Tahoe Blue Foundation
Tahoe Blue Foundation is a private grantmaking foundation based in Palo Alto, California (314 Lytton Ave, Palo Alto, CA 94301). Established in 2021 and granted tax-exempt status in July 2022, the foundation operates as a non-operating private foundation classified as a 501(c)(3) charitable organization.
Key facts about Tahoe Blue Foundation
- EIN
- 87-3825643
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024
- Annual giving (2024)
- $255,680
- Grants made (2024)
- 28
- Average grant
- $9,131
- Median grant
- $2,408
- New grantees (estimate)
- 18% first-time grantees (4 of 22, 2024)
- Total assets
- $4,587,497
- Primary geography
- California (72% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated September 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
Who Tahoe Blue Foundation funds
By grant dollars, the top recipient states for Tahoe Blue Foundation's 28 itemized 2024 grants were California (72%) and District of Columbia (24%). The most frequent recipient cities were San Francisco, CA (9 grants), Washington, DC (5 grants), San Rafael, CA (2 grants) and Mill Valley, CA (2 grants). 79% of grants with a stated purpose were for general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute" (3 grants).
Is Tahoe Blue Foundation open to new grantees?
18%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 4 of 22 grantees (18%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $455; repeat grants $14K. How we count
Medians: $383 first-time, $3K repeat.
- 73% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- In 2024 it paid out 145% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized IRS Form 990-PF grant lists (2022–2024). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.
Next steps with Tahoe Blue Foundation
- How to evaluate Tahoe Blue Foundation as a funder
Our grant prospecting guide: read the 990-PF, check fit, and decide whether to apply.
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Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$4.6M
+11.5% YoY
Annual Giving
$256K
-15.8% YoY
Grant Count
28
-15.2% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$9K
-0.8% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Tahoe Blue Foundation reported a distributable amount of $214K for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation's stated mission is to provide grants and assistance to organizations supporting the environment and social equity. The foundation's name reflects an affinity for Lake Tahoe.
Grantmaking
The foundation has supported 39 unique organizations across multiple sectors, including education, environmental conservation, and community development.
Grant Range
$2,000
Average Grant
$8,000
Ready to take the next step with Tahoe Blue Foundation?
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation primarily supports organizations in California, the District of Columbia, and Pennsylvania, which account for 81% of all grants. Grantmaking reaches organizations across 9 states.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of all 28 itemized 2024 grant dollars.
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
Fiscal Year 2024 (Most Recent):
- Total Revenue: $828,014
- Total Expenses: $210,605
- Net Income: $617,409
- Total Assets: $4,587,497
- Total Liabilities: $602,442
- Net Assets: $3,985,055
Revenue Composition (2024):
- Contributions Received: $630,392 (76.1%)
- Dividends: $55,129 (6.7%)
- Sales of Assets: $46,081 (5.6%)
- Other Income: $96,412 (11.6%)
Expenses (2024):
- Charitable Disbursements: $310,261
Asset Growth:
- December 2021: $1,990,000
- December 2022: $4,030,391
- December 2023: $4,115,823
- December 2024: $4,587,497
The foundation has experienced significant asset growth since its establishment, with total assets increasing from $2 million in 2021 to $4.6 million in 2024.
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $4,587,497 | $4,115,823 | $4,030,391 |
| Revenue | $828,014 | $427,135 | $2,120,134 |
| Expenses | $210,605 | $1,015,653 | $236,935 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $310,261 | $332,078 | $157,339 |
| Net Investment Income | $255,792 | $39,120 | — |
| Distributable Amount | $214,206 | $207,719 | $66,940 |
Data update history
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2021–2024
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
Grant Size Distribution
82 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest recipients include Marin Academy ($80,000), Urban School of San Francisco ($60,833 across 3 grants), Smithsonian Institution ($59,815 across 4 grants).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| MARIN ACADEMY San Rafael, CA | ANNUAL FUND, PENN FELLOWS AND MA CELEBRATES | $80,000 |
| SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION Washington, DC | SMITHSONIAN TROPICAL RESEARCH INSTITUTE | $50,000 |
| URBAN SCHOOL OF SAN FRANCISCO San Francisco, CA | PERFORMING ARTS AND COMMUNITY CENTER | $33,333 |
| URBAN SCHOOL OF SAN FRANCISCO San Francisco, CA | ANNUAL FUND 2023-24 & ENDOWMENT | $17,500 |
| BUILDING 21 Plymouth Meeting, PA | GENERAL SUPPORT | $10,000 |
| MOUNT TAMALPAIS SCHOOL Mill Valley, CA | GENERAL SUPPORT | $10,000 |
| TAHOE FUND Tahoe City, CA | GENERAL SUPPORT | $10,000 |
| URBAN SCHOOL OF SAN FRANCISCO San Francisco, CA | GENERAL SUPPORT | $10,000 |
| 826 VALENCIA INC San Francisco, CA | GENERAL SUPPORT | $5,342 |
| CALIFORNIA FILM INSTITUTE San Rafael, CA | GENERAL SUPPORT | $5,217 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
- Cherity Payne – Chief Executive Officer; background in technology public relations and community engagement; serves on the board of Youth in Arts, a Marin County arts education nonprofit
- C. Jason Payne – Secretary and Chief Financial Officer
Compensation Overview
No officer or director reported compensation in the available filings.
From 2024 IRS filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cherity Payne | President/Director | 1 | — |
| C Jason Payne | Secretary/CFO/Director | 1 | — |
Subject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Tahoe Blue Foundation fund?
The foundation's stated mission is to provide grants and assistance to organizations supporting the environment and social equity. The foundation's name reflects an affinity for Lake Tahoe.
How do I apply for a grant from Tahoe Blue Foundation?
**Grant Activity & Scale:** • Total grants made: 103 grants totaling approximately $828,000 across available records • Median grant size: $2,000 • Average grant size: $8,000 • Individual grants have ranged from $3,000 to $100,000 • Annual distribution: Between $256,000 and $304,000 annually from 2022 to 2024 • Highest grantmaking activity occurred in 2023 with $304,000 distributed across 33 grants **Recent Grants (2024):** • Marin Academy: $80,000 (Annual Fund, Penn Fellows and Ma Celebrates) •…
Where does Tahoe Blue Foundation make grants?
The foundation primarily supports organizations in California, the District of Columbia, and Pennsylvania, which account for 81% of all grants. Grantmaking reaches organizations across 9 states.
What size grants does Tahoe Blue Foundation award?
In 2024, Tahoe Blue Foundation awarded 28 grants totaling $256K — an average of about $9K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is Tahoe Blue Foundation required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, Tahoe Blue Foundation reported a distributable amount of $214K on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is Tahoe Blue Foundation's EIN?
Tahoe Blue Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 87-3825643. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2021–2024.
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Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.