Penney Family Fund
The Penney Family Fund is a third- and fourth-generation family foundation based in Berkeley, California. It supports grassroots leaders, organizations, and movements working toward a more just, equitable, and anti-racist society.
Penney Family Fund at a glance
In short: Penney Family Fund gave $414K across 23 grants in 2024 (avg $18K), top state North Carolina. 11% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $414,452
- -53.5% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 23
- -30.3% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $18,020
- -33.3% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $20,000
- Total assets
- $7,046,650
- +2.8% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 11% first-time grantees (2 of 18, 2024; small sample)
- Primary geography
- North Carolina (34% 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 Penney Family Fund
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- Invitation Only
-
The Fund does not accept unsolicited requests. It considers proposals by invitation only.
- Contact
Mailing address: 127 University Avenue, Berkeley, CA 94710
Phone: (510) 841-4193
Website: https://penneyfamilyfund.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Penney Family Fund funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was We Are Down Home ($65K across 3 grants). Together the top 10 received $300K.
Grant Size Distribution
135 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 135 grants of 135 (100%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The Fund says it prioritizes high-impact states with substantial effects on voter disenfranchisement and multiracial movement building, and less philanthropic funding. In 2024, grant dollars went to recipients in North Carolina (34%), California (20%), Arizona (18%), New Mexico (17%), and Georgia (11%).
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 23 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is Penney Family Fund open to new grantees?
11%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 2 of 18 grantees (11%) were first-time recipients. With only 18 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 6 points. First grants averaged $10K; repeat grants $25K. How we count
Medians: $10K first-time, $25K repeat.
- 78% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving fell 35% from 2021 to 2024. Method
- In 2024 it paid out 147% 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 $326K (2022) to $892K (2023). In 2024 it made 23 grants totaling $414K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| We Are Down Home Greensboro, NC | Partnership Grant | $35,000 |
| Momentum Community Long Beach, CA | Partnership Grant | $25,000 |
| Tides Foundation Los Angeles, CA | Poder Latinx Collective Fund | $25,000 |
| We Are Down Home Greensboro, NC | Partnership Grant | $25,000 |
| Somos Siembra Greensboro, NC | Partnership Grant | $25,000 |
| Rural Arizona Engagement RAZE Coolidge, AZ | Partnership Grant | $25,000 |
| OL Education Fund Albuquerque, NM | Partnership Grant | $25,000 |
| Black Voters Matter Capacity Bld In Atlanta, GA | Partnership Grant | $25,000 |
| Chinese Progressive Association Oakland, CA | Black Futures Lab | $25,000 |
| Somos Un Pueblo Unido Santa Fe, NM | Partnership Grant | $25,000 |
Ready to take the next step with Penney Family Fund?
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 | $7,046,650 | $425,206 | $578,309 | $414,452 | 23 | $513,116 | $357,051 | $348,163 |
| 2023 | $6,858,005 | $397,476 | $712,283 | $892,000 | 33 | $996,643 | $308,743 | $353,648 |
| 2022 | $6,979,283 | $55,555 | $455,311 | $325,500 | 20 | $404,125 | $34,250 | $367,663 |
| 2021 | $9,083,993 | $843,212 | $832,121 | $641,200 | 30 | $724,398 | $749,955 | $448,170 |
| 2020 | $8,839,487 | $517,828 | $495,236 | $351,000 | 29 | — | $437,367 | $383,101 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Penney Family Fund reported a distributable amount of $348K 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 Fund’s mission is to invest in and amplify grassroots leaders, organizations, and movements to achieve a more just, equitable, and anti-racist society. Its current grantmaking focuses on Racial Justice and Economic and Environmental Justice. Its stated guiding principles include supporting local, grassroots organizing and trusting partners to use support as they see best fit.
The Fund supports organizations working on organizing, advocacy, civic participation, and movement building. For example, We Are Down Home describes its work as building multiracial bases through small-town and rural organizing in North Carolina. Somos Siembra describes itself as a statewide Latinx base-building organization responding to attacks on immigrant and Latinx communities. One Arizona says its mission is to increase civic participation among Arizonans.
Grantmaking
In 2024, the Fund made 23 grants totaling $414,452. Grants ranged from $250 to $35,000, with a median of $20,000. Its grant types include Partnership Grants for existing partners and Learning & Relationship Building Grants to explore work with potential new partners.
Among the largest 2024 grants were $35,000 to We Are Down Home and $25,000 each to Momentum Community, Tides Foundation, Somos Siembra, Rural Arizona Engagement RAZE, OL Education Fund, Black Voters Matter Capacity Bld In, Chinese Progressive Association, Somos Un Pueblo Unido, and No Carolina Climate Justice Collect. One Arizona received $20,000. The listed purposes included Partnership Grant, Poder Latinx Collective Fund, Black Futures Lab, and Wingbeat 88 Learning Grant.
The Fund describes multi-year, unrestricted funding as a norm, alongside rapid-response grantmaking as needed. Its stated practices include simplifying paperwork, sharing information about board decisions with grantee partners, soliciting feedback, and offering support beyond grants.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The Fund’s 2024 filing lists Luisa Guyer and Maraya Keny-Guyer as Co-Presidents; Alissa Huntington as Secretary; and Jordan Keny-Guyer as Treasurer. Trustees listed are Marion Guyer, Jeff Malachowsky, Nate Huntington, Sarah Malachowsky, Tom Huntington, and Diana Trump.
Penney Family Fund is led by Maraya Keny-Guyer, Co-President since 2021 (on filings since 2020); none of the 11 officers listed in 2024 report compensation.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Maraya Keny-Guyer
Co-President
Director → Co-President, 2021
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Luisa Guyer
Co-President
On filings since 2022
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Diana Trump
Trustee
Co-Treasurer → Director, 2021
Director → Trustee, 2022
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Jeff Malachowsky
Trustee
Director → Trustee, 2022
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Marion Guyer
Trustee
Director → Trustee, 2022
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Sarah Malachowsky
Trustee
President → Director, 2021
Director → Trustee, 2022
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Tom Huntington
Trustee
Director → Trustee, 2022
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Alissa Keny-Guyer
Trustee
Director → Trustee, 2022
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Nate Huntington
Trustee
Director → Trustee, 2022
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Alissa Huntington
Secretary
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Jordan Keny-Guyer
Treasurer
Director → Treasurer, 2021
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (4)
- Former: Dion Griffin (2020–2021) — CFO
- Former: Luisa Adrianzen-Guyer (2020–2021) — Co-President
- Former: Amanda Plasencia (2021) — Asst.secretary
- Former: Elisabeth Wagstaffe (2020) — Asst.secretary
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 Penney Family Fund
How much does Penney Family Fund give each year?
Penney Family Fund gave $414K across 23 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $892K across 33 grants.
What is Penney Family Fund's typical grant size?
Penney Family Fund's median grant in 2024 was $20,000, and its average grant was $18,020, across 23 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Penney Family Fund that year got $10K on average.
Where does Penney Family Fund give grants?
Penney Family Fund's top state is North Carolina, with 34% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. The next largest states were California (20%) and Arizona (18%). The most frequent recipient cities were Greensboro, NC (5 grants), Phoenix, AZ (3 grants), Oakland, CA (3 grants) and Atlanta, GA (2 grants).
Does Penney Family Fund give general operating support?
Not in 2024: none of the 23 grants with a stated purpose on Penney Family Fund's 2024 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Partnership Grant" (11 grants) and "Learning Grant" (5 grants).
Who are Penney Family Fund's largest grantees?
Penney Family Fund's largest 2024 grantees include We Are Down Home ($65,000 across 3 grants), One Arizona ($35,000 across 2 grants) and Tides Foundation ($25,250 across 2 grants), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 30% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is Penney Family Fund?
Penney Family Fund reported $7.0M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $513K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $348K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does Penney Family Fund fund?
The Fund’s mission is to invest in and amplify grassroots leaders, organizations, and movements to achieve a more just, equitable, and anti-racist society. Its current grantmaking focuses on Racial Justice and Economic and Environmental Justice. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Penney Family Fund?
The Fund does not accept unsolicited requests. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Penney Family Fund's EIN?
Penney Family Fund's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 94-3314431. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Does Penney Family Fund 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
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Penney Family Fund funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 14, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/penney-family-fund-morg_08d460398b854f93b89ab75e52ce31c6
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_943314431_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Penney Family Fund funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/penney-family-fund-morg_08d460398b854f93b89ab75e52ce31c6},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-14. 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 Penney Family Fund'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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