California · Grantmakers

Foundations That Fund Community Improvement in California

Imperigo has identified 1,436 funders that made 11,564 grants totaling $1.8B to 1,249 community improvement organizations in California, with a median grant of $25K. Every figure below is drawn from IRS Form 990 filings through 2025.

Community Improvement Funding in California

Total granted $1.8B
Funders 1,436
Grants 11,564
Organizations funded 1,249

Top Funders — page 2 of 4

26. California Healthcare Foundation
35 grants to 14 organizations · largest $2.6M · through 2024 · 3.6% of their giving
$7.7M
27. Sonoma County Community Foundation
40 grants to 12 organizations · largest $669K · through 2024 · 4.8% of their giving
$5.3M
28. Consumer Credit Counseling Service of San Francisco DBA Balance
12 grants to 4 organizations · largest $501K · through 2024 · 8.8% of their giving
$2.9M
29. The Eva Longoria Foundation C/O Global Philanthropy Group
8 grants to 3 organizations · largest $567K · through 2023 · 22.3% of their giving
$1.2M
30. California Field Iron Workers Administrative Trust
7 grants to 2 organizations · largest $150K · through 2024 · 66.1% of their giving
$975K
31. Association of American Educators & Affiliates
3 grants to 1 organization · largest $345K · through 2021 · 100.0% of their giving
$950K
32. Community Health Councils Inc
15 grants to 9 organizations · largest $874K · through 2024 · 6.3% of their giving
$2.8M
33. Orange County Community Foundation
55 grants to 19 organizations · largest $2.6M · through 2024 · 1.8% of their giving
$9.7M
34. SJS Partners Inc DBA SJS PARTNERS ACTION FUND INC
1 grant to 1 organization · largest $1.0M · through 2020 · 16.7% of their giving
$1.0M
35. California Dairy Research Foundation
5 grants to 1 organization · largest $269K · through 2024 · 13.8% of their giving
$1.2M
36. Asian American Futures
7 grants to 4 organizations · largest $300K · through 2024 · 20.8% of their giving
$810K
37. Equity Works Inc
2 grants to 1 organization · largest $500K · through 2024 · 100.0% of their giving
$800K
38. California Statewide Certified Development Corporation
3 grants to 1 organization · largest $384K · through 2023 · 86.8% of their giving
$794K
39. Fund for Construction Industry Advancement
9 grants to 2 organizations · largest $312K · through 2024 · 9.3% of their giving
$1.7M
40. Sandler Foundation
8 grants to 2 organizations · largest $1.6M · through 2024 · 1.9% of their giving
$8.1M
41. Merritt Community Capital Corporation
3 grants to 1 organization · largest $250K · through 2024 · 29.3% of their giving
$750K
42. United Way of the Wine Country
19 grants to 5 organizations · largest $175K · through 2024 · 17.2% of their giving
$862K
43. California Association of Realtors
84 grants to 20 organizations · largest $158K · through 2024 · 5.8% of their giving
$2.5M
44. California Finance Consortium
6 grants to 3 organizations · largest $175K · through 2024 · 72.3% of their giving
$723K
45. Star Program Inc
5 grants to 1 organization · largest $324K · through 2023 · 12.1% of their giving
$1.1M
46. Int'l Association of Bridge Structural and Ornamental Ironworkers Local 433
6 grants to 1 organization · largest $160K · through 2024 · 89.0% of their giving
$632K
47. Global Ties US
12 grants to 2 organizations · largest $472K · through 2023 · 5.1% of their giving
$2.5M
48. Western States Petroleum Association
2 grants to 2 organizations · largest $600K · through 2022 · 54.0% of their giving
$620K
49. Alpha Phi International Fraternity Epsilon Beta House Corp Board
1 grant to 1 organization · largest $618K · through 2022 · 100.0% of their giving
$618K
50. Open Philanthropy Action Fund
5 grants to 2 organizations · largest $2.5M · through 2024 · 3.4% of their giving
$3.6M

Funders are ordered by how much of their overall giving goes to community improvement work in California, not by dollar totals alone — a foundation that concentrates its giving here is usually a better prospect than a larger one for which this is a rounding error. 17 of the funders counted here are donor-advised fund sponsors, which grant on behalf of individual donors and accept no applications; they are marked and ranked last.

Other Causes Funded in California

About This Data

A grant appears here when a funder reported it on its IRS Form 990 and the recipient organization is classified under the NTEE group covering community improvement work, with an address in California. Grants are counted from the 2025 filing year backward.

Some 990 grant schedules list a recipient by name and address without an EIN, and those grants cannot be matched to a classification — so the totals above represent identifiable community improvement funding in California, not every dollar that reached the sector. Figures are a floor, not a ceiling.

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Research California funders in depth

Full grant histories, recipient lists, officer compensation, multi-year financials, and exports for every foundation Imperigo tracks.