Natalie Orfalea Foundation
The Natalie Orfalea Foundation is a private foundation based in Santa Barbara, California. It partners with individuals and organizations doing creative and transformative work through storytelling, education, and community building, with grants focused on five areas: community building, seeking truth through storytelling, honoring the natural world, health of the whole human, and education and transformation.
Natalie Orfalea Foundation at a glance
In short: Natalie Orfalea Foundation gave $1.1M across 29 grants in 2024 (avg $39K), mostly in California. 52% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $1,117,419
- -5.7% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 29
- -9.4% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $38,532
- +4.0% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $25,000
- Total assets
- $19,151,219
- +6.6% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 52% first-time grantees (14 of 27, 2024)
- Primary geography
- California (81% 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 Natalie Orfalea Foundation
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- Invitation Only
-
The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests for funds and operates on an invitation-only cycle. Organizations may be invited to submit a letter of inquiry before a full grant application. The foundation conducts two major grant cycles each year, in spring and fall.
- Contact
Mailing address: PO Box 50736, Santa Barbara, CA 93150
Phone: (805) 331-1309
Website: https://natalieorfaleafoundation.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Natalie Orfalea Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Dignity Moves ($125K). Together the top 10 received $810K.
Grant Size Distribution
143 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 98 grants of 143 (69%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2024, 81% of grant dollars went to recipients in California, 10% to Virginia, 4% to the District of Columbia, and 4% to Washington.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 29 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is Natalie Orfalea Foundation open to new grantees?
52%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 14 of 27 grantees (52%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $29K; repeat grants $55K. How we count
Medians: $25K first-time, $40K repeat.
- 33% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2021 to 2024 (+4%). Method
- In 2024 it paid out 183% 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 $1.0M (2020) to $1.2M (2023). In 2024 it made 29 grants totaling $1.1M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Dignity Moves San Francisco, CA | General Operations | $124,798 |
| Santa Barbara Foundation Santa Barbara, CA | Donor Advised Fund | $120,000 |
| The Nature Conservancy Arlington, VA | Dangermond | $111,752 |
| Isla Vista Youth Project Goleta, CA | Leap Program | $75,000 |
| Santa Barbara County Food Action Network Santa Barbara, CA | General Operations | $66,500 |
| Ucsb Foundation Santa Barbara, CA | Bren Environmental Leadership Program | $51,775 |
| Planned Parenthood Santa Barbara, CA | General Operations | $50,362 |
| Carpinteria Childrens Project Carpinteria, CA | General Operations | $50,000 |
| Freedom 4 Youth Santa Barbara, CA | General Operations | $50,000 |
| SB Education Foundation Santa Barbara, CA | General Operations | $50,000 |
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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 | $19,151,219 | $381,400 | $1,530,360 | $1,117,419 | 29 | $1,637,418 | $297,107 | $895,624 |
| 2023 | $17,972,249 | $1,283,236 | $1,952,458 | $1,185,151 | 32 | $1,770,369 | $1,204,910 | $839,989 |
| 2022 | $17,044,134 | $846,621 | $1,917,036 | $1,056,000 | 28 | $1,166,890 | $764,657 | $893,198 |
| 2021 | $21,200,278 | $1,886,021 | $1,650,966 | $1,079,291 | 35 | $1,186,571 | $1,441,074 | $939,460 |
| 2020 | $18,952,885 | $977,557 | $1,411,397 | $1,007,246 | 19 | — | $533,324 | $848,255 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Natalie Orfalea Foundation reported a distributable amount of $896K 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 foundation states that it seeks to partner with innovative individuals and organizations doing creative and transformative work through the lenses of storytelling, education, and community building, in areas intended to serve the highest good of life on the planet. Its focus areas are Community Building; Seeking Truth Through Storytelling; Honoring the Natural World; Health of the Whole Human; and Education and Transformation.
Its 2024 grantees illustrate some of the work supported. The Santa Barbara County Food Action Network describes its mission as building connections and capacity across the local food system to support an equitable food economy and resilient foodshed. Freedom 4 Youth says it uplifts and empowers youth to build safe and compassionate communities. The Carpinteria Children’s Project says it connects families with early education, quality care, resources, and support services. Grist describes itself as a nonprofit media organization reporting on climate change, while The Nature Conservancy states that its mission is to conserve the lands and waters on which all life depends.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2024, the foundation reported 29 grants totaling $1,117,419. Grant amounts ranged from $1,000 to $124,798, with a median of $25,000. Among the largest grants were $124,798 to Dignity Moves for general operations, $120,000 to the Santa Barbara Foundation for a donor-advised fund, $111,752 to The Nature Conservancy for “Dangermond,” and $75,000 to Isla Vista Youth Project for its LEAP Program. Other notable awards included $66,500 to the Santa Barbara County Food Action Network for general operations and $51,775 to the UCSB Foundation for the Bren Environmental Leadership Program.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Natalie Fleet Orfalea as president, treasurer, and secretary; Mason J. Orfalea as director; and Keenan J. Orfalea as director. The foundation’s website identifies Marybeth Carty as executive director.
Natalie Orfalea Foundation is led by Natalie Fleet Orfalea, President, Treasurer & Secretary on every filing since 2020; none of the 3 officers listed in 2024 report compensation.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Natalie Fleet Orfalea
President, Treasurer & Secretary
On filings since 2020
10 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Keenan J. Orfalea
Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Mason J. Orfalea
Director
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.
Frequently asked questions about Natalie Orfalea Foundation
How much does Natalie Orfalea Foundation give each year?
Natalie Orfalea Foundation gave $1.1M across 29 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $1.2M across 32 grants.
What is Natalie Orfalea Foundation's typical grant size?
Natalie Orfalea Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $25,000, and its average grant was $38,532, across 29 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Natalie Orfalea Foundation that year got $29K on average.
Where does Natalie Orfalea Foundation give grants?
Natalie Orfalea Foundation gives mostly in California: 81% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest state was Virginia (10%). The most frequent recipient cities were Santa Barbara, CA (12 grants), San Francisco, CA (2 grants), Goleta, CA (2 grants) and Washington, DC (2 grants).
Does Natalie Orfalea Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 76% of Natalie Orfalea Foundation's 2024 grants with a stated purpose (22 of 29) were for general or operating support, per its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are Natalie Orfalea Foundation's largest grantees?
Natalie Orfalea Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include Dignity Moves ($124,798), Santa Barbara Foundation ($120,000) and The Nature Conservancy ($111,752), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 32% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is Natalie Orfalea Foundation?
Natalie Orfalea Foundation reported $19.2M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $1.6M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $896K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does Natalie Orfalea Foundation fund?
The foundation states that it seeks to partner with innovative individuals and organizations doing creative and transformative work through the lenses of storytelling, education, and community building, in areas intended to serve the highest good of life on the planet. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Natalie Orfalea Foundation?
The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests for funds and operates on an invitation-only cycle. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Natalie Orfalea Foundation's EIN?
Natalie Orfalea Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 47-4602133. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Does Natalie Orfalea 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
Live grants for the work Natalie Orfalea Foundation funds
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Natalie Orfalea Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 17, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/natalie-orfalea-foundation-morg_63dbb75ea4b64ad0a3293b22e4ade464
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_474602133_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Natalie Orfalea Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/natalie-orfalea-foundation-morg_63dbb75ea4b64ad0a3293b22e4ade464},
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 Natalie Orfalea 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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