Dry Creek Foundation
At a glance
This funder does not accept unsolicited applications. The foundation chooses the organisations it funds itself.
Key takeaways
- Dry Creek Foundation makes grants only to organisations it has preselected and does not accept unsolicited requests, so a small charity should not send it a cold application.
- Most of its recipients are wildlife and conservation bodies, so a conservation group has the closest fit, although grants also appear in California and Vermont and no geographic focus is stated, so location alone should not rule you out.
- About 8 in 10 of its grants to organisations fall in a typical band of $50,000 to $1,600,000, and half are $110,000 or less, so a request near $110,000 is a realistic reference point rather than a ceiling.
- In its latest filing, 84% of its grant dollars to organisations went to groups it had also funded in earlier filings, so it leans heavily towards returning grantees.
- The filings give no application steps or timing beyond preselection, so there is little more to plan around.
Overview
Dry Creek Foundation is a US private foundation based in Pasadena, CA.
What they fund
Profile based on the foundation's IRS Form 990-PF filings (TY2024, TY2023, TY2022) only: no website or other web source for the foundation was found. Every statement is checked against the filings. Sources read on 7 October 2026.
Priority Areas
Grants are made only to preselected charitable organisations, and unsolicited requests are not accepted. The filed purposes describe support for exempt organisations rather than a named programme. The recipients in the filings are mainly wildlife and conservation bodies, including organisations working in wildlife conservation, conservation strategy, environmental initiatives and species stewardship. The recorded grants go to organisations. California accounts for the largest share of the grant dollars, while the filings also record grants in several other states. The available material does not state a formal grant range, detailed eligibility criteria, or application steps beyond preselection.
Geographic Focus
No geographic focus is stated; the filings show grants mainly in California and Vermont.
How to apply
Contributions are made only to preselected charitable organisations; unsolicited requests are not accepted.
Application success factors
- Repeat giving: In its TY2024 filing, 84% 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 22 grants to organisations were $110,000 or less.
Where grants go
From grants to organisations in the foundation’s filings for tax years 2022–2024.
Grant dollars by state
- The largest single recipient received 73% of grant dollars to organisations.
- In tax year 2024, 84% of grant dollars went to organisations Dry Creek Foundation had funded in earlier filings.
- No grants were paid directly to organisations outside the US.
- 74% of grant dollars went to intermediaries that regrant to other organisations.
Grants
How much do they typically give?
Share of 10 grants in tax year 2024 by size
Median $120k (tax year 2024)
The largest grants to organisations in the foundation’s latest filing:
- Wildlife Conservation Network · To support exempt organization.$2,615,5112024 tax year
- Maliasili Initiatives · To support exempt organization.$250,0002024 tax year
- Conservation Strategy Fund · To support exempt organization.$150,0002024 tax year
- Elakha Alliance · To support exempt organization.$148,0002024 tax year
- Yellowstone Forever · To support exempt organization.$130,0002024 tax year
- African Leadership Foundation · To support exempt organization.$110,0002024 tax year
- Monterey Bay Aquarium Foundation · To support exempt organization.$100,0002024 tax year
- Apis Arborea · To support exempt organization.$79,3652024 tax year
Grants to organisations listed in the foundation’s Form 990-PF filings. Grants to individuals are not shown.
Officers and directors
- Diane Johnson — Director
- Amanda Buntmann — Assistant Secretary
- Margaret Mccarthy — Secretary
- Jon Melburg — Vice President & Treasurer
- Charles Knowles — President & Chair Of The Board
From the latest Form 990-PF filing
3 years of tax filings
| Year | Total expenses | Grants paid | Assets | Filing document |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 tax year | $2,308,135 | $1,827,500 | $30,950,032 | Filing for 2022 tax year |
| 2023 tax year | $3,955,839 | $3,572,920 | $32,985,645 | Filing for 2023 tax year |
| 2024 tax year | $4,108,408 | $3,677,876 | $44,566,994 | 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
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At a glance
Applying to Dry Creek Foundation?
Hinchilla drafts your answers around this funder's priorities, using your organisation's own documents.
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Contact
- Pasadena, CA
Applying to Dry Creek Foundation?
Hinchilla drafts your answers around this funder's priorities, using your organisation's own documents.
No credit card required
Contact
- Pasadena, CA