California · Grantmakers

Foundations That Fund Education in California

Imperigo has identified 4,020 funders that made 63,223 grants totaling $15.4B to 5,149 education organizations in California, with a median grant of $25K. Every figure below is drawn from IRS Form 990 filings through 2025.

Education Funding in California

Total granted $15.4B
Funders 4,020
Grants 63,223
Organizations funded 5,149

Top Funders — page 2 of 4

26. Foundation for California Community Colleges
458 grants to 76 organizations · largest $621K · through 2024 · 16.0% of their giving
$20.6M
27. The Dudley E Chambers Foundation Xxxxx6005
6 grants to 1 organization · largest $2.9M · through 2024 · 100.0% of their giving
$15.2M
28. The Fuller Foundation
14 grants to 6 organizations · largest $3.7M · through 2024 · 48.2% of their giving
$14.4M
29. Rise Education Fund
6 grants to 1 organization · largest $4.4M · through 2024 · 96.4% of their giving
$13.8M
30. Pasadena Community Foundation
230 grants to 66 organizations · largest $2.5M · through 2025 · 19.3% of their giving
$13.8M
31. 661 Foundation
2 grants to 1 organization · largest $11.3M · through 2023 · 83.4% of their giving
$12.8M
32. Bronco Bench Foundation
9 grants to 1 organization · largest $2.1M · through 2024 · 100.0% of their giving
$12.2M
33. Simpson University Foundation
2 grants to 1 organization · largest $10.0M · through 2020 · 100.0% of their giving
$12.1M
34. East Bay Community Foundation
406 grants to 149 organizations · largest $5.0M · through 2024 · 5.4% of their giving
$41.6M
35. Jewish Community Foundation of Los Angeles
307 grants to 121 organizations · largest $3.2M · through 2024 · 6.4% of their giving
$33.7M
36. Pathways in Education Illinois
4 grants to 2 organizations · largest $3.0M · through 2024 · 100.0% of their giving
$10.8M
37. Nancy & Stephen Grand Support Foundation
2 grants to 1 organization · largest $10.0M · through 2023 · 97.5% of their giving
$10.8M
38. The Bluefield Project to Cure Frontotemporal Dementia
6 grants to 1 organization · largest $2.4M · through 2023 · 49.1% of their giving
$10.1M
39. Friends of the Fromm Institute for Life-Long Learning
6 grants to 1 organization · largest $1.9M · through 2024 · 100.0% of their giving
$9.8M
40. The Beall Family Foundation
72 grants to 7 organizations · largest $1.2M · through 2024 · 48.2% of their giving
$9.7M
41. Oneoc
18 grants to 11 organizations · largest $3.0M · through 2024 · 36.3% of their giving
$9.0M
42. Inland Empire Community Foundation
233 grants to 77 organizations · largest $5.5M · through 2024 · 12.4% of their giving
$14.2M
43. Smith Entertainment Group Foundation
4 grants to 2 organizations · largest $3.2M · through 2024 · 82.5% of their giving
$8.4M
44. Howard Hughes Medical Institute
47 grants to 15 organizations · largest $2.6M · through 2024 · 8.1% of their giving
$20.7M
45. Wikimedia Endowment
3 grants to 1 organization · largest $3.1M · through 2024 · 100.0% of their giving
$8.3M
46. Blueprint Washington Inc
5 grants to 1 organization · largest $2.0M · through 2024 · 74.9% of their giving
$8.3M
47. Martin V and Martha K Smith Foundation
2 grants to 1 organization · largest $4.1M · through 2021 · 61.5% of their giving
$7.6M
48. Ag One
16 grants to 1 organization · largest $1.9M · through 2024 · 100.0% of their giving
$7.3M
49. David X Marks Foundation
4 grants to 1 organization · largest $2.5M · through 2022 · 100.0% of their giving
$7.3M
50. Star Program Inc
6 grants to 1 organization · largest $2.3M · through 2024 · 82.0% of their giving
$7.3M

Funders are ordered by how much of their overall giving goes to education 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. 21 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 education 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 education funding in California, not every dollar that reached the sector. Figures are a floor, not a ceiling.

Looking for organizations rather than funders? Browse all nonprofits in California

Research California funders in depth

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