Tomkat Ranch Educational Foundation
TomKat Ranch Educational Foundation (TKREF) is a private 501(c)(3) foundation based in Pescadero, California. The organization operates as a learning laboratory for animal agriculture, centered on an 1,800-acre grassfed cattle ranch in the San Francisco Bay Area. The foundation functions as both a grantmaking organization and an operating foundation, conducting research and education on sustainable land management practices.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$1.2M
-70.5% YoY
Annual Giving
$480K
-71.6% YoY
Grant Count
39
-35.0% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$12K
-56.3% YoY
Mission & Focus Areas
Mission: To provide healthy food on working lands in a way that regenerates the planet and inspires others to action. The foundation serves as a learning laboratory for animal agriculture on working lands focusing on climate stability, nature's benefits, healthy food, biodiversity, and vibrant community.
Primary Focus Areas:
- Promoting sustainable land use practices and broader understanding of nature and sustainable practices
- Advancing ecologically-friendly animal agriculture
- Understanding climate-smart practices through investment in science regarding carbon sequestration, water management, and soil health
- Regenerative land management and consumer awareness of regeneratively grown food
- Wildlife habitat restoration on working landscapes
- Conservation planning and integration of regenerative agriculture
The foundation's work is grounded in understanding the interconnectedness of financial practices, energy usage, and food production methods as critical to sustaining a healthy planet.
Grantmaking
The foundation made 34 grants in 2023. Recent grantmaking includes:
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation's primary base of operations is in the San Francisco Bay Area, where TomKat Ranch is located. The foundation's goal is to transform five million acres to regenerative land management globally.
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
2023 Financial Data:
- Total Revenue: $856,671
- Total Expenses: $4,029,671
- Total Assets: $4,214,621
- Total Liabilities: $198,000
- Employees: 20
Historical Context:
- Tax-exempt status granted: January 2009
- Founded: 2008
- Estimated annual revenue: $3 million
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $1,241,737 | $4,214,621 | $7,877,195 |
| Revenue | $254,455 | $856,671 | $12,571,309 |
| Expenses | $3,240,227 | $4,029,671 | $6,591,359 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $3,208,009 | $4,316,936 | $6,440,511 |
| Net Investment Income | $26,747 | $47,311 | $21,595 |
| Distributable Amount | — | — | — |
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
226 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include Point Blue Conservation Science ($359,000), Puente De La Costa Sur ($10,000), Community Alliance With Family Farmers ($7,050).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| ABUNDANT GRACE COASTSIDE WORKER HALF MOON BAY, CA | UNRESTRICTED CHARITABLE GRANT | $5,000 |
| AFRICAN AMERICAN FARMERS OF CALIFORNIA FRESNO, CA | UNRESTRICTED CHARITABLE GRANT | $400 |
| AGRICULTURAL INSTITUTE OF MARIN (AIM) SAN RAFAEL, CA | UNRESTRICTED CHARITABLE GRANT | $6,765 |
| AGRICULTURE AND LAND-BASE TRAINING ASSOCIATION SALINAS, CA | UNRESTRICTED CHARITABLE GRANT | $2,064 |
| AMAH MUTSUN LAND TRUST ALBANY, CA | UNRESTRICTED CHARITABLE GRANT | $2,500 |
| AMERICAN GRASSFED RESEARCH AND EDUCATION FDN DENVER, CO | UNRESTRICTED CHARITABLE GRANT | $3,000 |
| AT THE EPICENTER BOULDER, CO | UNRESTRICTED CHARITABLE GRANT | $2,400 |
| CA ASSOC OF RESOURCE CONSERVATION DISTRICT FOLSOM, CA | UNRESTRICTED CHARITABLE GRANT | $3,500 |
| CIVIL EATS COTATI, CA | UNRESTRICTED CHARITABLE GRANT | $5,000 |
| COALICION DE PEQUENOS AGRICULTORES EN CALIFORNIA BAKERSHIELD, CA | UNRESTRICTED CHARITABLE GRANT | $400 |
Leadership & Key People
Officers and directors from IRS filings
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| KATHRYN A TAYLOR | DIRECTOR | 10 | — |
| WENDY M TRICE | PRESIDENT | 40 | $118,914 |
| ERIN WIRPSA EISENBERG | DIRECTOR | 10 | — |
| ALISON CARLSON | DIRECTOR | 10 | — |
Recent News & Activity
Recent developments and announcements
The foundation has been active in developing training programs and collaborative initiatives:
Pilot training programs to expand access to conservation planning and integrate regenerative agriculture
Pilot Training to Expand Access to Conservation Planning and Integrate RegenerativeThe Roots Program connecting people through wildlife habitat restoration on working landscapes
The Roots Program: Connecting People Through Wildlife Habitat RestorationParticipation in the Agricultural Platform Collective, working to reimagine food systems
From Soil to Scale: How the Agricultural Platform Collective is ReimaginingSubject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Tomkat Ranch Educational Foundation fund?
**Mission:** To provide healthy food on working lands in a way that regenerates the planet and inspires others to action. The foundation serves as a learning laboratory for animal agriculture on working lands focusing on climate stability, nature's benefits, healthy food, biodiversity, and vibrant community. **Primary Focus Areas:** • Promoting sustainable land use practices and broader understanding of nature and sustainable practices • Advancing ecologically-friendly animal agriculture • Unde…
How do I apply for a grant from Tomkat Ranch Educational Foundation?
The foundation made 34 grants in 2023. Recent grantmaking includes: • **Center for Ecoliteracy:** $500,000 (unrestricted charitable grant, 2023) • **Point Blue Conservation Science (PRBO):** Grant recipient (2023) The foundation supports organizations working on sustainable agriculture, conservation, and food systems transformation.
Where does Tomkat Ranch Educational Foundation make grants?
The foundation's primary base of operations is in the San Francisco Bay Area, where TomKat Ranch is located. The foundation's goal is to transform five million acres to regenerative land management globally.
What size grants does Tomkat Ranch Educational Foundation award?
In 2024, Tomkat Ranch Educational Foundation awarded 39 grants totaling $480K — an average of about $12K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
What is Tomkat Ranch Educational Foundation's EIN?
Tomkat Ranch Educational Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 26-2782200. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Tomkat Ranch Educational Foundation'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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