The California Wellness Foundation
The California Wellness Foundation is a private foundation based in an individual recipient, California. Established in 1992, it supports work to protect and improve the health and wellness of Californians, including community-led efforts, direct services, advocacy, and civic engagement.
The California Wellness Foundation at a glance
In short: The California Wellness Foundation gave $48.8M across 681 grants in 2024 (avg $72K), mostly in California. 32% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $48,752,827
- -14.5% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 681
- -14.8% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $71,590
- +0.3% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $7,500
- Total assets
- $1,049,009,252
- +0.7% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 32% first-time grantees (164 of 510, 2024)
- Primary geography
- California (84% 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 The California Wellness Foundation
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests in 2026. Its general application information describes an online letter-of-interest process. Eligible applicants include nonprofit public agencies, religious organizations, and tribal governments with 501(c)(3) public-charity status; requests must benefit people in California. The foundation generally funds public charities and public agencies in California, encourages core operating support, and does not fund individuals or certain requests, including annual fund drives, building campaigns, major equipment, biomedical research, or international work. The 2024 filing says applications should describe the organization’s mission and activities, the region and populations served, proposed use of funds, and amount requested; project requests should also include goals, leadership, and duration.
- Review Cycle
- The 2024 filing states there are no deadlines. The foundation’s website says it will not accept letters of interest or unsolicited grant proposals in 2026.
- Deadline
- The 2024 filing states there are no deadlines.
- Contact
Application contact: Director Of Grants Management
Mailing address: 515 South Flower Street Ste 1100, Los Angeles, CA 90071
Phone: (818) 702-1900
Website: https://calwellness.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Open Grants
4 open opportunities from The California Wellness Foundation
Community Well-Being Fund Grant
The California Wellness Foundation
Amount
Varies
Deadline
Deadline not published
Economic Security & Dignity Grant Program
The California Wellness Foundation
Amount
Varies
Deadline
Deadline not published
Equity in Access Fund
The California Wellness Foundation
Amount
Varies
Deadline
Deadline not published
Who The California Wellness Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Tides Center ($1.3M across 4 grants). Together the top 10 received $7.6M.
Organizations only. It also paid 2 grants to individuals ($52,500), which are not listed by name.
Grant Size Distribution
3,411 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 2,389 grants of 3,411 (70%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation says it funds work that benefits people in California, serving communities across the state from large urban centers to small rural areas. In 2024, 84% of grant dollars went to recipients in California, 6% to recipients in Washington, D.C., 4% to New York, 2% to Massachusetts, and 1% to Minnesota. The foundation says it does not fund international work or organizations located outside the United States.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 681 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is The California Wellness Foundation open to new grantees?
32%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 164 of 510 grantees (32%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $53K; repeat grants $116K. How we count
Medians: $5K first-time, $12K repeat.
- 44% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2021 to 2024 (−4%). Method
- In 2024 it paid out 134% 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 $48.8M (2024) to $57.0M (2023). In 2024 it made 681 grants totaling $48.8M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| California Immigrant Policy Center Los Angeles, CA | Core Operating Support | $1,000,000 |
| Youth Law Center San Francisco, CA | Core Operating Support | $500,000 |
| Vera Institute of Justice Inc Brooklyn, NY | Core Operating Support | $500,000 |
| University of California San Francisco Foundation San Francisco, CA | Core Operating Support | $500,000 |
| Tides Center Sacramento, CA | For project support for move the valley to enhance integrated voter engagement efforts for the improvement of health among low-income, communities of color in Nine counties in the central valley. | $500,000 |
| Tides Center Sacramento, CA | For project support for latino coalition for a healthy California to help launch a statewide multi-year, multi-sectoral action plan to address the latine physician shortage in California, including pathways to & through medical school. | $500,000 |
| The Regents of the University of California Los Angeles Los Angeles, CA | For project support for ucla labor center's center to sustain and strengthen the black worker center movement in southern California to advance quality jobs, equitable hiring, and worker justice. | $500,000 |
| Strategic Concepts in Organizing and Policy Education Los Angeles, CA | Core Operating Support | $500,000 |
| Southern California Grantmakers Los Angeles, CA | For project support for the black equity collective to continue to build a regional, networked infrastructure of black-led social institutions in California. | $500,000 |
| Roots Community Health Center Oakland, CA | For project support for the 40x40 council to develop and implement the rise east 10-year plan to improve the health and well-being of residents of east oakland. | $500,000 |
Ready to take the next step with The California Wellness Foundation?
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 | $1,049,009,252 | $13,765,234 | $73,867,741 | $48,752,827 | 681 | $68,520,496 | $36,804,285 | $50,981,294 |
| 2023 | $1,042,135,742 | $85,291,405 | $80,915,254 | $57,020,667 | 799 | $75,460,522 | $79,696,971 | $49,763,872 |
| 2022 | $1,019,736,613 | $78,770,548 | $73,097,281 | $56,481,249 | 611 | $73,068,593 | $96,273,881 | $53,469,983 |
| 2021 | $1,249,668,748 | $96,883,603 | $69,558,768 | $50,547,193 | 605 | $64,015,225 | $123,905,146 | $56,220,313 |
| 2020 | $1,108,598,057 | $100,571,386 | $66,295,267 | $50,293,281 | 715 | — | $103,834,582 | $46,499,067 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The California Wellness Foundation reported a distributable amount of $51.0M 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
The foundation’s mission is to protect and improve the health and wellness of people in California by increasing access to health care, quality education, good jobs, healthy environments, and safe neighborhoods. It says it funds direct services, supports leaders and community-led organizations, and backs advocacy and civic engagement. Its website identifies three grantmaking areas: Communities Leading Transformation; Defending Health Care and Immigrant Rights; and Strengthening the Floor and Raising the Ceiling.
In 2024, the foundation’s largest grants included $1 million to the California Immigrant Policy Center for core operating support and $500,000 to the Youth Law Center for core operating support. The California Immigrant Policy Center describes its mission as upholding the humanity of immigrant communities in California and transforming systems to achieve racial, social, and economic justice. Roots Community Health Center, which received $500,000 for a project, describes its work as uplifting people impacted by systemic inequities and poverty through health care, housing, outreach, and advocacy.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2024, the foundation reported 681 grants totaling $48,752,827. Grant amounts ranged from $150 to $1 million, with a median of $7,500. Among the largest awards were $500,000 to the Vera Institute of Justice for core operating support; $500,000 to the Regents of the University of California, an individual recipient, for support of the UCLA Labor Center’s work with the Black Worker Center movement; and $500,000 to Roots Community Health Center for the 40x40 Council’s work on the Rise East 10-year plan.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Richard Tate as CEO/president; Rochelle Witharana as CFO; Lori Cox as VP of programs; Arun Baheti as VP of operations; and Alex Johnson as VP of public affairs. The listed directors are Pamela Simms-Mackey, board chair; Terence P. Mulligan, treasurer; Angelica Salas, board secretary; Arnold Perkins, audit chair; and Joseph Lumarda, past chair.
The California Wellness Foundation is led by Richard Tate, CEO & President since 2024 (on filings since 2020); all 17 officers listed in 2024 are compensated.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Richard Tate
CEO & President
Executive Vice President → Vice President Executive, CEO & President, 2023
Vice President Executive, CEO & President → CEO & President, 2024
On filings since 2020
50 hrs/week
$319K (2020) → $683K (2024)
Arnold Perkins
Director & Audit Chair
Director → Director & Audit Chair, 2023
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
$31K (2020) → $35K (2024)
Pamela Simms-Mackey
Director & Board Chair
Director & Treasurer → Director & Vice Chair, 2021
Director & Vice Chair → Director & Board Chair, 2023
On filings since 2020
5 hrs/week
$35K (2020) → $43K (2024)
Angelica Salas
Director & Board Secretary
Director → Director & Board Secretary, 2021
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
$31K (2020) → $35K (2024)
Debra Nakatomi
Director
Director & Past Chair → Director, 2021
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
$35K (2020) → $31K (2024)
Ernest Wilson III
Director
Direcotr → Director, 2021
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
$31K (2020) → $31K (2024)
Geri Yang-Johnson
Director
Director → Director & Audit Chair, 2021
Director & Audit Chair → Director, 2023
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
$31K (2020) → $31K (2024)
Joseph Lumarda
Director & Past Chair
Director & Chair → Director, 2021
Director → Director & Past Chair, 2024
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
$43K (2020) → $35K (2024)
Terence P. Mulligan
Director & Treasurer
Director → Director & Treasurer, 2021
On filings since 2020
5 hrs/week
$31K (2020) → $35K (2024)
Xochitl Castaneda
Director
Director & Audit Chair → Director, 2021
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
$35K (2020) → $31K (2024)
Irma Cota
Director
On filings since 2021
2 hrs/week
$31K (2021) → $31K (2024)
Katherine Katcher
Director
On filings since 2021
2 hrs/week
$31K (2021) → $31K (2024)
Virginia Hedrick
Director
On filings since 2021
2 hrs/week
$31K (2021) → $31K (2024)
Arun Baheti
Vice President of Operations
On filings since 2020
50 hrs/week
$281K (2020) → $331K (2024)
Rochelle Witharana
CFO
On filings since 2020
50 hrs/week
$285K (2020) → $413K (2024)
Alex Johnson
Vice President of Public Affairs
Interim Vice President of Programs → Vice President of Public Affairs, 2024
On filings since 2021
50 hrs/week
$212K (2021) → $262K (2024)
Lori Cox
Vice President of Programs
On filings since 2022
50 hrs/week
$223K (2022) → $337K (2024)
Former officers (4)
- Former: Judy Belk (2020–2023) — President & CEO
- Former: Fatima Angeles (2020–2021) — Vice President of Programs
- Former: Elisabeth Hallman (2020) — Director
- Former: Isabel Becerra (2020) — Director & Board 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.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2024 filing was $683K, to Richard Tate (CEO/President). 17 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Frequently asked questions about The California Wellness Foundation
How much does The California Wellness Foundation give each year?
The California Wellness Foundation gave $48.8M across 681 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $57.0M across 799 grants.
What is The California Wellness Foundation's typical grant size?
The California Wellness Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $7,500, and its average grant was $71,590, across 681 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from The California Wellness Foundation that year got $53K on average.
Where does The California Wellness Foundation give grants?
The California Wellness Foundation gives mostly in California: 84% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest state was District of Columbia (6%). The most frequent recipient cities were Los Angeles, CA (157 grants), Oakland, CA (72 grants), San Francisco, CA (48 grants) and Washington, DC (33 grants).
Does The California Wellness Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 79% of The California Wellness Foundation's 2024 grants with a stated purpose (541 of 681) were for general or operating support, per its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Recurring purposes include "2024 Association Membership" (41 grants).
Who are The California Wellness Foundation's largest grantees?
The California Wellness Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include Tides Center ($1,260,000 across 4 grants), California Immigrant Policy Center ($1,075,000 across 2 grants) and Southern California Grantmakers ($1,036,500 across 11 grants), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It also paid 2 grants to individuals ($52,500), which are not listed by name. Together they received 7% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is The California Wellness Foundation?
The California Wellness Foundation reported $1.0B in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $68.5M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $51.0M (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does The California Wellness Foundation fund?
The foundation’s mission is to protect and improve the health and wellness of people in California by increasing access to health care, quality education, good jobs, healthy environments, and safe neighborhoods. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The California Wellness Foundation?
The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests in 2026. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is The California Wellness Foundation's EIN?
The California Wellness Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 95-4292101. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Does The California Wellness 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 The California Wellness Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). The California Wellness Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 16, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/the-california-wellness-foundation-morg_e597d3f6e00e42fe85849ba8ee07c819
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_954292101_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{The California Wellness Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/the-california-wellness-foundation-morg_e597d3f6e00e42fe85849ba8ee07c819},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-16. 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 The California Wellness 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.
The California Wellness Foundation down — hundreds of funders to go?