Robert K & Barbara J Straus Family
Robert K & Barbara J Straus Family is a private foundation based in Santa Barbara, California. In 2024, it made 59 grants totaling $169,500 to charitable organizations.
Robert K & Barbara J Straus Family at a glance
In short: Robert K & Barbara J Straus Family gave $170K across 59 grants in 2024 (avg $3K), mostly in California. 39% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $169,500
- +54.6% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 59
- +43.9% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $2,873
- +7.4% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $2,000
- Total assets
- $2,195,552
- +8.3% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 39% first-time grantees (23 of 59, 2024)
- Primary geography
- California (53% 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 Robert K & Barbara J Straus Family
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds.
- Contact
Mailing address: Co Hb 200 E Carrillo St 303, Santa Barbara, CA 93101
Phone: (805) 963-1837
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Robert K & Barbara J Straus Family funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Frankfurt Zoological Society ($20K). Together the top 10 received $88K.
Grant Size Distribution
293 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 292 grants of 293 (100%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation is based in Santa Barbara, California. In 2024, recipients in California received 53% of grant dollars, followed by recipients in Washington, DC (15%), Oregon (14%), New York (10%), and Washington state (3%).
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 59 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is Robert K & Barbara J Straus Family open to new grantees?
39%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 23 of 59 grantees (39%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $3K; repeat grants $2K. How we count
Medians: $3K first-time, $1K repeat.
- 42% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2021 to 2024 (−4%). Method
- In 2024 it paid out 86% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Foundations have until the end of the next year to meet it. 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 $110K (2023) to $228K (2020). In 2024 it made 59 grants totaling $170K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Frankfurt Zoological Society Washington, DC | In Furtherance of 501(C)(3) Exempt Purpose | $20,000 |
| Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital Foundation Santa Barbara, CA | In Furtherance of 501(C)(3) Exempt Purpose | $12,500 |
| Pars Equality Center Los Angeles, CA | In Furtherance of 501(C)(3) Exempt Purpose | $10,000 |
| Season of Sharing San Francisco, CA | In Furtherance of 501(C)(3) Exempt Purpose | $10,000 |
| Santa Barbara Zoo Santa Barbara, CA | In Furtherance of 501(C)(3) Exempt Purpose | $8,000 |
| Roque Valley Manor Foundation Medford, OR | In Furtherance of 501(C)(3) Exempt Purpose | $7,500 |
| Colgate University Hamilton, NY | In Furtherance of 501(C)(3) Exempt Purpose | $5,000 |
| Fine Arts Museum of San Francisco San Francisco, CA | In Furtherance of 501(C)(3) Exempt Purpose | $5,000 |
| Stanford University Stanford, CA | In Furtherance of 501(C)(3) Exempt Purpose | $5,000 |
| Surf Happens Foundation Carpinteria, CA | In Furtherance of 501(C)(3) Exempt Purpose | $5,000 |
Ready to take the next step with Robert K & Barbara J Straus Family?
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 | $2,195,552 | $364,875 | $196,643 | $169,500 | 59 | $169,500 | $341,777 | $196,678 |
| 2023 | $2,027,320 | $226,746 | $139,861 | $109,660 | 41 | $115,308 | $202,193 | $165,240 |
| 2022 | $1,940,435 | $72,021 | $175,399 | $154,660 | 52 | $156,127 | $55,694 | $165,975 |
| 2021 | $2,043,813 | $121,994 | $203,405 | $177,160 | 65 | $180,703 | $99,292 | $182,939 |
| 2020 | $2,125,224 | $103,021 | $259,105 | $227,660 | 76 | — | $78,924 | $157,665 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Robert K & Barbara J Straus Family reported a distributable amount of $197K 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
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2024 grants went to organizations working in areas including wildlife and biodiversity conservation, hospital support, education, arts, community services, and historical preservation. These are examples of grantee activities, not stated priorities of the foundation. For example, Frankfurt Zoological Society–US describes its purpose as conserving wilderness and biodiversity worldwide; Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital Foundation says it raises and distributes funds for the hospital’s charitable, scientific, and educational activities; and Prep for Prep describes its work as providing educational access and opportunity to promising New York City students.
Grantmaking
In 2024, the foundation made 59 grants totaling $169,500. Grant amounts ranged from $500 to $20,000, with a median grant of $2,000. Notable grants included $20,000 to Frankfurt Zoological Society, $12,500 to Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital Foundation, and $10,000 each to Pars Equality Center and Season of Sharing. Other grants included $8,000 to Santa Barbara Zoo and $7,500 to Roque Valley Manor Foundation.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Penelope Ann Straus Chandra-Shekar as president and director; Marshall H Turner Jr as secretary; Christopher Straus as vice president and director; Braden More as treasurer and director; and Alexandra More and Shadan More as directors.
Robert K & Barbara J Straus Family is led by Penelope Ann Straus Chandra-Shekar, President & Director on every filing since 2020; none of the 6 officers listed in 2024 report compensation.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Penelope Ann Straus Chandra-Shekar
President & Director
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
Alexandra More
Director
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
Braden More
Treasurer & Director
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
Christopher Straus
Vice President & Director
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
Shadan More
Director
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
Marshall H. Turner Jr.
Secretary
On filings since 2020
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 Robert K & Barbara J Straus Family
How much does Robert K & Barbara J Straus Family give each year?
Robert K & Barbara J Straus Family gave $170K across 59 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $110K across 41 grants.
What is Robert K & Barbara J Straus Family's typical grant size?
Robert K & Barbara J Straus Family's median grant in 2024 was $2,000, and its average grant was $2,873, across 59 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Robert K & Barbara J Straus Family that year got $3K on average.
Where does Robert K & Barbara J Straus Family give grants?
Robert K & Barbara J Straus Family gives mostly in California: 53% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest states were District of Columbia (15%) and Oregon (14%). The most frequent recipient cities were Santa Barbara, CA (8 grants), New York, NY (7 grants), Washington, DC (4 grants) and San Francisco, CA (4 grants).
Who are Robert K & Barbara J Straus Family's largest grantees?
Robert K & Barbara J Straus Family's largest 2024 grantees include Frankfurt Zoological Society ($20,000), Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital Foundation ($12,500) and Pars Equality Center ($10,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 25% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is Robert K & Barbara J Straus Family?
Robert K & Barbara J Straus Family reported $2.2M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $170K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $197K (roughly 5% of its investment assets). Falling short in one year is not a violation: foundations have until the end of the next year to meet the minimum.
What does Robert K & Barbara J Straus Family fund?
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2024 grants went to organizations working in areas including wildlife and biodiversity conservation, hospital support, education, arts, community services, and historical preservation. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Robert K & Barbara J Straus Family?
The foundation states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and 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 Robert K & Barbara J Straus Family's EIN?
Robert K & Barbara J Straus Family's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 13-3377987. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Does Robert K & Barbara J Straus Family 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). Robert K & Barbara J Straus Family funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 10, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/robert-k-and-barbara-j-straus-family-morg_2bb208bdc5014239a6f2d7e050eb2849
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_133377987_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Robert K \& Barbara J Straus Family funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/robert-k-and-barbara-j-straus-family-morg_2bb208bdc5014239a6f2d7e050eb2849},
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 Robert K & Barbara J Straus Family'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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