The Marisla Foundation
The Marisla Foundation is a private, non-operating foundation established in 1986 and based in Laguna Beach, California. Founded by Anne Getty Earhart, a Getty Oil heiress, the foundation makes grants in two primary program areas: Environment and Human Services, with a special interests category for compelling funding opportunities identified by the Board of Directors.
Key facts about The Marisla Foundation
- EIN
- 33-0200133
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024
- Annual giving (2024)
- $46,678,700
- Grants made (2024)
- 194
- Average grant
- $240,612
- Median grant
- $75,000
- New grantees (estimate)
- 9% first-time grantees (17 of 194, 2024)
- Total assets
- $21,082,605
- Primary geography
- California (44% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- How to apply
- The foundation uses a FoundationSource-hosted online application portal that provides guidelines, deadlines, contact emails, and program director names. 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 Marisla Foundation funds
By grant dollars, the top recipient states for The Marisla Foundation's 194 itemized 2024 grants were California (44%), District of Columbia (19%) and New York (12%). The most frequent recipient cities were Washington, DC (37 grants), San Francisco, CA (11 grants), New York, NY (9 grants) and Oakland, CA (8 grants). 100% of grants with a stated purpose were for general or operating support.
Is The Marisla Foundation open to new grantees?
9%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 17 of 194 grantees (9%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $155K; repeat grants $249K. How we count
Medians: $60K first-time, $75K repeat.
- 89% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving grew 43% from 2021 to 2024. Method
- In 2024 it paid out well above 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 Marisla Foundation
- How to evaluate The Marisla Foundation as a funder
Our grant prospecting guide: read the 990-PF, check fit, and decide whether to apply.
- Draft an LOI to The Marisla Foundation with AI
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- Track this opportunity in a free grant tracker
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Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$21.1M
+2.4% YoY
Annual Giving
$46.7M
+27.2% YoY
Grant Count
194
-4.0% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$241K
+32.4% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Marisla Foundation reported a distributable amount of $873K for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation supports human and health service organizations alongside environmental conservation efforts.
Environmental Program: Emphasizes activities that "promote the conservation of biological diversity and advance sustainable ecosystem management." The environmental program focuses on marine conservation in western North America, Chile, and the Western Pacific, with particular interest in projects that preserve rainforests, restrict human and wildlife exposure to toxic chemicals, and protect habitats in the American West, Latin America, and southeast Asia. The foundation also supports coastal protection and restoration, ocean conservation, and plastic pollution prevention initiatives.
Human Services Program: Prioritizes Southern California women's physical, mental, and financial health, with focus areas including domestic violence, homelessness, substance abuse, and vocational training. Human services funding is geographically restricted to Southern California and is often channeled through community foundation partners.
Grantmaking
Grant Range
of $75,000. Grant amounts range from $10,000 to $9.9 million.
Review Cycle
, contact emails, and program director names. The foundation awards grants on a quarterly basis.
How to Apply
** The foundation uses a FoundationSource-hosted online application portal that provides guidelines, deadlines, contact emails, and program director names. The foundation awards grants on a quarterly basis.
Ready to take the next step with The Marisla Foundation?
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
While based in Laguna Beach and prioritizing the West Coast, the foundation funds both national and international organizations. Environmental grants support projects in western North America, Chile, the Western Pacific, the American West, Latin America, and southeast Asia. Human services grants are restricted to Southern California, with particular emphasis on Orange County and Los Angeles.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of all 194 itemized 2024 grant dollars.
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
Assets: $21–$22 million (as of 2024)
IRS Status: Tax-exempt since December 1986
Tax ID: 33-0200133
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $21,082,605 | $20,587,646 | $21,005,333 |
| Revenue | $51,974,750 | $36,528,013 | $35,592,677 |
| Expenses | $37,500,939 | $41,256,782 | $37,015,027 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $48,088,405 | $38,168,634 | $40,277,917 |
| Net Investment Income | $38,082,231 | $22,105,570 | $19,036,258 |
| Distributable Amount | $872,581 | $927,640 | $1,214,850 |
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
1,080 grants across all recorded years
Open Grants
3 open opportunities from The Marisla Foundation
Environmental Grant Program - Environmental Health Area
The Marisla Foundation
Amount
Varies
Deadline
Rolling / Open
Environmental Grant Program - Marine Resources Conservation Area
The Marisla Foundation
Amount
Varies
Deadline
Rolling / Open
Marisla Fdn: Human Services Grant
The Marisla Foundation
Amount
Varies
Deadline
Rolling / Open
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest recipients include Orange County Community Foundation ($9,890,000), Global Greengrants Fund ($3,250,000), Oceana Inc ($2,300,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| ORANGE COUNTY COMMUNITY FOUNDATION Irvine, CA | GENERAL SUPPORT | $9,890,000 |
| GLOBAL GREENGRANTS FUND Boulder, CO | GENERAL SUPPORT | $3,250,000 |
| OCEANA INC Washington, DC | GENERAL SUPPORT | $2,300,000 |
| ROCKEFELLER PHILANTHROPY ADVISORS New York, NY | GENERAL SUPPORT | $2,135,000 |
| HAWAII COMMUNITY FOUNDATION Honolulu, HI | GENERAL SUPPORT | $1,208,700 |
| THE NATURE CONSERVANCY Arlington, VA | GENERAL SUPPORT | $1,200,000 |
| INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY FOUNDATION National City, CA | GENERAL SUPPORT | $1,155,000 |
| CENTER FOR AMERICAN PROGRESS Washington, DC | GENERAL SUPPORT | $1,000,000 |
| CENTER FOR CLIMATE INTEGRITY Washington, DC | GENERAL SUPPORT | $1,000,000 |
| MYRIAD USA New York, NY | GENERAL SUPPORT | $1,000,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
| Name | Title | Hours/Week | Compensation/Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Anne G. Earhart | President | 4 | $0 |
| Oliver N. Crary | Treasurer | 2 | $0 |
| Herbert M. Bedolfe III | Director/Executive Director | 40 | $369,000 |
| Sara M. Lowell | Secretary/Program Director | 32 | $152,000 |
| Margaret Lauer | Administrator | 40 | $256,000 |
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 IRS filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Anne G Earhart | President | 4 | — |
| Oliver N Crary | Treasurer | 2 | — |
| Herbert M Bedolfe III | Dir./Exec Director | 40 | $369,260 |
| Sara M Lowell | Secretary/Program Director | 32 | $151,986 |
| Margaret Lauer | Administrator | 40 | $256,465 |
Frequently Asked Questions
What does The Marisla Foundation fund?
The foundation supports human and health service organizations alongside environmental conservation efforts. **Environmental Program:** Emphasizes activities that "promote the conservation of biological diversity and advance sustainable ecosystem management." The environmental program focuses on marine conservation in western North America, Chile, and the Western Pacific, with particular interest in projects that preserve rainforests, restrict human and wildlife exposure to toxic chemicals, and…
How do I apply for a grant from The Marisla Foundation?
The foundation uses a FoundationSource-hosted online application portal that provides guidelines, deadlines, contact emails, and program director names. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
Where does The Marisla Foundation make grants?
While based in Laguna Beach and prioritizing the West Coast, the foundation funds both national and international organizations. Environmental grants support projects in western North America, Chile, the Western Pacific, the American West, Latin America, and southeast Asia. Human services grants are restricted to Southern California, with particular emphasis on Orange County and Los Angeles.
What size grants does The Marisla Foundation award?
In 2024, The Marisla Foundation awarded 194 grants totaling $46.7M — an average of about $241K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is The Marisla Foundation required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, The Marisla Foundation reported a distributable amount of $873K on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is The Marisla Foundation's EIN?
The Marisla Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 33-0200133. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
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Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.