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
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.
Ready to take the next step with Woka Foundation?
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
No grants recorded for .
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
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Data last updated April 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
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