Fred R Martin Foundation
The Fred R Martin Foundation is a private foundation based in El Dorado Hills, California. Its 2024 filing reports grants to charitable organizations working in areas including investigative journalism, humanitarian relief, economic and social research, peace, arts, and environmental advocacy.
Fred R Martin Foundation at a glance
In short: Fred R Martin Foundation gave $208K across 13 grants in 2025 (avg $16K), top state California. 46% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $208,000
- -37.7% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 13
- -38.1% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $16,000
- +0.6% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $12,000
- Total assets
- $1,352,903
- -12.6% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 46% first-time grantees (6 of 13, 2025; small sample)
- Primary geography
- California (38% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated November 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to Fred R Martin Foundation
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests for funds and states that it contributes only to preselected charitable organizations.
- Contact
Mailing address: PO Box 4407, El Dorado Hills, CA 95762
Phone: (916) 812-8860
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Fred R Martin Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was The Empire Files ($50K). Together the top 10 received $194K.
Grant Size Distribution
47 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 45 grants of 47 (96%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2024, grant dollars went to recipients in California (51%), Washington, DC (16%), New York (9%), Arizona (7%), and Ohio (7%).
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 13 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is Fred R Martin Foundation open to new grantees?
46%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 6 of 13 grantees (46%) were first-time recipients. With only 13 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 8 points. First grants averaged $10K; repeat grants $21K. How we count
Medians: $8K first-time, $20K repeat.
- 54% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- In 2025 it paid out 287% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF 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 2023 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $179K (2023) to $334K (2024). In 2025 it made 13 grants totaling $208K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| The Empire Files Portland, OR | Investigative Journalism to Highlight Underreported Issues | $50,000 |
| Heal Palestine Kent, OH | Empowering palestinian children and youth through access to quality health services and education | $25,000 |
| Partnership for Civil Justice Fund Washington, DC | Defending Constitutional Rights | $20,000 |
| Physicians for Palestine Houston, TX | To strengthen medical relief efforts, equip clinics and suppport physicians and patients in palestine | $20,000 |
| Tri-Valley Cares Livermore, CA | Working to stop new nuclear warheads/bomb plants and promote nuclear disarmament | $20,000 |
| Union De Vecinos De Pico Aliso Los Angeles, CA | To Support Los Angeles Tenants Union (Latu Sila) | $15,000 |
| Center for New Music San Francisco Inc San Francisco, CA | To Build the New Music Community | $12,000 |
| The Lab SF San Francisco, CA | To Support the Important Work of Supporting Artists | $12,000 |
| Alaska Community Action on Toxics Anchorage, AK | Eliminate exposure to toxics through collaborative research, education and advocacy | $10,000 |
| University of California Davis Davis, CA | To support innovative research in the msk health fund | $10,000 |
Ready to take the next step with Fred R Martin Foundation?
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 | $1,352,903 | $145,646 | $340,770 | $208,000 | 13 | $273,660 | $104,326 | $95,254 |
| 2024 | $1,548,027 | $175,271 | $428,212 | $334,000 | 21 | $390,900 | $138,293 | $102,809 |
| 2023 | $1,775,968 | $1,999,206 | $223,238 | $179,000 | 13 | $206,452 | $1,449,709 | $34,096 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Fred R Martin Foundation reported a distributable amount of $95K 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
No foundation mission statement is provided. Its 2024 grants included support for investigative journalism, research and public education on economic and social issues, humanitarian relief for children, peace and nuclear disarmament work, arts organizations, and environmental advocacy.
Among the grantees’ own descriptions, the Palestine Children’s Relief Fund says its mission is non-political humanitarian relief focused on healthcare for children in Palestine. The Center for Economic and Policy Research says it promotes democratic debate on economic and social issues through professional research and public education. The Lab SF says it supports traditionally underrepresented artists with funding, time, and space and serves as a catalyst for artistic experimentation.
Grantmaking
In 2024, the foundation reported 21 grants totaling $334,000. Grant amounts ranged from $5,000 to $50,000, with a median grant of $12,000. Its 2025 filing, the latest on this page, reports 13 grants totaling $208,000.
Among the largest reported grants were $50,000 to Empire Files Inc. for investigative journalism; $30,000 to Liberation Alliance for research, education, and publishing on political, economic, and social models; and $25,000 each to Heal Palestine, Palestine Children’s Relief Fund, and Tri-Valley Cares. Other reported grants included $20,000 each to the Center for Economic and Policy Research and Partnership for Civil Justice Fund, and $15,000 each to Alliance for Global Justice and Veterans for Peace.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Fred R Martin as Chair of the Board/Executive Director, Abigail S Martin as Secretary, and Robert F Martin as Treasurer.
Fred R Martin Foundation is led by Fred R. Martin, Chair of Board & Executive Director on every filing since 2023; 2 of 3 officers listed in 2025 are compensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Fred R. Martin
Chair of Board & Executive Director
On filings since 2023
15 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Abigail S. Martin
Secretary
On filings since 2023
15 hrs/week
$13K (2023) → $33K (2025)
Robert F. Martin
Treasurer
Tresurer → Treasurer, 2024
On filings since 2023
15 hrs/week
$12K (2023) → $33K (2025)
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2023–2025. "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 $33K, to Robert F Martin (Treasurer). 2 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Frequently asked questions about Fred R Martin Foundation
How much does Fred R Martin Foundation give each year?
Fred R Martin Foundation gave $208K across 13 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $334K across 21 grants.
What is Fred R Martin Foundation's typical grant size?
Fred R Martin Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $12,000, and its average grant was $16,000, across 13 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Fred R Martin Foundation that year got $10K on average.
Where does Fred R Martin Foundation give grants?
Fred R Martin Foundation's top state is California, with 38% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. The next largest states were Oregon (24%) and Ohio (12%). The most frequent recipient cities were San Francisco, CA (2 grants).
Does Fred R Martin Foundation give general operating support?
Not in 2025: none of the 13 grants with a stated purpose on Fred R Martin Foundation's 2025 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support.
Who are Fred R Martin Foundation's largest grantees?
Fred R Martin Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include The Empire Files ($50,000), Heal Palestine ($25,000) and Partnership for Civil Justice Fund ($20,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 46% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Fred R Martin Foundation?
Fred R Martin Foundation reported $1.4M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $274K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $95K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does Fred R Martin Foundation fund?
No foundation mission statement is provided. Its 2024 grants included support for investigative journalism, research and public education on economic and social issues, humanitarian relief for children, peace and nuclear disarmament work, arts organizations, and environmental advocacy. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Fred R Martin Foundation?
The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests for funds and states that it contributes only to preselected charitable organizations. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Fred R Martin Foundation's EIN?
Fred R Martin Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 92-3780445. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2023–2025.
Does Fred R Martin Foundation accept unsolicited proposals?
No, according to Grantable's research on the foundation's published guidelines. See how to apply ↑
Data last updated November 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(3)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS December 2, 2025)
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS September 3, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2023–2024
Live grants for the work Fred R Martin Foundation funds
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Fred R Martin Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/fred-r-martin-foundation-morg_1310a76e3e0445179ba6b219acd0123d
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_923780445_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Fred R Martin Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/fred-r-martin-foundation-morg_1310a76e3e0445179ba6b219acd0123d},
note = {Accessed 2026-11-05. 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 Fred R Martin 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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