Humboldt Area Foundation
The Humboldt Area Foundation is a community foundation based in Bayside, California, established in 1972. It operates as a 501(c)(3) public charity and serves as the community foundation for the Redwood, Trinity, and Wild Rivers Region. The foundation encourages generosity, leadership, and inclusion to strengthen communities across Northern California and Southern Oregon.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$184.2M
+15.1% YoY
Annual Giving
$7.3M
+2.8% YoY
Grant Count
195
+2.6% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$37K
+0.1% YoY
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation's mission is to "promote and encourage generosity, leadership and inclusion to strengthen our communities."
Primary funding areas include:
- Community building
- Youth services
- Health and wellness
- Art and culture
- Education
- Native cultures
- Nonprofit capacity building
- Disaster response and resilience
- Climate action and environmental sustainability
The foundation maintains a commitment to supporting communities disproportionately impacted by systemic poverty and inequity, and to supporting communities and families threatened by natural disasters.
Grantmaking
The foundation operates donor-advised funds through which donors can direct the distribution or investment of funds.
Grant Range
s:** Grants typically range from approximately $200 to $25,000, with typical awards between $5,010 and $851,445.
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation serves Humboldt, Del Norte, Trinity, and Curry counties, representing 18 indigenous peoples and federally and non-federally recognized nations. The service area encompasses the Pacific Redwoods Region, including Northern California and Southern Oregon, and reaches over 200,000 local residents through its affiliates.
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
As of June 2023:
- Total Assets: $160,124,907
- Total Revenue: $14,944,063
- Total Expenses: $15,546,638
- Total Liabilities: $38,400,000
Historical Growth: The foundation was founded with a $2.4 million donation from Vera Perrott Vietor in 1972. Since its establishment, the original donation has grown to over $78 million in assets and has resulted in nearly $60 million in grants and scholarships distributed to local charitable organizations and students.
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $184,241,118 | $160,124,907 | $149,379,870 |
| Revenue | $22,845,756 | $14,944,063 | $19,202,493 |
| Expenses | $16,797,083 | $15,546,638 | $14,091,296 |
| Qualifying Distributions | — | — | — |
| Net Investment Income | $3,297,261 | $3,684,490 | $4,843,030 |
| Distributable Amount | — | — | — |
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
Grant Size Distribution
250 grants across all recorded years
Open Grants
31 open opportunities from Humboldt Area Foundation
Aawok Georgiana Trull Memorial Scholarship
HUMBOLDT AREA FOUNDATION
Amount
Varies
Deadline
Rolling / Open
Adrian Joseph Romo Memorial Scholarship
HUMBOLDT AREA FOUNDATION
Amount
Varies
Deadline
Rolling / Open
Arcata Foundation Fund Grant
HUMBOLDT AREA FOUNDATION
Amount
US $500 - US $2,000
Deadline
Rolling / Open
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
No grants recorded for .
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The foundation employs 51 staff members as of 2023. Board members include Aristea Saulsbury.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| BRYNA LIPPER | CEO | 40 | $276,809 |
| GINA ZOTTOLA | VP ADVANCEMENT & PHILAN. INNOVATION | 40 | $131,101 |
| SARAH MILLSAP | VP OF FINANCE AND ADMINISTRATION | 40 | $131,036 |
| SARA DRONKERS | COO | 40 | $133,901 |
| HALEY CLARK | DIRECTOR OF HR AND PEOPLE DEV. | 40 | $105,351 |
| LINDSIE BEAR | VP OF SPECIAL PROJECTS | 40 | $101,101 |
| KEYTRA MEYER | DIR OF ADVANCEMENT & PHILAN. INNOV. | 40 | $110,101 |
| KATERINA OSKARSSON | EXECUTIVE IN RESIDENCE, CORE HUB | 40 | $110,044 |
| JAMES KLOOR | DIRECTOR OF FINANCE AND ADMIN. | 40 | $106,101 |
| CRAIG WOODS | DEPARTMENT DIR. OF PRGMS./COMMS. SOL. | 40 | $103,601 |
| CHARLEEN JORDAN | CHAIR | 4 | — |
| DAVID FINIGAN | VICE CHAIR | 2.5 | — |
| RAQUEL ORTEGA | SECRETARY | 2.5 | — |
| MARY KEEHN | DIRECTOR | 2.5 | — |
| DENNIS RAEL | DIRECTOR | 2.5 | — |
| MARYLYN PAIK NICELY | DIRECTOR | 2.5 | — |
| DINA MOORE | DIRECTOR | 2.5 | — |
| CHRISTINA HUFF | DIRECTOR | 2.5 | — |
| JUDGE ABBY ABINANTI | DIRECTOR | 2.5 | — |
| ALAN NIDIFFER | DIRECTOR | 2.5 | — |
| KEITH FLAMER | DIRECTOR | 2.5 | — |
| ALEX OZAKI-MCNEILL | DIRECTOR | 2.5 | — |
| ELIAS PENCE | DIRECTOR | 2.5 | — |
Recent News & Activity
Recent developments and announcements
Klamath River Fund announced $1.2 million in grants to support Klamath Basin restoration and resilience
Humboldt - Klamath River Fund Announces $1.2 Million in Grants to ...$1.1 million in annual grants supported regional nonprofits
Humboldt - Klamath River Fund Announces $1.2 Million in Grants to ...$916,000 in scholarships awarded to support students' educational dreams
$916K in Scholarships Support Student\u2019s Dreams \u2013 Humboldt Area\The foundation continues to respond to urgent and emergency needs through rapid response funds
Subject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Data last updated April 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
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