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
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.
Ready to take the next step with The Virginia and Alfred Harrell?
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
No grants recorded for .
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 OrganizationsData last updated April 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
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