The Fenton Family Foundation is a private family foundation based in Palo Alto, California. Established in 2000, it operates as a 501(c)(3) organization and is classified as a private foundation under the National Taxonomy of Exempt Entities (NTEE).
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$7.7M
+10.4% YoY
Annual Giving
$521K
+1.9% YoY
Grant Count
27
-3.6% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$19K
+5.6% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Fenton Family Foundation reported a distributable amount of $631K for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation has not publicly articulated a formal mission statement. Based on its grant-making patterns, the foundation supports initiatives in:
- Education
- Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking
- Health Care
The foundation indicates it makes contributions to preselected charitable organizations rather than accepting unsolicited proposals.
Grantmaking
The foundation has indicated it only makes contributions to preselected charitable organizations, suggesting it does not accept unsolicited grant applications.
Grant Range
$5,000
How to Apply
**
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation supports organizations across multiple U.S. states and regions, with particular activity in:
- California
- New York
- District of Columbia
- Washington
Grant Distribution by State
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
Assets & Revenue (2024):
- Total assets: $7,715,741
- Total revenues: $1,343,683
- Total grants and contributions received: $500,735
- Investment income and dividends: $211,801
Giving Activity (2024):
- Total distributions: $530,000
- Total expenses: $613,766
Historical Assets (2023):
- Total assets: $6,990,000
- Total revenues: $552,000
- Total expenses: $624,000
The foundation has demonstrated consistent financial growth, with assets increasing approximately 2.6% year-over-year and investment income growing 22.8% between 2023 and 2024.
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $7,715,741 | $6,985,824 | $7,058,092 |
| Revenue | $1,343,683 | $551,954 | $1,556,925 |
| Expenses | $613,766 | $624,222 | $853,400 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $530,161 | $528,133 | $771,792 |
| Net Investment Income | $912,339 | $496,608 | $1,475,674 |
| Distributable Amount | $630,796 | $547,104 | $538,557 |
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
128 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include Stanford University ($134,500), Audubon Society California ($125,000), Connecticut College ($50,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| STANFORD UNIVERSITY STANFORD, CA | GENERAL PURPOSE | $134,500 |
| AUDUBON SOCIETY CALIFORNIA VAN NUYS, CA | GENERAL PURPOSE | $125,000 |
| CONNECTICUT COLLEGE NEW LONDON, CT | GENERAL PURPOSE | $50,000 |
| THE ACCELERATION PROJECT SCARSDALE, NY | GENERAL PURPOSE | $50,000 |
| SAN FRANCISCO OPERA SAN FRANCISCO, CA | GENERAL PURPOSE | $40,000 |
| HUMANE SOCIETY OF THE UNITED STATES WASHINGTON, DC | GENERAL PURPOSE | $25,000 |
| POST SEATTLE, WA | GENERAL PURPOSE | $20,000 |
| CHRIST CHURCH PORTOLA VALLEY & WOODSIDE PORTOLA VALLEY, CA | GENERAL PURPOSE | $15,000 |
| EASTSIDE COLLEGE PREP EAST PALO ALTO, CA | GENERAL PURPOSE | $10,000 |
| POSITIVE COACHING ALLIANCE OAKLAND, CA | GENERAL PURPOSE | $10,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The foundation is managed by members of the Fenton family, all of whom serve in a voluntary capacity without compensation:
- Noel Fenton – President
- Sarah Fenton – Chief Financial Officer
- Wendy Fenton – Secretary
- Devon Fenton – Director
- Peter Fenton – Director
- Lance Fenton – Director
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| NOEL FENTON | PRESIDENT | 1 | — |
| SARAH FENTON | CFO | 1 | — |
| WENDY FENTON | SECRETARY | 1 | — |
| DEVON FENTON | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| PETER FENTON | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| LANCE FENTON | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
Subject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Frequently Asked Questions
What does The Fenton Family Foundation fund?
The foundation has not publicly articulated a formal mission statement. Based on its grant-making patterns, the foundation supports initiatives in: • Education • Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking • Health Care The foundation indicates it makes contributions to preselected charitable organizations rather than accepting unsolicited proposals.
How do I apply for a grant from The Fenton Family Foundation?
**Grant Activity:** • Made 27-28 grants in the most recent fiscal year • Typical grant awards range from $5,000 to $135,000 • Median grant size: $5,000 • Recent notable grants include $125,000 to California Audubon Society San Fernando Valley Audubon Society and $50,000 each to The Acceleration Project and Connecticut College **Application Process:** The foundation has indicated it only makes contributions to preselected charitable organizations, suggesting it does not accept unsolicited grant …
Where does The Fenton Family Foundation make grants?
The foundation supports organizations across multiple U.S. states and regions, with particular activity in: • California • New York • District of Columbia • Washington
What size grants does The Fenton Family Foundation award?
In 2024, The Fenton Family Foundation awarded 27 grants totaling $521K — an average of about $19K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is The Fenton Family Foundation required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, The Fenton Family Foundation reported a distributable amount of $631K on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is The Fenton Family Foundation's EIN?
The Fenton Family Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 94-3380876. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in The Fenton Family Foundation'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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