Regional Parks Foundation
The Regional Parks Foundation's mission is to provide broader public access to the east bay regional park district's 73 regional parks, 1,250 miles of trails, and 55 miles of shoreline spanning alameda and contra Costa counties. The Regional Parks Foundation understands that connections with nature are critical for leading a healthy and balanced life, which is the driving force behind its steadfast commitment to increasing access to regional parks and trails for underserved and underrepresented communities in the east bay. Access for all is the overarching goal of the foundation, which it achieves through its key funding support areas of youth development; community engagement; health, wellness and safety; environmental stewardship; and the acquisition of parklands. In addition to fundraising on behalf of the east bay regional park district's programs, services and resource protection projects, the foundation also holds and invests funds for future use by the park district. Through a v
Regional Parks Foundation at a glance
In short: Regional Parks Foundation gave $2.2M across 4 grants in 2025 (avg $541K), mostly in California. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $2,163,311
- -13.8% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 4
- +100.0% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $540,828
- -56.9% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $87,500
- Total assets
- $26,943,560
- +13.8% vs 2024
- Primary geography
- California (100% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990, 2025; updated September 2026.
Who Regional Parks Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 4 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was East Bay Regional Park Distri ($2.0M). Together the top 4 received $2.2M.
Grant Size Distribution
11 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was in the $1–5M range: 5 grants of 11 (45%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 4 itemized grants.
States
Cities
How Regional Parks Foundation gives
- Giving grew 90% from 2022 to 2025. Method
From the foundation's IRS Form 990 filings. Methodology.
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2020 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $1.1M (2022) to $2.7M (2020). In 2025 it made 4 grants totaling $2.2M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| East Bay Regional Park Distri Oakland, CA | Scholarships & Program Support | $1,963,311 |
| United Camps Aptos, CA | Camp Scholarships | $125,000 |
| Greeninfo Network Oakland, CA | Program Support | $50,000 |
| Friends of Oakland Animal Svc Oakland, CA | Program Support | $25,000 |
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Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Net Investment Income |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $26,943,560 | $3,757,993 | $3,051,623 | $2,163,311 | 4 | $911,065 |
| 2024 | $23,684,267 | $4,023,806 | $3,597,400 | $2,509,315 | 2 | $749,072 |
| 2023 | $21,836,691 | $2,878,189 | $1,719,335 | $1,241,211 | 1 | $280,251 |
| 2022 | $18,180,561 | $3,282,359 | $1,632,906 | $1,141,146 | 2 | $230,669 |
| 2021 | $19,291,052 | $7,078,188 | $1,964,833 | $1,579,874 | 2 | $200,515 |
| 2020 | $13,248,783 | $5,127,959 | $3,404,620 | $2,669,562 | 2 | $112,856 |
About Regional Parks Foundation
Based on IRS filings
Regional Parks Foundation is a public charity, based in Castro Valley, CA. IRS filing data is available from 2020 through 2025. As of 2025, the organization holds $26.9M in total assets. In 2025, it awarded 4 grants totaling $2.2M. Net investment income was $911K.
Leadership & Key People
Officers and directors from IRS filings
Regional Parks Foundation is led by Lauren Bernstein, Executive Director on every filing since 2023; none of the 16 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Lauren Bernstein
Executive Director
On filings since 2023
40 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Holly Potter
Board Chair
Vice President → President, 2024
President → Board Chair, 2025
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Amber Miksza
Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Keith White
Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Nik Dehejia
Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Taj Tashombe
Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Ravi Poorsina
Director
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Craig Geldard
Director
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Jesset Sidore
Director
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Yakov Berenshteyn
Director
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Matthew Irwin
Director
On filings since 2024
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Nathan Lasche
Director
On filings since 2024
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Terrence Riley
Director
On filings since 2024
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Bruce Kern
Treasurer
Director → Treasurer, 2022
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
John E. Martin
Vice President
Director → Secretary, 2023
Secretary → Vice President, 2024
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Stephanie E. Ledesma
Secretary
Director → Secretary, 2024
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (14)
- Former: Les Hausrath (2020–2024) — Director
- Former: Renee Kemp (2020–2024) — Director
- Former: Bob Brown (2020–2023) — Director
- Former: Geoffry Zimmerman (2020–2023) — Director
- Former: Carol Johnson (2020–2022) — Executive Director
- Former: Helane Morrison (2020–2022) — Secretary
- Former: Jack Uhalde (2020–2022) — Director
- Former: Juliana Schirmer (2020–2022) — Chief Administrator Officer
- Former: Patricia Deutsche (2020–2022) — Director
- Former: Peter Liu (2020–2022) — President
- Former: Anne Kessabaum (2022) — Interim Executive Director
- Former: Jess Brown (2020–2021) — Board President
- Former: Thomas Meier (2020–2021) — Treasurer
- Former: Lisa Baldinger (2020) — Director
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.
Frequently asked questions about Regional Parks Foundation
How much does Regional Parks Foundation give each year?
Regional Parks Foundation gave $2.2M across 4 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. In 2024 it gave $2.5M across 2 grants.
What is Regional Parks Foundation's typical grant size?
Regional Parks Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $87,500, and its average grant was $540,828, across 4 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990.
Where does Regional Parks Foundation give grants?
Regional Parks Foundation gives mostly in California: 100% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990 went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Oakland, CA (3 grants).
Does Regional Parks Foundation give general operating support?
Not in 2025: none of the 4 grants with a stated purpose on Regional Parks Foundation's 2025 IRS Form 990 were described as general or operating support.
How large is Regional Parks Foundation?
Regional Parks Foundation reported $26.9M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Its revenue that year was $3.8M.
What is Regional Parks Foundation's EIN?
Regional Parks Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 23-7011877. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.
Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990 filings.
Data update history
(7)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS September 8, 2021)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS June 29, 2022)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS October 10, 2023)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS August 15, 2024)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS November 4, 2025)
- Added Form 990 for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS July 7, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Regional Parks Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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Regional Parks Foundation down — hundreds of funders to go?