About Ceres Foundation
The Ceres Foundation makes a small number of large, targeted grants focused on scaling direct services and strengthening local philanthropic infrastructure. Recent awards show a priority for expanding college-access and retention supports for youth (notably Thrive Scholars’ Los Angeles and Boston programs), underwriting regional community foundations in California, and funding permanent supportive housing initiatives for people experiencing homelessness. The foundation appears to favor program expansion and systems-level partners rather than many small operational grants.
Focus Areas
College access and retention programs for foster and at-risk youth (Thrive Scholars expansion in Los Angeles and Boston)Strengthening regional community foundations in California (capacity/catalytic grants to community foundations)Permanent supportive housing and homelessness services (Home for Good initiative, Henderson House)
Who They Fund
low-income womenfirst-generation college students / underrepresented postsecondary studentsyouth who have experienced homelessness / unstably housed youth (ages 18–24)foster and transition-aged youth
About Ceres Foundation
A $2,000,000 grant to Thrive Scholars in 2025 shows the scale and style of The Ceres Foundation Inc: large, targeted awards meant to expand specific programs rather than spread money widely. In that case, the grant supported the expansion of Thrive Scholars’ Los Angeles and Boston programs, matching a broader pattern of funding college access, retention, and related youth supports. The foundation also backed permanent supportive housing through a $360,000 grant to Friendship Shelter Inc for the Home for Good initiative and Henderson House program. Recent grants point to a funder that favors organizations serving young people and families facing structural barriers. It has supported foster and transition-aged youth, youth who have experienced homelessness, low-income women, first-generation college students, and vulnerable immigrants and domestic violence survivors. The work often centers on scaling existing models, strengthening infrastructure, or extending a program to a new site. Recipients include community-based nonprofits, schools, and regional intermediaries, along with a mix of direct-service providers and capacity-building partners. The foundation’s giving pattern suggests attention to organizations that can use larger grants to expand services, add staff, or deepen reach in specific geographic focus areas.
What Ceres Foundation Funds
College access and retention is a clear emphasis. The foundation gave $250,000 to Community Adolescent Resources and Education Center Inc in Holyoke for the Bard MicroCollege program for low-income women, and it also supported academic access for girls at New Village Charter School Inc in Los Angeles with a $150,000 general operating grant tied to a new student recruitment position. Career pathways and workforce development also appear repeatedly. In 2025, Stem Advantage in Huntington Beach received $200,000 to expand its model for first-generation college students from low-income families pursuing STEM careers, while Taller San Jose Hope Builders in Santa Ana received $125,000 to expand its career pathways program for disconnected young adults. Family and housing stability show up as well. Lift Inc received $200,000 to expand financial coaching for low-income families in Los Angeles and Washington, D.C., and DC Volunteer Lawyers Project received $130,000 for pro-bono legal services for domestic violence victims, vulnerable immigrants, and at-risk children.
Financial Snapshot
Annual Giving
$7.9M
Total Assets
$169.6M
Total Revenue
$5.3M
Total Expenses
$9.4M
Typical Grant Size
Most grants fall between $50K and $110K, with a median of $75K.
25th Percentile
$50K
Median
$75K
75th Percentile
$110K
Geographic Reach
National9 states funded
About 17% of grants go to recipients in CA.
Funding intensity
LowHigh
Headquarters
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