Kern Community Foundation
Kern Community Foundation is a 501(c)(3) community foundation headquartered in Bakersfield, California. The organization serves as a charitable resource for local donors and corporations, connecting philanthropists with community needs and generating capital for philanthropic solutions throughout Kern County. The foundation operates as a home for local philanthropists, maintaining more than 175 named funds that enable donors to organize and direct their charitable giving.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$46.0M
+5.9% YoY
Annual Giving
$5.1M
+1325.9% YoY
Grant Count
34
+183.3% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$151K
+403.2% YoY
Mission & Focus Areas
Mission: Growing community and growing philanthropy.
The foundation's core purpose is to serve as a charitable resource for local donors and corporations, generate capital that provides philanthropic solutions, and help make Kern County a better place to live, work, and visit.
Primary Focus Areas:
- College access
- Nonprofit strengthening
- Community giving and voluntarism
Grantmaking
Kern Community Foundation awards competitive grants at different times throughout the year. In 2022, the foundation awarded approximately $2,152,328 in grants.
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
Kern County, California
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
Assets: $43,441,433 (as of 2023)
Annual Revenue: $5,081,433 (2023)
Total Expenses: $4,300,421 (2023)
Staffing: 123 employees (as of 2023)
Tax Status: Tax-exempt since October 2001 EIN: 77-0555874
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $46,020,980 | $43,441,433 | $38,202,880 |
| Revenue | $8,462,271 | $5,081,433 | $11,306,758 |
| Expenses | $8,783,895 | $4,300,421 | $4,338,649 |
| Qualifying Distributions | — | — | — |
| Net Investment Income | $2,065,446 | $1,352,622 | $1,088,873 |
| 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
196 grants across all recorded years
Open Grants
9 open opportunities from Kern Community Foundation
Borel Fire Relief Fund Grant
KERN COMMUNITY FOUNDATION
Amount
More than US $20,000
Deadline
Rolling / Open
K-12 Catholic Education Scholarship
KERN COMMUNITY FOUNDATION
Amount
Varies
Deadline
Rolling / Open
Kern Community Foundation Farmworkers Grant
KERN COMMUNITY FOUNDATION
Amount
Up to US $50,000
Deadline
Rolling / Open
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include Aera Energy Fund ($2,918,446), Youth for Christ Kern County Fund ($243,000), Linked Fund ($229,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| BAKERSFIELD COLLEGE BAKERSFIELD, CA | CHARITABLE | $40,585 |
| CALIFORNIA POLYTECHNIC STATE UNIVERSITY SAN LUIS OBISPO SAN LUIS OBISPO, CA | CHARITABLE | $41,375 |
| CALIFORNIA STATE UNIVERSITY BAKERSFIELD BAKERSFIELD, CA | CHARITABLE | $219,066 |
| CALIFORNIA STATE UNIVERSITY FRESNO FRESNO, CA | CHARITABLE | $16,432 |
| CALIFORNIA STATE UNIVERSITY LONG BEACH LONG BEACH, CA | CHARITABLE | $10,000 |
| SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY COLLEGE BAKERSFIELD, CA | CHARITABLE | $20,203 |
| UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA BERKELEY BERKELEY, CA | CHARITABLE | $41,000 |
| UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA DAVIS DAVIS, CA | CHARITABLE | $13,600 |
| UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA IRVINE IRVINE, CA | CHARITABLE | $7,000 |
| UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA LOS ANGELES LOS ANGELES, CA | CHARITABLE | $22,500 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
- Fatima T: Interim Chief Executive Officer (joined January 2026)
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| CARLOS SANCHEZ | CHAIR | 1 | — |
| GLENDA GARCIA | VICE CHAIR | 1 | — |
| VINCENT ODDO | TREASURER | 1 | — |
| TANYA ALSHEIKH | SECRETARY | 1 | — |
| JOE GREGORY | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| JOHN C HERSHEY III | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| JUSTIN LELAND | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| LYDIA CHANEY | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| LAURA WOLFE | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| AARON FALK | PRESIDENT/CEO | 40 | $167,346 |
| SARA PALMER | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| FRANK WOOLRIDGE | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
Recent News & Activity
Recent developments and announcements
Women's and Girls' Fund announced 2026-27 grant cycle with Letters of Intent due November 14
Women\u2019s and Girls\u2019 Fund Announces 2026-27 Grant Cycle \u2013 Calls\Kern Community Foundation awarded a $7,000 grant to KRV Bridge Connection for post-Borel Fire recovery efforts
Kern Community Foundation Awards $7,000 Grant to KRV Bridge Connection forFarmworkers grant program active and accepting applications
Kern Community Foundation Farmworkers GrantSubject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Kern Community Foundation fund?
**Mission:** Growing community and growing philanthropy. The foundation's core purpose is to serve as a charitable resource for local donors and corporations, generate capital that provides philanthropic solutions, and help make Kern County a better place to live, work, and visit. **Primary Focus Areas:** • College access • Nonprofit strengthening • Community giving and voluntarism
How do I apply for a grant from Kern Community Foundation?
Kern Community Foundation awards competitive grants at different times throughout the year. In 2022, the foundation awarded approximately $2,152,328 in grants. **Recent Grant Activity (2023):** • California State University Bakersfield Foundation: $164,400 • University of California Santa Barbara: $42,500 **Grant Programs:** • Field-of-interest grants (including The Women's and Girls' Fund) • Discretionary grants • Farmworkers grants • Competitive grant opportunities for nonprofit organizations…
Where does Kern Community Foundation make grants?
Kern County, California
What size grants does Kern Community Foundation award?
In 2024, Kern Community Foundation awarded 34 grants totaling $5.1M — an average of about $151K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
What is Kern Community Foundation's EIN?
Kern Community Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 77-0555874. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Kern Community Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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Data last updated June 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
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