Furthur Foundation
Furthur Foundation is based in Berkeley, California, and is listed as a private foundation filing Form 990-PF. Its website says it has supported progressive groups working on environmental and social change issues in the Bay Area and around the world for more than 30 years. It describes its approach as backing small, close-to-their-work organizations that use funds carefully.
Furthur Foundation at a glance
In short: Furthur Foundation gave $122K across 26 grants in 2026 (avg $5K), mostly in California. 52% of 2026 grantees were new. Source: 2026 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2026)
- $122,000
- -17.3% vs 2025
- Grants made (2026)
- 26
- +13.0% vs 2025
- Average grant
- $4,692
- -26.8% vs 2025
- Median grant
- $4,500
- Total assets
- $2,135,241
- +6.9% vs 2025
- New grantees (estimate)
- 52% first-time grantees (13 of 25, 2026)
- Primary geography
- California (85% of itemized 2026 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2026 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2026; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to Furthur Foundation
- How to Apply
-
If it responds positively, it requests further details; proposals accepted for consideration are included in the docket for its annual board meeting. The 2025 filing says to submit a written application explaining how funds would be used and lists 501(c)(3) status as a restriction. The website says it does not fund individuals, organizations without 501(c)(3) status, or organizations with budgets over $1 million.
- Review Cycle
- The website says there is no deadline. The 2025 filing lists January 31.
- Deadline
- The website says there is no deadline.
- Contact
Application contact: Furthur Foundation
Mailing address: 1405 Mcgee Avenue, Berkeley, CA 94703
Phone: (510) 524-4000
Email: andre@furthur.org
Website: https://furthur.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Open Grants
1 open opportunity from Furthur Foundation
Who Furthur Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2026
The largest 2026 recipient was Earth Team ($9K). Together the top 10 received $63K.
Organizations only. It also paid 1 individual scholarship ($5,000), which are not listed by name.
Grant Size Distribution
110 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 110 grants of 110 (100%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation’s website identifies the Bay Area as a particular focus while also describing its work as supporting groups in the Bay Area and around the world. In 2026, 85% of grant dollars went to recipients in California, 8% to Oregon, 3% to New York, and 3% to Hawaii.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2026 grant dollars across all 26 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is Furthur Foundation open to new grantees?
52%
first-time grantees, 2026
In 2026, 13 of 25 grantees (52%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $4K; repeat grants $5K. How we count
Medians: $4K first-time, $5K repeat.
- 20% of 2026 grantees were also funded in 2025. Method
- Giving grew 69% from 2023 to 2026. Method
- In 2026 it paid out 97% 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.
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2020 to 2026, annual grant giving ranged from $70K (2020) to $148K (2025). In 2026 it made 26 grants totaling $122K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Earth Team Richmond, CA | Promote leadership stewardship service | $9,000 |
| Concert Career PathwaysBerkeley Mus Oakland, CA | Provide opportunities in live music industry for underserved communites. | $8,000 |
| Sweetwater Arts Fund Mill Valley, CA | Promote music appreciation and education programs for youth and adults. | $8,000 |
| Oakland Rising Oakland, CA | Support Youth employment | $6,000 |
| Lafcadio Fund co Rainbow Action Net San Francisco, CA | Rainforest protection. | $6,000 |
| NorCal Resist Sacramento, CA | Suport community organizing. | $6,000 |
| 1 individual scholarship Recipients not named | — | $5,000 |
| Sunsar Maya San Francisco, CA | help vulnerable women and children in Nepal build pathways out of poverty through holistic, community-based programs that promote education, mental health, and physical wellbeing. | $5,000 |
| Cinnamon Girl Oakland, CA | Cinnamongirl changes lives one girl at a time. The more people give or volunteer, the more lives we can touch. | $5,000 |
| Color Outside the Lines Portland, OR | Color Outside the Lines is a nonprofit based in Portland, Oregon that empowers and inspires foster children and at-risk youth by providing opportunities for self-expression and creativity. We believe in the power of art to transform lives andto promote mental and emotional health. We provide creative workshops and art therapy in a joyful, healing, and developmentally engaging environment. | $5,000 |
Ready to take the next step with Furthur 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | $2,135,241 | $257,607 | $147,821 | $122,000 | 26 | $122,000 | $186,695 | $125,433 |
| 2025 | $1,998,020 | $236,371 | $172,123 | $147,500 | 23 | $151,826 | $185,615 | $116,891 |
| 2024 | $1,899,538 | $150,164 | $105,731 | $85,000 | 20 | $85,000 | $50,645 | — |
| 2023 | $1,729,252 | $478,718 | $85,697 | $72,000 | 14 | $72,000 | $274,786 | — |
| 2022 | $1,344,853 | $506,233 | $106,785 | $84,000 | 27 | $84,000 | $18,082 | — |
| 2021 | $914,669 | $97,441 | $123,966 | $110,250 | 33 | — | $95,241 | — |
| 2020 | $922,515 | $102,180 | $77,035 | $70,000 | 30 | — | $56,473 | — |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Furthur Foundation reported a distributable amount of $125K for 2026 — 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’s website does not state a single formal mission statement. It describes support for ecosystem preservation, including work involving forests, wildlife, gardens, toxic waste, and greening schools; for organizations providing food, helping people find jobs, and developing skills; and for groups seeking to improve society. It also identifies the Bay Area as a place of particular interest.
Examples of grantees’ own stated work include NorCal Resist, which says it organizes communities and builds shared resources against oppression; Color Outside the Lines, which describes arts enrichment, mentorship, and nature experiences for foster and at-risk youth; and Faith in Action East Bay, which says it develops leaders through congregations and schools to bring about systemic change. Other 2026 grantees include Sunsar Maya, whose stated work supports women and children in Nepal through education, mental health, and medical support, and ARTogether, which says it provides art programs for refugees and immigrants.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2026, the foundation reported 26 grants totaling $122,000. Grants ranged from $2,000 to $9,000, with a median of $4,500. The foundation says nearly all of its grants are between $1,000 and $5,000. Notable 2026 awards included $9,000 to Earth Team, $8,000 to Concert Career Pathways/Berkeley Music Group, $8,000 to Sweetwater Arts Fund, and $6,000 each to Oakland Rising, Lafcadio Fund co Rainbow Action Network, and NorCal Resist.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2026 filing lists Robert Weir and Chris Desser as directors, and Andre Carothers as executive director. The foundation’s website lists Chloe Weir, Monet Weir, Natascha Weir, Andre Carothers, Chris Desser, Trevor Soule, and Gabriel Soule as its board of directors. It says the foundation is managed and directed by Carothers in Berkeley.
Furthur Foundation is led by Andre Carothers, Executive Director on every filing since 2020; none of the 3 officers listed in 2026 report compensation.
Officers on the 2026 filing
Andre Carothers
Executive Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Chris Desser
Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Robert Weir
Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (3)
- Former: Gregory Miller (2020–2024) — Director
- Former: Carolyn Garcia (2020–2021) — Director
- Former: Raymond Palmarini (2020–2021) — Director
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.
Frequently asked questions about Furthur Foundation
How much does Furthur Foundation give each year?
Furthur Foundation gave $122K across 26 grants in 2026, according to its 2026 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2025 it gave $148K across 23 grants.
What is Furthur Foundation's typical grant size?
Furthur Foundation's median grant in 2026 was $4,500, and its average grant was $4,692, across 26 grants on its 2026 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Furthur Foundation that year got $4K on average.
Where does Furthur Foundation give grants?
Furthur Foundation gives mostly in California: 85% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2026 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest state was Oregon (8%). The most frequent recipient cities were Oakland, CA (9 grants) and San Francisco, CA (5 grants).
Does Furthur Foundation give general operating support?
Not in 2026: none of the 26 grants with a stated purpose on Furthur Foundation's 2026 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Arts promotion" (3 grants) and "Community organizing" (3 grants).
Who are Furthur Foundation's largest grantees?
Furthur Foundation's largest 2026 grantees include Earth Team ($9,000), Concert Career PathwaysBerkeley Mus ($8,000) and Sweetwater Arts Fund ($8,000), according to its 2026 IRS Form 990-PF. It also paid 1 individual scholarship ($5,000), which are not listed by name. Together they received 20% of its itemized 2026 grant dollars.
How large is Furthur Foundation?
Furthur Foundation reported $2.1M in total assets on its 2026 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $122K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $125K (roughly 5% of its investment assets). Falling short in one year is not a violation: foundations have until the end of the next year to meet the minimum.
What does Furthur Foundation fund?
The foundation’s website does not state a single formal mission statement. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Furthur Foundation?
If it responds positively, it requests further details; proposals accepted for consideration are included in the docket for its annual board meeting. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Furthur Foundation's EIN?
Furthur Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 68-0177715. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2026.
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(2)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2026 (received by the IRS July 16, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2025
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Furthur Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Furthur Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/furthur-foundation-morg_05df29feb45649909b1fd4b32a4f2d3a
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_680177715_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Furthur Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/furthur-foundation-morg_05df29feb45649909b1fd4b32a4f2d3a},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-12. 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 Furthur 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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