The Virginia and Alfred Harrell
The Virginia and Alfred Harrell is a private foundation based in Bakersfield, California. It funds nonprofit projects and programs, with its website describing a 2026 focus on animal welfare, education, literacy, the environment, and cultural, historic, and beautification improvements. Its website says it was formerly known as The Bakersfield Californian Foundation and that the entity, mission, and goals remain the same.
The Virginia and Alfred Harrell at a glance
In short: The Virginia and Alfred Harrell gave $585K across 26 grants in 2025 (avg $22K), mostly in California. 42% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $584,782
- +3.1% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 26
- -16.1% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $22,492
- +22.9% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $16,423
- Total assets
- $15,899,029
- +1.2% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 42% first-time grantees (11 of 26, 2025)
- Primary geography
- California (100% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to The Virginia and Alfred Harrell
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- Yes
- How to Apply
-
The foundation accepts unsolicited requests: organizations begin by emailing a brief project or program description and an estimated request amount. If the project is a fit, the foundation sends an application and due date. The website asks applicants for a clear project budget, projected number of constituents served, proof of 501(c)(3) status, and a list of board members; it also requires organizations to be registered on GuideStar.org. The foundation’s 2025 filing lists additional requested materials, including the organization’s operating budget, IRS exemption letter, and information about the project, its needs, similar programs, future funding, lasting benefits, and other groups’ involvement. The website says it does not fund general fundraising events, direct aid to individuals, or multiyear grants, and notes a preference for standalone projects and grassroots organizations. The filing describes awards as restricted to education and the arts for qualifying Kern County organizations.
- Review Cycle
- The website describes a rolling process, with the application due date provided upon invitation—usually about two months after the invitation. The foundation’s 2025 filing lists April 8 and October 18 as deadlines; it does not specify a year for those dates.
- Deadline
- The website describes a rolling process, with the application due date provided upon invitation—usually about two…
- Contact
Application contact: Tracy Cowenhoven
Mailing address: P O Bin 440, Bakersfield, CA 93302
Phone: (661) 395-7290
Website: https://www.vahfoundation.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Open Grants
1 open opportunity from The Virginia and Alfred Harrell
Who The Virginia and Alfred Harrell funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Kern River Parkway Foundation ($80K). Together the top 10 received $412K.
Grant Size Distribution
141 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 121 grants of 141 (86%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation’s website centers its grantmaking on Kern County. It says organizations outside the county may be considered case by case if their project or program serves Kern County. All 2025 grant dollars in the filing went to recipients in California.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 26 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is The Virginia and Alfred Harrell open to new grantees?
42%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 11 of 26 grantees (42%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $17K; repeat grants $26K. How we count
Medians: $13K first-time, $20K repeat.
- 4% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving fell 21% from 2022 to 2025. Method
- In 2025 it paid out 80% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Foundations have until the end of the next year to meet it. Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2020–2025). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2020 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $479K (2023) to $777K (2020). In 2025 it made 26 grants totaling $585K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Kern River Parkway Foundation Bakersfield, CA | Program Service Support | $79,977 |
| Bakersfield Firefighters Historical so Bakersfield, CA | Program Service Support | $50,000 |
| Boys & Girls Club of Kern County Bakersfield, CA | Program Service Support | $50,000 |
| White Wolf Wellness Foundation Bakersfield, CA | Program Service Support | $50,000 |
| Critters Without Litters Bakersfield, CA | Program Service Support | $35,000 |
| Valley Center for the Blind Bakersfield, CA | Program Service Support | $35,000 |
| Taft College Foundation Taft, CA | Program Service Support | $32,000 |
| California Native Plant Society Sacramento, CA | Program Service Support | $30,000 |
| Fort Tejon Historical Association Lebec, CA | Program Service Support | $25,000 |
| Kern Bridges Youth Homes Bakersfield, CA | Program Service Support | $25,000 |
Ready to take the next step with The Virginia and Alfred Harrell?
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Qualifying Distributions | Net Investment Income | Distributable Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $15,899,029 | $922,349 | $741,327 | $584,782 | 26 | $660,192 | $848,834 | $829,929 |
| 2024 | $15,718,007 | $793,337 | $705,715 | $567,298 | 31 | $628,845 | $720,007 | $789,201 |
| 2023 | $15,630,385 | $178,049 | $643,080 | $479,326 | 23 | $574,074 | $321,195 | $746,214 |
| 2022 | $16,095,416 | $212,220 | $914,308 | $737,240 | 31 | $815,337 | $241,102 | $768,618 |
| 2021 | $16,797,504 | $1,811,745 | $869,310 | $731,069 | 30 | $802,125 | $1,750,915 | $864,895 |
| 2020 | $15,855,069 | $694,460 | $920,740 | $777,414 | 36 | — | $645,246 | $803,332 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Virginia and Alfred Harrell reported a distributable amount of $830K for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation’s website identifies animal welfare, education, literacy, the environment, and cultural, historic, and beautification improvements as its core interests for 2026. It says it considers projects by Kern County 501(c)(3) organizations; organizations outside Kern County with a project or program serving Kern County may be considered case by case.
Examples of supported organizations illustrate the range of work funded. Critters Without Litters says it provides subsidized companion-animal sterilization to help prevent the euthanasia of healthy, adoptable pets in Kern County. The California Native Plant Society describes its mission as protecting California’s native plants and habitats through science, education, stewardship, gardening, and advocacy. Taft College Foundation says it supports student success, while the Child Guidance Guild of Bakersfield says it funds services for children with emotional and behavioral issues.
Grantmaking
In 2025, the foundation reported 26 grants totaling $584,782. Grants ranged from $5,000 to $79,977, with a median award of $16,422. The largest reported awards included $79,977 to Kern River Parkway Foundation; $50,000 each to Bakersfield Firefighters Historical Society, Boys & Girls Club of Kern County, and White Wolf Wellness Foundation; and $35,000 each to Critters Without Litters and Valley Center for the Blind. The foundation’s website describes the 2025 giving as supporting projects in areas including animal welfare, cultural and historic preservation, the environment, literacy and early education, and health and social welfare.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Virginia Moorhouse as president, Tracey Cowenhoven as vice president, John Moorhouse as secretary/treasurer, and Virginia Cowenhoven and Peter Cowenhoven as board members.
The Virginia and Alfred Harrell is led by Virginia Moorhouse, President on every filing since 2020; 1 of 5 officers listed in 2025 is compensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Virginia Moorhouse
President
On filings since 2020
10 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Tracey Cowenhoven
Vice President
On filings since 2020
30 hrs/week
$77K (2020) → $75K (2025)
John Moorhouse
Secretary & Treasurer
On filings since 2020
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Peter Cowenhoven
Board Member
On filings since 2020
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Virginia Cowenhoven
Board Member
On filings since 2020
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (2)
- Former: Cynthia Icardo (2020–2021) — Board Member
- Former: Sheryl Barbich (2020–2021) — Board Member
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2025. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Compensation Overview
From 2025 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2025 filing was $75K, to Tracey Cowenhoven (Vice President).
Frequently asked questions about The Virginia and Alfred Harrell
How much does The Virginia and Alfred Harrell give each year?
The Virginia and Alfred Harrell gave $585K across 26 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $567K across 31 grants.
What is The Virginia and Alfred Harrell's typical grant size?
The Virginia and Alfred Harrell's median grant in 2025 was $16,423, and its average grant was $22,492, across 26 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from The Virginia and Alfred Harrell that year got $17K on average.
Where does The Virginia and Alfred Harrell give grants?
The Virginia and Alfred Harrell gives mostly in California: 100% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Bakersfield, CA (17 grants) and Tehachapi, CA (2 grants).
Does The Virginia and Alfred Harrell give general operating support?
Not in 2025: none of the 26 grants with a stated purpose on The Virginia and Alfred Harrell's 2025 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Program Service Support" (26 grants).
Who are The Virginia and Alfred Harrell's largest grantees?
The Virginia and Alfred Harrell's largest 2025 grantees include Kern River Parkway Foundation ($79,977), Bakersfield Firefighters Historical so ($50,000) and Boys & Girls Club of Kern County ($50,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 31% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is The Virginia and Alfred Harrell?
The Virginia and Alfred Harrell reported $15.9M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $660K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $830K (roughly 5% of its investment assets). Falling short in one year is not a violation: foundations have until the end of the next year to meet the minimum.
What does The Virginia and Alfred Harrell fund?
The foundation’s website identifies animal welfare, education, literacy, the environment, and cultural, historic, and beautification improvements as its core interests for 2026. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The Virginia and Alfred Harrell?
The foundation accepts unsolicited requests: organizations begin by emailing a brief project or program description and an estimated request amount. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
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 2020–2025.
Does The Virginia and Alfred Harrell accept unsolicited proposals?
Yes, according to Grantable's research on the foundation's published guidelines. See how to apply ↑
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(2)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS July 2, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). The Virginia and Alfred Harrell funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 17, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/the-virginia-and-alfred-harrell-morg_583e05bfcf74433eb2da5dfab2cf0647
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_953227803_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{The Virginia and Alfred Harrell funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/the-virginia-and-alfred-harrell-morg_583e05bfcf74433eb2da5dfab2cf0647},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-17. Data licensed CC BY 4.0}
}The figures on this page are open data under CC BY 4.0: reuse them with credit to Grantable and a link. Download the data.
Figures come from The Virginia and Alfred Harrell's IRS filings (methodology). AI-written summaries, news items and logos are not covered by the open licence. Spot an error? Email hello@grantable.co.
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