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Chamberlin Education Foundation

Annual Giving
$2.3M
Grant Range
$0K - $0.0M
Decision Time
1mo

Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: $2,263,350 (2023)
  • Assets: $83.6 million
  • Grant Range: $300 (teachers) - $15,000 (nonprofits)
  • Geographic Focus: West Contra Costa County, CA (Richmond, San Pablo, El Cerrito, Pinole, Hercules, El Sobrante, and unincorporated areas)
  • Decision Time: Approximately 4-6 weeks

Contact Details

Address: 855 Marina Bay Parkway, Suite 100, Richmond, CA 94804
Phone: (925) 227-0925
Website: www.chamberlinfoundation.org
General Email: info@chamberlinfoundation.org
Community Giving Initiative: CGI@chamberlinfoundation.org

Overview

Founded in 2020, the Chamberlin Education Foundation is a private operating foundation dedicated to advancing education equity and academic excellence for students in West Contra Costa public schools. With assets of $83.6 million and annual giving of approximately $2.3 million, the foundation takes a comprehensive approach to supporting the local education ecosystem. Under the leadership of Executive Director Dr. Caroline Damon since 2015, the foundation focuses on three key areas: effective, equity-focused leadership; high-quality curriculum and instruction; and building a student-centered public education ecosystem. The foundation particularly emphasizes supporting Black, Latinx, and historically under-resourced students across 68 schools in the region. In 2023-24 alone, the foundation made a $4 million local education investment through over 50 active grants and programs.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

Gratitude Grants (for Educators)

  • Amount: $300 per educator
  • Application: Annual, online through Temelio platform
  • Eligibility: Full-time TK-12 classroom teachers, SPED teachers, resource specialists, education specialists, occupational therapists, speech language pathologists, college counselors, librarians, school psychologists, and school counselors at West Contra Costa public schools
  • Since 2015, the foundation has awarded over 8,700 Gratitude Grants totaling $2.2 million. In 2025, they awarded 1,250 grants totaling $375,000 across 68 schools.

Community Giving Initiative (for Nonprofits)

  • Amount: Up to $15,000 per organization
  • Application: Annual, online through Temelio platform
  • Eligibility: 501(c)(3) nonprofits in good standing with annual operating budgets under $5 million, locally founded in Contra Costa or Alameda County, providing direct services to youth ages 0-21 in West Contra Costa, with at least 51% of programming serving West Contra Costa youth
  • In 2024, awarded 41 grants totaling $282,000. Since 2017, has contributed over $2 million through CGI grants.

Julie Wright Changemaker Award

  • Amount: $5,000 to each honoree plus $10,000 to grant to local youth-serving nonprofits
  • Recognizes equity-focused education advocates in West Contra Costa

Priority Areas

  • Education equity and academic excellence
  • Out-of-school learning programs for youth
  • Direct services to Black, Latinx, and historically under-resourced students
  • Classroom resources that create vibrant and inclusive learning environments
  • Programs serving youth ages 0-21 in West Contra Costa communities
  • Locally rooted organizations with strong community ties

What They Don't Fund

  • Organizations with annual budgets over $5 million (for Community Giving Initiative)
  • Personal professional development for educators (Gratitude Grants)
  • Organizations not primarily serving West Contra Costa youth (less than 51% of programming)
  • Organizations not founded in Contra Costa or Alameda County

Governance and Leadership

Executive Leadership:

  • Dr. Caroline Damon - Executive Director
  • Christine Castillo - Chief Financial/Operating Officer
  • Eréndira Flores - Vice President, Programs
  • Michael Burks - Director of School Partnerships

Board Leadership:

  • Steve Chamberlin - Board Chair
  • Susan Chamberlin - Vice Chair

Dr. Caroline Damon has led the foundation's strategic direction since 2015, bringing two decades of experience as a classroom teacher, instructional coach, and nonprofit leader. She holds an MA in Education Policy from Stanford University and a Doctorate in Educational Leadership from NYU. In describing her leadership approach, Dr. Damon stated: "The ability to work directly with teachers, school leaders, and district-level leadership has been a privilege as a funder... For me, that starts with placing an even greater emphasis on authentic conversations across our community."

The foundation operates under five guiding principles: Academic Excellence, Collaboration and Partnership, Distributed Community Agency, Racial Justice in Education, and Continuous Learning. As the foundation notes in its philosophy: "We believe that dynamic conditions require emergent and evolving approaches."

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

Gratitude Grants:

  • Application Period: Typically mid-March (March 12-26 in 2025)
  • Platform: Online application through Temelio platform using authorized school email
  • Requirements: Describe how funds will benefit classroom/students; funds for classroom resources only
  • Notifications: By end of April

Community Giving Initiative:

  • Application Period: Late October to mid-November (October 23 - November 12 in 2025)
  • Platform: Online application through Temelio platform with organizational email
  • Requirements: Organizational profile, description of youth services, demonstration of at least 51% West Contra Costa youth served
  • Evaluation: Applications reviewed using specific CGI rubric prioritizing organizations with strong, targeted impact
  • Notifications: By late November (November 21 in 2025)
  • Grant Use: Can be used for general operating expenses or specific programmatic initiatives
  • Reporting: No grant reports required

Decision Timeline

Gratitude Grants: Approximately 6 weeks from application close to notification
Community Giving Initiative: Approximately 1-2 weeks from application close to notification

Success Rates

The foundation has demonstrated strong commitment to broad-based support within its geographic focus area. In 2025, Gratitude Grants reached 1,250 educators across nearly every West Contra Costa school. For the Community Giving Initiative, 41 grants were awarded in 2024, including four first-time recipients. The foundation made 1,466 awards in 2023, 126 in 2022, and 107 in 2021, demonstrating significant growth in grantmaking reach.

Reapplication Policy

Both grant programs are annual, and unsuccessful applicants may reapply in subsequent application cycles. There are no documented restrictions or waiting periods for reapplication. The Community Giving Initiative particularly welcomes both returning organizations and first-time applicants, as evidenced by the four new recipients in 2024.

Application Success Factors

For Community Giving Initiative Applicants:

The foundation prioritizes organizations with:

  • Local roots: Must be founded in Contra Costa or Alameda County
  • Strong West Contra Costa focus: At least 51% of programming must serve West Contra Costa youth
  • Direct service model: Programs providing direct services to youth ages 0-21
  • Targeted impact: Applications evaluated using a specific rubric emphasizing strong, focused outcomes
  • Community embeddedness: Organizations deeply connected to the communities they serve

Recent funded examples include:

  • Richmond Promise: Provided renewable scholarships to 498 high school students with a 90% scholarship claim rate
  • East Bay Center for the Performing Arts: Offered tuition-free performing arts education to 4,000 students across 15 schools

For Gratitude Grants Applicants:

The foundation seeks to support educators who:

  • Clearly articulate how funds will directly benefit students
  • Focus on creating vibrant and inclusive learning environments
  • Request resources that diversify classroom libraries, support hands-on learning (math manipulatives), enable digital learning, or replenish essential supplies
  • Demonstrate commitment to equity in their classroom approach

Key Application Tips:

  • Self-nomination is encouraged for both programs
  • Use organizational or school-issued email addresses for applications
  • Be specific about how funds will be used and who will benefit
  • Align your language with the foundation's emphasis on equity, particularly for Black, Latinx, and under-resourced students
  • Emphasize local community roots and connections for Community Giving Initiative

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  • Geographic specificity matters: This foundation exclusively serves West Contra Costa communities—at least 51% of your programming must serve youth from Richmond, San Pablo, El Cerrito, Pinole, Hercules, El Sobrante, Kensington, or North Richmond
  • Local roots required: For nonprofits, you must be founded in Contra Costa or Alameda County; the foundation prioritizes organizations with deep community connections
  • Equity focus is central: Explicitly connect your work to serving Black, Latinx, and historically under-resourced students—this is not just a priority but the foundation's core mission
  • Direct service emphasis: The Community Giving Initiative specifically seeks organizations providing direct services to youth, not intermediary or capacity-building organizations
  • Budget constraints: Nonprofits with budgets over $5 million are not eligible for Community Giving Initiative
  • No reporting burden: Community Giving Initiative grants require no reports, reflecting a trust-based approach to grantmaking
  • Authentic community engagement: Dr. Damon's emphasis on "authentic conversations across our community" suggests the foundation values genuine community relationships over transactional grant relationships

References

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