The Isabel Allende Foundation
The Isabel Allende Foundation is a private 501(c)(3) foundation established in 1996 and based in Sausalito, California. Founded by Chilean-American novelist Isabel Allende in honor of her daughter Paula Frias, who passed away in 1992, the foundation awards grants to organizations investing in women's and girls' empowerment, reproductive rights, economic independence, and freedom from violence.
Key facts about The Isabel Allende Foundation
- EIN
- 91-1748486
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024
- Annual giving (2024)
- $2,258,500
- Grants made (2024)
- 57
- Average grant
- $39,623
- Median grant
- $20,000
- New grantees (estimate)
- 21% first-time grantees (12 of 57, 2024)
- Total assets
- $4,563,750
- Primary geography
- California (34% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to apply
- The foundation does not accept unsolicited proposals. Full details ↓
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated September 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology). Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who The Isabel Allende Foundation funds
By grant dollars, the top recipient states for The Isabel Allende Foundation's 57 itemized 2024 grants were California (34%), New York (19%) and District of Columbia (6%). The most frequent recipient cities were San Francisco, CA (4 grants), Washington, DC (4 grants), New York, NY (3 grants) and Oakland, CA (2 grants). None of its 57 grants with a stated purpose were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Reproductive Rights" (12 grants), "Education, Protection from Violence and Reproductive Rights" (7 grants) and "Education" (6 grants).
Is The Isabel Allende Foundation open to new grantees?
21%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 12 of 57 grantees (21%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $16K; repeat grants $46K. How we count
Medians: $10K first-time, $25K repeat.
- 77% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2021 to 2024 (+19%). Method
- In 2024 it paid out 541% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized IRS Form 990-PF grant lists (2020–2024). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.
Next steps with The Isabel Allende Foundation
- How to evaluate The Isabel Allende Foundation as a funder
Our grant prospecting guide: read the 990-PF, check fit, and decide whether to apply.
- Draft an LOI to The Isabel Allende Foundation with AI
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Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$4.6M
-11.2% YoY
Annual Giving
$2.3M
-13.4% YoY
Grant Count
57
-27.8% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$40K
+20.1% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Isabel Allende Foundation reported a distributable amount of $496K for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation's mission centers on advancing "the power of women and girls to secure reproductive rights, economic independence, and freedom from violence."
Primary funding areas include:
- Reproductive health and reproductive rights
- Gender-based violence prevention
- Economic development and economic independence for women and girls
- Women's and girls' human rights
- Education
- Protection from violence, exploitation, and discrimination
- Support for refugee women and girls
All grantmaking is conducted through a gender lens.
Grantmaking
Grant Range
$500–$320,000
How to Apply
**
Ready to take the next step with The Isabel Allende Foundation?
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
Grantmaking prioritizes Chile and the state of California. In recent years, geographic scope has expanded to include organizations serving women in developing nations across the world.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of all 57 itemized 2024 grant dollars.
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
As of 2023:
- Total Assets: $5,138,233
- Total Revenue: $2,538,573
- Total Expenses: $3,217,592
- Total Liabilities: $1,290
- Staff: 1 employee
As of 2024:
- Total Assets: $4,563,750
- Total Giving: $2,258,500
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $4,563,750 | $5,138,233 | $5,827,561 |
| Revenue | $2,185,946 | $2,538,573 | $1,213,211 |
| Expenses | $2,771,957 | $3,217,592 | $2,778,024 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $2,682,774 | $3,138,668 | $2,612,683 |
| Net Investment Income | $1,993,720 | $2,070,417 | $512,101 |
| Distributable Amount | $495,634 | $492,985 | $604,773 |
Data update history
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
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
359 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest recipients include Global Fund for Women ($310,000), Nepal Youth Foundation ($145,000), Too Young to Wed ($130,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| GLOBAL FUND FOR WOMEN San Francisco, CA | EDUCATION, PROTECTION FROM VIOLENCE, AND REPRODUCTIVE RIGHTS (CHILE) | $310,000 |
| NEPAL YOUTH FOUNDATION Sausalito, CA | EDUCATION AND PROTECTION FROM VIOLENCE | $145,000 |
| TOO YOUNG TO WED Mohegan Lake, NY | REPRODUCTIVE RIGHTS | $130,000 |
| ADESO | HEALTHCARE AND EDUCATION | $125,000 |
| THE BRIGID ALLIANCE New York, NY | REPRODUCTIVE RIGHTS | $125,000 |
| THISTLE FARMS INC Nashville, TN | HEALTHCARE, EDUCATION, PROTECTION FROM VIOLENCE, AND REPRODUCTIVE RIGHTS | $110,000 |
| CENTER FOR REPRODUCTIVE RIGHTS New York, NY | REPRODUCTIVE RIGHTS | $100,000 |
| REFUGE POINT Cambridge, MA | PROTECTION FROM VIOLENCE | $100,000 |
| EAST BAY SANCTUARY COVENANT Berkely, CA | EDUCATION AND PROTECTION FROM VIOLENCE | $65,000 |
| IMMIGRANT LEGAL DEFENSE Oakland, CA | EDUCATION AND PROTECTION FROM VIOLENCE | $65,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
Founder: Isabel Allende, Chilean-American novelist
Executive Director: Lori Barra
Compensation Overview
No officer or director reported compensation in the available filings.
From 2024 IRS filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Isabel Allende | President | 1 | — |
| Nicolas Frias | Secretary | 1 | — |
Recent News & Activity
Recent developments and announcements
The foundation continues active grantmaking with a focus on smaller, grassroots organizations serving women in reproductive justice and economic empowerment. Recent grantmaking demonstrates expanded geographic reach beyond its traditional California and Chile focus to include international organizations working with women in developing nations.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does The Isabel Allende Foundation fund?
The foundation's mission centers on advancing "the power of women and girls to secure reproductive rights, economic independence, and freedom from violence." Primary funding areas include: • Reproductive health and reproductive rights • Gender-based violence prevention • Economic development and economic independence for women and girls • Women's and girls' human rights • Education • Protection from violence, exploitation, and discrimination • Support for refugee women and girls All grantmaking…
How do I apply for a grant from The Isabel Allende Foundation?
The foundation does not accept unsolicited proposals. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
Where does The Isabel Allende Foundation make grants?
Grantmaking prioritizes Chile and the state of California. In recent years, geographic scope has expanded to include organizations serving women in developing nations across the world.
What size grants does The Isabel Allende Foundation award?
In 2024, The Isabel Allende Foundation awarded 57 grants totaling $2.3M — an average of about $40K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is The Isabel Allende Foundation required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, The Isabel Allende Foundation reported a distributable amount of $496K on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is The Isabel Allende Foundation's EIN?
The Isabel Allende Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 91-1748486. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Does The Isabel Allende Foundation accept unsolicited proposals?
No, according to Grantable's research on the foundation's published guidelines. See how to apply ↑
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Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.