Stone Family Foundation
The Stone Family Foundation is a family-led private foundation based in Santa Barbara, California. It supports charitable organizations working to improve equity, vibrancy, and sustainability, with stated priorities spanning girls’ education, the environment, civic engagement, youth initiatives in Santa Barbara County, and hospice care.
Stone Family Foundation at a glance
In short: Stone Family Foundation gave $2.9M across 93 grants in 2025 (avg $31K), mostly in California. 26% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $2,910,000
- +18.1% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 93
- +17.7% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $31,290
- +0.3% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $30,000
- Total assets
- $55,519,132
- +7.1% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 26% first-time grantees (24 of 93, 2025)
- Primary geography
- California (60% 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 Stone Family Foundation
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
The foundation’s 2025 filing states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests.
The foundation’s 2025 filing states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and **does not accept unsolicited requests**. Its website invites organizations in priority areas to submit a 1–2 page letter of interest describing the organization and proposed use of funds; the girls’ education program also requests relevant impact information. Applicants must be publicly supported organizations recognized by the IRS under Section 501(c)(3), and the LOI should include the organization’s EIN. The foundation generally does not consider fiscal sponsorship arrangements; the U.S. fiscal sponsor would need to apply. It does not accept equivalency determinations.
- Review Cycle
- The 2026 grant cycle is closed. For the 2027 cycle, the website lists Santa Barbara Youth and Critical Thinking and an Engaged Citizenry LOIs for spring 2027, and Environment, Girls’ Education and Empowerment, and Hospice LOIs for summer 2027. Exact deadlines were to be announced in late 2026 or early 2027.
- Deadline
- The 2026 grant cycle is closed.
- Contact
Mailing address: PO Box 30304, Santa Barbara, CA 93130
Phone: (805) 962-7496
Website: https://thestonefamilyfoundation.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Stone Family Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was She's the First ($250K). Together the top 10 received $1.2M.
Grant Size Distribution
373 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 306 grants of 373 (82%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation identifies low-income countries as a focus for girls’ education and empowerment, and local, national, and international efforts as eligible for its environment program; environmental litigation support must focus on the United States. It prioritizes Central or Southern California for hospice and Santa Barbara County for youth initiatives.
In 2025, 60% of grant dollars went to recipients in California, 16% to New York, 9% to Washington, DC, 8% to Colorado, and 2% to Massachusetts.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 93 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is Stone Family Foundation open to new grantees?
26%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 24 of 93 grantees (26%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $27K; repeat grants $33K. How we count
Medians: $30K first-time, $25K repeat.
- 66% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2022 to 2025 (+1%). Method
- In 2025 it paid out 95% 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
From 2019 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $2.4M (2019) to $2.9M (2025). In 2025 it made 93 grants totaling $2.9M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| She's the First New York, NY | General | $250,000 |
| Read Global San Francisco, CA | General | $225,000 |
| University of California Santa Barbara, CA | General | $130,000 |
| The Brookings Institution Washington, DC | General | $125,000 |
| Foundation for Colorado Community College Denver, CO | General | $100,000 |
| Scholarship Foundation of Santa Barbara Santa Barbara, CA | General | $100,000 |
| Santa Barbara Education Foundation Santa Barbara, CA | General | $80,000 |
| Allsides Education Fund Denver, CO | General | $50,000 |
| Constructive Dialogue Institute New York, NY | General | $50,000 |
| Earth Justice San Francisco, CA | General | $50,000 |
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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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $55,519,132 | $6,844,290 | $3,186,055 | $2,910,000 | 93 | $3,018,102 | $6,844,290 | $3,169,081 |
| 2024 | $51,860,897 | $3,225,631 | $2,553,474 | $2,465,000 | 79 | $2,465,922 | $3,225,631 | $2,908,989 |
| 2023 | $51,188,740 | $-499,751 | $2,563,766 | $2,455,000 | 70 | $2,455,767 | $950,513 | $2,467,070 |
| 2022 | $54,252,257 | $5,476,995 | $2,972,034 | $2,880,000 | 73 | $2,881,111 | $5,476,995 | $2,454,998 |
| 2021 | $51,747,296 | $4,318,798 | $2,487,550 | $2,431,000 | 58 | $2,431,875 | $4,318,798 | $2,880,192 |
| 2020 | $49,916,048 | $3,082,769 | $2,472,113 | $2,420,000 | 56 | — | $3,082,769 | $2,434,365 |
| 2019 | $49,305,392 | $4,854,526 | $2,557,189 | $2,420,000 | 55 | — | $5,154,526 | $2,419,573 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Stone Family Foundation reported a distributable amount of $3.2M for 2025 — 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 website says it supports organizations working in these areas:
- Education and empowerment of girls and vulnerable populations in low-income countries. Its girls’ education program prioritizes adolescent girls and youth ages 12–20, repeated engagement, and programs linking their approach to academic or personal development.
- Environmental preservation, health, and legal protections. The environment program focuses on preservation and restoration, litigation to defend environmental protections, and efforts addressing effects of environmental degradation on human health.
- Critical thinking and civic engagement.
- Cultural, educational, and welfare initiatives for youth in Santa Barbara County, California.
- Volunteer hospice care and bereavement counseling, with priority for organizations in Central or Southern California.
The foundation may also fund other charitable organizations that its directors determine are appropriate for assistance.
Examples of supported organizations illustrate the range of work represented among its grantees. She’s the First says it works with grassroots leaders so girls are educated, respected, and heard. The Scholarship Foundation of Santa Barbara says it supports local students’ pathways through college, graduate, and vocational school. Santa Barbara Education Foundation says it supports programs for students’ academic, artistic, and personal development. Save the Waves Coalition says it protects surf ecosystems through protected areas, stewardship, and grassroots mobilization. The Constructive Dialogue Institute says it equips young Americans to engage in dialogue across differences.
Grantmaking
In 2025, the foundation reported 93 grants totaling $2,910,000. Grant amounts ranged from $5,000 to $250,000, with a median of $30,000. Its website says grants are typically between $25,000 and $50,000, though program-specific awards can differ: the girls’ education program lists community grants of $25,000–$30,000 and development grants of $300,000–$400,000; the environment program lists grants of $30,000–$50,000; and hospice grants are typically $25,000–$50,000, with smaller requests also considered.
Among the largest reported 2025 grants were $250,000 to She’s the First; $225,000 to Read Global; $130,000 to the University of California (Santa Barbara); $125,000 to the Brookings Institution; and $100,000 each to the Foundation for Colorado Community College and the Scholarship Foundation of Santa Barbara. The 2025 filing lists each of these grants’ purpose as “general.”
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Robert R. Stone as president; Dorian R. Stone, Adrienne M. Stone, and Adam R. Stone as vice presidents; and Irene S. Stone as secretary/treasurer.
Stone Family Foundation is led by Adrienne M. Stone, V & President on every filing since 2019; none of the 5 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Adrienne M. Stone
V & President
On filings since 2019
2 hrs/week
$6K (2023) → $0 (2025)
Adam R. Stone
V & President
On filings since 2019
No compensation reported
Dorian R. Stone
V & President
On filings since 2019
No compensation reported
Robert R. Stone
President
On filings since 2019
3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Irene S. Stone
Secretary & Treasurer
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
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.
Compensation Overview
From 2023 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2023 filing was $6K, to Adrienne M Stone (V/Pres).
Frequently asked questions about Stone Family Foundation
How much does Stone Family Foundation give each year?
Stone Family Foundation gave $2.9M across 93 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $2.5M across 79 grants.
What is Stone Family Foundation's typical grant size?
Stone Family Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $30,000, and its average grant was $31,290, across 93 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Stone Family Foundation that year got $27K on average.
Where does Stone Family Foundation give grants?
Stone Family Foundation gives mostly in California: 60% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest states were New York (16%) and District of Columbia (9%). The most frequent recipient cities were Santa Barbara, CA (37 grants), New York, NY (7 grants), Washington, DC (7 grants) and Denver, CO (7 grants).
Does Stone Family Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 95% of Stone Family Foundation's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (88 of 93) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Recurring purposes include "Generalgeneral" (5 grants).
Who are Stone Family Foundation's largest grantees?
Stone Family Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include She's the First ($250,000), Read Global ($225,000) and University of California ($130,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 21% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Stone Family Foundation?
Stone Family Foundation reported $55.5M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $3.0M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $3.2M (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 Stone Family Foundation fund?
The foundation’s website says it supports organizations working in these areas: See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Stone Family Foundation?
The foundation’s 2025 filing states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Stone Family Foundation's EIN?
Stone Family Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 84-1549096. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2025.
Does Stone Family 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
(7)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS May 8, 2025)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS May 8, 2026)
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS May 18, 2020)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS April 27, 2021)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS May 4, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS May 8, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS April 26, 2024)
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Stone Family Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 14, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/stone-family-foundation-morg_287b8c9998eb4a5b93e162cafbafe7b5
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_841549096_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Stone Family Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/stone-family-foundation-morg_287b8c9998eb4a5b93e162cafbafe7b5},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-14. 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 Stone Family 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.
Stone Family Foundation down — hundreds of funders to go?