Humane America Animal Foundation
Humane America Animal Foundation is a public charity based in Claremont, California. Its mission is to create, implement, and promote innovative and effective programs with significant, measurable benefits for animals and people. Its work includes food system innovation, fiscal sponsorships, and grants to animal welfare organizations.
Humane America Animal Foundation at a glance
In short: Humane America Animal Foundation gave $8.0M across 56 grants in 2023 (avg $142K), top state District of Columbia. Source: 2023 IRS Form 990.
- Annual giving (2023)
- $7,967,547
- +186.2% vs 2022
- Grants made (2023)
- 56
- +100.0% vs 2022
- Average grant
- $142,278
- +43.1% vs 2022
- Median grant
- $62,500
- Total assets
- $39,817,992
- +12.0% vs 2022
- Primary geography
- District of Columbia (33% of itemized 2023 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990, 2023 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990, 2023; updated September 2026.
How to apply to Humane America Animal Foundation
- How to Apply
-
Applications are no longer being accepted for the Animal Welfare Fund. The Food System Research Fund is described as currently open, but no application process or materials are specified.
- Contact
Mailing address: 310 N Indian Hill Blvd 800, Claremont, CA 91711
Phone: (415) 755-6824
Website: https://humaneamerica.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Open Grants
2 open opportunities from Humane America Animal Foundation
Who Humane America Animal Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2023
The largest 2023 recipient was Food Solution Action ($1.5M). Together the top 10 received $5.3M.
Grant Size Distribution
111 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 61 grants of 111 (55%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The Animal Welfare Fund is described as serving organizations in the United States and internationally. In 2023, the largest shares of grant dollars by recipient state were reported for DC (33%), California (16%), Colorado (12%), Maryland (10%), and Pennsylvania (7%).
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2023 grant dollars across all 56 itemized grants.
States
Cities
How Humane America Animal Foundation gives
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990 filings (2023). 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 2023, annual grant giving ranged from $340K (2021) to $8.0M (2023). In 2023 it made 56 grants totaling $8.0M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Food Solution Action Washington, DC | General Support | $1,505,000 |
| The Humane League (US) Rockville, MD | Restricted $500k open wing alliance grants, $100k animal policy alliance grants | $755,000 |
| The Good Food Institute Washington, DC | General Support | $560,000 |
| Karuna Foundation Niwot, CO | Restricted to Sponsored Organization Vegan Friendly Israel | $515,000 |
| The Pollination Project Foundation Brevard, NC | General Support | $390,000 |
| Lead for Farmed Animals Denver, CO | Model c granting sponsorship by haaf, transfer of funds of donations received on their behalf for lead conference | $372,308 |
| New Roots Institute Portland, OR | General Support | $370,000 |
| Lever Foundation Growth Fund Lancaster, PA | General Support | $350,000 |
| Animal Charity Evaluators Walnut, CA | To support vox's coverage of farm animal welfare and related topics | $265,000 |
| The Humane Society of the United States Washington, DC | Restricted to Hsus's Farm Animal Protection Division | $205,000 |
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Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
The foundation reported 15 grants in 2021, 28 in 2022, and 56 in 2023.
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Net Investment Income |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | $39,817,992 | $10,152,234 | $12,483,396 | $7,967,547 | 56 | $23,694 |
| 2022 | $35,558,320 | $4,746,937 | $5,591,717 | $2,783,865 | 28 | $6,499 |
| 2021 | $36,086,936 | $34,232,672 | $4,973,120 | $339,754 | 15 | $27,877,009 |
| 2020 | $7,549,633 | $7,386,928 | $5,344,155 | $614,201 | 12 | $10,020 |
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation’s stated vision is “a world that is more humane.” Its stated mission is to promote and implement innovative and effective programs that have significant and measurable benefits for animals and people.
Food System Innovations is identified in the foundation’s 2023 filing as its primary program. It supports efforts to reduce or eliminate animals in the human food system and provides fiscal sponsorships, including comprehensive and pre-approved granting models. The foundation’s Food System Research Fund is described as supporting academic research on farm animal welfare and food system transformation, including research on alternative proteins and “Balanced Proteins.”
The Animal Welfare Fund provides grants to nonprofit shelters, rescues, and sanctuary organizations for work such as humane treatment, animal rescue and rehabilitation, finding homes, and providing safe havens. The foundation says applications to this fund are no longer being accepted.
Grantees’ stated missions show the range of organizations supported. For example, Animal Charity Evaluators says it identifies effective ways to help animals through charity evaluations and grants; Material Innovation Institute says it works to accelerate the availability of animal-free and environmentally preferred materials; and Greener by Default says it helps institutions use behavioral science to encourage sustainable plant-based food choices while preserving freedom of choice.
Grantmaking
In 2023, the foundation reported 56 grants totaling $7,967,547. Grant amounts ranged from $5,500 to $1,505,000, with a median of $62,500.
Among the largest reported grants were $1,505,000 to Food Solution Action for general support; $755,000 to The Humane League (US), including restricted support for Open Wing Alliance and Animal Policy Alliance grants; and $560,000 to The Good Food Institute for general support. Other significant awards included $515,000 to Karuna Foundation, restricted to its sponsored organization Vegan Friendly Israel; $390,000 to The Pollination Project Foundation for general support; and $372,308 to Lead for Farmed Animals for fiscal-sponsorship-related purposes and transfer of donations received on its behalf for the Lead conference. The foundation also awarded $370,000 to New Roots Institute, $350,000 to Lever Foundation Growth Fund, and $265,000 to Animal Charity Evaluators.
The foundation describes the Animal Welfare Fund as distributing collected funds to nonprofit animal welfare organizations based on need and impact. Its website says applications for that fund are no longer being accepted because it received more applications than it can fund. The Food System Research Fund is described as supporting academic research, but the available program description does not provide application instructions or eligibility details.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The foundation’s 2023 filing lists Melissa Will as chair, Cris Levy as treasurer, Kristrun Hjartar as secretary, David Meyer as CEO, and Tracy Spencer as director of finance and HR.
Humane America Animal Foundation is led by David Meyer, CEO since 2021 (on filings since 2020); 2 of 5 officers listed in 2023 are compensated.
Officers on the 2023 filing
David Meyer
CEO
President & CEO → CEO, 2021
On filings since 2020
40 hrs/week
$201K (2020) → $272K (2023)
Melissa Will
Chair
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Tracy Spencer
Director of Finance
On filings since 2022
40 hrs/week
$110K (2022) → $130K (2023)
Cris Levy
Treasurer
Secretary → Treasurer, 2023
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Kristrun Krissa Hjartar
Secretary
Vice President & Treasurer → Secretary, 2021
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (10)
- Former: Cristopher Levy (2021–2022) — Treasurer
- Former: Abbie J. Moore (2020–2021) — COO
- Former: Shannon Cronin (2020–2021) — Chief Technology Officer
- Former: Dana Puglisi (2021) — CMO
- Former: Aaron Klein (2020) — Director of Product
- Former: Jennifer Zhao (2020) — Lead Ux & Design
- Former: Joseph Lepera (2020) — Vice President
- Former: Molly Wooton (2020) — Business Development Director
- Former: Robia Charles (2020) — Senior Data Scientist
- Former: Zoe E. Fisher (2020) — Scrum Master
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2023. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Compensation Overview
From 2023 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2023 filing was $272K, to David Meyer (CEO). 2 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Frequently asked questions about Humane America Animal Foundation
How much does Humane America Animal Foundation give each year?
Humane America Animal Foundation gave $8.0M across 56 grants in 2023, according to its 2023 IRS Form 990. In 2022 it gave $2.8M across 28 grants.
What is Humane America Animal Foundation's typical grant size?
Humane America Animal Foundation's median grant in 2023 was $62,500, and its average grant was $142,278, across 56 grants on its 2023 IRS Form 990.
Where does Humane America Animal Foundation give grants?
Humane America Animal Foundation's top state is District of Columbia, with 33% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2023 IRS Form 990. The next largest states were California (16%) and Colorado (12%). The most frequent recipient cities were Washington, DC (7 grants), San Francisco, CA (5 grants), Los Angeles, CA (4 grants) and New York, NY (4 grants).
Does Humane America Animal Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 59% of Humane America Animal Foundation's 2023 grants with a stated purpose (33 of 56) were for general or operating support, per its 2023 IRS Form 990. Recurring purposes include "Lobbying" (3 grants).
Who are Humane America Animal Foundation's largest grantees?
Humane America Animal Foundation's largest 2023 grantees include Food Solution Action ($1,505,000), The Humane League (US) ($755,000) and The Good Food Institute ($560,000), according to its 2023 IRS Form 990. Together they received 35% of its itemized 2023 grant dollars.
How large is Humane America Animal Foundation?
Humane America Animal Foundation reported $39.8M in total assets on its 2023 IRS Form 990. Its revenue that year was $10.2M.
What does Humane America Animal Foundation fund?
The foundation’s stated vision is “a world that is more humane.” Its stated mission is to promote and implement innovative and effective programs that have significant and measurable benefits for animals and people. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Humane America Animal Foundation?
Applications are no longer being accepted for the Animal Welfare Fund. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Humane America Animal Foundation's EIN?
Humane America Animal Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 95-4761276. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2023.
Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990 filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(5)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS October 5, 2021)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS November 3, 2022)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS November 14, 2023)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS November 15, 2024)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2023
Live grants for the work Humane America Animal Foundation funds
Environment & Animals Open opportunities, soonest deadline first.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Humane America Animal Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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Humane America Animal Foundation down — hundreds of funders to go?