Trees Foundation
Trees Foundation is a public charity based in Redway, California, that supports more than forty grassroots partner groups working on forests, rivers, and wildlife on California’s North Coast. Founded in 1991, it provides services including fiscal sponsorship, project management and grant support, GIS mapping, facilitation, and organizational development.
Trees Foundation at a glance
In short: Trees Foundation reported $141K in grants paid in 2025 (a total; its filing lists no individual grants). Source: 2025 IRS Form 990.
- Grants paid (2025)
- $141,122 — reported as a total on the IRS filing, without an itemized list
- +2252.0% vs 2024
- Total assets
- $972,530
- +6.1% vs 2024
- Revenue (2025)
- $488,822
- +53.1% vs 2024
- Net investment income (2025)
- $43,608
- +13.1% vs 2024
- Expenses (2025)
- $437,693
- +44.0% vs 2024
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990, 2025; updated October 2026.
How to apply to Trees Foundation
- Contact
Mailing address: P O Box 2202, Redway, CA 95560
Phone: (707) 923-4377
Website: https://treesfoundation.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Open Grants
6 open opportunities from Trees Foundation
California Forest Health Grants
Trees Foundation
Amount
Varies
Deadline
Deadline not published
California Forest Improvement Program
Trees Foundation
Amount
Varies
Deadline
Deadline not published
CDFW Cannabis Restoration Grant Program (CRGP)
Trees Foundation
Amount
Varies
Deadline
Rolling (quarterly review)
Who Trees Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Grant Size Distribution
30 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 30 grants of 30 (100%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
Trees Foundation identifies California’s North Coast as its core region, including the Redwood Coast. Its website describes its networks and projects as expanding to include adjacent communities in Southern Oregon and inland counties in the region.
Grant Distribution by State
Cities
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2021 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $6K (2022) to $226K (2023). In 2025 it reported $141K in grants paid, as a total without an itemized list.
Hatched bars: grants paid as reported on the IRS filing, which lists no individual grants for that year.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Unite the Park Morgan Hill, CA | Support | $5,645 |
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Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Net Investment Income |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $972,530 | $488,822 | $437,693 | $141,122 | Total only | $43,608 |
| 2024 | $917,014 | $319,188 | $303,956 | $6,000 | Total only | $38,541 |
| 2023 | $903,542 | $900,107 | $447,937 | $225,829 | Total only | $8,811 |
| 2022 | $448,312 | $606,455 | $588,536 | $5,645 | 1 | $2,330 |
| 2021 | $434,314 | $389,361 | $265,066 | $27,300 | 29 | $1,748 |
"Total only": grants paid as reported on the IRS filing, which lists no individual grants for that year.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated October 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
Trees Foundation’s stated mission is to restore the ecological integrity of California’s North Coast by empowering and assisting regional community-based efforts that promote healthy land stewardship. Its website describes this work as including conservation and restoration, and preparing forests and communities for longer droughts and larger fires.
The organization’s 2024 filing describes several programs. Its fire program works with nonprofits and state agencies on forest health practices and has participated in grant writing and project implementation. Other program descriptions include a resource center for contributions received on behalf of charitable organizations; ReLeaf Petaluma, whose stated aim is to plant native trees and shrubs to address climate change and enhance biodiversity in the greater Petaluma area; and the Grow Together Project, which supports school-based garden learning and ecological stewardship.
Grantmaking
The IRS filing data reports no grants for 2023, 2024, or 2025. The website says the Bloom Fund enables small grants to partner organizations and supports environmental projects in the region. It also describes the Cereus Fund, which invited partner groups to apply annually until its founder’s death in 2022 and contributed over $1 million to forest restoration and conservation efforts throughout the Redwood Region over more than twenty years.
Trees Foundation offers fiscal sponsorship for conservation and restoration projects and organizations that fit its mission and guidelines. Under its sponsorship policy, support is considered grant by grant and funder by funder; proposals and letters of inquiry must be reviewed by staff before submission to a grantor. Sponsored funds must further the foundation’s mission, comply with funder restrictions, and support eligible educational, charitable, or scientific activities. The foundation does not advance funds, requires receipts for reimbursed expenses, and charges a 9.5% administrative fee on funds it administers for sponsored projects.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Leib Ostrow as president; Ali Freedlund as secretary; John Wilhelm as treasurer; and Bill Eastwood, Elizabeth Redfeather, Perry Lincoln, and Cleo Aster Woelfle-Hazard as directors.
Trees Foundation is led by Leib Ostrow, President since 2024 (on filings since 2021); none of the 7 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Leib Ostrow
President
Treasurer → President, 2024
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Bill Eastwood
Director
Board Member → Director, 2025
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Elizabeth Redfeather
Director
Board Member → Director, 2025
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Perry Lincoln
Director
Board Member → Director, 2025
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Cleo Aster Woelfle-Hazard
Director
Board Member → Director, 2025
On filings since 2024
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Ali Freedlund
Secretary
Board Member → Secretary, 2024
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
John Wilhelm
Treasurer
On filings since 2024
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (2)
- Former: Lenya Quinn-Davidson (2021–2023) — Secretary
- Former: Susan Barsotti (2021–2023) — President
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2021–2025. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Frequently asked questions about Trees Foundation
How much does Trees Foundation give each year?
Trees Foundation reported $141K in grants paid in 2025 on its 2025 IRS Form 990, as a total without an itemized list of grants. In 2024 it reported $6K in grants paid.
How large is Trees Foundation?
Trees Foundation reported $973K in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Its revenue that year was $489K.
What does Trees Foundation fund?
Trees Foundation’s stated mission is to restore the ecological integrity of California’s North Coast by empowering and assisting regional community-based efforts that promote healthy land stewardship. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Trees Foundation?
Trees Foundation has no public application process in the sources Grantable reviewed. Check treesfoundation.org for current guidelines, or contact the foundation directly before submitting a request.
Where does Trees Foundation make grants?
Trees Foundation identifies California’s North Coast as its core region, including the Redwood Coast. Its website describes its networks and projects as expanding to include adjacent communities in Southern Oregon and inland counties in the region.
What is Trees Foundation's EIN?
Trees Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 68-0259810. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2021–2025.
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990 filings. Research dossier generated October 2026.
Data update history
(6)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS February 11, 2022)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS March 25, 2023)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS February 27, 2024)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS May 15, 2025)
- Added Form 990 for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS May 14, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2021–2024
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Trees Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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Figures come from Trees 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.
Trees Foundation down — hundreds of funders to go?