Peninsula Open Space Trust
Peninsula Open Space Trust (POST) is a Palo Alto, California–based public charity that protects open space on the Peninsula and in the South Bay. Founded in 1977, it works to preserve land for the benefit of all and to create a network of protected places where people and nature can thrive.
Peninsula Open Space Trust at a glance
In short: Peninsula Open Space Trust gave $9.1M across 25 grants in 2025 (avg $362K), mostly in California. 28% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $9,051,125
- -11.0% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 25
- +25.0% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $362,045
- -28.8% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $13,837
- Total assets
- $373,765,719
- +10.1% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 28% first-time grantees (7 of 25, 2025)
- Primary geography
- California (94% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990, 2025; updated September 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to Peninsula Open Space Trust
- Contact
Mailing address: 222 High Street, Palo Alto, CA 94301
Phone: (650) 854-7696
Website: https://openspacetrust.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Peninsula Open Space Trust funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was County of San Mateo Parks Department ($5.3M). Together the top 10 received $8.9M.
Grant Size Distribution
82 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 49 grants of 82 (60%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
POST’s stated conservation work covers San Mateo, Santa Clara, and Santa Cruz counties. Its website describes its broader mission as protecting open space on the Peninsula and in the South Bay. In 2025, 94% of grant dollars went to California recipients and 6% to Virginia recipients.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 25 itemized grants.
Cities
Is Peninsula Open Space Trust open to new grantees?
28%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 7 of 25 grantees (28%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $832K; repeat grants $179K. How we count
Medians: $14K first-time, $19K repeat.
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990 filings (2020–2025). 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 2020 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $1.5M (2022) to $21.8M (2020). In 2025 it made 25 grants totaling $9.1M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| County of San Mateo Parks Department Redwood City, CA | Support for Construction at Tunitas Creek Beach | $5,265,188 |
| Santa Clara Valley Open Space Authority San Jose, CA | Support for Agency's Work in Coyote Valley | $2,600,000 |
| The Conservation Fund Arlington, VA | Support for san antonio ranch project in san Benito county | $500,000 |
| Climate Resilient Communities Palo Alto, CA | Support for General Operations | $185,000 |
| Coastside Land Trust Half Moon Bay, CA | For inclusion in the open space lands managed by coastside land trust | $85,000 |
| San Mateo Resource Conservation District Half Moon Bay, CA | Support for santa cruz mountains stewardship network,event sponsorship and general operations | $80,000 |
| Green Foothills Palo Alto, CA | Event sponsorship and support for work in coyote valley and juristac | $60,000 |
| Amah Mutsun Land Trust Los Altos, CA | Support for General Operations | $50,000 |
| Together Bay Area Berkeley, CA | Event sponsorship and support for conservation land network 3.0 project and general operations | $35,000 |
| Santa Clara Valley Habitat Agency Morgan Hill, CA | Support for the Climate Resilience Credits Program | $25,000 |
Ready to take the next step with Peninsula Open Space Trust?
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Net Investment Income |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $373,765,719 | $62,253,306 | $43,405,185 | $9,051,125 | 25 | $6,818,019 |
| 2024 | $339,333,871 | $30,308,636 | $33,859,528 | $10,166,709 | 20 | $4,843,028 |
| 2023 | $336,966,025 | $24,754,163 | $29,012,366 | $4,229,116 | 12 | $2,669,468 |
| 2022 | $318,771,213 | $30,206,948 | $19,307,818 | $1,482,018 | 14 | $10,907,924 |
| 2021 | $340,634,418 | $38,732,952 | $23,312,465 | $7,115,737 | 11 | $22,433,194 |
| 2020 | $313,034,665 | $31,121,942 | $37,259,526 | $21,758,581 | 17 | $5,912,852 |
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
POST’s mission is to protect open space on the Peninsula and in the South Bay for the benefit of all. Its website identifies five focus areas: public access, redwoods, farmlands, wildlife linkages, and Coyote Valley. Its strategic priorities are building climate resilience, preserving biodiversity, and creating equitable access.
POST’s grant recipients include conservation and community organizations. For example, Climate Resilient Communities describes its mission as empowering community voices to implement equitable climate solutions; Coastside Land Trust says it works to preserve and enhance open space and natural, scenic, recreational, cultural, historical, and agricultural resources on the San Mateo County coastside. Nuestra Casa de East Palo Alto says it uplifts Latino families through community education, leadership, and advocacy. These are the grantees’ stated missions, not POST’s.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2025, POST made 25 grants totaling $9,051,125. Grant amounts ranged from $5,500 to $5,265,188, with a median grant of $13,837.
The largest grants included $5,265,188 to the County of San Mateo Parks Department for construction at Tunitas Creek Beach; $2,600,000 to Santa Clara Valley Open Space Authority for its work in Coyote Valley; and $500,000 to The Conservation Fund for the San Antonio Ranch project in San Benito County. Other grants included $185,000 to Climate Resilient Communities for general operations, $85,000 to Coastside Land Trust, and $50,000 to Amah Mutsun Land Trust for general operations. POST also awarded $10,000 each to Nuestra Casa de East Palo Alto and Puente de la Costa Sur.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists these directors: Alisa MacAvoy, Andrew Bosworth, Dennis DeBroeck, Emerick Woods, Jana Barsten, Jennifer Lynch, Kalle Dahl, Katherine Tsai, Ken Yeager, and Nanhi Singh.
Peninsula Open Space Trust is led by Walter T. Moore, President on every filing since 2020; 10 of 28 officers listed in 2025 are compensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Walter T. Moore
President
On filings since 2020
40 hrs/week
$335K (2020) → $395K (2025)
Rajesh Mashruwala
Chair & Director
Director → Vice Chair & Director, 2022
Vice Chair & Director → Chair & Director, 2024
On filings since 2020
4 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Jeanine Crider
Director of Planned Giving
On filings since 2020
40 hrs/week
$144K (2020) → $181K (2025)
Justin Eliot
Director of Finance
On filings since 2020
40 hrs/week
$170K (2020) → $217K (2025)
Olivia White Lopez
Director of Culture, Equity & Belonging
Director of Diversity Equity & Inclusion → Director of Culture, Equity & Belonging, 2025
On filings since 2023
40 hrs/week
$165K (2023) → $186K (2025)
Alisa Macavoy
Director
On filings since 2020
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Andrew Bosworth
Director
Chairman & Director → Director, 2022
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Dennis Debroeck
Director
On filings since 2020
3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Emerick Woods
Director
On filings since 2020
3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Jennifer Lynch
Director
On filings since 2020
3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Ken Yeager
Director
On filings since 2020
3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Rod Ferguson
Director
On filings since 2020
3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Sanjay Vaswani
Director
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Sean Dempsey
Director
On filings since 2020
3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Suzanne Sullivan
Director
Vice Chairman & Director → Chair & Director, 2022
Chair & Director → Director, 2024
On filings since 2020
4 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Wende Hutton
Vice Chair & Director
Director → Vice Chair & Director, 2024
On filings since 2020
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Kalle Dahl
Director
On filings since 2023
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Katherine Tsai
Director
On filings since 2023
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Nanhi Singh
Director
On filings since 2023
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Paul Simpson
Director
On filings since 2023
3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Jana Barsten
Director
New on the 2025 filing
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Diane Cordova
Chief Talent Officer
On filings since 2020
40 hrs/week
$159K (2020) → $234K (2025)
Gordon Clark
Vice President of Development
Senior Director of Development → Vice President of Development, 2021
On filings since 2020
40 hrs/week
$188K (2020) → $286K (2025)
Mark Stevens
Treasurer, CFO & COO
Treasurer & CFO → Treasurer, CFO & COO, 2022
On filings since 2020
40 hrs/week
$242K (2020) → $306K (2025)
Martha Tedesco
Chief Marketing Officer
Vice President of Marketing → Chief Marketing Officer, 2022
On filings since 2020
40 hrs/week
$196K (2020) → $254K (2025)
Noelle Chambers
Vice President of Conservation
On filings since 2021
40 hrs/week
$167K (2021) → $268K (2025)
Patrick Marshall
General Counsel
Senior Project & Legal Affairs Manager → General Counsel, 2022
On filings since 2021
40 hrs/week
$155K (2021) → $208K (2025)
Brad O'Brien
Secretary
On filings since 2020
3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (9)
- Former: Matt Miller (2020–2023) — Director
- Former: John Chamberlain (2020–2022) — Director
- Former: Daniel Olstein (2022) — Director of Land Stewardship
- Former: Curtis Riffle (2020–2021) — Vice President Land Stewardship
- Former: Jennifer Koepcke (2020–2021) — Director of Institutional Engagement
- Former: Kimberly Young (2020–2021) — Director
- Former: Jan F. Garrod (2020) — Director
- Former: Karie Thomson (2020) — Director
- Former: Noelle Thurlow (2020) — Senior Director of Land Programs & Transactions
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2025. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Compensation Overview
From 2025 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2025 filing was $395K, to Walter T Moore (President). 10 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Frequently asked questions about Peninsula Open Space Trust
How much does Peninsula Open Space Trust give each year?
Peninsula Open Space Trust gave $9.1M across 25 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. In 2024 it gave $10.2M across 20 grants.
What is Peninsula Open Space Trust's typical grant size?
Peninsula Open Space Trust's median grant in 2025 was $13,837, and its average grant was $362,045, across 25 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Organizations receiving their first grant from Peninsula Open Space Trust that year got $832K on average.
Where does Peninsula Open Space Trust give grants?
Peninsula Open Space Trust gives mostly in California: 94% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990 went to recipients there. The next largest state was Virginia (6%). The most frequent recipient cities were Palo Alto, CA (3 grants), Berkeley, CA (3 grants), San Jose, CA (2 grants) and Half Moon Bay, CA (2 grants).
Does Peninsula Open Space Trust give general operating support?
Yes: 52% of Peninsula Open Space Trust's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (13 of 25) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990. Recurring purposes include "Event Sponsorship" (3 grants).
Who are Peninsula Open Space Trust's largest grantees?
Peninsula Open Space Trust's largest 2025 grantees include County of San Mateo Parks Department ($5,265,188), Santa Clara Valley Open Space Authority ($2,600,000) and The Conservation Fund ($500,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. Together they received 92% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Peninsula Open Space Trust?
Peninsula Open Space Trust reported $373.8M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Its revenue that year was $62.3M.
What does Peninsula Open Space Trust fund?
POST’s mission is to protect open space on the Peninsula and in the South Bay for the benefit of all. Its website identifies five focus areas: public access, redwoods, farmlands, wildlife linkages, and Coyote Valley. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Peninsula Open Space Trust?
Peninsula Open Space Trust has no public application process in the sources Grantable reviewed. Check openspacetrust.org for current guidelines, or contact the foundation directly before submitting a request.
What is Peninsula Open Space Trust's EIN?
Peninsula Open Space Trust's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 94-2392007. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.
Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990 filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(7)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS March 13, 2023)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS May 14, 2024)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS December 17, 2020)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS February 2, 2022)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS February 24, 2025)
- Added Form 990 for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS May 1, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Peninsula Open Space Trust's focus areas in our free grants database
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Peninsula Open Space Trust funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/peninsula-open-space-trust-morg_1791afef204e4d4c911dbfedd12123a1
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_942392007_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Peninsula Open Space Trust funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/peninsula-open-space-trust-morg_1791afef204e4d4c911dbfedd12123a1},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-12. 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 Peninsula Open Space Trust'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.
Peninsula Open Space Trust down — hundreds of funders to go?