Water Buffalo Club Inc DBA We Benefit Children
Water Buffalo Club Inc, based in Los Angeles, California, is a public charity that supports underserved and at-risk children through grants, events, youth programs, and member involvement. The organization was formed in 1989 and now uses the name We Benefit Children.
Key facts about Water Buffalo Club Inc DBA We Benefit Children
In short: Water Buffalo Club Inc DBA We Benefit Children gave $308K across 20 grants in 2024 (avg $15K), mostly in California. 55% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990.
- EIN
- 95-4250320
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990, 2024
- Annual giving (2024)
- $308,439
- Grants made (2024)
- 20
- Average grant
- $15,422
- Median grant
- $10,533
- New grantees (estimate)
- 55% first-time grantees (11 of 20, 2024)
- Total assets
- $536,433
- Primary geography
- California (100% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- How to apply
- Applications are submitted online. Full details ↓
- Deadline
- 2027 applications must be received by June 30, 2027.
Data from IRS Form 990, 2024; updated September 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology). 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 · View filing
Total Assets
$536K
+1.4% YoY
Annual Giving
$308K
-33.6% YoY
Grant Count
20
-4.8% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$15K
-30.3% YoY
Is Water Buffalo Club Inc DBA We Benefit Children open to new grantees?
55%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 11 of 20 grantees (55%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $11K; repeat grants $20K. How we count
Medians: $10K first-time, $13K repeat.
- 35% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2021 to 2024 (−11%). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990 filings (2019–2024). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.
Mission & Focus Areas
The organization states that its mission is to foster the well-being of underserved and at-risk children in Los Angeles through members’ time and financial resources. Its 2024 filing describes grants to smaller Los Angeles County 501(c)(3) organizations for capital items with useful lives extending over multiple years. The filing also describes a Thanksgiving meal giveaway for families and educational field trips and hands-on learning experiences for youth.
Examples of grantees illustrate the range of organizations receiving support. Film2Future describes its work as providing underserved Los Angeles youth with professional-level filmmaking training and career development. Hope in a Suitcase says it provides clothing, essentials, and comfort items to children and teens entering or impacted by foster care. Arts Bridging the Gap describes its mission as providing arts education to youth in under-resourced communities.
Grantmaking
In 2024, the organization reported 20 grants totaling $308,439. Grant amounts ranged from $5,270 to $75,900, with a median of $10,532. The largest grants included $75,900 to Make Good for a back-to-school event, $30,000 to Ready Set Read – Community Partners to assist underserved children, and $25,000 to Film2Future for program support. Other recipients included Hope in a Suitcase ($18,900), PACTL ($14,989), Why Can’t We Make a Difference ($14,200), and Pico Youth & Family Center ($10,565).
The organization’s website says its grants are intended for capital items and that eligible applicants are children’s charities in Los Angeles County with annual budgets of $500,000 or less. It describes an online application, a site visit for qualified applicants, review by the grant committee, and a presentation to the full membership for selected charities. Awardees have one year to spend grant funds and must wait two years before applying again.
Review Cycle
2027 applications must be received by June 30, 2027.
How to Apply
Applications are submitted online. The 2026 application window is closed; the website says the 2027 window will open in spring 2027.
Open Grants
1 open opportunity from Water Buffalo Club Inc DBA We Benefit Children
Ready to take the next step with Water Buffalo Club Inc DBA We Benefit Children?
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The website identifies Los Angeles County as the area served by the grant program. All 2024 grant dollars went to recipients in California.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 20 itemized grants.
Cities
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2019 to 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $251K (2019) to $493K (2022). In 2024 it made 20 grants totaling $308K.
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Make Good ($76K). Together the top 10 received $224K.
Grant Size Distribution
94 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 85 grants of 94 (90%).
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Make Good Beverly Hills, CA | Support Back to School Event | $75,900 |
| Ready Set Read - Community Partners El Monte, CA | Assist Underserved Children | $30,000 |
| FILM2FUTURE Los Angeles, CA | Program Support | $25,000 |
| Hope in a Suitcase Los Angeles, CA | Assist Underserved Children | $18,900 |
| Pactl Pasadena, CA | Assist Underserved Children | $14,989 |
| Why Can't We Make a Difference Los Angeles, CA | Assist Underserved Children | $14,200 |
| Off the Wall Graffiti Sherman Oaks, CA | Assist Underserved Children | $12,537 |
| Lend a Ear Lynwood, CA | Assist Underserved Children | $10,920 |
| Get Lit Los Angeles, CA | Assist Underserved Children | $10,750 |
| Pico Youth & Family Center Santa Monica, CA | Assist Underserved Children | $10,565 |
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants reported |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $536,433 | $1,109,908 | $1,076,309 | $308,439 |
| 2023 | $529,010 | $1,148,875 | $1,137,489 | $464,419 |
| 2022 | $489,845 | $965,088 | $1,003,992 | $493,496 |
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $536,433 | $529,010 | $489,845 |
| Revenue | $1,109,908 | $1,148,875 | $965,088 |
| Expenses | $1,076,309 | $1,137,489 | $1,003,992 |
| Net Investment Income | $20,682 | $15,344 | $38 |
Data update history
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Added Form 990 for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS November 16, 2020)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS November 15, 2021)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS November 11, 2022)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS December 11, 2023)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS October 31, 2024)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS November 11, 2025)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
Officers and directors listed on the 2024 filing are Russ Richker, president; John Saunders, past president; Bill Eicher, secretary; and directors Rob Deutschman, Bruce Mandel, Edward Greenwald, Rob Greenspan, Brian Gray, Greg Kushner, and Jeffrey Newman.
Water Buffalo Club Inc DBA We Benefit Children is led by Kate M. Zarouk, Executive Director on every filing since 2019; 1 of 12 officers listed in 2024 is compensated.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Kate M. Zarouk
Executive Director
On filings since 2019
40 hrs/week
$87K (2019) → $115K (2024)
Russ Richker
President
Director → Vice President, 2021
Vice President → President, 2023
On filings since 2020
10 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Bruce Mandel
Director
On filings since 2019
No compensation reported
Edward Greenwald
Director
On filings since 2019
No compensation reported
Jeffrey Newman
Director
On filings since 2019
No compensation reported
Rob Deutschman
Director
On filings since 2019
No compensation reported
Greg Kushner
Director
On filings since 2021
No compensation reported
Brian Gray
Director
On filings since 2023
No compensation reported
Rob Greenspan
Director
On filings since 2023
No compensation reported
Bill Eicher
Secretary
On filings since 2019
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
John Saunders
Past President
Vice President → President, 2021
President → Past President, 2023
On filings since 2019
No compensation reported
Scott Sachs
Vice President
On filings since 2023
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (5)
- Former: Ara Oghoorian (2019–2022) — Director
- Former: Mitch Pindus (2019–2022) — Director
- Former: Vincent Calcagno (2019–2022) — Past President
- Former: Justin Siegel (2019–2020) — Director
- Former: Russ Rickler (2019) — Director
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2019–2024. "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 $115K, to Kate Zarouk (Executive DIR.).
Contact
Mailing address: PO Box 35463, Los Angeles, CA 90035
Phone: (888) 654-6661
Website: https://webenefitchildren.org
Frequently asked questions about Water Buffalo Club Inc DBA We Benefit Children
How much does Water Buffalo Club Inc DBA We Benefit Children give each year?
Water Buffalo Club Inc DBA We Benefit Children gave $308K across 20 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990. In 2023 it gave $464K across 21 grants.
What is Water Buffalo Club Inc DBA We Benefit Children's typical grant size?
Water Buffalo Club Inc DBA We Benefit Children's median grant in 2024 was $10,533, and its average grant was $15,422, across 20 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990. Organizations receiving their first grant from Water Buffalo Club Inc DBA We Benefit Children that year got $11K on average.
Where does Water Buffalo Club Inc DBA We Benefit Children give grants?
Water Buffalo Club Inc DBA We Benefit Children gives mostly in California: 100% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990 went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Los Angeles, CA (7 grants), Beverly Hills, CA (2 grants), Sherman Oaks, CA (2 grants) and Canoga Park, CA (2 grants).
Does Water Buffalo Club Inc DBA We Benefit Children give general operating support?
Not in 2024: none of the 20 grants with a stated purpose on Water Buffalo Club Inc DBA We Benefit Children's 2024 IRS Form 990 were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Assist Underserved Children" (18 grants).
Who are Water Buffalo Club Inc DBA We Benefit Children's largest grantees?
Water Buffalo Club Inc DBA We Benefit Children's largest 2024 grantees include Make Good ($75,900), Ready Set Read - Community Partners ($30,000) and FILM2FUTURE ($25,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990. Together they received 42% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is Water Buffalo Club Inc DBA We Benefit Children?
Water Buffalo Club Inc DBA We Benefit Children reported $536K in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990. Its revenue that year was $1.1M.
What does Water Buffalo Club Inc DBA We Benefit Children fund?
The organization states that its mission is to foster the well-being of underserved and at-risk children in Los Angeles through members’ time and financial resources. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Water Buffalo Club Inc DBA We Benefit Children?
Applications are submitted online. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Water Buffalo Club Inc DBA We Benefit Children's EIN?
Water Buffalo Club Inc DBA We Benefit Children's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 95-4250320. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2024.
Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990 filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Here's the math on researching Water Buffalo Club Inc DBA We Benefit Children by hand.
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