Travers Family Foundation
The Travers Family Foundation is a private foundation based in Lafayette, California. In 2024, it gave grants to eight organizations, all in California, including a university foundation, animal welfare organizations, a public affairs organization, a veterans’ fund, and an independent living center.
Key facts about Travers Family Foundation
In short: Travers Family Foundation gave $1.6M across 8 grants in 2024 (avg $199K), mostly in California. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- EIN
- 68-6095780
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024
- Annual giving (2024)
- $1,589,334
- Grants made (2024)
- 8
- Average grant
- $198,667
- Median grant
- $79,417
- Total assets
- $63,441,499
- Primary geography
- California (100% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- How to apply
- Contact Elizabeth Travers and submit a written form, the purpose of the funds, and a brief history of the organization. Full details ↓
- Deadline
- None.
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated September 2026. Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$63.4M
+0.9% YoY
Annual Giving
$1.6M
+10.5% YoY
Grant Count
8
-11.1% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$199K
+24.3% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Travers Family Foundation reported a distributable amount of $2.4M for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
How Travers Family Foundation gives
- Giving held roughly steady from 2021 to 2024 (+4%). Method
- In 2024 it paid out 76% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Foundations have until the end of the next year to meet it. Method
From the foundation's IRS Form 990-PF filings. Methodology.
Mission & Focus Areas
No mission statement is provided. The 2024 grants show support for organizations working in several areas. Guide Dogs for the Blind says its mission is to empower lives through partnerships between people, dogs, and communities. East Bay SPCA says its mission is to transform the lives of cats and dogs by enriching the human-animal bond through accessible expertise.
Grantmaking
In 2024, the foundation awarded eight grants totaling $1,589,334. Grant amounts ranged from $3,000 to $1,102,500, with a median of $79,417. Its largest grants were $1,102,500 to UC Berkeley Foundation, $200,000 to Guide Dogs for the Blind, $105,000 to East Bay SPCA, $82,334 to the Commonwealth Club of California, and $76,500 to the Semper Fi Fund. Each was listed for general purpose.
Review Cycle
None.
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
All 2024 grant dollars went to recipients in California.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 8 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2020 to 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $1.4M (2023) to $1.6M (2024). In 2024 it made 8 grants totaling $1.6M.
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 8 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Uc Berkeley Foundation ($1.1M). Together the top 8 received $1.6M.
Grant Size Distribution
45 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 22 grants of 45 (49%).
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Uc Berkeley Foundation Berkeley, CA | General Purpose | $1,102,500 |
| Guide Dogs for the Blind San Rafael, CA | General Purpose | $200,000 |
| East Bay SPCA Berkeley, CA | General Purpose | $105,000 |
| Commonwealth Club of California San Francisco, CA | General Purpose | $82,334 |
| The Semper Fi Fund Oceanside, CA | General Purpose | $76,500 |
| Humane Society of Silicon Valley Milpitas, CA | General Purpose | $10,000 |
| Marin Center for Independent Living San Rafael, CA | General Purpose | $10,000 |
| Golden Gate Labrador San Francisco, CA | General Purpose | $3,000 |
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $63,441,499 | $1,483,951 | $3,971,736 | $1,589,334 |
| 2023 | $62,855,928 | $1,718,145 | $2,690,815 | $1,438,096 |
| 2022 | $32,565,120 | $2,334,824 | $2,221,206 | $1,536,950 |
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $63,441,499 | $62,855,928 | $32,565,120 |
| Revenue | $1,483,951 | $1,718,145 | $2,334,824 |
| Expenses | $3,971,736 | $2,690,815 | $2,221,206 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $1,829,334 | $1,678,096 | $1,856,950 |
| Net Investment Income | — | $575,888 | $1,404,969 |
| Distributable Amount | $2,407,586 | $1,966,920 | $1,581,096 |
Data update history
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Elizabeth Travers, Todd Travers, Gayle Travers, and Nancy Lucas as trustees.
Travers Family Foundation's 2024 filing lists 4 officers; 3 of 4 officers listed in 2024 are compensated.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Gayle Travers
Trustee
Director → Trustee, 2023
On filings since 2020
10 hrs/week
$75K (2023) → $75K (2024)
Nancy Lucas
Trustee
Director → Trustee, 2023
On filings since 2020
10 hrs/week
$75K (2023) → $75K (2024)
Todd Travers
Trustee
Director → Trustee, 2023
On filings since 2020
10 hrs/week
$75K (2023) → $75K (2024)
Elizabeth Travers
Trustee
Director → Trustee, 2022
On filings since 2020
10 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (6)
- Former: Charles N. Travers (2020–2022) — Trustee
- Former: Chelsea Browne (2020–2021) — Director
- Former: Justine Travers (2020–2021) — Director
- Former: Larry Lucas (2020–2021) — Director
- Former: Tarn Sublett (2020–2021) — Director
- Former: Trace Travers (2020–2021) — Director
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2024. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2024 filing was $75K, to Todd Travers (Trustee). 3 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Contact
Application contact: Elizabeth Travers
Mailing address: 3717 Mt Diablo Blvd 215, Lafayette, CA 94549
Phone: (925) 295-3024
Frequently asked questions about Travers Family Foundation
How much does Travers Family Foundation give each year?
Travers Family Foundation gave $1.6M across 8 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $1.4M across 9 grants.
What is Travers Family Foundation's typical grant size?
Travers Family Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $79,417, and its average grant was $198,667, across 8 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
Where does Travers Family Foundation give grants?
Travers Family Foundation gives mostly in California: 100% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Berkeley, CA (2 grants), San Rafael, CA (2 grants) and San Francisco, CA (2 grants).
Does Travers Family Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 100% of Travers Family Foundation's 2024 grants with a stated purpose (8 of 8) were for general or operating support, per its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are Travers Family Foundation's largest grantees?
Travers Family Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include Uc Berkeley Foundation ($1,102,500), Guide Dogs for the Blind ($200,000) and East Bay SPCA ($105,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 89% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is Travers Family Foundation?
Travers Family Foundation reported $63.4M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $1.8M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $2.4M (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 Travers Family Foundation fund?
No mission statement is provided. The 2024 grants show support for organizations working in several areas. Guide Dogs for the Blind says its mission is to empower lives through partnerships between people, dogs, and communities. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Travers Family Foundation?
Contact Elizabeth Travers and submit a written form, the purpose of the funds, and a brief history of the organization. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Travers Family Foundation's EIN?
Travers Family Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 68-6095780. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
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