Teach a Man to Fish Foundation
Teach a Man to Fish Foundation is a private foundation based in Irvine, California. Its 2024 filing reports grants to organizations working in conservation, education, food security, climate justice, health, and related areas.
Teach a Man to Fish Foundation at a glance
In short: Teach a Man to Fish Foundation gave $8.5M across 11 grants in 2024 (avg $769K), mostly in Wyoming. 70% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $8,458,250
- +59.4% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 11
- -68.6% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $768,932
- +407.2% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $10,000
- Total assets
- $144,373,812
- +12.3% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 70% first-time grantees (7 of 10, 2024; small sample)
- Primary geography
- Wyoming (99% 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 Teach a Man to Fish Foundation
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation’s 2024 filing says it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds.
- Contact
Mailing address: 17595 Harvard Ave Suite Ste C511, Irvine, CA 92614
Phone: (949) 501-7227
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Open Grants
1 open opportunity from Teach a Man to Fish Foundation
Who Teach a Man to Fish Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Walking Softer ($8.4M across 2 grants). Together the top 10 received $8.5M.
Grant Size Distribution
163 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 114 grants of 163 (70%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2024, 99% of grant dollars went to recipients in Wyoming and 1% to California; reported shares for Washington, Colorado, and the District of Columbia were 0% each. Listed recipients also included organizations in Georgia.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 11 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is Teach a Man to Fish Foundation open to new grantees?
70%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 7 of 10 grantees (70%) were first-time recipients. With only 10 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 10 points. First grants averaged $10K; repeat grants $2.8M. How we count
Medians: $10K first-time, $10K repeat.
- 30% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving grew 46% from 2021 to 2024. Method
- In 2024 it paid out 121% of 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 $3.8M (2020) to $8.5M (2024). In 2024 it made 11 grants totaling $8.5M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Walking Softer Jackson, WY | To support innovation and awareness of conservation through their academic programs and scholarships. | $8,065,650 |
| Walking Softer Jackson, WY | To support innovation and awareness of conservation through their academic programs and scholarships. | $300,000 |
| St Mary's School Aliso Viejo, CA | To support programs to help empower students and nurture their interests. | $20,100 |
| Hole Food Rescue Corp Jackson, WA | To support the reduction of food waste & cultivate food security. | $10,000 |
| Great Old Broads for Wilderness Durango, CO | To support the preservation and protection of wilderness and wild lands. | $10,000 |
| Miracles for Kids Inc Irvine, CA | To provide families with critically-ill with food, clothing, and shelter. | $10,000 |
| Climate Justice Alliance Berkeley, CA | To support frontline groups rebuilding cities struck by a climate disaster. | $10,000 |
| Wind River Tribal Buffalo Initiative Kinnear, WY | To support the resotration of buffalo populations through conservation efforts. | $10,000 |
| African Wildlife Foundation Washington, DC | To Support Conservation Efforts for AFR%ICAN Wildlife. | $10,000 |
| American Cancer Society Atlanta, GA | To support research efforts into cancer treatements and cures. | $7,500 |
Ready to take the next step with Teach a Man to Fish Foundation?
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
The foundation files Form 990-PF. Its EIN is 27-4213183.
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Qualifying Distributions | Net Investment Income | Distributable Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $144,373,812 | $-5,323,856 | $10,677,706 | $8,458,250 | 11 | $8,633,257 | $1,278,174 | $7,145,258 |
| 2023 | $128,584,721 | $18,786,411 | $18,493,163 | $5,306,279 | 35 | $5,453,610 | $9,614,628 | $6,417,101 |
| 2022 | $122,395,656 | $65,043,134 | $31,219,654 | $5,974,585 | 12 | $6,303,371 | $6,849,718 | $5,826,271 |
| 2021 | $203,437,997 | $86,100,450 | $8,974,239 | $5,781,250 | 21 | $6,822,771 | $18,512,851 | $6,759,893 |
| 2020 | $162,813,191 | $46,035,349 | $4,619,016 | $3,803,500 | 84 | — | $26,984,278 | $7,108,356 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Teach a Man to Fish Foundation reported a distributable amount of $7.1M for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2024 grants include support for conservation and wilderness protection, student programs, climate justice, food security, and health-related work.
Grantees describe their own missions as follows: Great Old Broads for Wilderness says it engages and inspires activism to preserve and protect wilderness and wild lands. The Wind River Tribal Buffalo Initiative says its primary mission is reconnecting buffalo with the Eastern Shoshone and Northern Arapaho Tribes. Climate Justice Alliance describes itself as an alliance of frontline communities and organizations building community-controlled alternatives. These are grantees’ stated missions, not the foundation’s.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2024, the foundation reported 11 grants totaling $8,458,250. The median grant was $10,000; awards ranged from $5,000 to $8,065,650. The largest grant was $8,065,650 to Walking Softer for conservation innovation and awareness through academic programs and scholarships. A second grant of $300,000 went to WALKING SOFTER for the same stated purpose.
Other reported grants included $20,100 to St Mary’s School for student programs; $10,000 each to Hole Food Rescue Corp, Great Old Broads for Wilderness, Miracles for Kids, Climate Justice Alliance, Wind River Tribal Buffalo Initiative, and African Wildlife Foundation; $7,500 to the American Cancer Society; and $5,000 to Hospital of St Johns.
The School Enterprise Challenge is described as a program for primary and secondary schools globally, offering awards of up to £1,000. Its information describes a sequence of submitting a business idea, a business plan, and an annual report. The listed edition is for 2025; no current cycle dates or detailed eligibility requirements are provided.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Vincent Smith as president, Victoria Smith as secretary/treasurer, and Matt Gless as vice president/CFO.
Teach a Man to Fish Foundation is led by Vincent Smith, President on every filing since 2020; none of the 3 officers listed in 2024 report compensation.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Vincent Smith
President
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
Matt Gless
Vice President & CFO
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
Victoria Smith
Secretary & Treasurer
On filings since 2023
No compensation reported
Former officers (1)
- Former: Victoria Flaherty (2020–2022) — Secretary & Treasurer
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 Teach a Man to Fish Foundation
How much does Teach a Man to Fish Foundation give each year?
Teach a Man to Fish Foundation gave $8.5M across 11 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $5.3M across 35 grants.
What is Teach a Man to Fish Foundation's typical grant size?
Teach a Man to Fish Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $10,000, and its average grant was $768,932, across 11 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Teach a Man to Fish Foundation that year got $10K on average.
Where does Teach a Man to Fish Foundation give grants?
Teach a Man to Fish Foundation gives mostly in Wyoming: 99% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Jackson, WY (2 grants).
Does Teach a Man to Fish Foundation give general operating support?
Not in 2024: none of the 11 grants with a stated purpose on Teach a Man to Fish Foundation's 2024 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support.
Who are Teach a Man to Fish Foundation's largest grantees?
Teach a Man to Fish Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include Walking Softer ($8,365,650 across 2 grants), St Mary's School ($20,100) and Hole Food Rescue Corp ($10,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 99% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is Teach a Man to Fish Foundation?
Teach a Man to Fish Foundation reported $144.4M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $8.6M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $7.1M (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does Teach a Man to Fish Foundation fund?
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2024 grants include support for conservation and wilderness protection, student programs, climate justice, food security, and health-related work. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Teach a Man to Fish Foundation?
The foundation’s 2024 filing says 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 Teach a Man to Fish Foundation's EIN?
Teach a Man to Fish Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 27-4213183. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Does Teach a Man to Fish 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
(1)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Teach a Man to Fish Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Teach a Man to Fish Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 15, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/teach-a-man-to-fish-foundation-morg_321059b8d4ba4c98b29923da07913449
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_274213183_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Teach a Man to Fish Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/teach-a-man-to-fish-foundation-morg_321059b8d4ba4c98b29923da07913449},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-15. 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 Teach a Man to Fish 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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