says it seeks to advance deep, progressive, transformational, systemic change, guided by community engagement and support for those doing the work. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Forest Creatures Foundation Ltd?
The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests for funding and 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 Forest Creatures Foundation Ltd's EIN?
Forest Creatures Foundation Ltd's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 65-1295226. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2025.
Does Forest Creatures Foundation Ltd accept unsolicited proposals?
No, according to Grantable's research on the foundation's published guidelines. See how to apply ↑
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-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS October 20, 2025)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS October 20, 2025)
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS May 15, 2026)
- Added Form 990 for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS February 19, 2020)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS May 15, 2023)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Forest Creatures Foundation Ltd's focus areas in our free grants database
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Forest Creatures Foundation Ltd funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 11, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/forest-creatures-foundation-ltd-morg_82e62988f551446d8bf6bb50539472e8
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_651295226_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Forest Creatures Foundation Ltd funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/forest-creatures-foundation-ltd-morg_82e62988f551446d8bf6bb50539472e8},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-11. 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 Forest Creatures Foundation Ltd'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.
Forest Creatures Foundation Ltd down — hundreds of funders to go?