Pazala Foundation
Pazala Foundation is a private family foundation based in San Rafael, California. Founded in 2014 by Christina Manansala West and Jack West, it supports renewable energy and environmental protection, arts and culture, and human health and welfare.
Pazala Foundation at a glance
In short: Pazala Foundation gave $424K across 22 grants in 2024 (avg $19K), mostly in California. 29% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $423,709
- -48.8% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 22
- -35.3% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $19,260
- -20.9% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $1,000
- Total assets
- $4,292,412
- +24.2% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 29% first-time grantees (6 of 21, 2024; small sample)
- Primary geography
- California (92% 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 Pazala Foundation
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
Pazala does not accept unsolicited requests for funds. It states that contributions go only to preselected charitable organizations.
- Contact
Mailing address: 35 Point Gallinas Road, San Rafael, CA 94903
Phone: (415) 870-4595
Website: https://pazala.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Pazala Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Intersection for the Arts ($213K). Together the top 10 received $402K.
Organizations only. It also paid 1 grant to individuals ($17,600), which are not listed by name.
Grant Size Distribution
178 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 165 grants of 178 (93%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
Pazala describes itself as based in the San Francisco Bay Area and says it supports local artists, musicians, and community projects. In 2024, 92% of grant dollars went to recipients in California, 4% to Colorado, 4% to New York, and a rounded less than 1% to Missouri.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 22 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is Pazala Foundation open to new grantees?
29%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 6 of 21 grantees (29%) were first-time recipients. With only 21 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 5 points. First grants averaged $7K; repeat grants $24K. How we count
Medians: $2K first-time, $1K repeat.
- 57% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving grew 35% from 2021 to 2024. Method
- In 2024 it paid out 232% 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 $248K (2020) to $828K (2023). In 2024 it made 22 grants totaling $424K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Intersection for the Arts San Francisco, CA | Arts & Music | $213,200 |
| Dancers Group (D'Naga) Girl Project San Francisco, CA | Arts & Music | $75,000 |
| Mission Edge (Indigenized Energy Initiative) San Diego, CA | Environmental Protection | $51,061 |
| Cal Poly Humboldt Foundation San Francisco, CA | Arts & Music | $20,000 |
| Uc Davis Foundation Davis, CA | Arts & Music | $20,000 |
| 1 grant to individuals Recipients not named | — | $17,600 |
| Fractured Atlas New York, NY | Arts & Music | $17,000 |
| Oaktown Jazz Oakland, CA | Arts & Music | $2,500 |
| SF Jazz San Francisco, CA | Arts & Music | $1,545 |
| As You Sow Oakland, CA | Human Health & Welfare | $1,000 |
Ready to take the next step with Pazala Foundation?
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
Filing type: Form 990-PF (a private foundation).
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Qualifying Distributions | Net Investment Income | Distributable Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $4,292,412 | $797,899 | $523,509 | $423,709 | 22 | $476,666 | $386,233 | $205,899 |
| 2023 | $3,456,952 | $66,136 | $921,767 | $827,965 | 34 | $852,836 | $28,800 | $185,652 |
| 2022 | $4,712,368 | $1,468,125 | $579,352 | $484,754 | 36 | $504,441 | $1,511,759 | $210,907 |
| 2021 | $5,245,706 | $1,743,380 | $361,822 | $314,924 | 40 | $325,888 | $1,768,310 | $300,116 |
| 2020 | $3,679,630 | $1,242,078 | $281,707 | $248,278 | 46 | — | $233,202 | $230,308 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Pazala Foundation reported a distributable amount of $206K for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated October 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
Pazala’s stated mission is to continue its commitment to renewable energy and environmental protection, support arts and culture, and advance human health and welfare. Its activities include support for community artists and musicians, environmental and community projects, and work in education and human welfare.
Examples of supported organizations describe a range of work. Intersection for the Arts says it provides consulting and presenting opportunities to artists and promotes creative expression. Fractured Atlas says it works to make the journey from inspiration to practice more accessible and equitable for artists and creatives. As You Sow says it promotes environmental and social corporate responsibility. Human Needs Project says it builds sustainable community centers offering services including clean water, education, skills training, and internet access.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2024, Pazala reported 22 grants totaling $423,709. Grants ranged from $100 to $213,200, with a median grant of $1,000. The largest grants included $213,200 to Intersection for the Arts for arts and music; $75,000 to Dancers Group (D’Naga) Girl Project for arts and music; and $51,061 to Mission Edge for the Indigenized Energy Initiative for environmental protection. Other notable grants included $20,000 each to Cal Poly Humboldt Foundation and UC Davis Foundation, both for arts and music, and $17,000 to Fractured Atlas for arts and music.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Christina Manansala West and Jack West as directors.
Pazala Foundation's 2024 filing lists 2 officers; none of the 2 officers listed in 2024 report compensation.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Christina Manansala West
Director
On filings since 2020
20 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Jack West
Director
On filings since 2020
20 hrs/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 Pazala Foundation
How much does Pazala Foundation give each year?
Pazala Foundation gave $424K across 22 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $828K across 34 grants.
What is Pazala Foundation's typical grant size?
Pazala Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $1,000, and its average grant was $19,260, across 22 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Pazala Foundation that year got $7K on average.
Where does Pazala Foundation give grants?
Pazala Foundation gives mostly in California: 92% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were San Francisco, CA (8 grants), Oakland, CA (3 grants) and San Rafael, CA (3 grants).
Does Pazala Foundation give general operating support?
Not in 2024: none of the 22 grants with a stated purpose on Pazala Foundation's 2024 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Arts & Music" (12 grants), "Human Health & Welfare" (7 grants) and "Environmental Protection" (3 grants).
Who are Pazala Foundation's largest grantees?
Pazala Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include Intersection for the Arts ($213,200), Dancers Group (D'Naga) Girl Project ($75,000) and Mission Edge (Indigenized Energy Initiative) ($51,061), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It also paid 1 grant to individuals ($17,600), which are not listed by name. Together they received 80% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is Pazala Foundation?
Pazala Foundation reported $4.3M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $477K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $206K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does Pazala Foundation fund?
Pazala’s stated mission is to continue its commitment to renewable energy and environmental protection, support arts and culture, and advance human health and welfare. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Pazala Foundation?
Pazala 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 Pazala Foundation's EIN?
Pazala Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 46-4334043. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Does Pazala 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 October 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). Pazala Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 10, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/pazala-foundation-morg_83b9da77cf934a70ad6d241aaec556d4
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_464334043_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Pazala Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/pazala-foundation-morg_83b9da77cf934a70ad6d241aaec556d4},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-10. 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 Pazala 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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