Ticket to Dream Foundation
Ticket to Dream Foundation is a public charity based in Roseville, California. It supports children and youth experiencing foster care across the United States through essential items, financial support for partner programs, extracurricular opportunities, and resources for young people preparing to leave care.
Ticket to Dream Foundation at a glance
In short: Ticket to Dream Foundation gave $10.5M across 198 grants in 2025 (avg $53K), top state California. 1% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $10,501,465
- -11.6% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 198
- -7.9% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $53,038
- -4.1% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $51,476
- Total assets
- $3,468,640
- -21.3% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 1% first-time grantees (2 of 198, 2025)
- Primary geography
- California (19% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990, 2025; updated September 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to Ticket to Dream Foundation
- How to Apply
-
Organizations that work directly with foster, kinship, or aged-out youth are directed to review the partner requirements and apply to become a partner. Applicants must be U.S. 501(c)(3) organizations with charitable status in place for at least two years, work directly with at least 50 eligible youth, carry liability insurance, and be in good standing with the U.S. Department of the Treasury and clear of state investigations for at least five years. Approved partners may participate in one or more programs and must follow the foundation’s recapping procedures. The foundation says it reviews every application and will follow up only if it needs more information, has a partner opening, or a one-time donation is available in the organization’s area.
- Contact
Mailing address: 8413 Washington Blvd 100, Roseville, CA 95678
Phone: (916) 292-9550
Website: https://tickettodream.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Ticket to Dream Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Utah Foster Care ($135K). Together the top 10 received $1.1M.
Grant Size Distribution
1,004 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 491 grants of 1,004 (49%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation describes its work as nationwide, with nonprofit partners serving youth across all 50 states. In 2025, the largest state shares of grant dollars went to California (15%), Texas (7%), Florida (6%), New York (6%), and Washington (5%).
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 198 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is Ticket to Dream Foundation open to new grantees?
1%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 2 of 198 grantees (1%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $24K; repeat grants $53K. How we count
Medians: $24K first-time, $52K repeat.
- 98% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2022 to 2025 (−11%). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990 filings (2019–2025). 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 2019 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $5.2M (2019) to $11.9M (2024). In 2025 it made 198 grants totaling $10.5M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Utah Foster Care Murray, UT | Foster Kids Program | $134,970 |
| Fostering Hope Pottstown, PA | Foster Kids Program | $127,915 |
| Foster Forward East Providence, RI | Foster Kids Program | $118,029 |
| The Call Little Rock, AR | Foster Kids Program | $112,881 |
| Citizens Caring for Children Oklahoma City, OK | Foster Kids Program | $111,566 |
| Firefly Children & Family Alliance Indianapolis, IN | Foster Kids Program | $109,520 |
| Wichita Children's Home Wichita, KS | Foster Kids Program | $108,152 |
| Foster and Adoptive Care Coalition Saint Louis, MO | Foster Kids Program | $106,273 |
| Family Alternatives Minneapolis, MN | Foster Kids Program | $102,717 |
| Connecticut Alliance Foster & Adopt Fam Rocky Hill, CT | Foster Kids Program | $102,254 |
Ready to take the next step with Ticket to Dream Foundation?
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Net Investment Income |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $3,468,640 | $11,118,129 | $11,981,936 | $10,501,465 | 198 | $132,587 |
| 2024 | $4,405,022 | $12,335,335 | $13,127,284 | $11,884,601 | 215 | $109,475 |
| 2023 | $4,961,093 | $12,377,193 | $12,922,149 | $11,817,102 | 201 | $42,439 |
| 2022 | $5,455,675 | $13,999,087 | $12,873,523 | $11,765,994 | 198 | $5,500 |
| 2021 | $4,349,834 | $11,071,124 | $8,381,144 | $7,687,985 | 192 | $3,119 |
| 2020 | $4,041,583 | $10,595,365 | $10,274,305 | $9,394,016 | 149 | $650 |
| 2019 | $1,307,420 | $6,096,738 | $6,167,446 | $5,197,141 | 152 | $813 |
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation’s stated mission is “to ensure those experiencing the foster care system have everyday essentials and opportunities to thrive.” Its programs include:
- Essentials: Collects, purchases, and distributes items such as clothing, hygiene products, shoes, and school supplies. Cash support can fund local purchases of specific needs or shopping experiences for children.
- GoPlay!: Provides access to extracurricular activities and other childhood experiences.
- Take Flight: Supports partner programs focused on graduation, education, life and job skills, employment, and housing for youth aging out of care. The program also provides laptops to school-aged foster youth.
- Ally: Provides targeted cash support and essentials for Black, Hispanic, and LGBTQ+ youth, and supports efforts to recruit foster and kinship parents, mentors, and adoptive parents from these communities.
- Disaster Relief: Provides rapid support to foster youth and youth who have aged out of care during natural disasters or crises.
The foundation provides in-kind and monetary contributions to nonprofits across the country, with particular emphasis on charities related to children in need. Among its 2025 grantees, Family Alternatives says it supports relationships and environments for children and families in transition; Kids Matter says it helps abused and neglected children heal and thrive; and Foster Forward says its mission is to empower lives impacted by foster care. These are the grantees’ stated missions.
Grantmaking
The listed grants were designated for foster kids programs.
The largest 2025 grant was $22,500 to Family Alternatives in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Other sizable grants included $19,500 to Partnership for Strong Families in Gainesville, Florida; $19,000 to Kids Matter Inc in Milwaukee, Wisconsin; and $18,500 to One More Child in Lakeland, Florida. Additional grants included $17,000 to Fostering Hope in Pottstown, Pennsylvania; $16,000 each to Embrella in Princeton, New Jersey, and The Villages of Indiana in Indianapolis, Indiana; and $15,000 each to Depelchin Children’s Center in Houston, Texas, and Foster Forward in East Providence, Rhode Island.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The foundation’s 2025 filing lists Mary Carson as president, Rebekah Heiskell as treasurer, and Angie Alves as secretary. The listed board members are Kathy Carlsen, Sunni Goodman, Teres Mugnaini, Cordelia Cranshaw, Brian Baxter, Latrice Cole, and Dale Carlsen.
Ticket to Dream Foundation is led by Jeanmarie Davis, CEO on the 2025 filing; 2 of 14 officers listed in 2025 are compensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Jeanmarie Davis
CEO
New on the 2025 filing
40 hrs/week
$155K (2025)
Mary Carson
President
Board Member → Chairperson of the Board, 2020
Chairperson of the Board → President, 2024
On filings since 2019
4 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Mauri Knowles
Program Director
Vice President → Program Director, 2022
On filings since 2019
40 hrs/week
$12K (2019) → $113K (2025)
Dale Carlsen
Board Member
CEO → CEO Emeritus, 2023
CEO Emeritus → Board Member, 2024
On filings since 2019
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Sunni Goodman
Board Member
On filings since 2019
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Teres Mugnaini
Board Member
On filings since 2019
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Cordelia Cranshaw
Board Member
On filings since 2021
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Angie Alves
Secretary
On filings since 2023
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Brian Baxter
Board Member
On filings since 2023
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Latrice Cole
Board Member
On filings since 2023
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Rebekah Heiskell
Treasurer
Chief Financial Officer → Treasurer, 2024
On filings since 2023
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Kathy Carlsen
Board Member
On filings since 2024
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Kathy Stephenson
Board Member
On filings since 2024
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Mark Payne
Board Member
New on the 2025 filing
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (8)
- Former: Gina Davis (2019–2024) — CEO
- Former: Lori Stewart (2019–2024) — Board Member
- Former: Janet Anton (2019–2023) — Treasurer
- Former: Kathryn Carlsen (2019–2023) — Board Member
- Former: Mike Wilson (2019–2023) — Board Member
- Former: John Haitz (2019–2022) — Chief Financial Officer
- Former: Sarah Tierney (2019–2022) — Secretary
- Former: Maureen Matthews (2019–2020) — Board Member
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2019–2025. "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 $155K, to Jeanmarie Davis (CEO). 2 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Frequently asked questions about Ticket to Dream Foundation
How much does Ticket to Dream Foundation give each year?
Ticket to Dream Foundation gave $10.5M across 198 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. In 2024 it gave $11.9M across 215 grants.
What is Ticket to Dream Foundation's typical grant size?
Ticket to Dream Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $51,476, and its average grant was $53,038, across 198 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Organizations receiving their first grant from Ticket to Dream Foundation that year got $24K on average.
Where does Ticket to Dream Foundation give grants?
Ticket to Dream Foundation's top state is California, with 19% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990. The next largest states were Texas (6%) and Washington (6%). The most frequent recipient cities were Sacramento, CA (7 grants), Seattle, WA (3 grants), Oakland, CA (3 grants) and Indianapolis, IN (2 grants).
Does Ticket to Dream Foundation give general operating support?
Not in 2025: none of the 198 grants with a stated purpose on Ticket to Dream Foundation's 2025 IRS Form 990 were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Foster Kids Program" (198 grants).
Who are Ticket to Dream Foundation's largest grantees?
Ticket to Dream Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include Utah Foster Care ($134,970), Fostering Hope ($127,915) and Foster Forward ($118,029), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. Together they received 4% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Ticket to Dream Foundation?
Ticket to Dream Foundation reported $3.5M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Its revenue that year was $11.1M.
What does Ticket to Dream Foundation fund?
The foundation’s stated mission is “to ensure those experiencing the foster care system have everyday essentials and opportunities to thrive.” Its programs include: See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Ticket to Dream Foundation?
Organizations that work directly with foster, kinship, or aged-out youth are directed to review the partner requirements and apply to become a partner. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Ticket to Dream Foundation's EIN?
Ticket to Dream Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 90-0355853. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2025.
Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990 filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(8)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS February 10, 2020)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS February 10, 2021)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS February 7, 2022)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS January 30, 2023)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS December 20, 2023)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS December 10, 2024)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS January 30, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2019–2025
Live grants for the work Ticket to Dream Foundation funds
Youth Development Open opportunities, soonest deadline first.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Ticket to Dream Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Ticket to Dream Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 17, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/ticket-to-dream-foundation-morg_4087a88531384da784a94dd0c140270d
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_900355853_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Ticket to Dream Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/ticket-to-dream-foundation-morg_4087a88531384da784a94dd0c140270d},
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 Ticket to Dream Foundation'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.
Ticket to Dream Foundation down — hundreds of funders to go?