The Barrios Trust provides financial assistance to non-profit organizations and individuals supporting high quality educational and developmental experiences for economically disadvantaged young people in the Oakland Metropolitan area. We focus on programs that encourage healthy habits of mind and body, nourish cultural diversity and educate the whole child, preferring programs that integrate academic skills with enrichment activities to help young people develop skills, confidence and self-esteem.
The Barrios Trust directs most of its grantmaking to economically disadvantaged young people in the Oakland metropolitan area, with a consistent preference for programs that blend academic skills and enrichment. Its recent grants show that pattern clearly: $15,000 to Piedmont East Bay Childrens Choir for an Oakland program, and $12,500 to the Oakland Museum of California for Learning Initiatives. The foundation also supports individuals and nonprofits, and it funds both direct service and capacity-building-style work through program support and general support awards. Across youth-centered education and development, the trust backs arts, sports, STEM, environmental education, college readiness, and after-school learning. Recent awards include support for Oakland children’s and teen programming, as well as work serving families and caregivers through youth-linked services. The grant list also shows a recurring local orientation, with many awards staying within Oakland and nearby East Bay cities. The Barrios Trust’s stated purpose is tied to “high quality educational and developmental experiences” and to “healthy habits of mind and body,” which helps explain why its grants often sit at the intersection of academics, enrichment, and youth development. That combination is the clearest signature of the funder’s approach.
In arts and culture, The Barrios Trust backed the Oakland Museum of California with $12,500 for Learning Initiatives and also supported Oakland Children’s Fairyland for Youth Writers Workshops. It has also funded music and creative programming at ARTogether and Chapter 510 Ink, showing a preference for enrichment that sits alongside education. For academic support, the trust gave East Bay Agency For Children $10,000 for an After School Academic Enrichment Program and supported College Prep Partners Program with $10,000 for its Partners Program. Those grants fit the foundation’s emphasis on combining academics with enrichment rather than treating them separately. The trust also funds wellness, youth development, and outdoor learning. Examples include Crisis Support Serv of Alameda for Teens for Life Program, Camps in Common for Youth Access To Nature Program, and Oakland Leaf Foundation for a Restorative Justice Program. These awards reflect a youth-serving portfolio that reaches beyond classroom learning.
$1M
$970K
$252K
$432K
Most grants fall between $8K and $10K, with a median of $8K.
25th Percentile
$8K
Median
$8K
75th Percentile
$10K
About 97% of grants go to recipients in CA.
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.
The Barrios Trust’s typical grant size is tightly clustered: p25 is $7,500, median is $8,000, and p75 is $10,000. Most recent awards fall at $10,000, with a smaller number above that range. The foundation is a regular funder rather than a donor-advised fund, and it funds both nonprofit organizations and individuals. Its active grant programs are competitive but accept unsolicited applications. The grant record suggests sustained local support rather than one-off, national-scale grantmaking, with repeated annual funding to Oakland-area youth programs and general support awards across multiple years.
Giving is overwhelmingly local. Ninety-seven percent of grants go to recipients in California, and the recipient-country distribution is entirely U.S.-based. Oakland is the main recipient city, with additional grants in Berkeley, Richmond, and San Francisco. The pattern extends across the Oakland metropolitan area and nearby East Bay and Bay Area locations, matching the trust’s stated local focus on Oakland youth and adjacent communities.
The trust supports youth education and development programs that combine academics with enrichment. Its recent grants include arts, after-school learning, STEM and workforce development, environmental education, athletics, college readiness, and youth-focused wellness or restorative justice work.
Typical grants are small to mid-sized: p25 is $7,500, median is $8,000, and p75 is $10,000. In the recent grants list, many awards are exactly $10,000, with some higher amounts such as $12,500 and $15,000.
Yes. The active grant programs listed for The Barrios Trust all note that they accept unsolicited applications, including its youth-centered and general youth grant programs.
The trust funds nonprofit organizations and individuals. Its stated audience is economically disadvantaged young people in the Oakland metropolitan area, with support also reaching families, caregivers, foster youth, teens, and young adults through youth-serving programs.
Grantmaking is highly local and concentrated in California, with 97% of grants going to recipients in the state. Oakland is the main recipient city, and nearby East Bay and Bay Area cities such as Berkeley, Richmond, and San Francisco also appear in the recent grants list.
2025
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2025.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Piedmont East Bay Childrens Choir | Oakland, CA | $15,000 | 2025 | Oakland Program |
| Oakland Museum of California | Oakland, CA | $12,500 | 2025 | Learning Initiatives Program |
| Health Initiatives For Youth | San Francisco, CA | $10,000 | 2025 | Oakland Programs |
| College Prep Partners Program | Oakland, CA | $10,000 | 2025 | Partners Program |
| Edventure More | Berkeley, CA | $10,000 | 2025 | Camp EVMP Oakland |
| Spanish Speaking Citizens Foundatio | Oakland, CA | $10,000 | 2025 | LIBRE Program |
| Oakland Tech PTSA | Oakland, CA | $10,000 | 2025 | Auditorium Renovation Program |
| BORP | Berkeley, CA | $10,000 | 2025 | Youth Sports Programs |
| CA Perfomances | Berkeley, CA | $10,000 | 2025 | Ailey Camp |
| Crisis Support Serv of Alameda | Oakland, CA | $10,000 | 2025 | Teens for Life Program |
| Brothers on the Rise co SF Study Ce | Oakland, CA | $10,000 | 2025 | Brothers UNITE! Program |
| Girl Ventures | Oakland, CA | $10,000 | 2025 | Leadership Programs |
| Martin Luther King Jr Freedom Cente | Oakland, CA | $10,000 | 2025 | Ethical Leadership Academy |
| Aim High | San Francisco, CA | $10,000 | 2025 | Oakland Middle School Program |
| Oakland School for the Arts | Oakland, CA | $10,000 | 2025 | Step It Up Program |
| America SCORES | San Francisco, CA | $10,000 | 2025 | SCORES Oakland |
| Oakland Soccer Club | Oakland, CA | $10,000 | 2025 | Youth Development Program |
| Earth Island Institute | Berkeley, CA | $10,000 | 2025 | KIDS for the Bay classroom education programs |
| Beyond Emancipation | Oakland, CA | $10,000 | 2025 | Oakland Foster Youth Programs |
| Hack the Hood | Oakland, CA | $10,000 | 2025 | Tech Education & Career Programs |
| Girls Inc of Alameda | Oakland, CA | $10,000 | 2025 | Eureka! Program |
| Camps in Common | Oakland, CA | $10,000 | 2025 | Youth Access To Nature Program |
| East Bay Childrens Law Offices | Oakland, CA | $10,000 | 2025 | CARE Program |
| Running for Better Oakland | Oakland, CA | $10,000 | 2025 | Youth Running Program |
| Fresh Lifelines for Youth | Oakland, CA | $10,000 | 2025 | Oakland Youth Programs |
| Oakland Interfaith Gospel Choir | Oakland, CA | $10,000 | 2025 | Middle School Music Program |
| Aspire Education Project | Oakland, CA | $10,000 | 2025 | Reading Buddies Program |
| Students Rising Above | San Francisco, CA | $10,000 | 2025 | College Success Program |
| Things That Creep | Richmond, CA | $10,000 | 2025 | Neighborhood Snakes Program |
| Oakland Children's Fairyland | Oakland, CA | $10,000 | 2025 | Youth Writers Workshops |
| Camp Phoenix | Oakland, CA | $10,000 | 2025 | Summer Program |
| Vida Verde Nature Education | San Gregorio, CA | $10,000 | 2025 | Environmental Edu Programs for Oakland Youth |
| Luna Kids Dance | Berkeley, CA | $10,000 | 2025 | Kaiser School Program |
| Alliance For Global Justice | Tucson, AZ | $10,000 | 2025 | Youth v Apocalypse - Environmental Justice Programs |
| Earth Island Institute | Berkeley, CA | $10,000 | 2025 | Bay Area Wilderness Training |
| Bay Area Girls Rock Camp | Oakland, CA | $10,000 | 2025 | GRASP Program |
| Oakland Literacy Coalition | Oakland, CA | $10,000 | 2025 | Reading Everywhere Program |
| Community Resources For Science | Berkeley, CA | $8,500 | 2025 | BASIS Program |
| Science is Elementary | Mountain View, CA | $7,500 | 2025 | Science is for Me! Program |
| YMCA of the East Bay | Berkeley, CA | $7,500 | 2025 | Scholarship Program |
| Soccer Without Borders | Oakland, CA | $5,000 | 2025 | General Support |
| Berekeley Baby Book Proj | Berkeley, CA | $5,000 | 2025 | Books for Oakland Children |
| Elevate Tutoring | San Jose, CA | $5,000 | 2025 | Tutoring Fellowship Program |
| ARTogether | Oakland, CA | $10,000 | 2024 | Music Program |
| Oakland Children's Fairyland | Oakland, CA | $10,000 | 2024 | Youth Writers Workshops |
| Battle Tested Kids Inc | Oakland, CA | $10,000 | 2024 | Weekend Clinics & AAU Program |
| Oakland Leaf Foundation | Oakland, CA | $10,000 | 2024 | Restorative Justice Program |
| Camps in Common | Oakland, CA | $10,000 | 2024 | Youth Access To Nature Program |
| Oakland Museum of California | Oakland, CA | $10,000 | 2024 | Learning Initiatives Program |
| East Bay Agency For Children | Oakland, CA | $10,000 | 2024 | After School Academic Enrichment Program |
Piedmont East Bay Childrens Choir
$15,000Oakland Program
Oakland Museum of California
$12,500Learning Initiatives Program
Health Initiatives For Youth
$10,000Oakland Programs
College Prep Partners Program
$10,000Partners Program
Edventure More
$10,000Camp EVMP Oakland
Spanish Speaking Citizens Foundatio
$10,000LIBRE Program
Oakland Tech PTSA
$10,000Auditorium Renovation Program
BORP
$10,000Youth Sports Programs
CA Perfomances
$10,000Ailey Camp
Crisis Support Serv of Alameda
$10,000Teens for Life Program
Brothers on the Rise co SF Study Ce
$10,000Brothers UNITE! Program
Girl Ventures
$10,000Leadership Programs
Martin Luther King Jr Freedom Cente
$10,000Ethical Leadership Academy
Aim High
$10,000Oakland Middle School Program
Oakland School for the Arts
$10,000Step It Up Program
America SCORES
$10,000SCORES Oakland
Oakland Soccer Club
$10,000Youth Development Program
Earth Island Institute
$10,000KIDS for the Bay classroom education programs
Beyond Emancipation
$10,000Oakland Foster Youth Programs
Hack the Hood
$10,000Tech Education & Career Programs
Girls Inc of Alameda
$10,000Eureka! Program
Camps in Common
$10,000Youth Access To Nature Program
East Bay Childrens Law Offices
$10,000CARE Program
Running for Better Oakland
$10,000Youth Running Program
Fresh Lifelines for Youth
$10,000Oakland Youth Programs
Oakland Interfaith Gospel Choir
$10,000Middle School Music Program
Aspire Education Project
$10,000Reading Buddies Program
Students Rising Above
$10,000College Success Program
Things That Creep
$10,000Neighborhood Snakes Program
Oakland Children's Fairyland
$10,000Youth Writers Workshops
Camp Phoenix
$10,000Summer Program
Vida Verde Nature Education
$10,000Environmental Edu Programs for Oakland Youth
Luna Kids Dance
$10,000Kaiser School Program
Alliance For Global Justice
$10,000Youth v Apocalypse - Environmental Justice Programs
Earth Island Institute
$10,000Bay Area Wilderness Training
Bay Area Girls Rock Camp
$10,000GRASP Program
Oakland Literacy Coalition
$10,000Reading Everywhere Program
Community Resources For Science
$8,500BASIS Program
Science is Elementary
$7,500Science is for Me! Program
YMCA of the East Bay
$7,500Scholarship Program
Soccer Without Borders
$5,000General Support
Berekeley Baby Book Proj
$5,000Books for Oakland Children
Elevate Tutoring
$5,000Tutoring Fellowship Program
ARTogether
$10,000Music Program
Oakland Children's Fairyland
$10,000Youth Writers Workshops
Battle Tested Kids Inc
$10,000Weekend Clinics & AAU Program
Oakland Leaf Foundation
$10,000Restorative Justice Program
Camps in Common
$10,000Youth Access To Nature Program
Oakland Museum of California
$10,000Learning Initiatives Program
East Bay Agency For Children
$10,000After School Academic Enrichment Program
Current and upcoming funding from Barrios Trust that your nonprofit may be able to apply for.
Who can apply: Nonprofit organizations and individuals supporting youth-centered programs serving economically disadvantaged young people in the Oakland metropolitan area. Preference given to programs integrating academic skills with enrichment activities.
Deadline: Two annual submission deadlines: Spring — March 1; Fall — September 1.
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.