The Greenbaum Foundation
The Greenbaum Foundation is a private foundation based in West Hollywood, California. It focuses its grantmaking on moving the world toward whole-food, plant-based diets, ending factory farming, and increasing awareness of and protection for animals. Its website also describes limited ongoing support for legacy human-rights organizations.
The Greenbaum Foundation at a glance
In short: The Greenbaum Foundation gave $6.1M across 57 grants in 2024 (avg $107K), top state California. 33% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $6,075,700
- +10.6% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 57
- +11.8% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $106,591
- -1.1% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $50,000
- Total assets
- $55,854,034
- +6.4% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 33% first-time grantees (19 of 57, 2024)
- Primary geography
- California (33% 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 Greenbaum Foundation
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds.
- Contact
Mailing address: 8424 Santa Monica Blvd A-806, West Hollywood, CA 90069
Phone: (770) 246-0793
Website: https://greenbaumfoundation.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who The Greenbaum Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Karuna Foundation ($1.1M). Together the top 10 received $3.4M.
Grant Size Distribution
284 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 103 grants of 284 (36%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation says its grantees work in over 85 countries. In 2024, the largest shares of grant dollars by recipient state went to California (33%), Colorado (18%), the District of Columbia (15%), New York (12%), and Iowa (6%).
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 57 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is The Greenbaum Foundation open to new grantees?
33%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 19 of 57 grantees (33%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $47K; repeat grants $137K. How we count
Medians: $50K first-time, $100K repeat.
- 61% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving grew 49% from 2021 to 2024. Method
- In 2024 it paid out 284% 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 $6.1M (2024). In 2024 it made 57 grants totaling $6.1M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Karuna Foundation Niwot, CO | General Fund | $1,060,873 |
| Humane America Animal Foundation Claremont, CA | General Fund | $543,000 |
| Free to Thrive-Thrive Philanthropy New York, NY | General Fund | $404,225 |
| American College of Lifestyle Med Fairfield, IA | General Fund | $350,000 |
| The Humane League Napa, CA | General Fund | $300,000 |
| Physicians Association for Nutrition New York, NY | General Fund | $218,200 |
| Friends of the Earth Merrifield, VA | General Fund | $200,000 |
| Animal Charity Evaluators Washington, DC | General Fund | $118,000 |
| Generation Awakening Huntington Beach, CA | General Fund | $116,700 |
| Tostan Marina Del Rey, CA | General Fund | $100,000 |
Ready to take the next step with The Greenbaum 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 | $55,854,034 | $7,151,751 | $6,389,777 | $6,075,700 | 57 | $6,075,700 | $4,527,888 | $2,140,621 |
| 2023 | $52,513,268 | $4,332,420 | $5,772,834 | $5,495,635 | 51 | $5,495,635 | $1,986,505 | $2,461,425 |
| 2022 | $47,846,641 | $1,295,329 | $5,535,114 | $5,205,061 | 60 | $5,205,061 | $1,135,224 | $2,555,213 |
| 2021 | $61,524,370 | $9,178,811 | $4,281,887 | $4,070,868 | 59 | $4,070,868 | $5,426,201 | $2,827,252 |
| 2020 | $55,484,224 | $18,405,666 | $4,104,680 | $3,829,840 | 57 | — | $7,992,777 | $2,434,526 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Greenbaum Foundation reported a distributable amount of $2.1M 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
The foundation describes its aim as “creating a more sustainable & compassionate world.” It says it funds projects intended to reduce human and non-human suffering, with attention to effective and efficient work in areas of high need. Its stated priorities include plant-based diets, ending factory farming, and animal advocacy. It says it does not fund the sanctuary strategy.
The foundation’s grantees include organizations working on animal welfare, food systems, plant-based nutrition, environmental issues, and human rights. For example, Karuna Foundation describes its mission as supporting the wellbeing of animals, the natural environment, and global citizens, particularly through work on humanitarian crises and nutrition or food systems. New Roots Institute says it empowers the next generation with knowledge and training to end factory farming. U.S. Right to Know describes itself as a nonprofit newsroom and public-health research group investigating corporate wrongdoing and government failures affecting health, the environment, or food systems. The foundation also says it continues to fund a limited number of legacy organizations working on issues including modern-day slavery, child marriage, female genital cutting, gender-based violence, and barriers to women’s equal rights.
Grantmaking
In 2024, the foundation reported 57 grants totaling $6,075,700. Grants ranged from $3,300 to $1,060,873, with a median of $50,000. The largest grants included $1,060,873 to Karuna Foundation; $543,000 to Humane America Animal Foundation; $404,225 to Free to Thrive-Thrive Philanthropy; $350,000 to American College of Lifestyle Med; and $300,000 to The Humane League. These grants were listed with the purpose “general fund.”
Other 2024 recipients included Physicians Association for Nutrition ($218,200), Friends of the Earth ($200,000), Animal Charity Evaluators ($118,000), Generation Awakening ($116,700), Tostan ($100,000), Freedom for All Inc ($100,000), and New Roots Institute ($100,000).
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The foundation’s website identifies Jim Greenbaum as its founder and managing director and says Meghan O’Brien Lowery works alongside him in managing the foundation. The 2024 filing lists James R Greenbaum Jr as trustee.
The Greenbaum Foundation is led by James R. Greenbaum Jr., Trustee on every filing since 2020 — the only officer listed, and uncompensated.
Officers on the 2024 filing
James R. Greenbaum Jr.
Trustee
On filings since 2020
40 hrs/week
No compensation reported
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 The Greenbaum Foundation
How much does The Greenbaum Foundation give each year?
The Greenbaum Foundation gave $6.1M across 57 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $5.5M across 51 grants.
What is The Greenbaum Foundation's typical grant size?
The Greenbaum Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $50,000, and its average grant was $106,591, across 57 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from The Greenbaum Foundation that year got $47K on average.
Where does The Greenbaum Foundation give grants?
The Greenbaum Foundation's top state is California, with 33% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. The next largest states were Colorado (18%) and District of Columbia (15%). The most frequent recipient cities were Washington, DC (13 grants), New York, NY (3 grants), Los Angeles, CA (2 grants) and San Francisco, CA (2 grants).
Does The Greenbaum Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 100% of The Greenbaum Foundation's 2024 grants with a stated purpose (57 of 57) were for general or operating support, per its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are The Greenbaum Foundation's largest grantees?
The Greenbaum Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include Karuna Foundation ($1,060,873), Humane America Animal Foundation ($543,000) and Free to Thrive-Thrive Philanthropy ($404,225), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 33% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is The Greenbaum Foundation?
The Greenbaum Foundation reported $55.9M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $6.1M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $2.1M (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does The Greenbaum Foundation fund?
The foundation describes its aim as “creating a more sustainable & compassionate world.” It says it funds projects intended to reduce human and non-human suffering, with attention to effective and efficient work in areas of high need. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The Greenbaum Foundation?
The foundation states 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 Greenbaum Foundation's EIN?
The Greenbaum Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 87-6217358. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Does The Greenbaum 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
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). The Greenbaum Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 13, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/the-greenbaum-foundation-morg_48d2e21381444f218a2da44f6b9e34ee
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_876217358_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{The Greenbaum Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/the-greenbaum-foundation-morg_48d2e21381444f218a2da44f6b9e34ee},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-13. 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 Greenbaum 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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