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.
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
The foundation does not accept unsolicited proposals. Prospective grantees must pursue networking opportunities to be considered. The foundation's executive director, Lori Barra, can be contacted via email.
Grant Range
$500–$320,000
How to Apply
**
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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
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 |
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
250 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include Global Fund for Women ($310,000), Nepal Youth Foundation ($145,000), Adeso ($125,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| ADESO | HEALTHCARE AND EDUCATION | $125,000 |
| ALBERGUE JESUS EL BUEN PASTOR DEL POBRE Y EL MIGRANTE | HEALTHCARE AND PROTECTION FROM VIOLENCE | $20,000 |
| AMERICAN PORPHYRIA FOUNDATION BETHESDA, MD | HEALTHCARE | $2,500 |
| ARMAND HAMMER UNITED WORLD COLLEGE OF THE AMERICAN WEST MONTEZUMA, NM | EDUCATION | $60,000 |
| CENTER FOR REPRODUCTIVE RIGHTS NEW YORK, NY | REPRODUCTIVE RIGHTS | $100,000 |
| CENTRO DE APOYO PARA LA INTEGRACION DEL NINO DOWN AC | HEALTHCARE SND PROTECTION FROM VIOLENCE | $7,500 |
| CLIMATE CHANGEMAKERSNEXTGEN CLIMATE AMERICA INC SACRAMENTO, CA | CLIMATE JUSTICE | $2,500 |
| CORPORACION MILES | REPRODUCTIVE RIGHTS | $10,000 |
| DARAJA EDUCATION FUND SAN RAFAEL, CA | EDUCATION, PROTECTION FROM VIOLENCE AND REPRODUCTIVE RIGHTS | $40,000 |
| EAST BAY SANCTUARY COVENANT BERKELY, 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
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 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?
**Grant Activity:** • Made 74 grants in 2023 • Total giving in 2023: $2,258,500 • Grant range: $500–$320,000 **Recent Grants (2023):** • Global Fund for Women: $310,000 • Too Young to Wed: $230,000 • Nepal Youth Foundation: $155,000 **Application Process:** The foundation does not accept unsolicited proposals. Prospective grantees must pursue networking opportunities to be considered. The foundation's executive director, Lori Barra, can be contacted via email. **Special Recognition:** The Espír…
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.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in The Isabel Allende 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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