Julia Child Foundation for Gastronomy
The Julia Child Foundation for Gastronomy is a private foundation based in Santa Barbara, California. Its 2024 filing reports 19 grants totaling $259,250, supporting organizations and projects related to food education, culinary scholarship, food history, agriculture, and hospitality.
Julia Child Foundation for Gastronomy at a glance
In short: Julia Child Foundation for Gastronomy gave $259K across 19 grants in 2024 (avg $14K), top state California. 21% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $259,250
- -11.8% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 19
- -5.0% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $13,645
- -7.2% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $12,500
- Total assets
- $8,281,560
- +5.0% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 21% first-time grantees (4 of 19, 2024; small sample)
- Primary geography
- California (30% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to Julia Child Foundation for Gastronomy
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests for funds and makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations.
- Contact
Mailing address: 1187 Coast Village Road Suite 556, Santa Barbara, CA 93108
Phone: (805) 308-1591
Website: https://juliachildfoundation.org/
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Julia Child Foundation for Gastronomy funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was The Edible Schoolyard Project ($50K). Together the top 10 received $191K.
Grant Size Distribution
91 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 84 grants of 91 (92%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation is based in California. In 2024, the largest shares of grant dollars went to recipients in California (30%) and New York (28%), followed by the District of Columbia (10%), Massachusetts (6%), and Kentucky (6%).
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 19 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is Julia Child Foundation for Gastronomy open to new grantees?
21%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 4 of 19 grantees (21%) were first-time recipients. With only 19 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 5 points. First grants averaged $20K; repeat grants $12K. How we count
Medians: $13K first-time, $13K repeat.
- 74% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2021 to 2024 (+7%). Method
- In 2024 it paid out 106% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2020–2024). 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 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $241K (2021) to $294K (2023). In 2024 it made 19 grants totaling $259K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| The Edible Schoolyard Project Berkeley, CA | For general operating budget & support the Rhinebeck Central School District for nascent garden project. | $50,000 |
| Smithsonian Institution Washington, DC | to support NMAH's Food History Project | $25,000 |
| Boston University Boston, MA | To support the Julia Child Student Writing Awards | $15,000 |
| Culinary Institute of America Hyde Park, NY | in support of the Julia Child Foundation Scholarship | $15,000 |
| Heritage Radio Network Inc New York, NY | To support the Research and Radio Fellowship and for the launch of an HRN-fellow driven show, "From the HRN Pantry" as tools for community connectivity and education | $15,000 |
| Les Dames D'Escoffier International Louisville, KY | to support the 2024 LDEI Legacy Awards Program TO provide targeted mentorship opportunities for women working in the food, beverage and hospitality industries | $15,000 |
| Oxford American Literary Project Inc Little Rock, AR | Unrestricted | $15,000 |
| The Land Institute Salina, KS | in support of the Feast for the Future- The Promise of Perennials event to build awareness for perennial, diverse agriculture | $15,000 |
| University of Southern California Los Angeles, CA | Unrestricted | $13,750 |
| Culinary Historians of New York New York, NY | to support the IACP Julia Child First Book Award | $12,500 |
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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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $8,281,560 | $1,126,477 | $783,123 | $259,250 | 19 | $523,025 | $901,326 | $493,062 |
| 2023 | $7,888,206 | $1,668,275 | $677,450 | $293,950 | 20 | $505,730 | $1,496,195 | $456,945 |
| 2022 | $6,897,381 | $742,081 | $683,463 | $249,500 | 21 | $495,792 | $737,829 | $417,175 |
| 2021 | $6,838,763 | $1,089,827 | $597,704 | $241,250 | 15 | $425,162 | $907,085 | $418,449 |
| 2020 | $6,346,640 | $307,312 | $550,142 | $248,250 | 16 | — | $233,126 | $364,661 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Julia Child Foundation for Gastronomy reported a distributable amount of $493K for 2024 — 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 available sources do not state the foundation’s mission. Its 2024 grants show support for a range of food-related work. For example, The Edible Schoolyard Project describes its mission as building and sharing a national food curriculum, while The Land Institute says it seeks to develop agriculture that protects soil and supports enduring community life. The Culinary Institute of America describes its work as education, practice, and scholarship across food and related enterprises; Les Dames d’Escoffier International describes its mission as education, advocacy, and philanthropy in food, beverage, and hospitality.
The foundation’s 2024 grant purposes also included support for the Smithsonian’s Food History Project, a student writing award, a culinary scholarship, a research and radio fellowship, mentorship for women in hospitality-related industries, and an event promoting perennial agriculture. The foundation’s website describes the IACP Julia Child First Book Award as including an accompanying $5,000 grant to its recipient.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2024, the foundation gave $259,250 through 19 grants. Grant amounts ranged from $3,000 to $50,000, with a median of $12,500.
The largest reported grant was $50,000 to The Edible Schoolyard Project for its general operating budget and to support a nascent garden project in the Rhinebeck Central School District. Other notable grants included $25,000 to the Smithsonian Institution for its Food History Project; $15,000 each to Boston University for the Julia Child Student Writing Awards, the Culinary Institute of America for the Julia Child Foundation Scholarship, Heritage Radio Network for its Research and Radio Fellowship and a new fellowship-driven show, Les Dames d’Escoffier International for its 2024 Legacy Awards Program, and The Land Institute for its Feast for the Future event.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Eric W. Spivey as chairman, Todd Schulkin as executive director, and Philadelphia Cousins and Alex Prud’homme as trustees.
Julia Child Foundation for Gastronomy is led by Todd Schulkin, Executive Director on every filing since 2020; 1 of 4 officers listed in 2024 is compensated.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Todd Schulkin
Executive Director
On filings since 2020
20 hrs/week
$78K (2020) → $120K (2024)
Eric W. Spivey
Chairman
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Alex Prud'homme
Trustee
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Philadelphia Cousins
Trustee
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2024. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2024 filing was $120K, to Todd Schulkin (Executive Director).
Frequently asked questions about Julia Child Foundation for Gastronomy
How much does Julia Child Foundation for Gastronomy give each year?
Julia Child Foundation for Gastronomy gave $259K across 19 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $294K across 20 grants.
What is Julia Child Foundation for Gastronomy's typical grant size?
Julia Child Foundation for Gastronomy's median grant in 2024 was $12,500, and its average grant was $13,645, across 19 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Julia Child Foundation for Gastronomy that year got $20K on average.
Where does Julia Child Foundation for Gastronomy give grants?
Julia Child Foundation for Gastronomy's top state is California, with 30% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. The next largest states were New York (28%) and District of Columbia (10%). The most frequent recipient cities were New York, NY (5 grants).
Does Julia Child Foundation for Gastronomy give general operating support?
Yes: 32% of Julia Child Foundation for Gastronomy's 2024 grants with a stated purpose (6 of 19) were for general or operating support, per its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are Julia Child Foundation for Gastronomy's largest grantees?
Julia Child Foundation for Gastronomy's largest 2024 grantees include The Edible Schoolyard Project ($50,000), Smithsonian Institution ($25,000) and Boston University ($15,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 35% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is Julia Child Foundation for Gastronomy?
Julia Child Foundation for Gastronomy reported $8.3M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $523K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $493K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does Julia Child Foundation for Gastronomy fund?
The available sources do not state the foundation’s mission. Its 2024 grants show support for a range of food-related work. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Julia Child Foundation for Gastronomy?
The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests for funds and makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Julia Child Foundation for Gastronomy's EIN?
Julia Child Foundation for Gastronomy's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 04-3294783. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Does Julia Child Foundation for Gastronomy 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
(1)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Live grants for the work Julia Child Foundation for Gastronomy funds
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Julia Child Foundation for Gastronomy funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 16, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/julia-child-foundation-for-gastronomy-morg_4f6f9c23dff342baa623189a0ac71f04
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_043294783_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Julia Child Foundation for Gastronomy funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/julia-child-foundation-for-gastronomy-morg_4f6f9c23dff342baa623189a0ac71f04},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-16. 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 Julia Child Foundation for Gastronomy'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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