Holding Hands for the Earth Foundation
Holding Hands for the Earth Foundation is a private foundation based in Montara, California. Its 2025 filing reports grants to charitable organizations including humanitarian, health, environmental, and arts organizations.
Holding Hands for the Earth Foundation at a glance
In short: Holding Hands for the Earth Foundation gave $47K across 20 grants in 2025 (avg $2K), top state New York. 10% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $47,300
- +110.2% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 20
- +66.7% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $2,365
- +26.1% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $2,000
- Total assets
- $802,804
- +24.8% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 10% first-time grantees (2 of 20, 2025; small sample)
- Primary geography
- New York (40% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to Holding Hands for the Earth Foundation
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds.
- Contact
Mailing address: PO Box 370395, Montara, CA 94037
Phone: (415) 902-0991
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Holding Hands for the Earth Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was USA For UNHCR ($9K). Together the top 10 received $39K.
Grant Size Distribution
77 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 77 grants of 77 (100%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2025, 40% of grant dollars went to recipients in New York, 33% to recipients in California, and 26% to recipients in Washington, DC.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 20 itemized grants.
Cities
Is Holding Hands for the Earth Foundation open to new grantees?
10%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 2 of 20 grantees (10%) were first-time recipients. With only 20 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 5 points. First grants averaged $1K; repeat grants $2K. How we count
Medians: $1K first-time, $2K repeat.
- 45% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving grew 57% from 2022 to 2025. Method
- In 2025 it paid out 154% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2019–2025). 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 2019 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $11K (2019) to $50K (2021). In 2025 it made 20 grants totaling $47K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| USA For UNHCR Washington, DC | Contribution to General Fund | $8,500 |
| Doctors Without Borders New York, NY | Contribution to General Fund | $7,000 |
| Planned Parenthood New York, NY | Contribution to general fund | $5,000 |
| Amnesty International San Francisco, CA | Contribution to General Fund | $4,000 |
| Amfar New York, NY | Contribution to general fund | $4,000 |
| Coastside Land Trust Half Moon Bay, CA | Contribution to general fund | $2,000 |
| Environmental Defense Fund Washington, DC | Contribution to general fund | $2,000 |
| Middle East Childrens' Alliance Berkeley, CA | Contribution to General Fund | $2,000 |
| Sanchez Art Center Pacifica, CA | Contribution to General Fund | $2,000 |
| Center for Reproductive Rights New York, NY | Contribution to the General Fund | $2,000 |
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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 | $802,804 | $207,696 | $48,350 | $47,300 | 20 | $48,350 | $7,696 | $31,472 |
| 2024 | $643,458 | $100,000 | $23,640 | $22,500 | 12 | $23,640 | — | $28,459 |
| 2023 | $567,098 | $100,000 | $40,525 | $39,500 | 14 | $40,525 | — | $25,858 |
| 2022 | $507,623 | — | $31,165 | $30,100 | 16 | $31,165 | — | $26,159 |
| 2021 | $538,788 | — | $50,630 | $49,500 | 15 | $50,630 | — | $28,897 |
| 2020 | $589,418 | $172,000 | $42,515 | $41,400 | 22 | — | — | $24,780 |
| 2019 | $459,933 | $100,000 | $12,115 | $11,000 | 11 | — | — | $19,016 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Holding Hands for the Earth Foundation reported a distributable amount of $31K 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 mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2025 grants show support for organizations with varied missions. For example, Coastside Land Trust says it works to preserve and protect open space and other resources on the San Mateo County coastside. World Central Kitchen says it provides meals in response to humanitarian, climate, and community crises. Sanchez Art Center describes its mission as “Creating Community through Art,” while Project Open Hand says it provides nutritious meals and community education to improve health outcomes and quality of life.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2025, the foundation made 20 grants totaling $47,300. Grant amounts ranged from $300 to $8,500, with a median of $2,000.
Among the listed grants were $8,500 to USA For UNHCR, $7,000 to Doctors Without Borders, $5,000 to Planned Parenthood, and $4,000 each to Amnesty International and Amfar. The foundation also gave $2,000 each to Coastside Land Trust, Environmental Defense Fund, Middle East Children's Alliance, Sanchez Art Center, Center for Reproductive Rights, and World Central Kitchen, and $1,000 to Project Open Hand.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Jan Michaels as President & CEO.
Holding Hands for the Earth Foundation is led by Jan Michaels, President & CEO on every filing since 2019 — the only officer listed, and uncompensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Jan Michaels
President & CEO
On filings since 2019
No compensation reported
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.
Frequently asked questions about Holding Hands for the Earth Foundation
How much does Holding Hands for the Earth Foundation give each year?
Holding Hands for the Earth Foundation gave $47K across 20 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $23K across 12 grants.
What is Holding Hands for the Earth Foundation's typical grant size?
Holding Hands for the Earth Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $2,000, and its average grant was $2,365, across 20 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Holding Hands for the Earth Foundation that year got $1K on average.
Where does Holding Hands for the Earth Foundation give grants?
Holding Hands for the Earth Foundation's top state is New York, with 40% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. The next largest states were California (33%) and District of Columbia (26%). The most frequent recipient cities were San Francisco, CA (6 grants), New York, NY (5 grants), Washington, DC (3 grants) and Berkeley, CA (2 grants).
Does Holding Hands for the Earth Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 85% of Holding Hands for the Earth Foundation's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (17 of 20) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are Holding Hands for the Earth Foundation's largest grantees?
Holding Hands for the Earth Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include USA For UNHCR ($8,500), Doctors Without Borders ($7,000) and Planned Parenthood ($5,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 43% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Holding Hands for the Earth Foundation?
Holding Hands for the Earth Foundation reported $803K in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $48K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $31K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does Holding Hands for the Earth Foundation fund?
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2025 grants show support for organizations with varied missions. For example, Coastside Land Trust says it works to preserve and protect open space and other resources on the San Mateo County coastside. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Holding Hands for the Earth Foundation?
The foundation states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Holding Hands for the Earth Foundation's EIN?
Holding Hands for the Earth Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 27-3769465. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2025.
Does Holding Hands for the Earth Foundation accept unsolicited proposals?
No, according to Grantable's research on the foundation's published guidelines. See how to apply ↑
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(8)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS April 23, 2020)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS June 11, 2021)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS June 3, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS May 25, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS May 15, 2024)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS May 16, 2025)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS April 8, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2019–2025
Live grants for the work Holding Hands for the Earth Foundation funds
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Figures come from Holding Hands for the Earth 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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