The Susie Tompkins Buell Foundation
The Susie Tompkins Buell Foundation is a private 501(c)(3) grantmaking foundation established in 1990 and based in San Francisco, California. The foundation was originally created as the Esprit Foundation to support the philanthropic interests of Susie Tompkins Buell, co-founder of the Esprit clothing company. When Buell left Esprit de Corp. in 1996, she took the foundation with her and eventually renamed it the Susie Tompkins Buell Foundation. The foundation has retained and evolved its original mission while maintaining a focus on women and girls.
Key facts about The Susie Tompkins Buell Foundation
- EIN
- 77-0266801
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024
- Annual giving (2024)
- $395,720
- Grants made (2024)
- 19
- Average grant
- $20,827
- Median grant
- $15,000
- Total assets
- $6,629,399
- Primary geography
- New York (23% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- How to apply
- Applicants may send a two-page letter of inquiry describing the program's objectives and funding needs. Full details ↓
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated September 2026. Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who The Susie Tompkins Buell Foundation funds
By grant dollars, the top recipient states for The Susie Tompkins Buell Foundation's 19 itemized 2024 grants were New York (23%), District of Columbia (19%) and California (13%). The most frequent recipient cities were Washington, DC (3 grants), San Francisco, CA (2 grants), Detroit, MI (2 grants) and Phoenix, AZ (2 grants). 5% of grants with a stated purpose were for general or operating support.
How The Susie Tompkins Buell Foundation gives
- 21% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving grew 262% from 2021 to 2024. Method
- In 2024 it paid out 98% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Foundations have until the end of the next year to meet it. Method
Estimate from itemized IRS Form 990-PF grant lists (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 Susie Tompkins Buell Foundation
- How to evaluate The Susie Tompkins Buell Foundation as a funder
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Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$6.6M
-0.9% YoY
Annual Giving
$396K
+2.6% YoY
Grant Count
19
+90.0% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$21K
-46.0% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Susie Tompkins Buell Foundation reported a distributable amount of $403K for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation aims to support women and girls in public service and civic engagement, leaders and doers on the frontlines of the climate crisis, and forward-thinking visionaries who drive communities toward awakening and transformation.
Grantmaking is directed primarily toward:
- Women and girls — with emphasis on programs aimed at creating awareness of social responsibility, promoting civic participation, leadership development, and activism training
- Environmental organizations — particularly those addressing the climate crisis with practical solutions and tactics
- Organizations that demonstrate a women and girls lens, screening for inclusion of women and girls not only as service recipients but also in board and staff representation
The foundation typically does not fund capital campaigns, international programs, health services, direct service programs, drug or alcohol rehabilitation, or film/video projects.
Grantmaking
Grant Range
$350 to $100,000
Average Grant
amount: approximately $106 (based on historical data)
How to Apply
** Applicants may send a two-page letter of inquiry describing the program's objectives and funding needs. Organizations will be invited to submit a full proposal if their work aligns with foundation priorities.
Ready to take the next step with The Susie Tompkins Buell Foundation?
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation supports initiatives across multiple U.S. cities and states, with documented funding activity in Arizona, California, District of Columbia, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Maine, Minnesota, Nevada, New York, Ohio, Texas, Vermont, Washington, and Wisconsin. Major funding concentrations include New York, San Francisco, and Washington, D.C.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of all 19 itemized 2024 grant dollars.
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
As of Fiscal Year Ending November 2023:
- Total assets: $6,692,229
- Total revenue: $319,361
- Total expenses: $508,322
- Total liabilities: $8,150
Tax Status: Tax-exempt since March 1991 (EIN: 77-0266801)
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $6,629,399 | $6,692,229 | $6,881,190 |
| Revenue | $436,668 | $319,361 | $338,901 |
| Expenses | $499,498 | $508,322 | $502,301 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $395,996 | $386,622 | $402,559 |
| Net Investment Income | $334,654 | $198,943 | $240,551 |
| Distributable Amount | $403,035 | $377,650 | $394,774 |
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
82 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest recipients include Red Wine & Blue Education Fund ($50,000), Planned Parenthood Federation of America ($50,000), Global Press Institute ($50,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| RED WINE & BLUE EDUCATION FUND Cleveland, OH | NATIONAL NETWORK OF WOMEN TO SUPPORT DIVERSE LIBRARY SHELVES FOR CHILDREN TO PROMOTE BOOKS THAT DISCUSS DIVERSITY, EQUITY AND INCLUSION | $50,000 |
| PLANNED PARENTHOOD FEDERATION OF AMERICA New York, NY | TO PROVIDE COMPREHENSIVE REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH CARE SERVICES, ADVOCATE FOR PUBLIC POLICIES AND ENSURE ACCESS TO SERVICES AND PROVIDE SEX EDUCATION | $50,000 |
| GLOBAL PRESS INSTITUTE Washington, DC | BUILD REPRESENTATIVE NEWSROOMS THAT PUT LOCAL WOMEN JOURNALISTS AT THE FOREFRONT OF ADVANCING NARRATIVE CHANGE | $50,000 |
| REMAKE San Francisco, CA | TO GET WOMEN IN THE CLOTHING INDUSTRY PAID FAIRLY | $25,000 |
| VOTO LATINO FOUNDATION Washington, DC | EDUCATES AND EMPOWERS A NEW GENERATION OF LATINO VOTERS | $25,000 |
| VOTE MAMA FOUNDATION Amityville, NY | BREAK THE STRUCTURAL BARRIERS MOMS FACE WHILE RUNNING FOR OFFICE, NORMALIZE MOTHERS OF YOUNG CHILDREN RUNNING FOR OFFICE, AND EQUIP LEGISLATORS WITH THE TOOLS THEY NEED TO ADVANCE POLICIES THAT ALLOW ALL WOMEN AND WORKING FAMILIES TO THRIVE. | $25,000 |
| VOTEAMERICA INC San Francisco, CA | USES TECHNOLOGY TO SIMPLIFY POLITICAL ENGAGEMENT AND INCREASE VOTER TURNOUT. | $25,000 |
| SPARK REPRODUCTIVE JUSTICE NOW Atlanta, GA | WOMENS HEALTHCARE, EDUCATION AND ADVOCACY WITH AN EMPHASIS ON QUEER YOUTH AND ADULTS OF COLOR | $15,000 |
| DETROIT PEOPLE'S PLATFORM Detroit, MI | PROVIDE RESOURCES TO RELIEVE THE POOR, THE DISTRESS AND THE UNDER-PRIVILEAGED ON OUR COMMUNITY | $15,000 |
| BLACK LEADERS ORGANIZING COMMUNITIES (BLOC) Milwaukee, WI | ENSURE A HIGH QUALITY OF LIFE FOR BLACK COMMUNITIES IN WISCONSIN | $15,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
- Susie Tompkins Buell — President (1 hour per week, no compensation)
- Mark Buell — Vice President (0.05 hours per week, no compensation)
- Belinda Viray-Munoz — Executive Director (5 hours per week, no compensation)
Compensation Overview
No officer or director reported compensation in the available filings.
From 2024 IRS filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Susie Tompkins Buell | President | 1 | — |
| Mark Buell | Vice President | 0.05 | — |
| Belinda Viray-Munoz | Executive Director | 5 | — |
Recent News & Activity
Recent developments and announcements
The foundation continues to support organizations aligned with its priorities in women's empowerment, environmental action, and civic engagement. Recent grants demonstrate active funding in areas including reproductive rights, women's economic justice in the fashion industry, diverse children's literature, and women's leadership in journalism.
Buell Foundation Announces 2026 Fellows for Early Childhood Leadership ProgramFrequently Asked Questions
What does The Susie Tompkins Buell Foundation fund?
The foundation aims to support women and girls in public service and civic engagement, leaders and doers on the frontlines of the climate crisis, and forward-thinking visionaries who drive communities toward awakening and transformation. Grantmaking is directed primarily toward: • **Women and girls** — with emphasis on programs aimed at creating awareness of social responsibility, promoting civic participation, leadership development, and activism training • **Environmental organizations** — pa…
How do I apply for a grant from The Susie Tompkins Buell Foundation?
Applicants may send a two-page letter of inquiry describing the program's objectives and funding needs. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
Where does The Susie Tompkins Buell Foundation make grants?
The foundation supports initiatives across multiple U.S. cities and states, with documented funding activity in Arizona, California, District of Columbia, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Maine, Minnesota, Nevada, New York, Ohio, Texas, Vermont, Washington, and Wisconsin. Major funding concentrations include New York, San Francisco, and Washington, D.C.
What size grants does The Susie Tompkins Buell Foundation award?
In 2024, The Susie Tompkins Buell Foundation awarded 19 grants totaling $396K — an average of about $21K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is The Susie Tompkins Buell Foundation required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, The Susie Tompkins Buell Foundation reported a distributable amount of $403K on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is The Susie Tompkins Buell Foundation's EIN?
The Susie Tompkins Buell Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 77-0266801. 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.