Garfield Family Foundation

Foundation · Grantmaker San Diego, CA EIN: 95-6111572

The Garfield Family Foundation is a private foundation based in San Diego, California, established in 1965. The foundation operates as a nonprofit public benefit corporation and maintains an active status with the California Secretary of State.

Key facts about Garfield Family Foundation

EIN: 95-6111572
Latest 990 filing: Form 990-PF, 2025

Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated September 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).

Is Garfield Family Foundation open to new grantees?

32%

first-time grantees, 2024

In 2024, 9 of 28 grantees (32%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $4K; repeat grants $6K. How we count

Medians: $2K first-time, $1K repeat.

54% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
Giving fell 36% from 2021 to 2024. Method

Estimate from itemized IRS Form 990-PF grant lists (2021–2024). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.

Next steps with Garfield Family Foundation

How to evaluate Garfield Family Foundation as a funder
Our grant prospecting guide: read the 990-PF, check fit, and decide whether to apply.
Draft an LOI to Garfield Family Foundation with AI
AI grant writing that drafts from your organization’s own materials, in your voice.
Track this opportunity in a free grant tracker
A free Google Sheets or Excel template for deadlines, award terms, and reports due.

Financial Overview

From 2025 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing

Total Assets

—

Revenue

—

Net Investment Income

—

Expenses

—

Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated April 2026.

Mission & Focus Areas

The foundation does not have a publicly stated mission statement. However, based on recent grantmaking activity, the foundation supports initiatives in:

Arts and culture
Education
Religion
Human services
Housing and supportive services

Grantmaking

The foundation made 24 grants totaling approximately $187,000 in 2024. Recent notable grants include:

Grant Range

approximately $33,000

Average Grant

approximately $33,000

Your AI grants department

Ready to take the next step with Garfield Family Foundation?

Assess fit for your org Draft an LOI Find open RFPs

Fully replaces Grant database subscriptions Instrumentl · Foundation Directory · GrantStation & similar

Geographic Focus

Where this funder awards grants

The foundation primarily funds projects in:

California
Massachusetts
New York
Pennsylvania

Grant Distribution by State

California $609K (89%)

New York $75K (11%)

Pennsylvania $3K (0%)

Massachusetts $250 (0%)

States

California Massachusetts New York Pennsylvania

Cities

San DiegoLos AngelesLa JollaNew YorkEncinitasBeverly HillsBrooklynStanfordGlendaleWarringtonFallbrookEl CajonNorthridgeRancho Santa FeRancho Santa FeeRedwood CitySan MateoSaratiga SpringsStoneham

Financial History

Multi-year comparison from IRS filings

Assets & Revenue (as of March 2024)

Total assets: $2,181,784
Total revenue: $81,118
Total expenses: $256,158
Expense ratio: 296.7% of total revenue

Funding Sources

The foundation received a $10,000 grant from the Alice and Phil Cohn Family Foundation in 2024 to further its work.

Revenue

Expenses

Qualifying Distributions

Net Investment Income

Metric	2025	2024	2023
Total Assets	—	—	—
Revenue	—	—	—
Expenses	—	—	—
Qualifying Distributions	—	—	—
Net Investment Income	—	—	—
Distributable Amount	—	—	—

Data update history

When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable

September 24, 2026 IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2021–2025

Giving Over Time

Total grant dollars and number of grants per year

Grant Insights

How this funder distributes its grants

Top Recipients

Top 0 recipients in 2025

Grant Size Distribution

105 grants across all recorded years

Giving History

Grant recipients and amounts by year

No grants recorded for 2025.

Leadership & Key People

Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings

The foundation is led by:

Melissa Garfield Bartell – President/Chief Executive Officer
Michael Bartell – Vice President/Chief Financial Officer
Elizabeth Garfield – Secretary

All board members serve without compensation.

Compensation Overview

No officer or director reported compensation in the available filings.

From 2025 IRS filing

Name	Title	Hours	Compensation
Melissa Garfield Bartell	President	1	—
Michael Bartell	Vice President	1	—
Elizabeth Garfield	Secretary	1	—

Contact Information

Principal Address

4238 Balboa Ave San Diego, CA 92117

Frequently Asked Questions

What does Garfield Family Foundation fund?

The foundation does not have a publicly stated mission statement. However, based on recent grantmaking activity, the foundation supports initiatives in: • Arts and culture • Education • Religion • Human services • Housing and supportive services

How do I apply for a grant from Garfield Family Foundation?

**Grant Activity (2024)** The foundation made 24 grants totaling approximately $187,000 in 2024. Recent notable grants include: • A Community of Friends (ACOF): $40,000 for charitable purposes • Lawrence Family Jewish Community Centers of San Diego County: $28,000 for charitable purposes • Scripps Health: $10,000 for charitable purposes **Grant Characteristics** • Typical award range: $200–$40,000 • Average grant size: approximately $33,000 • Median grant size: varies by funding cycle The found…