The Manzanita Foundation
The Manzanita Foundation is a private foundation based in Richmond, California, established in 1999. The organization supports grassroots justice movements and climate action, with a particular focus on community-led organizations in the Bay Area and beyond. The foundation operates with a trust-centered giving strategy designed to minimize bureaucratic barriers and empower community organizations.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$7.8M
-4.0% YoY
Annual Giving
$662K
+16.2% YoY
Grant Count
20
+0.0% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$33K
+16.2% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Manzanita Foundation reported a distributable amount of $451K for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Mission & Focus Areas
The Manzanita Foundation funds community-led, mostly Bay Area-based organizations working to accelerate climate action and advance justice, liberation, and sovereignty movements. The foundation directs the majority of its resources toward low-income communities of color building grassroots power.
Primary focus areas include:
- Climate justice and environmental action
- Racial justice
- Trans liberation and gender equality
- Workers' rights
- Disability justice
- Immigrant rights
- Environmental justice
- Economic justice
- Indigenous sovereignty
- Food sovereignty
- Youth empowerment
Grantmaking
The foundation's approach is centered on trust, with an ethos to "put resources in the hands of the people and then try to let go." The organization works to minimize red tape and paperwork, prioritizing long-term partnerships with multi-year, unrestricted funding given the relatively modest size of its endowment.
Grant Range
$5,000–$80,000
Average Grant
amount: approximately $28,000–$30,000
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation primarily funds organizations in the Bay Area, with some support extending beyond the region.
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
As of 2024:
- Total assets: $7,774,694
- Total revenues: $424,379
- Total expenses: $748,613
- Total giving: $662,200–$694,166
- Giving rate: 8.7%
- Number of employees: 0
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $7,774,694 | $8,098,928 | $8,447,321 |
| Revenue | $424,379 | $315,360 | $553,971 |
| Expenses | $748,613 | $663,753 | $628,428 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $694,166 | $953,369 | $560,158 |
| Net Investment Income | $370,502 | $263,014 | $492,042 |
| Distributable Amount | $451,081 | $398,845 | $478,332 |
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
84 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include Urban Tilth ($60,000), Sustainable Economies Law Center ($50,000), Canticle Farm ($40,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| ALLIANCE FOR GLOBAL JUSTICE TUCSCON, AZ | YOUTH VS APOCALYPSE | $30,000 |
| APEN (ASIAN PACIFIC ENVIRONMENTAL NETWORK) OAKLAND, CA | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT | $30,000 |
| CANTICLE FARM OAKLAND, CA | SANCTUARY HOUSE, CASA TRES HERMANAS | $40,000 |
| COMMUNITIES FOR A BETTER ENVIRONMENT HUNTINGTON PARK, CA | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT | $30,000 |
| COMMUNITY INITIATIVES OAKLAND, CA | EL/LA PARA TRANSLATINAS | $40,000 |
| CULTURAL FIRE MANAGEMENT COUNCIL HOOPA, CA | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT | $30,000 |
| EAST BAY COMMUNITY FOUNDATION OAKLAND, CA | INCLUSIVE ECONOMY FUND | $20,000 |
| GIRLS GARAGE BERKELEY, CA | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT | $20,000 |
| MINDFUL LIFE PROJECT RICHMOND, CA | SUPPORT OF SOCIAL AND CULTURAL COMMUNITY NEEDS | $30,000 |
| MOVEMENT GENERATION BERKELEY, CA | CAPITAL CAMPAIGN | $30,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
- Kylie Flanagan – Executive Director ($36,000 compensation, 10 hours/week)
- Patrick Flanagan – Chief Financial Officer, Treasurer, and Secretary as necessary (2 hours/week)
- Darla Flanagan – President as necessary (2 hours/week)
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| DARLA FLANAGAN | PRESIDENT AS NECESSARY | 2 | — |
| PATRICK FLANAGAN | CFO/TRES/SEC AS NECESSARY | 2 | — |
| KYLIE FLANAGAN | EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR | 10 | $36,000 |
Subject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Frequently Asked Questions
What does The Manzanita Foundation fund?
The Manzanita Foundation funds community-led, mostly Bay Area-based organizations working to accelerate climate action and advance justice, liberation, and sovereignty movements. The foundation directs the majority of its resources toward low-income communities of color building grassroots power. Primary focus areas include: • Climate justice and environmental action • Racial justice • Trans liberation and gender equality • Workers' rights • Disability justice • Immigrant rights • Environmental…
How do I apply for a grant from The Manzanita Foundation?
**Grant Characteristics:** • Typical grant range: $5,000–$80,000 • Average grant amount: approximately $28,000–$30,000 • Median grant amount: $28,012 • Grant approach: Multi-year, unrestricted funding prioritized for long-term partnerships **Recent Grant Activity (2024):** • Total giving: $662,200–$694,166 • Number of grants awarded: 33 • Notable recent grants include: • Urban Tilth: $60,000 (NRF Capital Campaign) • Sustainable Economies Law Center: $50,000 (East Bay Permanent Real Estate Coope…
Where does The Manzanita Foundation make grants?
The foundation primarily funds organizations in the Bay Area, with some support extending beyond the region.
What size grants does The Manzanita Foundation award?
In 2024, The Manzanita Foundation awarded 20 grants totaling $662K — an average of about $33K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is The Manzanita Foundation required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, The Manzanita Foundation reported a distributable amount of $451K on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is The Manzanita Foundation's EIN?
The Manzanita Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 68-0430582. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
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Browse active grant opportunities in The Manzanita 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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