The Organization's purpose is to support and expand the educational, cultural, and outreach programs of the Berkeley Public Library. The Friends work with library staff to build collections and stimulate community interest in the library.
Key facts about Friends of the Berkeley Public Library
In short: Friends of the Berkeley Public Library gave $224K across 1 grant in 2025 (avg $224K), mostly in California. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990.
- EIN
- 51-0193030
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990, 2025
- Annual giving (2025)
- $223,999
- Grants made (2025)
- 1
- Average grant
- $223,999
- Median grant
- $223,999
- Total assets
- $189,753
- Primary geography
- California (100% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
Data from IRS Form 990, 2025; updated September 2026.
Financial Overview
From 2025 IRS Form 990 · View filing
Total Assets
$190K
-25.4% YoY
Annual Giving
$224K
+2.2% YoY
Grant Count
1
+0.0% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$224K
+2.2% YoY
About Friends of the Berkeley Public Library
Based on IRS filings
Friends of the Berkeley Public Library is a nonprofit organization focused on Education, based in Berkeley, CA. IRS filing data is available from 2021 through 2025. As of 2025, the organization holds $190K in total assets. In 2025, it awarded 1 grant totaling $224K. Net investment income was $3K.
Focus Areas
Ready to take the next step with Friends of the Berkeley Public Library?
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
Grant Distribution by State
Share of all 1 itemized 2025 grant dollars.
States
Cities
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
Hatched bars: grants paid as reported on the IRS filing, which lists no individual grants for that year.
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 1 recipients in 2025
Grant Size Distribution
2 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| BERKELEY PUBLIC LIBRARY Berkeley, CA | General Operations | $223,999 |
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Metric | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $189,753 | $254,489 | $285,285 |
| Revenue | $255,747 | $270,628 | $266,023 |
| Expenses | $320,483 | $301,424 | $291,282 |
| Qualifying Distributions | — | — | — |
| Net Investment Income | $2,903 | $77 | $140 |
| Distributable Amount | — | — | — |
Data update history
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990-EZ for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS November 3, 2021)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS November 8, 2022)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS February 19, 2024)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS March 10, 2025)
- Added Form 990 for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS May 13, 2026)
Leadership & Key People
Officers and directors from IRS filings
Friends of the Berkeley Public Library is led by Cathy Brown, President since 2022 (on filings since 2021); none of the 15 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Cathy Brown
President
Director → President, 2022
On filings since 2021
4 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Barbara McPhail
Director
Treasurer → Director, 2025
On filings since 2021
4 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Carole Schloz
Director
On filings since 2021
4 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Lucia Blankeslee
Director
On filings since 2021
4 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Sandy Bails
Director
President → Director, 2023
On filings since 2021
4 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Ed Cullen
Director
On filings since 2022
4 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Kristi Kenney
Director
On filings since 2022
4 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Sayre Van Young
Director
On filings since 2023
4 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Diane Davenport
Director
On filings since 2024
4 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Ruth Grimes
Director
On filings since 2024
4 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Vivian Pisano
Director
On filings since 2024
4 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Marion Abbott
Director
New on the 2025 filing
4 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Judith Justice
Scholarship Cha
On filings since 2023
4 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Jim Novosel
Vice President
New on the 2025 filing
4 hrs/week
No compensation reported
William Hausle
Treasurer
New on the 2025 filing
4 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (13)
- Former: Marilyn Pew (2021–2024) — Director
- Former: Rob Walker (2021–2024) — Director
- Former: Terry Gillen (2021–2024) — Vice President
- Former: Mara Melandry (2023–2024) — Memership Chair
- Former: Scott Barshay (2024) — Director
- Former: Gene Seltzer (2021–2023) — Director
- Former: Harry Robertson (2021–2023) — Director
- Former: Jeri Ewart (2021–2023) — Director
- Former: Margi Stromberg (2021–2023) — Director
- Former: Roz Hardy (2023) — Director
- Former: Bob Martin (2021–2022) — Director
- Former: Rosemary Hardy (2021–2022) — Director
- Former: Claudia Berger (2021) — Director
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2021–2025. "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 Friends of the Berkeley Public Library
How much does Friends of the Berkeley Public Library give each year?
Friends of the Berkeley Public Library gave $224K across 1 grant in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. In 2024 it gave $219K across 1 grant.
How large is Friends of the Berkeley Public Library?
Friends of the Berkeley Public Library reported $190K in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Its revenue that year was $256K.
What is Friends of the Berkeley Public Library?
Friends of the Berkeley Public Library is a nonprofit organization focused on Education, based in Berkeley, CA. It holds $190K in total assets as of 2025.
Where does Friends of the Berkeley Public Library operate?
Friends of the Berkeley Public Library has awarded grants in California.
What is Friends of the Berkeley Public Library's EIN?
Friends of the Berkeley Public Library's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 51-0193030. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2021–2025.
Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990 filings.
Here's the math on researching Friends of the Berkeley Public Library by hand.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Friends of the Berkeley Public Library's focus areas in our free grants database
Similar Funders
Funders that support many of the same organizations
Silicon Valley Community Foundation
Mountain View, CA
Silicon Valley Community Foundation funds work in areas such as housing, economic security, education, health, the environment, arts and culture, and civic engagement, with Community Action Grants supporting local, community-led organizations in San Mateo and Santa Clara counties. Its 2024 grants had a median of $51,716, though amounts varied widely; applications depend on the program, and SVCF states that it does not accept unsolicited proposals for advised funds.
Assets
$12.3B
Grants
3,576
Total Given
$3.2B
California Community Foundation
Los Angeles, CA
The California Community Foundation funds work in education, health, housing, immigration, and other community needs, primarily in Los Angeles County. Its 2025 grants had a median of $50,000, though amounts varied widely; it does not accept unsolicited funding requests.
Assets
$2.3B
Grants
2,174
Total Given
$326.6M
Tides Foundation
San Francisco, CA
Tides Foundation funds community-led organizations advancing equity and justice, including work on health, climate, gender equity, democracy, and immigrant communities. Its 2024 grants had a median of $50,000, though amounts varied widely, and it funds eligible organizations in the U.S. and abroad, with the most grant dollars going to California, New York, and Washington, D.C. Some programs are open or invitation-only; the Advancing Girls Fund is listed as open, but the profile does not state a general policy on unsolicited grant requests.
Assets
$534.5M
Grants
2,110
Total Given
$382.1M
The William & Flora Hewlett Foundation
Menlo Park, CA
The William & Flora Hewlett Foundation funds education, climate and conservation, the arts, gender equity, governance, democracy, and philanthropy, with work in the San Francisco Bay Area, the U.S. West, nationally, and internationally. Its 2024 grants had a median of $150,000, though awards ranged from $50 to more than $11 million; it often provides long-term general operating support. It generally does not accept unsolicited requests, except through invited open processes.
Assets
$14.2B
Grants
2,001
Total Given
$625.0M
Marin Community Foundation
Novato, CA
Marin Community Foundation funds equity-focused work, including affordable housing, homelessness, community resilience and power, and arts; its Buck Family Fund supports organizations serving Marin County, including those based elsewhere. Its 2025 grants had a median of $25,000 and ranged from $5,050 to $10 million; the profile does not state whether it accepts unsolicited requests.
Assets
$1.3B
Grants
1,573
Total Given
$186.1M
Sempra Foundation
San Diego, CA
The Sempra Foundation funds climate action and resilience, inclusion, economic empowerment and workforce development, community engagement, and disaster preparedness in communities where Sempra employees live and work, including California, Texas, Washington, D.C., and Mexico. In 2024, grants ranged from $4 to $100,000, with a median of $260. It awards grants by invitation only and does not accept unsolicited requests.
Assets
$11.5M
Grants
1,501
Total Given
$1.8M
Conrad N Hilton Foundation
Westlake Village, CA
The Conrad N. Hilton Foundation funds nonprofits working to improve lives and alleviate poverty, with initiatives including early childhood development, homelessness, refugees, safe water, and support for foster and opportunity youth. Its work is global, and its 2024 grants had a median award of $76,000. It generally does not accept unsolicited requests, except through its Good Neighbor Program for eligible local nonprofits and Title 1 schools.
Assets
$7.4B
Grants
1,339
Total Given
$287.7M
Chamberlin Education Foundation
Richmond, CA
Chamberlin Education Foundation funds education equity and academic excellence in West Contra Costa public schools, including educator support, culturally responsive instruction, school leadership, and youth development. Its 2024 grants ranged from $300 to $383,919, with a $300 median; it serves West Contra Costa, including Richmond and nearby communities. It funds only preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests.
Assets
$80.6M
Grants
1,302
Total Given
$3.0M
The San Diego Foundation
San Diego, CA
The San Diego Foundation supports nonprofits advancing racial and social justice, equity of opportunity, and resilient communities, with grants for projects, capacity building, or general support. Its 2025 itemized grants had a median of $25,000, with awards ranging from $5,100 to nearly $5 million; it generally funds organizations serving San Diego County residents, though some grants reach beyond the county. Applications are made through posted funding opportunities, and the profile does not state whether unsolicited requests are accepted.
Assets
$1.7B
Grants
1,158
Total Given
$94.3M
The California Endowment
Los Angeles, CA
The California Endowment funds health and racial equity, including health care access, community health, organizing, and policy change, primarily in California. Its 2024 grants had a median of $100,000, though amounts varied widely; it does not accept unsolicited requests and funds preselected organizations only.
Assets
$4.5B
Grants
1,125
Total Given
$215.9M
Kaiser Foundation Hospitals
Oakland, CA
Kaiser Foundation Hospitals supports community health, health-care access, and efforts addressing health inequities, including mental and behavioral health, housing, and employment. Its 2024 grants had a median of $25,000, with most grant dollars going to California; Southern California grants focus on its 14 service areas. For Southern California regional grants, unsolicited letters of inquiry and proposals are not accepted; other application routes described include invited inquiries and open event sponsorship applications.
Assets
$87.4B
Grants
1,122
Total Given
$225.4M
Jewish Community Foundation of Los Angeles
Los Angeles, CA
The Jewish Community Foundation of Los Angeles supports human services, health, education, Jewish life, arts and culture, and nonprofit capacity and facilities, with grants in Los Angeles, Israel, and beyond. Its 2024 itemized grants had a median of $25,000, though amounts varied widely. General Community grants are invitation-only and do not accept unsolicited requests; all 2025 grantmaking is by invitation only.
Assets
$1.2B
Grants
1,063
Total Given
$142.2M
More Funders in California
Friends of the Berkeley Public Library down — hundreds of funders to go?