Woka Foundation is a 501(c)(3) private non-operating foundation based in Newbury Park, California. The organization was granted tax-exempt status by the IRS in February 2020. Woka functions as a grant-giving foundation focused on addressing environmental and social justice issues through strategic philanthropic investments.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$192.3M
+48.6% YoY
Annual Giving
$13.0M
-5.2% YoY
Grant Count
45
+7.1% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$288K
-11.6% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Woka Foundation reported a distributable amount of $6.6M for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Mission & Focus Areas
Mission: To help create a just world that values environmental vitality and recognizes the dignity of all peoples.
Guiding Principles:
- Addressing harms caused by human activities
- Addressing underlying causes rather than treating symptoms
- Supporting self-sustaining solutions rather than cause dependencies
- Supporting the transition from a consumption-based economic society toward a low-waste empathic society based on the sacredness of all life
Current Focus Areas:
For its first ten years of operation (beginning in 2020), the foundation focuses exclusively on climate change. Current funding priorities include:
- Innovation
- Regenerative Practices
- Gender Equity
- Education
- Keep Fossil Fuels in the Ground
- Civic Infrastructure
Grantmaking
Invitation Only
** Woka accepts grant applications through invitation only. Multi-year grants are considered for invited requests.
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation supports organizations across multiple U.S. states and locations, including California, Colorado, Connecticut, District of Columbia, Florida, Hawaii, Illinois, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, Vermont, Washington, and international locations such as Chennai.
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
Assets:
- December 2020: $94,223,691
- December 2021: $148,005,952
- December 2022: $105,806,410
- December 2023: $129,420,935
- 2024: $192,297,869
Annual Income/Revenue:
- December 2020: $179,298,408
- December 2021: $152,420,510
- December 2022: $54,954,714
- December 2023: $86,089,530
- 2024: $73,401,549
Annual Giving:
- 2024: $12,207,219 in expenses; $12,976,000 in total giving
Financial Classification: Private non-operating foundation with unconditional exemption status. Contributions are tax-deductible.
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $192,297,869 | $129,420,935 | $105,806,410 |
| Revenue | $73,401,549 | $26,825,137 | $-2,185,846 |
| Expenses | $12,207,219 | $19,841,657 | $15,220,472 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $13,318,354 | $13,741,024 | $14,874,599 |
| Net Investment Income | $72,193,184 | $26,418,868 | $874,682 |
| Distributable Amount | $6,574,279 | $5,450,892 | $5,966,307 |
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
185 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include Green America ($1,000,000), New Energy Nexus ($1,000,000), Activate ($700,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Global Greengrants Boulder, CO | Gender & Environment | $400,000 |
| Green America Washington, DC | Soil Carbon Initiative | $1,000,000 |
| Ashoka Arlington, VA | Select and support Ashoka Climate Fellows | $500,000 |
| Women's Environment and Development Brooklyn, NY | Support gender-just & environmentally sound climate solutions | $200,000 |
| Natural Resource Defense Council New York, NY | Rewrite the Future initiative | $300,000 |
| Regenerative Farms Williamsburg, MA | General operating support | $150,000 |
| Activate Berkeley, CA | General operating expenses and climate tech fellows | $700,000 |
| New Energy Nexus Berkeley, CA | General operating support | $1,000,000 |
| Mad Agriculture Boulder, CO | General operating support | $250,000 |
| African Women Rising Santa Barbara, CA | General operating support | $400,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
- CEO: Rod Womer (serves without compensation)
- Secretary/Treasurer: Barbara Karplus (serves without compensation)
- Director: Krista Kurth (serves without compensation)
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rod Womer | CEO/ Director | 17 | — |
| Barbara Karplus | Scty/Tres/Dir | 10 | — |
| Krista Kurth | Director | 3 | $6,500 |
Recent News & Activity
Recent developments and announcements
Recent grants have supported organizations working on biochar technology, regenerative agriculture practices, and entrepreneurship expansion. The foundation has partnered with organizations to expand support for aspiring entrepreneurs and has recognized the transformative potential of biochar initiatives.
LabStart and Woka Foundation Partner to Expand Support for Aspiring EntrepreneursSubject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Woka Foundation fund?
**Mission:** To help create a just world that values environmental vitality and recognizes the dignity of all peoples. **Guiding Principles:** • Addressing harms caused by human activities • Addressing underlying causes rather than treating symptoms • Supporting self-sustaining solutions rather than cause dependencies • Supporting the transition from a consumption-based economic society toward a low-waste empathic society based on the sacredness of all life **Current Focus Areas:** For its firs…
How do I apply for a grant from Woka Foundation?
**Grant Amounts:** Grants range from $70,000 to $700,000. **Application Process:** Woka accepts grant applications through invitation only. Multi-year grants are considered for invited requests. **Eligibility:** The foundation only supports U.S. 501(c)(3) nonprofits. **Recent Activity:** The foundation has made grants to organizations including the International Biochar Initiative, Centre for Indian Knowledge Systems, and LabStart.
Where does Woka Foundation make grants?
The foundation supports organizations across multiple U.S. states and locations, including California, Colorado, Connecticut, District of Columbia, Florida, Hawaii, Illinois, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, Vermont, Washington, and international locations such as Chennai.
What size grants does Woka Foundation award?
In 2024, Woka Foundation awarded 45 grants totaling $13.0M — an average of about $288K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is Woka Foundation required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, Woka Foundation reported a distributable amount of $6.6M on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is Woka Foundation's EIN?
Woka Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 84-2848519. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Woka 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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