The El Dorado Community Foundation is dedicated to strengthening the community now and for future generations by encouraging private giving, building and maintaining a Community Resource Fund for disasters, providing a flexible tax-exempt vehicle for donors, and serving as a catalyst, convener, and partner to address community problems and opportunities.
Among the foundation’s recent gifts, community needs funding stands out: $3,103,897 in 2023 and $2,412,425 in 2024 went to various Placerville recipients, showing a large-scale local response centered on El Dorado County. The El Dorado Community Foundation also operates as a convening platform for targeted community funds, including relief and program grants for veterans, small businesses, seniors, and youth. Its grantmaking includes support for human services, education, health and wellness, animal welfare, arts and culture, environmental work, and disaster relief. Recent grants show a mix of broad community support and named nonprofit partnerships. Housing El Dorado received multiple awards in Placerville for human services and basic needs, while the Food Bank of El Dorado County in Cameron Park received support for human services. Other grants reached the arts, libraries, youth services, and environmental organizations, reflecting a foundation that funds both immediate needs and longer-term community capacity. The pattern is local and highly concentrated in California, with funding tied closely to El Dorado County communities and adjacent Lake Tahoe-area recipients.
Human services and basic needs are a major part of the foundation’s work. In 2025, it gave $211,457 to the Food Bank of El Dorado County in Cameron Park for human services, and $194,440 plus $161,100 plus $155,000 to Housing El Dorado in Placerville for human services and basic needs support. Education and youth development also appear frequently. The foundation awarded $137,200 to El Dorado County Library - So in South Lake Tahoe for education, $94,020 to Fostering Success and Signifi in El Dorado Hills for education, and $70,028 to Hands4Hope - Youth Making a D in El Dorado Hills for children and youth. Environmental and conservation funding is another clear thread. It gave $106,411 to El Dorado County Ag in the Cl in Placerville for environmental support and $90,000 to The Sierra Fund in Nevada City for environmental support. Arts and culture also received support through a $424,139 grant to Folsom Symphony in El Dorado Hills.
Typical grant size is modest: the 25th percentile is $9,580, the median is $13,700, and the 75th percentile is $38,114. The recent grant list shows both many smaller community awards and a few much larger operating or project grants, including multi-hundred-thousand-dollar allocations and repeated support to the same organizations in the same year. The foundation also appears to make recurring grants, with several recipients appearing more than once in the recent list. It funds through a community foundation structure, supports individuals, and runs named programs and letter-of-inquiry opportunities; several active programs accept unsolicited requests.
$7.7M
$34.5M
$6.7M
$3.5M
Most grants fall between $10K and $38K, with a median of $14K.
25th Percentile
$10K
Median
$14K
75th Percentile
$38K
Dan Staszak
Sign up for a free Kindora account to access AI-generated insights into this funder's giving patterns, decision-makers, and fit signals.
Get Started FreeFree Kindora accounts unlock side-by-side comparisons with foundations that share this funder's focus areas and giving profile.
Get Started FreeSign up free to see how well your nonprofit fits this funder, get an AI-generated pitch, and unlock similar foundations.
Grantmaking is overwhelmingly California-centered: 93% of grants go to recipients in the foundation’s HQ state. Placerville, El Dorado Hills, South Lake Tahoe, Cameron Park, and Nevada City appear repeatedly in recent awards, along with smaller regional destinations such as Somerset and Twin Bridges. The country distribution is entirely U.S.-based, with 224 grants in the United States and no non-U.S. recipient countries listed. The pattern matches a local foundation with funding concentrated in El Dorado County and nearby Sierra Nevada communities.
The foundation funds a wide mix of local causes: human services and basic needs, education and scholarships, health and wellness, animal welfare, arts and culture, environmental conservation, veterans and first responders, and small business relief. Its recent grants also show support for libraries, youth programs, disaster relief, and community projects.
Typical grants are relatively small compared with some of the foundation’s larger community awards. The 25th percentile is $9,580, the median is $13,700, and the 75th percentile is $38,114.
Yes. Several recipients appear more than once in the recent grants list, including Housing El Dorado, El Dorado County Library - So, Chandler Electric Inc, The Sierra Fund, and various community-needs awards in Placerville.
Yes. Active opportunities include the Veterans TOT Grant Program, the South Lake Tahoe Small Business Fund, the Western Slope Small Business Fund, the GIVE Tahoe Grant, Friends of Seniors Grant, Hearts & Minds Educational Technology Fund Grants, Endow El Dorado, and the Pay It Forward Project LOI opportunities. Several of these accept unsolicited requests.
Grantmaking is concentrated in California, with 93% of grants going to recipients in the HQ state. Recent awards cluster in Placerville, El Dorado Hills, South Lake Tahoe, Cameron Park, and nearby regional communities such as Nevada City, Somerset, and Twin Bridges.
2025
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2025.
Current and upcoming funding from El Dorado Community Foundation that your nonprofit may be able to apply for.
Who can apply: Supports operations, programs, or property improvements/repairs that support the veteran community at large. Applications are reviewed and grants awarded by the County of El Dorado Veterans' Affairs Commission.
Deadline: Funding will be available July 2026.
Track these deadlines, get reminders, and see how well your nonprofit fits — free with a Kindora account.
Create a free accountDeadlines and eligibility are summarized from public sources and may change — always confirm the details on the funder's official application page before applying.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Various - 5K | Placerville, CA | $517,950 | 2025 | Community needs |
| Folsom Symphony | El Dorado Hills, CA | $424,139 | 2025 | Arts Culture |
| Various - 5K | Placerville, CA | $281,449 | 2025 | Community needs |
| All About Equine | El Dorado Hills, CA | $257,161 | 2025 | Animal Welfare |
| Various - 5K | Placerville, CA | $243,474 | 2025 | Community needs |
| Food Bank of El Dorado County | Cameron Park, CA | $211,457 | 2025 | Human services |
| Chandler Electric Inc | Cameron Park, CA | $202,251 | 2025 | Human services |
| Housing El Dorado | Placerville, CA | $194,440 | 2025 | Human Services |
| Housing El Dorado | Placerville, CA | $161,100 | 2025 | Human services - Basic needs |
| El Dorado County Library - So | South Lake Taho, CA | $158,208 | 2025 | Community Projects |
| Housing El Dorado | Placerville, CA | $155,000 | 2025 | Human services |
| The Sierra Fund | Nevada City, CA | $146,000 | 2025 | Educational support |
| El Dorado County Library - So | South Lake Taho, CA | $137,200 | 2025 | Education |
| New Morning Youth and Family | Placerville, CA | $136,284 | 2025 | Health and wellness support |
| Tahoe Youth & Family Services | South Lake Taho, CA | $134,905 | 2025 | Health and wellness support |
| CAL Mosquito Fire | Sacramento, CA | $133,667 | 2025 | Disaster relief |
| El Dorado County Library - So | South Lake Taho, CA | $129,211 | 2025 | Community needs |
| El Dorado County Ag in the Cl | Placerville, CA | $106,411 | 2025 | Environmental support |
| Lake Tahoe Community College | South Lake Taho, CA | $100,000 | 2025 | Community Projects |
| Sierra At Tahoe Education Fou | Twin Bridges, CA | $100,000 | 2025 | Community Projects |
| TAMBA Tahoe Area Mountain Bi | South Lake Taho, CA | $100,000 | 2025 | Community Projects |
| Fostering Success and Signifi | El Dorado Hills, CA | $94,020 | 2025 | Education |
| The Sierra Fund | Nevada City, CA | $90,000 | 2025 | Environmental support |
| Chandler Electric Inc | Cameron Park, CA | $83,330 | 2025 | Human services |
| Schwab Charitable | Orlando, FL | $75,759 | 2025 | Human services |
| Simpson University | Redding, CA | $75,000 | 2025 | Educational support |
| Hands4Hope - Youth Making a D | El Dorado Hills, CA | $70,028 | 2025 | Children Youth |
| Pioneer Union School District | Somerset, CA | $70,000 | 2025 | Community Projects |
| Hands4Hope - Youth Making a D | El Dorado Hills, CA | $66,000 | 2025 | Youth development |
| Boys & Girls Club of Lake Tah | South Lake Taho, CA | $64,266 | 2025 | Youth Development |
| Upper Room Dining Hall | Placerville, CA | $61,537 | 2025 | Human Services-Basic Needs |
| El Dorado Hills Fire Departme | El Dorado Hills, CA | $61,100 | 2025 | Educational support |
| Lake Tahoe Unified School Dis | South Lake Taho, CA | $55,500 | 2025 | Health & wellness support |
| El Dorado County Fair Associa | Placerville, CA | $52,217 | 2025 | Animal Welfare |
| Hands4Hope - Youth Making a D | El Dorado Hills, CA | $51,198 | 2025 | Youth development |
| Assistance League Sierra Foot | El Dorado Hills, CA | $49,500 | 2025 | Children Youth |
| CASA El Dorado | Placerville, CA | $48,879 | 2025 | Health Wellness |
| Big Brothers Big Sisters of N | Placerville, CA | $46,640 | 2025 | Youth development |
| El Dorado County Ag in the Cl | Placerville, CA | $46,200 | 2025 | Education |
| Family Resource Center | South Lake Taho, CA | $45,000 | 2025 | Health Wellness |
| South Lake Tahoe Family Resou | South Lake Taho, CA | $45,000 | 2025 | Human Services |
| El Dorado County Ag in the Cl | Placerville, CA | $41,500 | 2025 | Youth development |
| Lake Tahoe Unified School Dis | South Lake Taho, CA | $40,050 | 2025 | Human Services |
| Snowline Hospice | Diamond Springs, CA | $38,500 | 2025 | Human services |
| New Morning Youth and Family | Placerville, CA | $37,727 | 2025 | Health & Wellness |
| Arts & Culture El Dorado | Placerville, CA | $37,394 | 2025 | Arts Culture |
| South County Alliance | Grizzly Flats, CA | $36,000 | 2025 | Community Projects |
| El Dorado County Office of Ed | Placerville, CA | $35,946 | 2025 | Youth development |
| Gold Discovery Park Associati | Coloma, CA | $35,000 | 2025 | Environmental support |
| CASA El Dorado | Placerville, CA | $32,550 | 2025 | Community Projects |
Various - 5K
$517,950Community needs
Folsom Symphony
$424,139Arts Culture
Various - 5K
$281,449Community needs
All About Equine
$257,161Animal Welfare
Various - 5K
$243,474Community needs
Chandler Electric Inc
$202,251Human services
Housing El Dorado
$194,440Human Services
Housing El Dorado
$161,100Human services - Basic needs
El Dorado County Library - So
$158,208Community Projects
Housing El Dorado
$155,000Human services
El Dorado County Library - So
$137,200Education
New Morning Youth and Family
$136,284Health and wellness support
Tahoe Youth & Family Services
$134,905Health and wellness support
CAL Mosquito Fire
$133,667Disaster relief
El Dorado County Library - So
$129,211Community needs
El Dorado County Ag in the Cl
$106,411Environmental support
Sierra At Tahoe Education Fou
$100,000Community Projects
Fostering Success and Signifi
$94,020Education
Chandler Electric Inc
$83,330Human services
Hands4Hope - Youth Making a D
$70,028Children Youth
Pioneer Union School District
$70,000Community Projects
Hands4Hope - Youth Making a D
$66,000Youth development
Upper Room Dining Hall
$61,537Human Services-Basic Needs
El Dorado Hills Fire Departme
$61,100Educational support
Lake Tahoe Unified School Dis
$55,500Health & wellness support
El Dorado County Fair Associa
$52,217Animal Welfare
Hands4Hope - Youth Making a D
$51,198Youth development
Assistance League Sierra Foot
$49,500Children Youth
Big Brothers Big Sisters of N
$46,640Youth development
El Dorado County Ag in the Cl
$46,200Education
Family Resource Center
$45,000Health Wellness
South Lake Tahoe Family Resou
$45,000Human Services
El Dorado County Ag in the Cl
$41,500Youth development
Lake Tahoe Unified School Dis
$40,050Human Services
Snowline Hospice
$38,500Human services
New Morning Youth and Family
$37,727Health & Wellness
Arts & Culture El Dorado
$37,394Arts Culture
South County Alliance
$36,000Community Projects
El Dorado County Office of Ed
$35,946Youth development
Gold Discovery Park Associati
$35,000Environmental support