The Foundation for Social Responsibility logo

The Foundation for Social Responsibility

Private foundation · Grantmaker Santa Cruz, CA EIN: 26-1617166 Website

The Foundation for Social Responsibility is a private foundation based in Santa Cruz, California. Its 2025 filing reports 16 grants totaling $44,700 to charitable organizations.

The Foundation for Social Responsibility at a glance

In short: The Foundation for Social Responsibility gave $45K across 16 grants in 2025 (avg $3K), top state Maine. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.

Annual giving (2025)
$44,700
-35.8% vs 2024
Grants made (2025)
16
+6.7% vs 2024
Average grant
$2,794
-39.8% vs 2024
Median grant
$1,550
Total assets
$631,671
-3.2% vs 2024
Primary geography
Maine (34% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
Latest 990 filing
Form 990-PF, 2025 View filing

Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated October 2026.

How to apply to The Foundation for Social Responsibility

Accepts unsolicited proposals
No
How to Apply

The foundation states on its 2023 filing that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds.

Contact

Mailing address: 343 Soquel Avenue Pmb 216, Santa Cruz, CA 95062
Phone: (831) 421-0205
Website: https://www.foundationforsr.org

Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.

Who The Foundation for Social Responsibility funds

How this funder distributes its grants

Top Recipients

Top 10 recipients in 2025

South Portland Food Cupboard: $15KSouth Portland Food Cupboard$15KSecond Harvest of Santa Cruz: $5KSecond Harvest of Santa Cruz$5KGive Well: $5KGive Well$5KHabitat for Humanity: $3KHabitat for Humanity$3KDoctors without Borders: $3KDoctors without Borders$3KNational Domestic Alliance: $3KNational Domestic Alliance$3KPlanned Parenthood: $2KPlanned Parenthood$2KMother Jones Foundation: $2KMother Jones Foundation$2KHeifer International: $1KHeifer International$1KPublic Citizen: $1KPublic Citizen$1K

The largest 2025 recipient was South Portland Food Cupboard ($15K). Together the top 10 received $40K.

Grant Size Distribution

53 grants across all recorded years

53<$50K$50–100K$100–250K$250–500K$500K–1M$1–5M$5M+

The most common grant size was under $50K: 53 grants of 53 (100%).

Geographic Focus

Where this funder awards grants

In 2025, grant dollars went to recipients in Maine (34%), California (25%), New York (19%), Georgia (7%), and Washington, DC (7%). Other listed recipients were in Texas, Arkansas, and other locations.

Grant Distribution by State

14states

Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 16 itemized grants.

Cities

New YorkWashingtonBrooklynMadisonAmericusSan FranciscoSanta CruzBig SandyNapaSan JoseWatsonvilleBerkeleyCrestviewMilwaukeeAlbert LeaAlbuquerqueAnnapolis JunctionCulver CityLittle RockOakland

How The Foundation for Social Responsibility gives

  • 31% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
  • Giving grew 42% from 2022 to 2025. Method
  • In 2023 it paid out 309% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method

Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (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

$0$50K$100K$150K19 grants2019 12 grants2020 7 grants2021 2 grants2022 13 grants2023 15 grants2024 16 grants2025

From 2019 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $32K (2022) to $104K (2020). In 2025 it made 16 grants totaling $45K.

Grants by year

Grant recipients and amounts by year

RecipientPurposeAmount
South Portland Food Cupboard So Portland, MESupport for general mission$15,000
Second Harvest of Santa Cruz Watsonville, CASupport for General Mission$5,000
Give Well Oakland, CASupport for general mission$5,000
Habitat for Humanity Americus, GASupport for General Mission$3,000
Doctors without Borders New York, NYSupport for General Mission$3,000
National Domestic Alliance New York, NYSupport for general mission$2,500
Planned Parenthood Washington, DCSupport for General Mission$2,000
Mother Jones Foundation Big Sandy, TXSupport for general mission$2,000
Heifer International Little Rock, ARSupport for general mission$1,100
Public Citizen Washington, DCSupport for General Mission$1,000
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Financial History

Multi-year comparison from IRS filings

Figures from IRS filings, by filing year
Filing yearTotal AssetsRevenueExpensesGrants paidGrantsQualifying DistributionsNet Investment IncomeDistributable Amount
2025$631,671—$46,161$44,70016$46,161$26,912—
2024$652,574$100,000$72,631$69,64015$72,631$18,896—
2023$605,455$205,000$73,790$72,64013$73,790—$23,876
2022$474,245$150,000$35,975$31,5002$35,975——
2021$360,220$211,500$47,493$46,5007———
2020$196,213$113,000$106,263$104,41412——$9,768
2019$189,476$100,000$87,344$86,64819——$9,142

Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.

Mission & Focus Areas

The available information does not state the foundation’s own mission. Its 2025 grants included organizations whose missions, as described by the grantees, include alleviating hunger, building homes with low-income families, producing investigative journalism in the public interest, and promoting justice and equality for LGBTQ and HIV-positive immigrants.

Grantmaking

In filing year 2025, the foundation gave 16 grants totaling $44,700. Grants ranged from $100 to $15,000, with a median of $1,550. The largest grants included $15,000 to South Portland Food Cupboard, $5,000 each to Second Harvest of Santa Cruz and Give Well, and $3,000 each to Habitat for Humanity and Doctors Without Borders. Other listed grants included $2,500 to National Domestic Alliance, $2,000 each to Planned Parenthood and Mother Jones Foundation, and $1,000 each to Public Citizen, ProPublica, and Immigration Equality.

South Portland Food Cupboard describes its work as organizing volunteers to acquire and distribute food to people experiencing hunger in South Portland and surrounding communities. Habitat for Humanity describes its work as partnering with community sponsors and volunteers to build homes with selected low-income families. ProPublica describes itself as an independent nonprofit newsroom producing investigative journalism in the public interest. Immigration Equality describes its work as advancing justice and equality for LGBTQ and HIV-positive immigrants through legal services, advocacy, and litigation.

Leadership & Key People

Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings

The 2025 filing lists Martin Rist as Executive Director and Bonnie Brunet, Erik Rist, John Sweeten, and Thomas Davies Jr. as directors.

The Foundation for Social Responsibility is led by Martin Rist, Executive Director on every filing since 2019; none of the 5 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.

Officers on the 2025 filing

  • Martin Rist

    Executive Director

    On filings since 2019

    1 hr/week

    No compensation reported

  • Bonnie Brunet

    Director

    On filings since 2019

    1 hr/week

    No compensation reported

  • Erik Rist

    Director

    On filings since 2019

    1 hr/week

    No compensation reported

  • John Sweeten

    Director

    On filings since 2019

    1 hr/week

    No compensation reported

  • Thomas Davies Jr.

    Director

    On filings since 2019

    1 hr/week

    No compensation reported

Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2019–2025. "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 The Foundation for Social Responsibility

How much does The Foundation for Social Responsibility give each year?

The Foundation for Social Responsibility gave $45K across 16 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $70K across 15 grants.

What is The Foundation for Social Responsibility's typical grant size?

The Foundation for Social Responsibility's median grant in 2025 was $1,550, and its average grant was $2,794, across 16 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.

Where does The Foundation for Social Responsibility give grants?

The Foundation for Social Responsibility's top state is Maine, with 34% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. The next largest states were California (25%) and New York (19%). The most frequent recipient cities were New York, NY (5 grants) and Washington, DC (2 grants).

Does The Foundation for Social Responsibility give general operating support?

Yes: 100% of The Foundation for Social Responsibility's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (16 of 16) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.

Who are The Foundation for Social Responsibility's largest grantees?

The Foundation for Social Responsibility's largest 2025 grantees include South Portland Food Cupboard ($15,000), Second Harvest of Santa Cruz ($5,000) and Give Well ($5,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 56% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.

How large is The Foundation for Social Responsibility?

The Foundation for Social Responsibility reported $632K in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.

What does The Foundation for Social Responsibility fund?

The available information does not state the foundation’s own mission. See mission & focus areas ↑

How do I apply for a grant from The Foundation for Social Responsibility?

The foundation states on its 2023 filing that 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 The Foundation for Social Responsibility's EIN?

The Foundation for Social Responsibility's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 26-1617166. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2025.

Does The Foundation for Social Responsibility 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

(8)

When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable

  1. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS June 22, 2020)
  2. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS May 16, 2021)
  3. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS December 22, 2021)
  4. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS December 6, 2022)
  5. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS November 8, 2023)
  6. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS December 10, 2024)
  7. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS February 9, 2026)
  8. IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2019–2025

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The filing figures on this page are open data under CC BY 4.0. About GrantGraph Open

Figures come from The Foundation for Social Responsibility'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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