Special Assistance Fund For Energy(Safe)
Special Assistance Fund For Energy (SAFE) was a private foundation based in Reno, Nevada. Its grantmaking supported utility-bill assistance in Nevada. The 2024 filing is marked as the organization’s final return, so the funder appears to have wound down.
Special Assistance Fund For Energy(Safe) at a glance
In short: Special Assistance Fund For Energy(Safe) gave $619K across 14 grants in 2024 (avg $44K), mostly in Nevada. 7% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $618,978
- +69.1% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 14
- +7.7% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $44,213
- +57.1% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $7,274
- New grantees (estimate)
- 7% first-time grantees (1 of 14, 2024; small sample)
- Primary geography
- Nevada (100% 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 Special Assistance Fund For Energy(Safe)
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation stated that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds. This describes the foundation’s stated policy, not a current application process.
- Contact
Mailing address: PO Box 10100, Reno, NV 89520
Phone: (775) 834-5741
Website: https://nvenergy.com
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Special Assistance Fund For Energy(Safe) funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Washoe County Family Resource Centers ($278K). Together the top 10 received $616K.
Grant Size Distribution
64 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 58 grants of 64 (91%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
All reported 2024 grant dollars went to recipients in Nevada.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 14 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is Special Assistance Fund For Energy(Safe) open to new grantees?
7%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 1 of 14 grantees (7%) were first-time recipients. With only 14 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 7 points. First grants averaged $245K; repeat grants $29K. How we count
Medians: $245K first-time, $6K repeat.
- 93% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving grew 86% from 2021 to 2024. Method
- In 2024 it paid out well above 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 $306K (2020) to $619K (2024). In 2024 it made 14 grants totaling $619K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Washoe County Family Resource Centers Reno, NV | Utility Vouchers (Accrued in 2023; to be Paid in 2024) | $277,527 |
| United Way of Northern Nevada and the Sierra Reno, NV | Complement state and federal energy aid programs | $245,000 |
| Friends In Services Helping (FISH) Carson City, NV | Utility Vouchers (Accrued in 2023; to be Paid in 2024) | $33,952 |
| Elko County Social Services Department Elko, NV | Utility Vouchers (Accrued in 2023; to be Paid in 2024) | $14,457 |
| Douglas County Social Services Minden, NV | Utility Vouchers (Accrued in 2023; to be Paid in 2024) | $13,678 |
| Lyon County Human Services Silver Springs, NV | Utility Vouchers (Accrued in 2023; to be Paid in 2024) | $12,042 |
| Indigent Services Winnemucca, NV | Utility Vouchers (Accrued in 2023; to be Paid in 2024) | $8,130 |
| Consolidated Agencies of Human Services Hawthorne, NV | Utility Vouchers (Accrued in 2023; to be Paid in 2024) | $6,417 |
| Nye County Health & Human Services Tonopah, NV | Utility Vouchers (Accrued in 2023; to be Paid in 2024) | $2,923 |
| Pershing County Clerk Treasurer Lovelock, NV | Utility Vouchers (Accrued in 2023; to be Paid in 2024) | $1,807 |
Ready to take the next step with Special Assistance Fund For Energy(Safe)?
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 | — | $8,060 | $252,495 | $618,978 | 14 | $626,473 | $1,014 | $20,045 |
| 2023 | $618,415 | $708,013 | $395,272 | $365,969 | 13 | $387,246 | $1,100 | $23,415 |
| 2022 | $298,113 | $257,363 | $393,675 | $316,992 | 13 | $344,576 | $148 | $8,170 |
| 2021 | $382,283 | $307,507 | $335,869 | $333,439 | 12 | $352,136 | — | $11,700 |
| 2020 | $424,391 | $319,950 | $354,266 | $305,845 | 12 | — | — | $14,930 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Special Assistance Fund For Energy(Safe) reported a distributable amount of $20K for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated October 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The filing describes the successor program as filling urgent financial gaps to help keep utilities on and complementing state and federal energy-aid programs. The 2024 grants included utility vouchers and a grant to United Way of Northern Nevada and the Sierra to complement state and federal energy-aid programs.
Among the organizations supported, United Way of Northern Nevada and the Sierra describes its mission as uniting communities to improve lives and creating opportunities for children, families, and individuals to realize their full potential. Consolidated Agencies of Human Services describes its work as administering WIC, family resources, commodities distribution, and emergency shelter programs.
Grantmaking
In 2024, SAFE reported 14 grants totaling $618,978. Grant amounts ranged from $500 to $277,527, with a median of $7,274. The largest grants included $277,527 to Washoe County Family Resource Centers for utility vouchers accrued in 2023 and paid in 2024, and $245,000 to United Way of Northern Nevada and the Sierra to complement state and federal energy-aid programs. Other reported grants included $33,952 to Friends In Services Helping (FISH), $14,457 to Elko County Social Services Department, and $13,678 to Douglas County Social Services; these grants were also for utility vouchers accrued in 2023 and paid in 2024.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Karen Ross as president, Carol Marin as secretary, Katie Nannini as treasurer, and Leslie Colbrese and Brenda Costello as directors.
Special Assistance Fund For Energy(Safe) is led by Karen Ross, President on every filing since 2021; none of the 5 officers listed in 2024 report compensation.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Karen Ross
President
On filings since 2021
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Brenda Costello
Director
On filings since 2020
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Leslie Colbrese
Director
On filings since 2020
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Carol Marin
Secretary
Chair → Secretary, 2021
On filings since 2020
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Katie Nannini
Treasurer
On filings since 2020
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (1)
- Former: Yvonne Enos (2020) — 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 Special Assistance Fund For Energy(Safe)
How much does Special Assistance Fund For Energy(Safe) give each year?
Special Assistance Fund For Energy(Safe) gave $619K across 14 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $366K across 13 grants.
What is Special Assistance Fund For Energy(Safe)'s typical grant size?
Special Assistance Fund For Energy(Safe)'s median grant in 2024 was $7,274, and its average grant was $44,213, across 14 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Special Assistance Fund For Energy(Safe) that year got $245K on average.
Where does Special Assistance Fund For Energy(Safe) give grants?
Special Assistance Fund For Energy(Safe) gives mostly in Nevada: 100% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Reno, NV (3 grants).
Does Special Assistance Fund For Energy(Safe) give general operating support?
Not in 2024: none of the 14 grants with a stated purpose on Special Assistance Fund For Energy(Safe)'s 2024 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Utility Vouchers (Accrued in 2023; to be Paid in 2024)" (13 grants).
Who are Special Assistance Fund For Energy(Safe)'s largest grantees?
Special Assistance Fund For Energy(Safe)'s largest 2024 grantees include Washoe County Family Resource Centers ($277,527), United Way of Northern Nevada and the Sierra ($245,000) and Friends In Services Helping (FISH) ($33,952), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 90% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
What does Special Assistance Fund For Energy(Safe) fund?
The filing describes the successor program as filling urgent financial gaps to help keep utilities on and complementing state and federal energy-aid programs. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Special Assistance Fund For Energy(Safe)?
The foundation stated 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 ↑
How much is Special Assistance Fund For Energy(Safe) required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, Special Assistance Fund For Energy(Safe) reported a distributable amount of $20K on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is Special Assistance Fund For Energy(Safe)'s EIN?
Special Assistance Fund For Energy(Safe)'s EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 88-0341058. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Does Special Assistance Fund For Energy(Safe) 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
(1)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Live grants for the work Special Assistance Fund For Energy(Safe) funds
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