The Stone Family Foundation
At a glance
Key takeaways
- The Stone Family Foundation's stated geographic focus covers Santa Barbara County, the United States, California and international work, with Central California, Southern California, Asia, East Africa and Latin America and the Caribbean given priority, so a small charity should check that its work matches one of its listed fields.
- Only publicly supported tax exempt organisations recognised as such by the Internal Revenue Service under I.R.C. Section 501(c)(3) are funded, and proposals for Critical Thinking for an Engaged Citizenry that seek to advance specific political parties are excluded.
- Its stated grant range is $25,000 to $50,000, but half of its grants to organisations were $15,000 or less, and one award exceeded the stated maximum, so a modest request at the lower end of that range is the more realistic starting point.
- Repeat funding is strong, with 77% of its grant dollars in its latest filing going to organisations it had funded before, so a first approach should show sustained engagement with the community and young people served.
- Submit a letter of interest on the Foundation's form, completing every field and attaching a letter of interest; applications are accepted on a rolling basis.
Overview
The Stone Family Foundation is a US private foundation based in Santa Barbara, CA.
What they fund
Profile derived from the foundation's IRS Form 990-PF filings (TY2025, TY2024, TY2023) and its website, with every statement checked against those sources. Sources read on 7 October 2026.
Priority Areas
The Stone Family Foundation describes its giving in five fields: education and empowerment of girls and vulnerable populations in low-income countries; environmental preservation, health and legal protections; critical thinking and civic engagement; cultural, educational and welfare initiatives for young people in Santa Barbara County; and volunteer hospice care and bereavement counselling. Its programme guidance emphasises academic and personal development for adolescent girls, protection and restoration of natural resources, and young people’s access to education, arts and culture, and social and protective services. It also supports civic discourse, understanding of democratic institutions and rights, and digital literacy. It prioritises repeated engagement and long-term community commitment in girls’ education, organisations working with public schools and clear approaches to youth outcomes, and hospice organisations working in Central or Southern California.
Themes
- Girls’ education
- Environmental protection
- Civic engagement
- Santa Barbara youth
- Hospice care
Geographic Focus
Santa Barbara County; United States; California; International. Priority: Central California; Southern California; Asia; East Africa; Latin America and the Caribbean.
What They Don't Fund
- Applicants that are not publicly supported tax exempt organizations recognized as such by the Internal Revenue Service under I.R.C. Section 501(c)(3)
- Critical Thinking for an Engaged Citizenry only: proposed activities that seek to advance specific political parties
How to apply
Organisations submit a letter of interest using the Foundation’s form; the form requires all fields and an attached letter of interest.
Application success factors
- Repeat giving: In its TY2025 filing, 77% of its grant dollars to organisations went to organisations it had also funded in its TY2023 or TY2024 filing.
- Grant size: Across its TY2023, TY2024 and TY2025 filings, half of its 242 grants to organisations were $15,000 or less.
What the foundation says:
- For its girls’ education programme, the Foundation prioritises work focused on adolescent girls and youth aged 12 to 20.
- It prioritises programmes offering repeated engagement with targeted young people.
- It looks for clear links between the programme approach and academic or personal development.
- It prioritises long-term commitment to and engagement with the communities where a programme operates.
- For Santa Barbara youth work, it prioritises organisations working within or alongside public schools in the county.
- It prioritises youth programmes with a clear approach to identifying and working with young people and an articulated assessment of success.
- For critical-thinking proposals, it encourages innovative and diverse methodologies with potential for impact and measurable improvement.
Where grants go
From grants to organisations in the foundation’s filings for tax years 2023–2025.
Grant dollars by state
6 other states: 3%
- The largest single recipient received 7% of grant dollars to organisations.
- In tax year 2025, 77% of grant dollars went to organisations The Stone Family Foundation had funded in earlier filings.
- No grants were paid directly to organisations outside the US.
- 3% of grant dollars went to intermediaries that regrant to other organisations.
Grants
How much do they typically give?
Share of 93 grants in tax year 2025 by size
Median $30,000 (tax year 2025)
The largest grants to organisations in the foundation’s latest filing:
- She's the First · General$250,0002025 tax year
- Read Global · General$225,0002025 tax year
- University of California · General$130,0002025 tax year
- Brookings Institution · General$125,0002025 tax year
- Scholarship Foundation of Santa Barbara · General$100,0002025 tax year
- Foundation for Colorado Community College · General$100,0002025 tax year
- Santa Barbara Education Foundation · General$80,0002025 tax year
- Save the Waves Coalition · General$50,0002025 tax year
Grants to organisations listed in the foundation’s Form 990-PF filings. Grants to individuals are not shown.
Officers and directors
- Irene S Stone — Secretary / Treasurer
- Adam R Stone — V/Pres
- Adrienne M Stone — V/Pres
- Dorian R Stone — V/Pres
- Robert R Stone — President
From the latest Form 990-PF filing
3 years of tax filings
| Year | Total expenses | Grants paid | Assets | Filing document |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 tax year | $2,563,766 | $2,455,000 | $53,886,126 | Filing for 2023 tax year |
| 2024 tax year | $2,553,474 | $2,465,000 | $63,888,906 | Filing for 2024 tax year |
| 2025 tax year | $3,186,055 | $2,910,000 | $69,808,106 | Filing for 2025 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
🎯 You've done the research. Now write an application they can't refuse.
Hinchilla combines funder's specific priorities with your organisation's past successful grants and AI analysis of what reviewers want to see.
Data privacy and security by default
Your organisation's past successful grants and experience
AI analysis of what reviewers want to see
A compelling draft application in 10 minutes instead of 10 hours
Spotted something that needs correcting? Let us know
At a glance
Applying to The Stone Family Foundation?
Hinchilla drafts your answers around this funder's priorities, using your organisation's own documents.
No credit card required
Applying to The Stone Family Foundation?
Hinchilla drafts your answers around this funder's priorities, using your organisation's own documents.
No credit card required