Direct Relief

Direct Relief is a California-based private foundation with a focus on grantmaking in civil rights & social justice, health care, mental health, public health, and substance use & recovery. In its latest IRS filing (FY2020), it reported $1.46 billion in annual giving against $968.2 million in assets, with 1,461 grants tracked to date.

Funding Priorities

• Civil Rights & Social Justice
• Health Care
• Mental Health
• Public Health
• Substance Use & Recovery

Populations supported include low-income communities.

Grant History

The largest grants on record by amount:

• Direct Relief Foundation AID (Santa Barbara, CA) – $13.1M (2019)
• Direct Relief Foundation Intercompany Transfer Of Funds (Santa Barbara, CA) – $7.1M (2023)
• Direct Relief Foundation Intercompany Grant To Support Related Entity (Goleta, CA) – $6.7M (2018)
• Direct Relief Foundation Intercompany Transfer Of Funds (Santa Barbara, CA) – $4.3M (2025)
• Direct Relief Foundation Intercompany Transfer Of Funds (Santa Barbara, CA) – $4.0M (2024)
• Direct Relief Foundation Intercompany Transfer Of Funds (Santa Barbara, CA) – $3.9M (2022)
• Nafc COVID19-US, SAFETY NET SUPPORT, NAFC FUNDING PROGRAM (Alexandria, VA) – $2.3M (2020)
• Nafc HURRICANE RELIEF AND RECOVERY SUPPORT (Alexandria, VA) – $2.0M (2018)
• Por Los Nuestros ABBVIE PR ENERGY PROJECTS (San Juan, PR) – $1.7M (2022)
• National Association of Free and Charitable Clinics (Alexandria, VA) – $1.6M (2025)
• Miami Beach Community Health Center PFIZER INFECTIOUS DISEASE AWARDS (Miami, FL) – $1.6M (2024)
• Hpm Foundation Healthpro Med ABBVIE PR INFRASTRUCTURE, EQUIPMENT (San Juan, PR) – $1.5M (2022)
• National Assoc of Free Clinics HURRICANE HARVEY (Alexandria, VA) – $1.5M (2019)
• Direct Relief Foundation Intercompany Transfer Of Funds (Santa Barbara, CA) – $1.3M (2020)
• University of Florida Foundation Inc for the Benefit of University (Gainesville, FL) – $1.3M (2024)

Giving by Year

• 2018 – $19.6M
• 2019 – $26.3M
• 2020 – $51.6M
• 2022 – $43.2M
• 2023 – $45.1M
• 2024 – $30.5M
• 2025 – $41.5M

How to Apply for Funding

Direct Relief’s public IRS filing does not specify a formal application process. Foundations of this size often prioritize organizations they already know, so a concise letter of inquiry or a warm introduction is typically the best first step. For more information, visit directrelief.org.