Clif Family Foundation
At a glance
Key takeaways
- Clif Family Foundation funds grassroots US-based work on regenerative and organic farming, food worker health, climate justice, healthy food access, inclusive outdoor access and pollution prevention, so this is best suited to nonprofits whose work fits these strategic priorities and sits within the United States.
- For Open Call, a request in the $5,000 to $50,000 range is realistic, as this covers about eight in ten of its grants, with a median grant of $15,000; By Invitation Only grants follow a separate pathway for US food systems transformation and climate justice work.
- Open Call applicants should use the foundation's application link to complete an eligibility quiz, and should note there are two application deadlines a year.
- The foundation gives priority to applicants with operating budgets under $8MM, whose work aligns with its values and strategic priorities, focuses primarily in the United States and its unincorporated territories, and who have strong community ties.
- With 39% of its grant dollars going to organisations it had previously funded, there is clearly room for new applicants, but Open Call does not fund faith-based or religious organisations, individuals, local or state government agencies, endowments, deficit funding, chapters or affiliates of national organisations, or organisations that are not registered as (or fiscally sponsored by) a 501(c)3, so such groups should not apply.
Overview
Clif Family Foundation is a US private foundation based in Saint Helena, CA.
What they fund
Profile derived from the foundation's IRS Form 990-PF filings (TY2024, TY2023, TY2022) and its website, with every statement checked against those sources. Sources read on 7 October 2026.
Priority Areas
Clif Family Foundation supports grassroots groups led by people with vision and commitment, seeking to transform food systems, revitalise the environment and enhance community health. Its strategic priorities include regenerative and organic farming, food production workers’ health and safety, climate justice, healthy food access, inclusive outdoor access, and preventing pollution indoors and outdoors. Open Call grants support general operating costs. The foundation prioritises work aligned with its values and strategic priorities, focused primarily in the United States and its unincorporated territories, and rooted in strong community ties. By Invitation Only grants support US nonprofits working on food systems transformation and climate justice, with pathways including community movement-building, policy and advocacy, workforce development and systemic change.
Themes
- Regenerative and organic farming
- Food worker health
- Climate justice
- Healthy food access
- Inclusive outdoor access
- Pollution prevention
Geographic Focus
Priority: United States.
What They Don't Fund
- Open Call only: After school academic-based programs; Capital construction (construction, demolition, renovation, or renewal of a public building); Chapters or affiliates of national organizations; Deficit funding; Endowments; Faith-based or religious organizations; Food banks (unless engaged in wider systemic change); Fundraising events (e.g., fun run, challenges, annual gala); Individuals; Local and state public sector or government agencies; Media projects (such as films, books, radio); Medical or health centers; Natural disaster/emergency first response; Primarily pass-through grant programming; Product donations; PTAs/PTOs, or individual school boosters; Sponsorships; Summer Camps; organisations that are not registered as (or fiscally sponsored by) a 501(c)3 organization
- By Invitation Only Grants only: Deficit funding; Endowments; Individuals; Local government and/or state government agencies; Biofuels, offsets, hydrogen and/or nuclear; Food banks and community/school gardens (unless engaged in wider systemic change); Direct air capture or carbon capture and sequestration (not including nature-based sequestration solutions like working lands)
How to apply
Open Call applicants use the foundation’s application link to access an eligibility quiz and application.
Deadlines: Two application deadlines a year.
Application success factors
- Repeat giving: In its TY2024 filing, 39% of its grant dollars to organisations went to organisations it had also funded in its TY2022 or TY2023 filing.
- Grant size: Across its TY2022, TY2023 and TY2024 filings, half of its 1,274 grants to organisations were $15,000 or less.
What the foundation says:
- It gives priority to applicants whose work aligns with its values and advances its strategic priorities.
- It favours applicants whose work focuses primarily in the United States and its unincorporated territories.
- It favours applicants with strong community ties.
- It gives priority to applicants with operating budgets under $8MM.
Where grants go
From grants to organisations in the foundation’s filings for tax years 2022–2024.
Grant dollars by state
6 other states: 13%
Outside the US or with no state on the filing: 23%
- The largest single recipient received 8% of grant dollars to organisations.
- In tax year 2024, 39% of grant dollars went to organisations Clif Family Foundation had funded in earlier filings.
- 1% of grant dollars went directly to organisations outside the US (Canada).
- 2% of grant dollars went to intermediaries that regrant to other organisations.
Grants
How much do they typically give?
Share of 439 grants in tax year 2024 by size
Median $20,000 (tax year 2024)
The largest grants to organisations in the foundation’s latest filing:
- County of Napa · Enhance Community Health$3,000,0002024 tax year
- Social & Environmental Entrepreneurs · Revitalize the Environment$625,0002024 tax year
- State Power Fund dba We Make The Future · Revitalize the Environment$400,0002024 tax year
- Chisholm Legacy Project · Revitalize the Environment$350,0002024 tax year
- Fair Food Network · Transform Food Systems$310,0002024 tax year
- Community Partners · Transform Food Systems$300,0002024 tax year
- Union of Concerned Scientists · Transform Food Systems$300,0002024 tax year
- NDN Collective · Revitalize the Environment$300,0002024 tax year
Grants to organisations listed in the foundation’s Form 990-PF filings. Grants to individuals are not shown.
Officers and directors
- Elysa Hammond — Board Member
- Anne Jennings — Board Member
- Clayton Ward — Board Member
- Kate Watson — Board Member
- Gary J Erickson — Board Member
- Kathleen F Crawford — Board Member
From the latest Form 990-PF filing
3 years of tax filings
| Year | Total expenses | Grants paid | Assets | Filing document |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 tax year | $5,357,870 | $3,921,849 | $551,376,013 | Filing for 2022 tax year |
| 2023 tax year | $15,054,363 | $12,047,980 | $563,707,533 | Filing for 2023 tax year |
| 2024 tax year | $28,125,679 | $24,131,694 | $570,812,519 | Filing for 2024 tax year |
Figures from the foundation’s IRS Form 990-PF filings. Assets are at fair market value at year end. The document icon links to each year’s filing on ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer.
Sources
Registers and filings
Other sources
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At a glance
Applying to Clif Family Foundation?
Hinchilla drafts your answers around this funder's priorities, using your organisation's own documents.
No credit card required
Contact
- (510) 596-6383
- info@cliffamilyfoundation.org
- Saint Helena, CA
- cliffamilyfoundation.org
Applying to Clif Family Foundation?
Hinchilla drafts your answers around this funder's priorities, using your organisation's own documents.
No credit card required
Contact
- (510) 596-6383
- info@cliffamilyfoundation.org
- Saint Helena, CA
- cliffamilyfoundation.org