Tahoe Maritime Foundation
Tahoe Maritime Foundation is a private foundation based in San Jose, California, that supports maritime activities, history, and education. Its website says it was created in 2021 with assets from the Tahoe Maritime Museum and makes annual grants to qualifying 501(c)(3) organizations.
Tahoe Maritime Foundation at a glance
In short: Tahoe Maritime Foundation gave $220K across 11 grants in 2025 (avg $20K), mostly in California. 18% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $220,000
- +10.0% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 11
- -15.4% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $20,000
- +30.0% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $20,000
- Total assets
- $4,278,384
- +1.7% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 18% first-time grantees (2 of 11, 2025; small sample)
- Primary geography
- California (64% 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 Tahoe Maritime Foundation
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- Invitation Only
-
The foundation’s 2024 filing states that it does not accept unsolicited requests and makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations. Its website describes grants as invitation-based, with conversations with a designated director before an invited application. The website also says it will accept brief email requests asking to be considered, so its published guidance differs on whether such requests are accepted. Invited applicants receive a passcode to submit an application; a director may request clarification or changes before the board votes. The foundation prefers organizations with low administrative overhead and requires project records during and after the funded work.
- Review Cycle
- The website says the 2027 grant cycle begins in October 2026; it does not specify an application due date.
- Deadline
- The website says the 2027 grant cycle begins in October 2026; it does not specify an application due date.
- Contact
Mailing address: 2662 Kring Drive, San Jose, CA 95125
Phone: (408) 605-2999
Website: https://www.tahoemaritimefoundation.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Tahoe Maritime Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was The Mariners' Museum ($30K). Together the top 10 received $215K.
Grant Size Distribution
44 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 43 grants of 44 (98%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation’s stated preference is for organizations in the Lake Tahoe basin and surrounding areas of Northern California and western Nevada. Its website reports grantmaking reaching organizations in six states. In the 2025 IRS filing, grant dollars were reported as 64% to California, 14% to Virginia, 11% to New York, 9% to Minnesota, and 2% to Nevada.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 11 itemized grants.
Cities
Is Tahoe Maritime Foundation open to new grantees?
18%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 2 of 11 grantees (18%) 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 $20K; repeat grants $20K. How we count
Medians: $20K first-time, $20K repeat.
- 64% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2022 to 2025 (+2%). Method
- In 2025 it paid out 92% 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 filings (2022–2025). 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 2022 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $200K (2024) to $220K (2025). In 2025 it made 11 grants totaling $220K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| The Mariners' Museum Newport News, VA | Purchase of Cold Storage Unit | $30,000 |
| Boys & Girls Club of Lake Tahoe South Lake Tahoe, CA | Building Sailboats | $25,000 |
| Western Flyer Foundation Moss Landing, CA | Hvac System for Western Flyer | $25,000 |
| Antique Boat Museum Clayton, NY | Tools for New Boat Building | $24,000 |
| Call of the Sea Sausalito, CA | Partial funding for purchase of new carb mandated engine for schooner seaward | $23,000 |
| Minnesota Lakes Maritime Society Alexandria, MN | Part-time musuem program director to review and update launching learning programs | $20,000 |
| Wooden Boats for Veterans Foundation Sausalito, CA | Partial Support for Restoration of Clover | $20,000 |
| Peninsula Youth Sailing Foundation Woodside, CA | Partial Support for New Dinghy | $18,000 |
| League to Save Lake Tahoe Lake Tahoe, CA | Partial Support for Edrr Invasive Species Erradication Education | $15,000 |
| North Lake Tahoe Historical Society Tahoe City, CA | Exhibit Cases | $15,000 |
Ready to take the next step with Tahoe Maritime Foundation?
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
The IRS filing reports the following figures:
The website’s account of earlier grant cycles differs from the filing figures for 2024 and 2023. It reports $175,000 to 9 grantees in 2024 and $201,000 to 9 grantees in 2023.
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Qualifying Distributions | Net Investment Income | Distributable Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $4,278,384 | $323,495 | $251,601 | $220,000 | 11 | $223,339 | $142,983 | $242,041 |
| 2024 | $4,206,490 | $134,083 | $230,544 | $200,000 | 13 | $204,205 | $108,989 | $224,465 |
| 2023 | $4,302,740 | $-23,573 | $226,935 | $200,850 | 9 | $203,947 | $69,793 | $201,658 |
| 2022 | $4,553,028 | $96,021 | $245,137 | $215,050 | 11 | $219,470 | $61,788 | $205,426 |
| 2021 | $4,701,924 | $156,712 | $26,751 | — | — | $14,945 | $89,528 | $229,597 |
| 2020 | $4,627,060 | $806,306 | $725,121 | — | — | — | $747,338 | — |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Tahoe Maritime Foundation reported a distributable amount of $242K 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 stated purpose is to support maritime activities, history, and education. Its website says grants support projects and programs for all ages. It requires recipients to have current federal 501(c)(3) tax-exempt status, keeps records of funded work, and does not fund endowments or multi-year projects. It will accept annual requests for ongoing work that may have received prior support.
Examples of grantees’ own missions illustrate the range of organizations it has funded. The Mariners’ Museum says it connects people through shared maritime heritage; Boys & Girls Club of Lake Tahoe aims to help young people realize their potential; and Western Flyer Foundation says it uses marine research, education, science, and art to stir curiosity. Call of the Sea describes educational programs aboard traditional sailing vessels, while the Minnesota Lakes Maritime Society says it promotes and preserves lake-life history and culture.
Grantmaking
The 2025 IRS filing reports 11 grants totaling $220,000, with awards ranging from $5,000 to $30,000 and a median of $20,000. The foundation’s website separately describes its 2025 grant cycle as awarding $220,000 to 9 grantees.
Among the 2025 awards listed in the filing were $30,000 to The Mariners’ Museum for a cold storage unit; $25,000 to Boys & Girls Club of Lake Tahoe for building sailboats; $25,000 to Western Flyer Foundation for an HVAC system; $24,000 to Antique Boat Museum for tools for new boat building; and $23,000 to Call of the Sea toward a new engine for the schooner *Seaward*.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Kirk Pumphrey as president; Jeffrey Peterson as treasurer; Cheryl Caplan as secretary; and Stephen Caplan, Richard Stout, Lora Nadolski Hanson, Todd Jeffery, and Darren Kramer as directors. The website identifies the board as volunteer.
Tahoe Maritime Foundation is led by Kirk Pumphrey, President since 2022 (on filings since 2020); none of the 8 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Kirk Pumphrey
President
Vice President → President, 2022
On filings since 2020
3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Richard Stout
Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Stephen Caplan
Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Lora Nadolski Hanson
Director
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Darren Kramer
Director
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Todd Jeffery
Director
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Cheryl Caplan
Secretary
On filings since 2020
3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Jeffrey Peterson
Treasurer
On filings since 2020
3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (8)
- Former: Roy Dryer III (2020–2024) — Director
- Former: William Bensley (2020–2021) — President
- Former: Bob Boldt (2020) — Director
- Former: David Olson (2020) — Director
- Former: Greg Betty (2020) — Director
- Former: Lora Nadolski (2020) — Executive Director
- Former: Sarah Obexer Fields (2020) — Director
- Former: Stephen Lind (2020) — Director
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2025. "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 Tahoe Maritime Foundation
How much does Tahoe Maritime Foundation give each year?
Tahoe Maritime Foundation gave $220K across 11 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $200K across 13 grants.
What is Tahoe Maritime Foundation's typical grant size?
Tahoe Maritime Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $20,000, and its average grant was $20,000, across 11 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Tahoe Maritime Foundation that year got $20K on average.
Where does Tahoe Maritime Foundation give grants?
Tahoe Maritime Foundation gives mostly in California: 64% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest states were Virginia (14%) and New York (11%). The most frequent recipient cities were Sausalito, CA (2 grants).
Does Tahoe Maritime Foundation give general operating support?
Not in 2025: none of the 11 grants with a stated purpose on Tahoe Maritime Foundation's 2025 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support.
Who are Tahoe Maritime Foundation's largest grantees?
Tahoe Maritime Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include The Mariners' Museum ($30,000), Boys & Girls Club of Lake Tahoe ($25,000) and Western Flyer Foundation ($25,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 36% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Tahoe Maritime Foundation?
Tahoe Maritime Foundation reported $4.3M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $223K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $242K (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 Tahoe Maritime Foundation fund?
The foundation’s stated purpose is to support maritime activities, history, and education. Its website says grants support projects and programs for all ages. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Tahoe Maritime Foundation?
The foundation’s 2024 filing states that it does not accept unsolicited requests and makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Tahoe Maritime Foundation's EIN?
Tahoe Maritime Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 94-3073894. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.
Does Tahoe Maritime 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 filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(6)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS May 13, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS May 11, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS May 15, 2024)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS May 7, 2025)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS April 14, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2025
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Tahoe Maritime Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 10, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/tahoe-maritime-foundation-morg_3d9aa8fc284c4656a762d3868ea9590e
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_943073894_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Tahoe Maritime Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/tahoe-maritime-foundation-morg_3d9aa8fc284c4656a762d3868ea9590e},
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 Tahoe Maritime 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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