Ahlsten Foundation

Private foundation · EIN 82-1980761 · since 2018ahlstenfoundation.org·California·Updated 13 October 2026

At a glance

$3.1M

Annual giving, 2024 tax year

From the Form 990-PF filing

$1,300 to $120k

Grant range

From grants in the 990-PF filings

$45,000

Typical grant (median)

41 grants in the latest filing

Invitation only

Unsolicited applications are not accepted

This funder does not accept unsolicited applications. The foundation chooses the organisations it funds itself.

Key takeaways

Ahlsten Foundation funds organisations working in education, health and resilience, and faith-based programmes, so your work fits only if it sits in one of these areas.
The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests, so a cold application is unlikely to be considered.
Most of its grants are modest: about 8 in 10 fall between $1,300 and $120,000, and half are $25,000 or less, so a request around $25,000 is typical rather than a ceiling, since its largest grant was $1,000,000.
Most of its grant dollars to organisations went to groups it had also funded in earlier filings, so relationships appear to matter more than an open call.
No geographic focus is stated, though the filing shows grants mainly in California, which is worth weighing when judging fit.

Overview

Ahlsten Foundation is a US private foundation based in Larkspur, 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 Ahlsten Foundation describes its work as equipping the vulnerable with resources to thrive. Its educational programmes support organisations that bring opportunity and hope to children. Its health and resilience programmes support organisations seeking to improve the health and well-being of communities from all parts of the world, while its faith-based programmes support organisations whose faith drives them to respond to needs around them. The Eddie Ashley Scholarship is for graduating high school seniors from low-income backgrounds recognised for academic excellence, character and the ability to overcome obstacles.

Themes

Education
Health and resilience
Faith-based programmes

Geographic Focus

No geographic focus is stated; the filings show grants mainly in California.

How to apply

It makes contributions only to preselected charitable organisations and does not accept unsolicited requests; the filing gives no further application steps.

Application success factors

Repeat giving: In its TY2024 filing, 83% 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 157 grants to organisations were $25,000 or less.

Where grants go

From grants to organisations in the foundation’s filings for tax years 2022–2024.

Grant dollars by state

California80%

New York4%

North Carolina4%

Tennessee3%

Ohio2%

Oregon2%

6 other states: 6%

The largest single recipient received 16% of grant dollars to organisations.
In tax year 2024, 83% of grant dollars went to organisations Ahlsten Foundation had funded in earlier filings.
No grants were paid directly to organisations outside the US.
<1% of grant dollars went to intermediaries that regrant to other organisations.

Grants

41 grants in the latest filing analysed · median $45,000

How much do they typically give?

Share of 41 grants in tax year 2024 by size

Under $1k2%

$1k–$2.5k5%

$2.5k–$5k0%

$5k–$10k7%

$10k–$25k7%

$25k–$50k32%

$50k–$100k12%

$100k–$250k29%

$250k–$500k2%

$500k–$1M2%

Median $45,000 (tax year 2024)

The largest grants to organisations in the foundation’s latest filing:

Global Strategies · To provide charitable assistance in the community.
$500,0002024 tax year
Ahlsten Foundation Scholarship · To provide charitable assistance in the community.
$287,0062024 tax year
Path Ministries International · To provide charitable assistance in the community.
$185,0002024 tax year
First Place for Youth · To provide charitable assistance in the community.
$150,0002024 tax year
Feeding Nations through Education · To provide charitable assistance in the community.
$150,0002024 tax year
Legal Assistance for Seniors · To provide charitable assistance in the community.
$125,0002024 tax year
Massachusetts General Hospital · To provide charitable assistance in the community.
$125,0002024 tax year
Shepherd's Gate · To provide charitable assistance in the community.
$110,0002024 tax year

Grants to organisations listed in the foundation’s Form 990-PF filings. Grants to individuals are not shown.

Officers and directors

Jeff Mazzariello — Member
Micheal Kelly — Member
Elizabeth Mahon — Member
Doris C Ahlsten — Treasurer
Todd C Ahlsten — President & CEO

From the latest Form 990-PF filing

3 years of tax filings

Year	Total expenses	Grants paid	Assets	Filing document
2022 tax year	$3,945,733	$2,582,920	$51,877,003	Filing for 2022 tax year
2023 tax year	$4,336,800	$2,490,109	$65,240,142	Filing for 2023 tax year
2024 tax year	$3,002,292	$3,059,630	$73,901,828	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.