Riverstyx Foundation
Riverstyx Foundation is a private foundation based in Santa Rosa, California. It makes grants and supports projects addressing areas it describes as relegated to the shadows, including social, psychological, ecological, and Indigenous concerns.
Riverstyx Foundation at a glance
In short: Riverstyx Foundation gave $1.2M across 47 grants in 2024 (avg $26K), top state California. 58% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $1,200,458
- -45.1% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 47
- -21.7% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $25,542
- -29.9% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $15,000
- Total assets
- $6,522,403
- -11.3% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 58% first-time grantees (26 of 45, 2024)
- Primary geography
- California (26% 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 Riverstyx Foundation
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests. It says contributions are made only to preselected charitable organizations. Grants are made through a consensus process between the co-directors and the board.
- Contact
Mailing address: 2222 Cleveland Avenue 1026, Santa Rosa, CA 95403
Phone: (253) 677-0098
Website: https://riverstyxfoundation.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Riverstyx Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Youth Passageways ($183K). Together the top 10 received $697K.
Organizations only. It also paid 1 grant to individuals ($34,678), which are not listed by name.
Grant Size Distribution
214 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 153 grants of 214 (71%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2024, the largest reported shares of grant dollars by recipient state were California (26%), Missouri (15%), New York (13%), and Oregon (7%). The filing also lists 12% for an unidentified recipient state. The 2024 grant list includes recipients in additional states, including Georgia, Virginia, Texas, and Washington, D.C.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 47 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is Riverstyx Foundation open to new grantees?
58%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 26 of 45 grantees (58%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $25K; repeat grants $27K. How we count
Medians: $13K first-time, $20K repeat.
- 38% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2021 to 2024 (−3%). Method
- In 2024 it paid out 533% 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 $799K (2022) to $2.2M (2023). In 2024 it made 47 grants totaling $1.2M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Youth Passageways Kansas City, MO | Lakota Prayer Lodge | $183,000 |
| Gaudete Films | General Support | $82,000 |
| Ligare Inc Savannah, GA | General Support | $80,000 |
| Clusterbusters Inc Richmond, VA | Seed Funding Coordinating Research, Education, and Outreach exploring psychedelics for physiological illnesses | $52,000 |
| Johns Hopkins University Developmen Buffalo, NY | Psilocybin and Alzheimer's Study | $50,000 |
| Indigenous Medicine Conservation Fu Santa Rosa, CA | Huachuma Collective - Huachuma/San Pedro Conservation in Peru | $50,000 |
| Stichting Transnational Institute | Coca Leaf Advocacy Work in the World Health Organization (100k pledge) | $50,000 |
| Netherlands-America Foundation New York, NY | Xyrem for Cluster Headache Research | $50,000 |
| Indigenous Peyote Conservation Init Hebbronville, TX | general support | $50,000 |
| Ecology Action of Santa Cruz Santa Cruz, CA | City Bicycle Infrastructure Planning | $40,000 |
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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 | $6,522,403 | $1,219,407 | $2,066,053 | $1,200,458 | 47 | $2,274,598 | $1,024,020 | $427,088 |
| 2023 | $7,357,247 | $1,318,857 | $2,756,080 | $2,185,105 | 60 | $2,302,154 | $608,573 | $1,039,039 |
| 2022 | $29,960,214 | $2,397,639 | $1,617,780 | $798,650 | 25 | $868,004 | $1,404,946 | $1,797,716 |
| 2021 | $29,180,355 | $2,540,612 | $1,752,175 | $1,234,756 | 35 | $1,298,955 | $1,881,141 | $1,994,432 |
| 2020 | $28,391,918 | $3,753,607 | $2,188,645 | $1,762,150 | 47 | — | $2,514,708 | $1,795,667 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Riverstyx Foundation reported a distributable amount of $427K 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’s stated aim is to provide a bridge to relinquished parts of society, psychology, and ecology by supporting projects that demonstrate the potential for healing. Its focus areas include drug policy reform, economic and criminal justice, psychedelics, spirituality, leadership, end-of-life issues, dark night skies, composting toilets, green burial, and Indigenous-led plant medicine conservation.
Its website says that its Indigenous-medicine work takes direction primarily from Indigenous partners and supports conservation of sacred plant medicines and the communities and traditions surrounding them.
Grantees’ own descriptions illustrate the range of organizations supported. Ligare says it connects Christian faith institutions, interfaith organizations, mental health advocates, and the psychedelic community through convening and partnerships. Ecology Action of Santa Cruz describes its work as helping people, businesses, and communities pursue environmental and economic sustainability. Fireside Project says its mission is to help people minimize the risks of psychedelic experiences. Other 2024 grantees include Alma Institute, which describes itself as an educational organization and private career school; Bendable Therapy, which provides mental health services and education; and Usona Institute, which supports research and education on medicines and practices intended to relieve suffering.
Grantmaking
In 2024, the foundation reported 47 grants totaling $1,200,458. Grant amounts ranged from $1,000 to $183,000, with a median of $15,000. Its filing also states that the board made contributions to 46 different charities that year.
Among the largest 2024 grants were $183,000 to Youth Passageways for a Lakota Prayer Lodge; $82,000 to Gaudete Films for general support; $80,000 to Ligare for general support; $52,000 to Clusterbusters for seed funding related to research, education, and outreach on psychedelics for physiological illnesses; and $50,000 each to Johns Hopkins University Development for a psilocybin and Alzheimer’s study and Indigenous Medicine Conservation Fund for Huachuma/San Pedro conservation in Peru.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists T Cody Swift as president, Miriam Volat as secretary, and Kevin Bayuk as treasurer.
Riverstyx Foundation is led by T. Cody Swift, President since 2023 (on filings since 2020); none of the 3 officers listed in 2024 report compensation.
Officers on the 2024 filing
T. Cody Swift
President
Vice President → President, 2023
On filings since 2020
20 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Kevin Bayuk
Treasurer
On filings since 2023
17 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Miriam Volat
Secretary
On filings since 2023
40 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (3)
- Former: Don R. Carlin (2020–2022) — Treasurer
- Former: James L. Swift (2020–2022) — President
- Former: Steve Brinn (2020–2022) — 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 Riverstyx Foundation
How much does Riverstyx Foundation give each year?
Riverstyx Foundation gave $1.2M across 47 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $2.2M across 60 grants.
What is Riverstyx Foundation's typical grant size?
Riverstyx Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $15,000, and its average grant was $25,542, across 47 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Riverstyx Foundation that year got $25K on average.
Where does Riverstyx Foundation give grants?
Riverstyx Foundation's top state is California, with 26% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. The next largest states were Missouri (15%) and New York (13%). The most frequent recipient cities were New York, NY (5 grants), San Francisco, CA (4 grants), Portland, OR (3 grants) and San Rafael, CA (3 grants).
Does Riverstyx Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 21% of Riverstyx Foundation's 2024 grants with a stated purpose (10 of 47) were for general or operating support, per its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are Riverstyx Foundation's largest grantees?
Riverstyx Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include Youth Passageways ($183,000), Gaudete Films ($82,000) and Ligare Inc ($80,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It also paid 1 grant to individuals ($34,678), which are not listed by name. Together they received 29% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is Riverstyx Foundation?
Riverstyx Foundation reported $6.5M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $2.3M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $427K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does Riverstyx Foundation fund?
The foundation’s stated aim is to provide a bridge to relinquished parts of society, psychology, and ecology by supporting projects that demonstrate the potential for healing. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Riverstyx Foundation?
The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Riverstyx Foundation's EIN?
Riverstyx Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 94-3373712. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Does Riverstyx 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
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Riverstyx Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/riverstyx-foundation-morg_79bf129d03e246bca61aa9e2f42dec97
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_943373712_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Riverstyx Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/riverstyx-foundation-morg_79bf129d03e246bca61aa9e2f42dec97},
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 Riverstyx 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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