Michael and Catherine Podell Fund
The Michael and Catherine Podell Fund is a family foundation established in 2005 and based in Hillsborough, California. It operates as a private foundation with a public benefit classification.
Key facts about Michael and Catherine Podell Fund
- EIN
- 20-3483888
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024
- Annual giving (2024)
- $520,000
- Grants made (2024)
- 20
- Average grant
- $26,000
- Median grant
- $15,500
- New grantees (estimate)
- 45% first-time grantees (9 of 20, 2024)
- Total assets
- $14,750,235
- Primary geography
- California (78% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated September 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
Who Michael and Catherine Podell Fund funds
By grant dollars, the top recipient states for Michael and Catherine Podell Fund's 20 itemized 2024 grants were California (78%) and South Carolina (12%). The most frequent recipient cities were San Francisco, CA (6 grants), Oakland, CA (3 grants) and New York, NY (2 grants). 100% of grants with a stated purpose were for general or operating support.
Is Michael and Catherine Podell Fund open to new grantees?
45%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 9 of 20 grantees (45%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $28K; repeat grants $24K. How we count
Medians: $20K first-time, $11K repeat.
- 45% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving grew 36% from 2021 to 2024. Method
- In 2024 it paid out 80% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Foundations have until the end of the next year to meet it. Method
Estimate from itemized IRS Form 990-PF grant lists (2020–2024). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.
Next steps with Michael and Catherine Podell Fund
- How to evaluate Michael and Catherine Podell Fund as a funder
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Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$14.8M
+25.8% YoY
Annual Giving
$520K
-34.6% YoY
Grant Count
20
-9.1% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$26K
-28.1% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Michael and Catherine Podell Fund reported a distributable amount of $660K for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation's grantmaking focuses on:
- Education
- Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking
- Human Services
Grantmaking
Ready to take the next step with Michael and Catherine Podell Fund?
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation primarily funds organizations in California, New York, and Vermont.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of all 20 itemized 2024 grant dollars.
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
- Total Assets: $14,750,235
- Total Annual Giving: $520,000 (2024)
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $14,750,235 | $11,726,703 | $11,789,982 |
| Revenue | $1,924,711 | $1,854,112 | $918,613 |
| Expenses | $587,803 | $857,964 | $640,713 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $529,300 | $804,900 | $590,910 |
| Net Investment Income | $626,220 | $149,084 | $294,066 |
| Distributable Amount | $660,356 | $549,672 | $513,655 |
Data update history
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
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
91 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest recipients include Meals on Wheels of SF ($100,000), Epacenter ($75,000), Ukranian Action ($62,500).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| MEALS ON WHEELS OF SF San Francisco, CA | GENERAL SUPPORT | $100,000 |
| EPACENTER East Palo Alto, CA | GENERAL SUPPORT | $75,000 |
| UKRANIAN ACTION Daniel Island, SC | GENERAL SUPPORT | $62,500 |
| UCSF FOUNDATION San Francisco, CA | GENERAL SUPPORT | $57,500 |
| GIFFORDS LAW CENTER San Francisco, CA | GENERAL SUPPORT | $50,000 |
| SAGE COMPASSION FOR ANIMALS Mountain View, CA | GENERAL SUPPORT | $25,000 |
| SF SYMPHONY San Francisco, CA | GENERAL SUPPORT | $25,000 |
| WORLD CENTRAL KITCHEN Washington, DC | GENERAL SUPPORT | $25,000 |
| THE ACHIEVE FOUNDATION San Francisco, CA | GENERAL SUPPORT | $23,000 |
| FOSTER LOVE Brea, CA | GENERAL SUPPORT | $20,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
- Michael H. Podell - CEO
- Catherine Hewett Podell - Registered Agent
Compensation Overview
No officer or director reported compensation in the available filings.
From 2024 IRS filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Michael H Podell | President | 1 | — |
| Catherine H Podell | Secretary | 1 | — |
Contact Information
Address: 2200 Ralston Avenue, Hillsborough, CA 94010-6462
Telephone: 650-579-7900
EIN: 20-3483888
Subject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Michael and Catherine Podell Fund fund?
The foundation's grantmaking focuses on: • Education • Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking • Human Services
How do I apply for a grant from Michael and Catherine Podell Fund?
**Grant Amounts:** Typical awards range from $1,000 to $320,000. **Recent Grant Activity:** The foundation awarded $520,000 in total giving according to its most recent IRS Form 990 filing (2024). **Recent Recipients:** • The Achieve Foundation (San Francisco, CA) - $32,000 to contribute to Alexander Robinson's scholarship (2023) • Sage Compassion for Animals (Mountain View, CA) - $25,000 to provide education and financial support for acute medical care for companion animals in crisis (2023)
Where does Michael and Catherine Podell Fund make grants?
The foundation primarily funds organizations in California, New York, and Vermont.
What size grants does Michael and Catherine Podell Fund award?
In 2024, Michael and Catherine Podell Fund awarded 20 grants totaling $520K — an average of about $26K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is Michael and Catherine Podell Fund required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, Michael and Catherine Podell Fund reported a distributable amount of $660K on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is Michael and Catherine Podell Fund's EIN?
Michael and Catherine Podell Fund's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 20-3483888. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
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Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.