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Yelp Foundation is a private corporation based in SAN FRANCISCO, CA. The foundation received its IRS ruling in 2013. The principal officer is Miriam Warren. It holds total assets of $6.2M. Annual income is reported at $1M. Total assets have decreased from $9.5M in 2012 to $6.2M in 2024. The foundation is governed by 5 officers and trustees. Tax records are available from 2016 to 2024. The foundation primarily funds organizations in California and New York. According to available records, Yelp Foundation has made 1,381 grants totaling $2M, with a median grant of $147. Annual giving has decreased from $1.1M in 2022 to $862K in 2023. Individual grants have ranged from N/A to $50K, with an average award of $1K. The foundation has supported 1,084 unique organizations. The foundation primarily supports organizations in New York, California, Arizona, which account for 42% of all grants. Grantmaking reaches organizations across 43 states. Contributions to this foundation are tax-deductible.
The Yelp Foundation operates with periodic grant contests rather than a continuous open application process. The primary pathway for new nonprofits is registering on yelpfoundation.org to receive contest notifications. The foundation has shown a pattern of identifying a thematic focus area each cycle (e.g., skilled trades in 2024, local economic development, youth writing) and then selecting a cohort of 5–15 organizations within that theme. Strategic fit is therefore highly dependent on timing: organizations should monitor the foundation closely and apply quickly when a contest matches their mission. The foundation's preference for unrestricted multi-year grants means they look for organizations with proven track records and strong organizational capacity, not just compelling programs. Alignment with Yelp's corporate identity — local businesses, community economic vitality, freedom of information — strengthens any application. Warm introductions through Yelp employees (via Yelp's culture.yelp.com social impact programs) or existing grantees can help surface an organization before a contest launches.
Annual giving range: $480,000–$2.8M historically; $885,878 in 2024 (93.4% of expenses as charitable disbursements). Typical individual grants: $45,000–$100,000 per organization. Grant cycles are thematic cohorts: 2024 = skilled trades workforce (5 orgs: Building Pathways, Girls Garage, NY Helmets to Hardhats, TechForce + 1 more); 2023/ongoing = multi-year unrestricted to 826 Valencia, Freedom of the Press Foundation, Hot Bread Kitchen, i.c.stars, La Cocina. Past cycles funded $1.2M to 14 nonprofits (early years) and $675,000 to 15 nonprofits. All grants are unrestricted — grantees determine how funds are deployed. Asset trajectory: peaked at $31.7M in 2013, declining to $6.15M in 2024 as the foundation distributes corpus. Foundation is in a giving-down phase and may have 5–10 years of significant grantmaking remaining at current rate.
The Yelp Foundation is a corporate-origin private foundation now operating largely independently of Yelp Inc. operationally. At $6.15M in assets, it is mid-sized among corporate foundations but small relative to peers like Salesforce.org or Google.org. Its unrestricted grant model distinguishes it sharply from most corporate foundations that specify programmatic uses. Compared to similarly-sized Bay Area corporate foundations, Yelp Foundation's thematic cohort approach (identifying a new focus area each cycle) is relatively unusual — most peers maintain consistent focus areas year-over-year. The declining asset trajectory ($31.7M in 2013 → $6.15M in 2024) suggests the foundation may transition to a different model or wind down within 10–15 years unless Yelp Inc. makes additional endowment contributions. The employee matching program (up to $1,000/person) is standard for corporate foundations of this type.
2024 Focus: Skilled trades workforce development. Five new grantees: Building Pathways (pre-apprenticeship training), Girls Garage (carpentry/welding/architecture for youth 9–18), NY Helmets to Hardhats (veterans to union construction), TechForce (technician career pathways). Multi-year grantees continued: 826 Valencia, Freedom of the Press Foundation, Hot Bread Kitchen, i.c.stars, La Cocina. Total 2024 charitable disbursements: $885,878. Foundation assets: $6.15M. Revenue: $718,875 (primarily asset sales). Leadership unchanged: Miriam Warren (Chair), Joseph Nachman (President). The foundation publishes annual year-in-review posts on blog.yelp.com, which are the primary public disclosure channel for grant announcements.
1. Register at yelpfoundation.org to receive grant contest notifications — this is the official pathway for new organizations. 2. Monitor blog.yelp.com/topic/yelp-foundation/ for announcements of new grant cycles, which typically occur in Q1–Q2. 3. Frame your organization around one of the foundation's proven themes: skilled trades workforce, youth education/writing, local economic development through food or technology, or freedom of press/information access. 4. All Yelp Foundation grants are unrestricted — your application should demonstrate organizational capacity and accountability, not just program design. 5. Multi-year grant relationships are the norm; position your organization as a long-term partner, not a one-time grantee. 6. Yelp employees participate in the foundation's social impact programs — if your organization has local Yelp employee volunteers or advocates, this can be a strong warm introduction pathway. 7. Given the declining asset base, prioritize applications within the next 3–5 years while the foundation is still actively disbursing significant funds. 8. Organizations with national reach or Bay Area roots have historically performed well; local San Francisco organizations have an advantage for community-facing grants.
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Smallest Grant
N/A
Median Grant
$100
Average Grant
$1K
Largest Grant
$50K
Based on 769 grants from the most recent 990-PF filing.
No program descriptions are available for this foundation. Many private foundations report program activities in their annual 990-PF filings — check the Tax Filings section below for the most recent filing.
Annual giving range: $480,000–$2.8M historically; $885,878 in 2024 (93.4% of expenses as charitable disbursements). Typical individual grants: $45,000–$100,000 per organization. Grant cycles are thematic cohorts: 2024 = skilled trades workforce (5 orgs: Building Pathways, Girls Garage, NY Helmets to Hardhats, TechForce + 1 more); 2023/ongoing = multi-year unrestricted to 826 Valencia, Freedom of the Press Foundation, Hot Bread Kitchen, i.c.stars, La Cocina. Past cycles funded $1.2M to 14 nonprof.
Yelp Foundation has distributed a total of $2M across 1,381 grants. The median grant size is $147, with an average of $1K. Individual grants have ranged from N/A to $50K.
The Yelp Foundation operates with periodic grant contests rather than a continuous open application process. The primary pathway for new nonprofits is registering on yelpfoundation.org to receive contest notifications. The foundation has shown a pattern of identifying a thematic focus area each cycle (e.g., skilled trades in 2024, local economic development, youth writing) and then selecting a cohort of 5–15 organizations within that theme. Strategic fit is therefore highly dependent on timing: .
Yelp Foundation is headquartered in SAN FRANCISCO, CA. While based in CA, the foundation distributes grants to organizations across 43 states.
| Name | Title | Compensation | Benefits | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jeremy Richard Stoppelman | Director | $0 | $0 | N/A |
| Joseph Jed Nachman | President | $0 | $0 | N/A |
| Miriam Warren | Chairperson | $0 | $0 | N/A |
| James Miln | Treasurer | $0 | $0 | N/A |
| Shirley Mclaughlin | Secretary | $0 | $0 | N/A |
Total Giving
N/A
Total Assets
$6.2M
Fair Market Value
N/A
Net Worth
$6.1M
Grants Paid
N/A
Contributions
N/A
Net Investment Income
N/A
Distribution Amount
N/A
Total Grants
1,381
Total Giving
$2M
Average Grant
$1K
Median Grant
$147
Unique Recipients
1,084
of 2023 grantees were first-time recipients
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| We Care FoundationMATCHING CONTRIBUTION MADE BY EMPLOYEE OF YELP, IN | Chicago, IL | $1K | 2023 |
| Valencia Inc Srfcontribution to charitable organization | San Francisco, CA | $50K | 2023 |
| Freedom Of The Press Foundationcontribution to charitable organization | Phoenix, AZ | $50K | 2023 |
| Raising A Reader Srfcontribution to charitable organization | New York, NY | $50K | 2023 |
| Hot Bread Kitchencontribution to charitable organization | Brooklyn, NY | $50K | 2023 |
| Seed Spot Srfcontribution to charitable organization | Chicago, IN | $50K | 2023 |
| La Cocina Inc Srfcontribution to charitable organization | San Francisco, CA | $50K | 2023 |
| Byte Back Inc Srfcontribution to charitable organization | Brooklyn, NY | $50K | 2023 |
| Inner City Computer Stars Fdncontribution to charitable organization | Washington, DC | $50K | 2023 |
| Fresh Start Womens Foundationcontribution to charitable organization | Phoenix, AZ | $50K | 2023 |
| Washington Area Community Investmentcontribution to charitable organization | Washington, DC | $50K | 2023 |
| Local First Arizona Foundationcontribution to charitable organization | Phoenix, AZ | $50K | 2023 |
| 2022 Benevity Annual FeeAdministration Expense Related to Charitable | Chicago, IL | $46K | 2023 |
| Palestine Childrens Relief FundMATCHING CONTRIBUTION MADE BY EMPLOYEE OF YELP, IN | Los Angeles, CA | $24K | 2023 |
| Philanthropic FoundationOther Donation | Dallas, TX | $10K | 2023 |
| American Friends Of Magen David AdomMATCHING CONTRIBUTION MADE BY EMPLOYEE OF YELP, IN | New York, NY | $8K | 2023 |
| Doctors Without Bordersmdecins Sans Frontires (MATCHING CONTRIBUTION MADE BY EMPLOYEE OF YELP, IN | New York, NY | $6K | 2023 |
| Equal Justice InitiativeOther Donation | Montgomery, AL | $5K | 2023 |
| Bridge To Turkiye FundMATCHING CONTRIBUTION MADE BY EMPLOYEE OF YELP, IN | Chapel Hill, NC | $5K | 2023 |
| The Little CharityMATCHING CONTRIBUTION MADE BY EMPLOYEE OF YELP, IN | Las Vegas, NV | $3K | 2023 |
| United Jewish Appeal Federation Of Jewish PhilanthMATCHING CONTRIBUTION MADE BY EMPLOYEE OF YELP, IN | New York, NY | $3K | 2023 |
| St Jude Children'S Research HospitalMATCHING CONTRIBUTION MADE BY EMPLOYEE OF YELP, IN | Memphis, TN | $3K | 2023 |
| Belmont-Redwood Shores Public School FoundationMATCHING CONTRIBUTION MADE BY EMPLOYEE OF YELP, IN | Belmont, CA | $3K | 2023 |
| American Red CrossMATCHING CONTRIBUTION MADE BY EMPLOYEE OF YELP, IN | Washington, DC | $2K | 2023 |
| Save The Children Federation IncMATCHING CONTRIBUTION MADE BY EMPLOYEE OF YELP, IN | Fairfield, CT | $2K | 2023 |
| Can Do Education FoundationMATCHING CONTRIBUTION MADE BY EMPLOYEE OF YELP, IN | San Rafael, CA | $2K | 2023 |
| University Of Maryland Foundation IncMATCHING CONTRIBUTION MADE BY EMPLOYEE OF YELP, IN | Adelphi, MD | $2K | 2023 |
| St Kevin ChurchMATCHING CONTRIBUTION MADE BY EMPLOYEE OF YELP, IN | San Francisco, CA | $2K | 2023 |
| Rock Point SchoolMATCHING CONTRIBUTION MADE BY EMPLOYEE OF YELP, IN | Burlington, VT | $2K | 2023 |
| American Cancer Society IncMATCHING CONTRIBUTION MADE BY EMPLOYEE OF YELP, IN | Atlanta, GA | $2K | 2023 |
| Hawaii Community FoundationMATCHING CONTRIBUTION MADE BY EMPLOYEE OF YELP, IN | Honolulu, HI | $2K | 2023 |
| Islamic Relief - Ir CanadaMATCHING CONTRIBUTION MADE BY EMPLOYEE OF YELP, IN | Burlington | $2K | 2023 |
| Temple Emanuel For Tempe IncMATCHING CONTRIBUTION MADE BY EMPLOYEE OF YELP, IN | Tempe, AZ | $2K | 2023 |
| Millennium School Of San FranciscoMATCHING CONTRIBUTION MADE BY EMPLOYEE OF YELP, IN | San Francisco, CA | $2K | 2023 |
| Canadian Red Cross Croix-Rouge CanadienneMATCHING CONTRIBUTION MADE BY EMPLOYEE OF YELP, IN | Ottawa | $1K | 2023 |
| LatetMATCHING CONTRIBUTION MADE BY EMPLOYEE OF YELP, IN | Tel Aviv | $1K | 2023 |
| University Of California Berkeley FoundationMATCHING CONTRIBUTION MADE BY EMPLOYEE OF YELP, IN | Berkeley, CA | $1K | 2023 |
| Daily Bread Food Bank Foundation Of TorontoMATCHING CONTRIBUTION MADE BY EMPLOYEE OF YELP, IN | Toronto | $1K | 2023 |
| Planned Parenthood Federation Of AmericaMATCHING CONTRIBUTION MADE BY EMPLOYEE OF YELP, IN | New York, NY | $1K | 2023 |
| Cystic Fibrosis Foundation - National HeadquartersMATCHING CONTRIBUTION MADE BY EMPLOYEE OF YELP, IN | Bethesda, MD | $1K | 2023 |
| Action For Boston Community DevelopmentMATCHING CONTRIBUTION MADE BY EMPLOYEE OF YELP, IN | Boston, MA | $1K | 2023 |
| World Central Kitchen IncorporatedMATCHING CONTRIBUTION MADE BY EMPLOYEE OF YELP, IN | Washington, DC | $1K | 2023 |
| Islamic Relief WorldwideMATCHING CONTRIBUTION MADE BY EMPLOYEE OF YELP, IN | Birmingham | $1K | 2023 |
| IsraaidMATCHING CONTRIBUTION MADE BY EMPLOYEE OF YELP, IN | Telaviv | $1K | 2023 |
| Islamic Relief UsaMATCHING CONTRIBUTION MADE BY EMPLOYEE OF YELP, IN | Alexandria, VA | $1K | 2023 |
| University Of Arkansas Foundation IncMATCHING CONTRIBUTION MADE BY EMPLOYEE OF YELP, IN | Fayetteville, AR | $1K | 2023 |
| Phoenix Childrens Hospital FoundationMATCHING CONTRIBUTION MADE BY EMPLOYEE OF YELP, IN | Phoenix, AZ | $1K | 2023 |
| Universidad Simon Bolivar Alumni Association Of AmMATCHING CONTRIBUTION MADE BY EMPLOYEE OF YELP, IN | Malden, MA | $1K | 2023 |
| Save Our Scruff - Rehome & RescueMATCHING CONTRIBUTION MADE BY EMPLOYEE OF YELP, IN | Burlington | $1K | 2023 |
| Hilldale School Family AssociationMATCHING CONTRIBUTION MADE BY EMPLOYEE OF YELP, IN | Daly City, CA | $1K | 2023 |
MENLO PARK, CA
LOS ANGELES, CA
PALO ALTO, CA