The Marisla Foundation
At a glance
Key takeaways
- Your work fits if it sits within the Environment Program's marine and coastal biodiversity, sustainable ecosystem management or toxic chemicals themes, or within the Human Services Program's stable housing, addiction treatment, domestic violence support or vocational training themes, but Human Services grants are limited to Orange County and Los Angeles, California, and the Environment Program's priority is California, Northwest Mexico, Hawaii, Chile and the Western Pacific, so check your location first.
- Do not apply if you are an individual, if your work supports candidates for political office, if you have not received tax-exempt status under section 501(c)(3), or if your indirect costs or overhead exceed 15 percent of direct costs.
- About 8 in 10 of its 612 grants to organisations fall between $25,000 and $325,000, and half are $70,000 or less, so a modest request near the median of $70,000 fits its usual pattern, though the largest grant was about $9,900,000 and the band is not a ceiling.
- Applications go through Environment and Human Services by quarterly deadlines of January 15, April 15, July 15 or October 15, beginning with an online eligibility quiz during an application window.
- The filing shows 94% of grant dollars to organisations went to repeat grantees, so a first approach should be patient and relationship-minded rather than a cold, one-off request.
Overview
The Marisla Foundation is a US private foundation based in Laguna Beach, 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
The Marisla Foundation makes quarterly grants through Environment and Human Services, alongside a Special Interests category for proposals invited by its Board. Its Environment Program promotes conservation of biological diversity and sustainable ecosystem management, with primary emphasis on marine and coastal biodiversity in California, Northwest Mexico, Hawaii, Chile and the Western Pacific; it also supports solutions to health and environmental threats caused by toxic chemicals. The Human Services Program addresses the needs of women in crisis, focusing on physical, emotional and mental health and financial wellbeing. Its grants support activities and integrated approaches to stable housing, addiction treatment, empowering adult and child domestic violence survivors, and vocational training. Human Services grants are limited to Orange County and Los Angeles, California.
Themes
- Marine and coastal biodiversity
- Sustainable ecosystem management
- Toxic chemicals
- Stable housing
- Addiction treatment
- Domestic violence support
- Vocational training
Geographic Focus
Priority: California; Northwest Mexico; Hawaii; Chile; Western Pacific (Melanesia, Micronesia, and Polynesia); Orange County; Los Angeles. From its grants, not stated by the foundation: District of Columbia; New York; Colorado; Virginia.
What They Don't Fund
- Individuals
- Activities that support candidates for political office
- Organizations that have not received tax-exempt status under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code
- Indirect costs or overhead exceeding 15 percent of direct costs
How to apply
For Environment and Human Services, complete the online eligibility quiz during an application window; organisations meeting the funding guidelines gain access to the online application.
Deadlines: Applications must be submitted by January 15, April 15, July 15 or October 15.
Application success factors
- Repeat giving: In its TY2024 filing, 94% 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 612 grants to organisations were $70,000 or less.
Where grants go
From grants to organisations in the foundation’s filings for tax years 2022–2024.
Grant dollars by state
6 other states: 6%
Outside the US or with no state on the filing: 4%
- The largest single recipient received 19% of grant dollars to organisations.
- In tax year 2024, 94% of grant dollars went to organisations The Marisla Foundation had funded in earlier filings.
- No grants were paid directly to organisations outside the US.
- 43% of grant dollars went to intermediaries that regrant to other organisations.
Grants
How much do they typically give?
Share of 194 grants in tax year 2024 by size
Median $75,000 (tax year 2024)
The largest grants to organisations in the foundation’s latest filing:
- Orange County Community Foundation · General support$9,890,0002024 tax year
- Global Greengrants Fund · General support$3,250,0002024 tax year
- Oceana · General support$2,300,0002024 tax year
- Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors · General support$2,135,0002024 tax year
- Hawaii Community Foundation · General support$1,208,7002024 tax year
- Nature Conservancy · General support$1,200,0002024 tax year
- International Community Foundation · General support$1,155,0002024 tax year
- Center for Climate Integrity · General support$1,000,0002024 tax year
Grants to organisations listed in the foundation’s Form 990-PF filings. Grants to individuals are not shown.
Officers and directors
- Margaret Lauer — Administrator
- Sara M Lowell — Secretary / Program Director
- Herbert M Bedolfe III — Director / Executive Director
- Oliver N Crary — Treasurer
- Anne G Earhart — President
From the latest Form 990-PF filing
3 years of tax filings
| Year | Total expenses | Grants paid | Assets | Filing document |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 tax year | $37,015,027 | $38,972,450 | $21,005,333 | Filing for 2022 tax year |
| 2023 tax year | $41,256,782 | $36,703,000 | $20,587,646 | Filing for 2023 tax year |
| 2024 tax year | $37,500,939 | $46,678,700 | $21,082,605 | 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
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Applying to The Marisla Foundation?
Hinchilla drafts your answers around this funder's priorities, using your organisation's own documents.
No credit card required