The Candelaria Fund is a private family foundation established in 1997 and based in Little River, California. The organization operates as a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt entity dedicated to grantmaking and philanthropic activities.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$945K
+13.2% YoY
Annual Giving
$815K
+23.5% YoY
Grant Count
20
+33.3% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$41K
-7.4% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Candelaria Fund reported a distributable amount of $49K for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Grantmaking
The Candelaria Fund makes grants to support various organizations. Recent grant activity includes:
Grant Types
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
As of December 2024:
- Total Assets: $944,701
- Total Revenues: $896,737
- Total Expenses: $831,177
- Number of Employees: 0
Revenue Breakdown (2024):
- Grants and Contributions: $761,246
- Investment Income and Dividends: $35,686
- Net Gain from Sale of Non-Inventory Assets: $99,805
Year-over-Year Changes (2023 to 2024):
- Total grants and contributions increased 73.8%
- Investment income and dividends increased 35.2%
- Net gain from asset sales decreased 22%
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $944,701 | $834,879 | $1,139,198 |
| Revenue | $896,737 | $592,315 | $1,474,671 |
| Expenses | $831,177 | $687,041 | $688,591 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $822,901 | $667,955 | $682,992 |
| Net Investment Income | $831,377 | $463,471 | $693,153 |
| Distributable Amount | $48,822 | $53,844 | $58,058 |
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
87 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include East Broad Top Foundation ($200,000), Congress of Country Music ($100,000), Wiscasset Waterville & Farmington Rr ($100,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| AMERICAN RED CROSS GOLD COUNTRY REGION SACRAMENTO, CA | GENERAL SUPPORT | $5,000 |
| ARCHAEOLOGICAL CONSERVANCY ALBUQUERQUE, NM | GENERAL SUPPORT | $15,000 |
| BAY AREA ELECTRIC RAILROAD ASSOCIATION SUISUN CITY, CA | GENERAL SUPPORT | $75,000 |
| BELTRAMI COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY BEMIDJI, MN | GENERAL SUPPORT | $5,000 |
| CALIFORNIA BUDGET & POLICY CENTER SACRAMENTO, CA | GENERAL SUPPORT | $2,500 |
| CENTER OF SOUTHWEST CULTURE ALBUQUERQUE, NM | GENERAL SUPPORT | $75,000 |
| CONGRESS OF COUNTRY MUSIC PHILADELPHIA, MS | GENERAL SUPPORT | $100,000 |
| EAST BROAD TOP FOUNDATION ROCK HILL FURNACE, PA | GENERAL SUPPORT | $200,000 |
| FRIENDS OF THE CUMBRES & TOLTEC SCENIC RR ALBUQUERQUE, NM | GENERAL SUPPORT | $30,000 |
| FRIENDS OF THE RAILROAD MUSEUM STRASBURG, PA | GENERAL SUPPORT | $10,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
Richard Tower is listed as a contact person for the organization.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| RICHARD TOWER | DIRECTOR | 5 | — |
| CAROLINE TOWER | DIRECTOR | 2 | — |
Subject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I apply for a grant from The Candelaria Fund?
The Candelaria Fund makes grants to support various organizations. Recent grant activity includes: **2024 Grants:** • Center of Southwest Culture: $75,000 (General Support) • Oregon Rail Heritage Foundation: $50,000 (General Support) • Railroaders Memorial Museum: $50,000 (General Support) The foundation made 15 grants in 2024. Grant types focus on general support to recipient organizations.
What size grants does The Candelaria Fund award?
In 2024, The Candelaria Fund awarded 20 grants totaling $815K — an average of about $41K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is The Candelaria Fund required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, The Candelaria Fund reported a distributable amount of $49K on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is The Candelaria Fund's EIN?
The Candelaria Fund's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 94-3246086. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in The Candelaria Fund's focus areas in our free grants database
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Data last updated June 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
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