Ross and Carol Y Castro Foundation

Private foundation · Grantmaker San Jose, CA EIN: 48-1275020

The Ross and Carol Y Castro Foundation is a private foundation based in San Jose, California. Its 2025 filing reports 11 grants totaling $19,250 to charitable organizations, with grants supporting activities that include heritage, media, food assistance, education, health care, and services for seniors.

Ross and Carol Y Castro Foundation at a glance

In short: Ross and Carol Y Castro Foundation gave $19K across 11 grants in 2025 (avg $2K), mostly in California. 9% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.

Annual giving (2025)
$19,250
-10.6% vs 2024
Grants made (2025)
11
+37.5% vs 2024
Average grant
$1,750
-35.0% vs 2024
Median grant
$1,000
Total assets
$337,052
+0.9% vs 2024
New grantees (estimate)
9% first-time grantees (1 of 11, 2025; small sample)
Primary geography
California (90% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
Latest 990 filing
Form 990-PF, 2025 View filing

Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).

How to apply to Ross and Carol Y Castro Foundation

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: 2282 Cottle Ave, San Jose, CA 95125
Phone: (408) 228-7860

Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.

Who Ross and Carol Y Castro Foundation funds

How this funder distributes its grants

Top Recipients

Top 10 recipients in 2025

The Sicilian Sisterhood: $6KThe Sicilian Sisterhood$6KKqed: $2KKqed$2KSecond Harvest Food Bank: $2KSecond Harvest Food Bank$2KSalvation Army: $2KSalvation Army$2KAiuto Foundation: $2KAiuto Foundation$2KLucilepackard Foundation for Child: $1KLucilepackard Foundation forChild$1KSan Jose Day Nursery: $1KSan Jose Day Nursery$1KHeart of the Valley: $1KHeart of the Valley$1KStanford University: $1KStanford University$1KHospice of the Valley: $1KHospice of the Valley$1K

The largest 2025 recipient was The Sicilian Sisterhood ($6K). Together the top 10 received $19K.

Grant Size Distribution

53 grants across all recorded years

53<$50K$50–100K$100–250K$250–500K$500K–1M$1–5M$5M+

The most common grant size was under $50K: 53 grants of 53 (100%).

Geographic Focus

Where this funder awards grants

In 2025, 90% of grant dollars went to recipients in California and 10% to recipients in Virginia.

Grant Distribution by State

3states

Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 11 itemized grants.

Cities

San JosePalo AltoSan FranciscoSanta ClaraAlexandriaLos GatosStanfordLos AngelesDallasMontereySaratoga

Is Ross and Carol Y Castro Foundation open to new grantees?

9%

first-time grantees, 2025

In 2025, 1 of 11 grantees (9%) were first-time recipients. With only 11 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 9 points. First grants averaged $1K; repeat grants $2K. How we count

Medians: $1K first-time, $2K repeat.

  • 73% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
  • Giving grew 121% from 2022 to 2025. Method
  • In 2025 it paid out 71% 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 (2019–2025). 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

$0$20K$40K$60K7 grants2019 8 grants2020 8 grants2021 10 grants2022 16 grants2023 8 grants2024 11 grants2025

From 2019 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $3K (2019) to $48K (2023). In 2025 it made 11 grants totaling $19K.

Grants by year

Grant recipients and amounts by year

RecipientPurposeAmount
The Sicilian Sisterhood San Jose, CATo Promote Sicilian Heritage$6,000
Kqed San Francisco, CATo Enrich Minds and Inspire Lives$2,000
Second Harvest Food Bank San Jose, CATo Provide Food to Those in Need$2,000
Salvation Army Alexandria, VAMeet Human Needs Wherever, Whenever$2,000
Aiuto Foundation San Jose, CATo Share Heritage with the Youth$2,000
Lucilepackard Foundation for Child Palo Alto, CAHelp Caregivers Give Pediatric Care$1,000
San Jose Day Nursery San Jose, CATo Provide Fundamental Learning for$1,000
Heart of the Valley Santa Clara, CATo Support Seniors Independent Life$1,000
Stanford University Stanford, CATo Support Student and Community$1,000
Hospice of the Valley San Jose, CAPrograms for Serious Illness$1,000
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Financial History

Multi-year comparison from IRS filings

Figures from IRS filings, by filing year
Filing yearTotal AssetsRevenueExpensesGrants paidGrantsQualifying DistributionsNet Investment IncomeDistributable Amount
2025$337,052$27,018$24,029$19,25011$19,250$26,369$27,164
2024$334,063$27,318$27,239$21,5308$21,530$7,913$25,732
2023$323,984$16,763$52,724$47,85016$47,850$25,515$20,587
2022$359,945$25,812$14,210$8,70010$8,700$25,810$22,456
2021$348,343$22,164$12,497$6,5008$6,500$17,599$22,077
2020$338,676$20,445$9,078$5,1008—$16,467$20,345
2019$327,309$26,509$8,752$3,4007—$26,509$21,069

Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Ross and Carol Y Castro Foundation reported a distributable amount of $27K for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.

Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated October 2026.

Mission & Focus Areas

No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2025 grants included support for organizations serving different purposes. KQED describes its mission as serving Northern California with community-supported media, convening community dialogue, bringing the arts to everyone, and helping students and teachers thrive. San Jose Day Nursery describes its mission as promoting child excellence through early care and education, parent engagement, and community partnerships. The foundation’s listed grant purposes also include promoting Sicilian heritage, providing food to people in need, and supporting caregivers in pediatric care.

Grantmaking

In filing year 2025, the foundation gave 11 grants totaling $19,250. Grant amounts ranged from $250 to $6,000, with a median grant of $1,000.

Notable 2025 grants included $6,000 to The Sicilian Sisterhood; $2,000 each to KQED, Second Harvest Food Bank, the Salvation Army, and the Aiuto Foundation; and $1,000 each to Lucile Packard Foundation for Children, San Jose Day Nursery, Heart of the Valley, Stanford University, and Hospice of the Valley. Terraces of Los Gatos – Resident received $250.

Leadership & Key People

Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings

The 2025 filing lists Carol Castro as president, Linda Graham as treasurer, and Jennifer Reulman as secretary.

Ross and Carol Y Castro Foundation is led by Carol Castro, President on every filing since 2019; none of the 3 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.

Officers on the 2025 filing

  • Carol Castro

    President

    On filings since 2019

    No compensation reported

  • Jennifer Reulman

    Secretary

    On filings since 2019

    No compensation reported

  • Linda Graham

    Treasurer

    On filings since 2019

    No compensation reported

Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2019–2025. "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 Ross and Carol Y Castro Foundation

How much does Ross and Carol Y Castro Foundation give each year?

Ross and Carol Y Castro Foundation gave $19K across 11 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $22K across 8 grants.

What is Ross and Carol Y Castro Foundation's typical grant size?

Ross and Carol Y Castro Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $1,000, and its average grant was $1,750, across 11 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Ross and Carol Y Castro Foundation that year got $1K on average.

Where does Ross and Carol Y Castro Foundation give grants?

Ross and Carol Y Castro Foundation gives mostly in California: 90% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest state was Virginia (10%). The most frequent recipient cities were San Jose, CA (5 grants).

Does Ross and Carol Y Castro Foundation give general operating support?

Not in 2025: none of the 11 grants with a stated purpose on Ross and Carol Y Castro Foundation's 2025 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support.

Who are Ross and Carol Y Castro Foundation's largest grantees?

Ross and Carol Y Castro Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include The Sicilian Sisterhood ($6,000), Kqed ($2,000) and Second Harvest Food Bank ($2,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 52% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.

How large is Ross and Carol Y Castro Foundation?

Ross and Carol Y Castro Foundation reported $337K in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $19K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $27K (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 Ross and Carol Y Castro Foundation fund?

No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2025 grants included support for organizations serving different purposes. See mission & focus areas ↑

How do I apply for a grant from Ross and Carol Y Castro Foundation?

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 Ross and Carol Y Castro Foundation's EIN?

Ross and Carol Y Castro Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 48-1275020. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2025.

Does Ross and Carol Y Castro 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 October 2026.

Data update history

(7)

When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable

  1. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS May 13, 2025)
  2. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS May 13, 2026)
  3. Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS May 4, 2020)
  4. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS May 6, 2021)
  5. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS May 12, 2022)
  6. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS June 29, 2023)
  7. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS May 13, 2024)

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The filing figures on this page are open data under CC BY 4.0. About GrantGraph Open

Figures come from Ross and Carol Y Castro 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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