Mother Lode Foundation Inc
Mother Lode Foundation Inc is a private foundation based in Auburn, California. Its 2025 filing reports grants to charitable organizations and community programs, with all reported grant dollars going to recipients in California.
Mother Lode Foundation Inc at a glance
In short: Mother Lode Foundation Inc gave $89K across 23 grants in 2025 (avg $4K), mostly in California. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $89,221
- +130.5% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 23
- +109.1% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $3,879
- +10.2% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $3,000
- Total assets
- $240,925
- -9.0% vs 2024
- Primary geography
- California (100% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated October 2026.
How to apply to Mother Lode Foundation Inc
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests for funds and states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations.
- Contact
Mailing address: PO Box 6603, Auburn, CA 95604
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Mother Lode Foundation Inc funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Carnegie Hall ($14K). Together the top 10 received $57K.
Grant Size Distribution
59 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 59 grants of 59 (100%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
All grant dollars reported for 2025 went to recipients in California.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 23 itemized grants.
States
Cities
How Mother Lode Foundation Inc gives
- 26% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving grew 862% from 2022 to 2025. Method
- In 2025 it paid out 252% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2025). 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 2019 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $5K (2019) to $89K (2025). In 2025 it made 23 grants totaling $89K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Carnegie Hall Auburn, CA | Charitable | $13,633 |
| Stand up Placer Auburn, CA | Charitable | $10,000 |
| Auburn Recreation District Auburn, CA | Youth Scholarship Fund | $5,000 |
| City of Auburn Auburn, CA | Charitable | $5,000 |
| The Salvation Army Auburn Corps Auburn, CA | Charitable | $5,000 |
| Christmas Charity Program Auburn, CA | Food and Toys at Christmas for Needy | $4,588 |
| Gold Rush Chevrolet Auburn, CA | Charitable | $4,000 |
| Auburn Gold Country Rotary Club Auburn, CA | Charitable | $3,900 |
| Acres of Hope Auburn, CA | Support Homeless Women and Children | $3,000 |
| Confluence High School Auburn, CA | Charitable | $3,000 |
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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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $240,925 | $79,143 | $100,421 | $89,221 | 23 | $90,141 | $68,863 | $35,703 |
| 2024 | $264,752 | $3,412 | $48,357 | $38,704 | 11 | $39,240 | $2,706 | $33,509 |
| 2023 | $307,148 | $2,762 | $21,414 | $13,556 | 4 | $13,981 | $4,293 | — |
| 2022 | $327,410 | $2,158 | $16,960 | $9,275 | 5 | $9,700 | $4,852 | — |
| 2021 | $342,655 | $14,431 | $33,312 | $25,703 | 16 | $26,123 | $7,242 | — |
| 2020 | $361,536 | $108 | $14,754 | $8,200 | 2 | — | $5,523 | — |
| 2019 | $376,182 | $304 | $13,647 | $5,000 | 1 | — | $4,869 | — |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Mother Lode Foundation Inc reported a distributable amount of $36K for 2025 — 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 mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2025 grants included support for youth scholarships, food and toys for families in need at Christmas, homeless women and children, homelessness services, and search and rescue efforts.
Among its grantees, Stand Up Placer says its mission is to save lives by empowering survivors and educating communities about domestic violence, sexual assault, and sex trafficking. The Gathering Inn says it works to meet people where they are and support their journey to sustainable housing. Seniors First says it provides long-term support and services to help Placer County older adults maintain their independence and thrive.
Grantmaking
In 2025, the foundation made 23 grants totaling $89,221. Grants ranged from $2,000 to $13,633, with a median grant of $3,000.
Notable 2025 grants included $13,633 to Carnegie Hall, $10,000 to Stand Up Placer, $5,000 to Auburn Recreation District for a youth scholarship fund, $5,000 to the City of Auburn, and $5,000 to The Salvation Army Auburn Corps. Other grants included $4,588 to Christmas Charity Program for food and toys at Christmas for needy people, $3,000 to Acres of Hope to support homeless women and children, $3,000 to Placer County Search and Rescue to support its efforts, and $3,000 to The Gathering Inn for financial support for homeless people. Seniors First received $2,500.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Nicholas Willick as president, Fred Vitas as vice president, Don Ferretti as secretary, and Bridget Powers as treasurer.
Mother Lode Foundation Inc is led by Nicholas Willick, President since 2021 (on filings since 2019); none of the 4 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Nicholas Willick
President
Vice President → President, 2021
On filings since 2019
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Don Ferretti
Secretary
Director → Secretary, 2021
On filings since 2019
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Bridget Powers
Treasurer
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Fred Vitas
Vice President
On filings since 2021
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (2)
- Former: Dan Conners (2019–2020) — Director
- Former: Barbara Besana (2019) — Treasurer
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2019–2025. "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 Mother Lode Foundation Inc
How much does Mother Lode Foundation Inc give each year?
Mother Lode Foundation Inc gave $89K across 23 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $39K across 11 grants.
What is Mother Lode Foundation Inc's typical grant size?
Mother Lode Foundation Inc's median grant in 2025 was $3,000, and its average grant was $3,879, across 23 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
Where does Mother Lode Foundation Inc give grants?
Mother Lode Foundation Inc gives mostly in California: 100% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Auburn, CA (21 grants).
Does Mother Lode Foundation Inc give general operating support?
Not in 2025: none of the 23 grants with a stated purpose on Mother Lode Foundation Inc's 2025 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Charitable" (16 grants).
Who are Mother Lode Foundation Inc's largest grantees?
Mother Lode Foundation Inc's largest 2025 grantees include Carnegie Hall ($13,633), Stand up Placer ($10,000) and Auburn Recreation District ($5,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 32% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Mother Lode Foundation Inc?
Mother Lode Foundation Inc reported $241K in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $90K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $36K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does Mother Lode Foundation Inc fund?
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2025 grants included support for youth scholarships, food and toys for families in need at Christmas, homeless women and children, homelessness services, and search and rescue efforts. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Mother Lode Foundation Inc?
The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests for funds and states that it 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 Mother Lode Foundation Inc's EIN?
Mother Lode Foundation Inc's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 94-1480593. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2025.
Does Mother Lode Foundation Inc 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
(3)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS May 22, 2020)
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS July 30, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Mother Lode Foundation Inc funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 17, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/mother-lode-foundation-inc-morg_363810fef382455899d7a6e0c8353770
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_941480593_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Mother Lode Foundation Inc funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/mother-lode-foundation-inc-morg_363810fef382455899d7a6e0c8353770},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-17. 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 Mother Lode Foundation Inc'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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