Lafetra Foundation
Lafetra Foundation is a private foundation based in Berkeley, California. In 2024, it reported 33 grants totaling $2,778,142. Its grantees included organizations working in areas such as species and habitat conservation, climate and clean energy, documentary film, writing, and fire services.
Lafetra Foundation at a glance
In short: Lafetra Foundation gave $2.8M across 33 grants in 2024 (avg $84K), mostly in California. 9% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $2,778,142
- +6.0% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 33
- -2.9% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $84,186
- +9.2% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $50,000
- Total assets
- $63,955,435
- +1.3% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 9% first-time grantees (3 of 33, 2024)
- Primary geography
- California (51% 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 Lafetra 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: 1600 Euclid Avenue, Berkeley, CA 94709
Phone: (626) 633-6541
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Lafetra Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Lafd Foundation ($713K). Together the top 10 received $1.9M.
Grant Size Distribution
165 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 80 grants of 165 (48%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2024, California-based recipients received 51% of grant dollars, followed by recipients in Arizona (11%), New York (10%), Washington, DC (8%), and Montana (7%).
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 33 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is Lafetra Foundation open to new grantees?
9%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 3 of 33 grantees (9%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $33K; repeat grants $89K. How we count
Medians: $25K first-time, $50K repeat.
- 91% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving grew 82% from 2021 to 2024. Method
- In 2024 it paid out 83% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Foundations have until the end of the next year to meet it. 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 $1.4M (2020) to $2.8M (2024). In 2024 it made 33 grants totaling $2.8M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Lafd Foundation Los Angeles, CA | General Support | $713,142 |
| Center for Biological Diversity Tuscon, AZ | General Support | $300,000 |
| Polar Bears International Bozeman, MT | General Support | $200,000 |
| Doc Society Brooklyn, NY | General Support | $125,000 |
| Chicken and Egg Pictures Inc San Francisco, CA | General Support | $100,000 |
| Climate and Clean Energy Equity Fund Washington, DC | General Support | $100,000 |
| Community of Writers Nevada City, CA | General Support | $100,000 |
| For the Fishes Kihel, HI | General Support | $100,000 |
| Grist Seattle, WA | General Support | $100,000 |
| Roosevelt Institute New York, NY | General Support | $100,000 |
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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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $63,955,435 | $3,953,525 | $3,125,239 | $2,778,142 | 33 | $2,919,292 | $3,727,222 | $3,537,518 |
| 2023 | $63,127,149 | $6,881,386 | $2,873,317 | $2,622,000 | 34 | $2,726,090 | $1,456,849 | $2,881,853 |
| 2022 | $59,225,984 | $7,428,185 | $2,536,504 | $2,152,000 | 38 | $2,241,950 | $2,995,856 | $2,711,779 |
| 2021 | $54,334,303 | $32,897,258 | $1,918,168 | $1,522,400 | 27 | $1,534,336 | $16,736,229 | $2,177,524 |
| 2020 | $23,355,213 | $1,319,729 | $1,561,945 | $1,427,100 | 33 | — | $1,185,044 | $1,546,784 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Lafetra Foundation reported a distributable amount of $3.5M 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
No formal mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2024 grants show support for a range of organizations. For example, the Center for Biological Diversity says it works to protect species and the lands, waters, and climate they need to survive; Polar Bears International describes its work as conserving polar bears and the sea ice they depend on. Vote Solar says it advocates for a clean-energy transition centered on people’s interests, health, and well-being.
Other grantees describe work in documentary film, writing, and environmental projects. Doc Society says it supports independent documentary filmmakers and partners, with commitments to anti-racism, economic equity, and climate justice. The Community of Writers says it helps writers with diverse cultural perspectives pursue their goals. Windward Fund describes providing fiscal sponsorship and administrative support to environmental projects.
Grantmaking
In 2024, the foundation made 33 grants totaling $2,778,142. Grant amounts ranged from $4,500 to $713,142, with a median of $50,000. In 2023, it reported 34 grants totaling $2,622,000. Its 2024 filing, the latest on this page, reports 33 grants totaling $2.8 million.
Among the largest 2024 grants were $713,142 to LAFD FOUNDATION for general support; $300,000 to the Center for Biological Diversity for general support; $200,000 to Polar Bears International for general support; and $125,000 to Doc Society for general support. Other grants of $100,000 included awards to Chicken and Egg Pictures, Climate and Clean Energy Equity Fund, Community of Writers, For the Fishes, Grist, Roosevelt Institute, and Vote Solar. Windward Fund received $100,000 for the Hive Fund Project.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Suzanne Lafetra as president and chairman of the board, and Michael W Lafetra as treasurer and secretary.
Lafetra Foundation is led by Suzanne Lafetra, President & Chairman of the Board on the 2024 filing; none of the 2 officers listed in 2024 report compensation.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Suzanne Lafetra
President & Chairman of the Board
New on the 2024 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Michael W. Lafetra
Treasurer & Secretary
New on the 2024 filing
No compensation reported
Former officers (3)
- Former: Michael W. La Fetra (2020–2023) — Secretary & Treasurer
- Former: Suzanne La Fetra Collier (2020–2023) — President
- Former: Anthony La Fetra (2020) — CFO
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.
Frequently asked questions about Lafetra Foundation
How much does Lafetra Foundation give each year?
Lafetra Foundation gave $2.8M across 33 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $2.6M across 34 grants.
What is Lafetra Foundation's typical grant size?
Lafetra Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $50,000, and its average grant was $84,186, across 33 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Lafetra Foundation that year got $33K on average.
Where does Lafetra Foundation give grants?
Lafetra Foundation gives mostly in California: 51% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest states were Arizona (11%) and New York (10%). The most frequent recipient cities were Oakland, CA (5 grants), San Francisco, CA (4 grants), Los Angeles, CA (3 grants) and Washington, DC (3 grants).
Does Lafetra Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 91% of Lafetra Foundation's 2024 grants with a stated purpose (30 of 33) were for general or operating support, per its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are Lafetra Foundation's largest grantees?
Lafetra Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include Lafd Foundation ($713,142), Center for Biological Diversity ($300,000) and Polar Bears International ($200,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 44% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is Lafetra Foundation?
Lafetra Foundation reported $64.0M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $2.9M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $3.5M (roughly 5% of its investment assets). Falling short in one year is not a violation: foundations have until the end of the next year to meet the minimum.
What does Lafetra Foundation fund?
No formal mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2024 grants show support for a range of organizations. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Lafetra 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 Lafetra Foundation's EIN?
Lafetra Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 95-4380652. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Does Lafetra 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
(1)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Lafetra Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 15, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/lafetra-foundation-morg_27bee0d2e35f461f8934bbd62a33a7f9
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_954380652_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Lafetra Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/lafetra-foundation-morg_27bee0d2e35f461f8934bbd62a33a7f9},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-15. 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 Lafetra 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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