Esherick-Ye Foundation
Accepts applications
Esherick-Ye Foundation is a private foundation in Berkeley, California. In tax year 2025 it gave $51,275 in 13 grants; the typical grant was $4,640 and the largest $6,000. It accepts applications; its filing gives the instructions below.
From its IRS Form 990-PF for tax year 2025.
- Grants paid, 2025$51,275
- Number of grants13
- Typical grant$4,640
- Largest grant$6,000
- Assets$1.2 million
Giving in 2025 was up from $26,762 the year before.
Giving by year
| Tax year | Grants paid | Number of grants | Assets |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | $45,590 | 11 | $781,915 |
| 2024 | $26,762 | 5 | $950,973 |
| 2025 | $51,275 | 13 | $1.2 million |
How to apply
Its grants go to individuals, not organizations. Every grant in its 2025 filing was paid to an individual (for example a scholarship or assistance with costs), so it is not a funding prospect for a nonprofit.
| Contact | Joseph Esherick 1009 Miller Ave, Berkeley, CA 94708 |
|---|---|
| Phone or email | (510) 356-4736, info@esherick-yefoundation.org |
| What to submit | in Word and PDF format files transcripts reference letters all uploaded to the Foundation website |
| Deadlines | end January |
| Restrictions | Grants restricted to graduate and post-doctoral level fieldwork and projects in the areas of modern Chinese history and China archaeology |
Foundation website IRS filings on ProPublica
What Esherick-Ye Foundation funds
Where it gives
Its US grants went to recipients in 7 states, the most to California. It also paid $1,300 in 1 grant to recipients outside the US.
| State | Grants | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| California | 6 | $21,260 |
| Connecticut | 1 | $6,000 |
| Massachusetts | 1 | $6,000 |
| Illinois | 1 | $5,000 |
| New Hampshire | 1 | $4,640 |
| New York | 1 | $4,095 |
| Washington | 1 | $2,980 |
Grants paid in 2025
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Individual | Grant for fieldwork research on thesis: Permafrost Science and the Trans-polar History of the Qinghai-Tibet Railway 1954-2006 | $6,000 |
| Individual | Grant for fieldwork research on thesis: Collapse of the Sino-Vietnamese Alliance in Cold War Yunnan 1964-1993 | $6,000 |
| Individual | Grant for fieldwork research on thesis: Gender Grassroots Politics and State Building in the PRC 1949-1990s | $5,600 |
| Individual | Grant for fieldwork research on thesis: Mortuary and Urban Landscapes of Late Shang 1250-1046 BC Anyang | $5,000 |
| Individual | Grant for fieldwork research on thesis: The Superiority of Rights in the Tungsten Industry of China 1907-present | $4,700 |
| Individual | Grant for fieldwork research on thesis: Bioarchaeological Study of Daily Life and Identity During the Tang-Song Transition | $4,640 |
| Individual | Grant for fieldwork research on thesis: Rice Consumption in the Late Neolithic Liangzhu Culture in Southern China | $4,640 |
| Individual | Grant for fieldwork research on thesis: Nature Sovereignty and Development in the Gulf of Tonkin 1880-1970 | $4,095 |
| Individual | Grant for fieldwork research on thesis: Environmental Governmentality in the Qing Era Wuling Mountains | $2,980 |
| Individual | Grant for fieldwork research on thesis: Bioarchaeological Study of the Mogou Cemetery | $2,820 |
| Individual | Grant for fieldwork research on thesis: Agricultural Innovation and Wheat Variety Changes in Rural Shaanxi 1930-1980 | $2,400 |
| Individual | Grant for fieldwork research on thesis: Household Structure and the Standard of Living in pre-Industrial China 1650-1950 | $1,300 |
| Individual | Grant for fieldwork research on thesis: Production Organization and Consumer Culture in Sugar Production of Early Modern Taiwan | $1,100 |
Officers and trustees
- Joseph Esherick
- Ye Wa
- Lily Wu
- Michael G Chang
- Rowan Flad
- Denise Y Ho
- Elizabeth Berger
- Emily Baum
Questions people ask
Does Esherick-Ye Foundation accept grant applications?
Yes. Its latest IRS filing says it accepts applications, with this on deadlines: end January.
How much does Esherick-Ye Foundation give?
$51,275 in tax year 2025, across 13 grants, with a typical grant of $4,640.
Who runs Esherick-Ye Foundation?
Its 2025 filing lists Joseph Esherick (President Director), Ye Wa (Secretary Director), Lily Wu (Treasurer) and Michael G Chang (Director) among 8 officers and trustees.
What does Esherick-Ye Foundation fund?
Based on its grants, mainly science and research, arts and culture and environment and conservation.