Funders › California

The Capstone Foundation

Santa Monica, CA · EIN 95-4211410. Reported 100 grants totalling $3,094,719 to 42 recipients across tax years 2020-2024. This foundation did not tell the IRS it funds only preselected organizations.

Yesaccepts unsolicited requests
$12,000median grant
$3,094,719granted, 2020-2024
42recipients, as named on its returns
59%of grantees funded again the next year
$2,932,739assets, latest filing

Does this foundation accept applications?

Yes -- on its own tax return. Form 990-PF asks every private foundation whether it makes grants only to organizations it selects itself. Of the 91,758 foundations in our data that made a grant and answered, 78% said yes -- and applying to those is wasted effort. The Capstone Foundation did not check that box on its most recent filing, which puts it in the minority that is at least open to being approached.

This is the foundation's own statement to the IRS, not our judgement, and it says nothing about whether they have a form, a deadline, or an appetite for new grantees. Treat it as the reason this foundation is worth your research time, not as an invitation. Many small foundations of this kind have no website and no application process -- a letter of inquiry is the normal first step.

How big are its grants?

The median grant is $12,000. Half of everything it gave fell between $5,000 and $25,000; the smallest was $250 and the largest $351,700. If you are asking for materially more than the top of that range, you are asking the wrong foundation.

Under $1,000
8 grants
$1,000 - $5,000
14 grants
$5,000 - $10,000
16 grants
$10,000 - $25,000
30 grants
$25,000 - $50,000
13 grants
$50,000 - $100,000
14 grants
$100,000 and Up
5 grants

Every organization it funded

This is the complete list from its filings, largest first. Recipients are grouped by name and state as they were written on the returns, so an organization entered under two different names appears twice. Years funded is the number of separate tax years in which that name received money.

OrganizationLocationTotal receivedGrantsYears fundedLast
Union Rescue MissionLos Angeles, CA$1,226,469652024
Global Training NetworkPeoria, AZ$270,000552024
Capitol MinistriesPhoenix, AZ$205,000332024
University of MiamiCoral Gables, FL$200,000332024
Westmark SchoolEncino, CA$192,500552024
World Sports IncBonita Springs, FL$170,000442024
Communitas InternationalCentennial, CO$90,000552024
World VisionTacoma, WA$80,000442024
Xprize Foundation IncCulver City, CA$73,500222024
Capitol MinistriesSanta Clarita, CA$60,000112022
Calthorp SchoolSanta Monica, CA$59,000552024
Brentwood SchoolLos Angeles, CA$51,300332024
Fuller Theological SeminaryPasadena, CA$50,000222023
World Monuments FundNew York, NY$45,000332024
Salvation ArmyCarson, CA$37,500442024
Scholarleaders InternationalDeerfield, IL$35,000222023
Cedars SinaiLos Angeles, CA$32,500222023
USC AssociatesLos Angeles, CA$26,500222024
The UCLA FoundationLos Angeles, CA$25,000112022
ActionCamarillo, CA$22,500442023
Baja Christian MinistriesChino Hills, CA$22,500332024
Adventures of the HeartPanama City, FL$20,000112024
Beverly Hills Presbyterian ChurchBeverly Hills, CA$20,000332024
USCLos Angeles, CA$16,500332022
Harvestime Church Mission SocietyPompano Beach, FL$11,800552024
First Presbyterian Church of Santa MonicaSanta Monica, CA$10,000112020
Freedom XLos Angeles, CA$10,000112023
Core 300Las Vegas, NV$5,000112021
Marty Hennessy Inspiring Children FoundationBoulder City, NV$5,000112023
UC Davis FoundationDavis, CA$5,000112020
Greater La Area Council BSALos Angeles, CA$4,800112022
Beit T'shuvahLos Angeles, CA$2,500112022
Navy Seal FoundationVirginia Beach, VA$2,500112023
Santa Monica Pal Charity Golf ClassicSanta Monica, CA$1,500112022
Urban Promise Los AngelesCanoga Park, CA$1,500222021
Campus Crusade for ChristOrlando, FL$1,000112022
Episcopal Actors GuildNew York, NY$1,000222024
Inspiring Children FoundationLas Vegas, NV$1,000112020
Sheila Kar Health FoundationBeverly Hills, CA$500112023
Leukemia & Lymphoma SocietyRye Brook, NY$300112023
The Jewish Federation of Greater LaLos Angeles, CA$300112022
Reading to KidsLos Angeles, CA$250112024

24 of 42 (57%) received money in more than one year over the 5 years we hold.

Measured the way we measure every foundation -- what share of one year's grantees are funded again the next -- this one retains 59%, across 4 year-to-year transitions. The median foundation retains about 67%, so this one is about typical. This measures how often it paid the same organizations again. It says nothing about whether it would consider a new one.

What the money was for

Taken verbatim from the purpose field of its filings. This is the closest thing to a statement of what this foundation cares about, in its own words.

What kind of organizations it funds

By the activity category the IRS assigns each recipient, for the 60 grants where we could match the recipient to a registered organization. The categories are the IRS's. The match, made from the name and address on the return, is ours.

Education
21 grants
Human Services
8 grants
Religion
8 grants
Arts & Culture
6 grants
Philanthropy & Grantmaking
4 grants
Recreation & Sports
4 grants
International Affairs
4 grants
Health Care
2 grants

Giving by year

Tax yearGrantsTotalMedian grant
202017$489,100$7,500
202115$441,100$11,500
202222$698,300$14,000
202325$790,300$10,300
202421$675,919$20,000

Tax years, not calendar years, and the most recent year is usually incomplete -- filings arrive about a year late, so a low final year means late paperwork rather than a foundation winding down.

Where its money goes

63% of its giving went to organizations in California. If your organization is based elsewhere, look in the recipient list for grants to your area before writing.

California
$2.0M
Arizona
$475K
Florida
$403K
Colorado
$90K
Washington
$80K
New York
$46K
Illinois
$35K
Nevada
$11K

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Funders that support the same organizations

These funders gave to organizations this one also funded -- some private foundations, some community foundations and other grantmaking charities. Shared grantees are a sign of overlapping priorities and nothing more: they do not show that any of these funders would consider a new organization. Each page says what its filings show.

Fidelity Investments Charitable Gift Fund20 shared recipientsDonor Advised Charitable Giving Inc19 shared recipientsNational Philanthropic Trust15 shared recipientsAmerican Endowment Foundation15 shared recipientsAmerican Online Giving Foundation Inc14 shared recipientsVanguard Charitable Endowment Program13 shared recipients

How to approach this foundation

  1. Check you are its size. The median grant is $12,000. A request many times that size asks for something it has rarely or never given.
  2. Check you are in its geography. Its giving is concentrated in California.
  3. Read the recipient list above for organizations like yours. If nothing on it resembles your work, that is a real answer, and a cheap one to get.
  4. Look up the current filing before writing. The 990-PF names the foundation's officers and, where one exists, its application procedure. We link it below.

Related guides

Foundations funding education in CaliforniaEvery funder in this groupFoundations funding human services in CaliforniaEvery funder in this groupFoundations funding religion in CaliforniaEvery funder in this groupFoundations funding arts & culture in CaliforniaEvery funder in this group

Where these numbers come from

Everything above is taken from The Capstone Foundation's own Form 990-PF filings, which the IRS publishes in bulk. We used 5 returns (tax years 2020-2024). Grant figures are from its returns. Matching recipients to registered organizations, their IRS classifications, the retention rate and the funders that support the same organizations are our own calculations, described in how we build this.

Address of record on the latest return: 2716 Ocean Park Blvd Ste 2025, Santa Monica, CA, 90405. This is the address the foundation gave the IRS; many small foundations file through an accountant or a bank trust department, so it may not be where post to a programme officer should go.

EIN 95-4211410 · See the original filings on ProPublica · How we build this

This is history, not an open call. Foundation returns are published about a year after the tax year ends. Nothing on this page is a deadline. It is a record of who this foundation has actually funded.

Is something here wrong about your foundation? Email hello@funderscope.com and we will correct it.