Who funds community development in California
From 2022 to 2025, 1,308 foundations and charities reported 4,784 grants to 778 community development nonprofits in California. The typical grant was $20,000.
The funders that paid the most of them: Silicon Valley Community Foundation (67), California Community Foundation (52) and San Francisco Foundation (40).
From IRS grant records. Counts nonprofits with budgets under $5,000,000.
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The 15 funders that paid the most community development nonprofits in California
| Funder | Nonprofits paid | Typical grant | Latest year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Silicon Valley Community Foundation Mountain View, CA | 67 | $50,000 | 2024 |
| California Community Foundation Los Angeles, CA | 52 | $25,500 | 2024 |
| San Francisco Foundation San Francisco, CA | 40 | $50,000 | 2024 |
| Kaiser Foundation Hospitals Oakland, CA | 31 | $25,000 | 2024 |
| The California Endowment Los Angeles, CA | 29 | $100,000 | 2024 |
| East Bay Community Foundation Oakland, CA | 28 | $37,500 | 2023 |
| The San Diego Foundation San Diego, CA | 21 | $71,400 | 2024 |
| Sierra Health Foundation Center for Health Program Management Sacramento, CA | 20 | $86,104 | 2024 |
| Impactassets Inc Bethesda, MD | 19 | $100,000 | 2024 |
| The California Wellness Foundation Los Angeles, CA | 19 | $5,000 | 2024 |
| Tides Foundation San Francisco, CA | 18 | $20,000 | 2024 |
| Inland Empire Community Foundation Riverside, CA | 18 | $16,062 | 2024 |
| Bank of America Charitable Foundation Inc Charlotte, NC | 18 | $2,275 | 2023 |
| Sempra Energy Foundation San Diego, CA | 17 | $175 | 2024 |
| Marin Community Foundation Novato, CA | 17 | $51,500 | 2024 |
Recent grants
- Silicon Valley Community Foundation paid L A Voice $1,200,000 in 2024. Purpose: Community development.
- California Community Foundation paid Alliance for a Better Community $840,500 in 2024. Purpose: Civic engagement.
- San Francisco Foundation paid Urban Habitat $215,000 in 2024. Purpose: For project support.
- Kaiser Foundation Hospitals paid Community Development Technologies $150,000 in 2024. Purpose: South los angeles community development and reside.
- The California Endowment paid Fresno Building Healthy Communities $1,137,430 in 2024. Purpose: Building power for increased community wellness system funding.
- East Bay Community Foundation paid Oakland Chinatown Chamber of Commerce $400,000 in 2023. Purpose: Revive oakland chinatown.
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Other causes in California
- Who funds food banks and food pantries in California (658 funders)
- Who funds homeless shelters and services in California (564 funders)
- Who funds affordable housing in California (459 funders)
- Who funds animal rescue and shelters in California (1246 funders)
- Who funds veterans in California (257 funders)
- Who funds youth development in California (1996 funders)
- Who funds youth sports and recreation in California (1450 funders)
- Who funds arts and culture in California (3571 funders)
- Who funds K-12 education in California (2848 funders)
- Who funds health clinics and health care in California (1615 funders)
- Who funds mental health in California (1067 funders)
- Who funds disability services in California (528 funders)
- Who funds senior services in California (346 funders)
- Who funds domestic violence shelters and services in California (415 funders)
- Who funds child care and early childhood in California (239 funders)
- Who funds job training and employment in California (600 funders)
- Who funds environment and conservation in California (1998 funders)
- Who funds legal aid in California (348 funders)
- Who funds family and children's services in California (1239 funders)
Community development in other states
Questions people ask
Who gives the most grants to community development in California?
By the number of nonprofits paid from 2022 to 2025, the leading funders were Silicon Valley Community Foundation (67), California Community Foundation (52), San Francisco Foundation (40). The count in parentheses is how many community development nonprofits in California each one paid.
How big is a typical grant to community development in California?
The median grant was $20,000 across 4,784 grants. Half were smaller and half were larger. Each funder's own typical grant is in the table above.
Do these funders accept applications?
Not always. IRS records show who a funder paid, not whether it takes new applicants. Open the funder's website and read its guidelines before you reach out.
Where does this data come from?
From grants reported to the IRS on Form 990 Schedule I and Form 990-PF for 2022 to 2025, matched to each recipient's IRS record. It counts community development nonprofits with budgets under $5,000,000, by their IRS cause code. Donor-advised fund sponsors are left out.