The Virginia and Alfred Harrell
The Virginia and Alfred Harrell Foundation is a private foundation based in Bakersfield, California, with a long history of philanthropic support to Kern County and surrounding regions. The foundation was formerly known as The Bakersfield Californian Foundation, though only the name has changed—its mission, goals, and entity remain the same. The foundation traces its roots to Alfred Harrell, who purchased The Bakersfield Californian newspaper in 1897 and served as its publisher for nearly 50 years while demonstrating deep commitment to Kern County's betterment.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$15.7M
+0.6% YoY
Annual Giving
$567K
+18.4% YoY
Grant Count
31
+34.8% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$18K
-12.2% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Virginia and Alfred Harrell reported a distributable amount of $789K for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Mission & Focus Areas
The Virginia and Alfred Harrell Foundation focuses its grantmaking on specific areas of interest that shift annually. Core funding priorities include:
- Animal Welfare
- Cultural & Historical Preservation
- Environment
- Literacy & Early Education
- Health & Social Welfare
The foundation also funds compelling projects in additional areas beyond its core interests.
Grantmaking
The foundation maintains an active grantmaking program with recent activity showing substantial community investment:
Average Grant
amounts varying by year.
How to Apply
** Organizations interested in applying can contact the foundation via email at tcowenhoven@harrell-holdings.com.
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation primarily supports communities in:
- California (with emphasis on Kern County, including Bakersfield, Delano, and Sacramento)
- Massachusetts
- Texas
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
Assets: $15,630,385 to $15,718,007 (figures vary by reporting year)
Annual Giving:
- 2025: Over $580,000 awarded
- Recent annual total giving: $567,298 to $643,080 in expenses
Revenue: $178,049 (2023)
Tax-Exempt Status: April 1979
EIN: 95-3227803
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $15,718,007 | $15,630,385 | $16,095,416 |
| Revenue | $793,337 | $178,049 | $212,220 |
| Expenses | $705,715 | $643,080 | $914,308 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $628,845 | $574,074 | $815,337 |
| Net Investment Income | $720,007 | $321,195 | $241,102 |
| Distributable Amount | $789,201 | $746,214 | $768,618 |
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
151 grants across all recorded years
Open Grants
1 open opportunity from The Virginia and Alfred Harrell
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include California Living Museum Foundation ($50,000), Kern River Conservancy ($50,000), Valley Achievement Center ($47,437).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| APPLE CORE PROJECT INC BAKERSFIELD, CA | PROGRAM SERVICE SUPPORT | $20,000 |
| ARTS COUNCIL OF KERN BAKERSFIELD, CA | PROGRAM SERVICE SUPPORT | $15,000 |
| BAKERSFIELD POLICE ACTIVITIES LEAGUE BAKERSFIELD, CA | PROGRAM SERVICE SUPPORT | $10,000 |
| CALIFORNIA LIVING MUSEUM FOUNDATION BAKERSFIELD, CA | PROGRAM SERVICE SUPPORT | $50,000 |
| CALIFORNIA NATIVE PLANT SOCIETY SACRAMENTO, CA | PROGRAM SERVICE SUPPORT | $4,000 |
| CONSULTING AND RESCUING EQUINE CARE LLC BAKERSFIELD, CA | PROGRAM SERVICE SUPPORT | $10,000 |
| EQUINE HEART CONNECTION CHARITY BAKERSFIELD, CA | PROGRAM SERVICE SUPPORT | $10,000 |
| GIRL SCOUTS OF CENTRAL CALIFORNIA SOUTH BAKERSFIELD, CA | PROGRAM SERVICE SUPPORT | $25,000 |
| HAVE A HEART HUMANE SOCIETY TEHACHAPI, CA | PROGRAM SERVICE SUPPORT | $7,500 |
| HELPING ANIMALS LIVE TOMORROW BAKERSFIELD, CA | PROGRAM SERVICE SUPPORT | $25,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
- Virginia Moorhouse – President
- Tracey Cowenhoven – Vice President (compensation: $94,748 for 30 hours of work)
The foundation's leadership traces back through the Harrell family lineage, with current publisher and chairman of The Bakersfield Californian being Ginger Moorhouse, descendant of the founding Harrell family.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| VIRGINIA COWENHOVEN | BOARD MEMBER | 0.5 | — |
| VIRGINIA MOORHOUSE | PRESIDENT | 10 | — |
| TRACEY COWENHOVEN | VICE PRESIDENT | 30 | $61,547 |
| JOHN MOORHOUSE | SECRETARY/TREASURER | 0.5 | — |
| PETER COWENHOVEN | BOARD MEMBER | 0.5 | — |
Recent News & Activity
Recent developments and announcements
The foundation continues active grantmaking with a focus on Kern County nonprofits. In 2025, the foundation concentrated its efforts on animal welfare, cultural and historical preservation, environmental projects, and literacy and early education initiatives. The foundation maintains an updated grants list on its website and welcomes inquiries from eligible organizations in its geographic service areas.
Virginia Foundation for the Humanities Announces Grants to OrganizationsFrequently Asked Questions
What does The Virginia and Alfred Harrell fund?
The Virginia and Alfred Harrell Foundation focuses its grantmaking on specific areas of interest that shift annually. Core funding priorities include: • Animal Welfare • Cultural & Historical Preservation • Environment • Literacy & Early Education • Health & Social Welfare The foundation also funds compelling projects in additional areas beyond its core interests.
How do I apply for a grant from The Virginia and Alfred Harrell?
The foundation maintains an active grantmaking program with recent activity showing substantial community investment: **2025 Grantmaking:** The foundation donated over $580,000 to Kern County nonprofits in 2025, with grants distributed across its core issue areas. Sample grants included: • Critters Without Litters: $35,000 for spay and neuter programs • Bakersfield Firefighters Historical Society: $50,000 toward museum building • Fort Tejon Historical Association: $25,000 for historic restorati…
Where does The Virginia and Alfred Harrell make grants?
The foundation primarily supports communities in: • California (with emphasis on Kern County, including Bakersfield, Delano, and Sacramento) • Massachusetts • Texas
What size grants does The Virginia and Alfred Harrell award?
In 2024, The Virginia and Alfred Harrell awarded 31 grants totaling $567K — an average of about $18K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is The Virginia and Alfred Harrell required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, The Virginia and Alfred Harrell reported a distributable amount of $789K on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is The Virginia and Alfred Harrell's EIN?
The Virginia and Alfred Harrell's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 95-3227803. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in The Virginia and Alfred Harrell'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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