Audacious Foundation
The Audacious Foundation is a private grantmaking foundation based in Santa Barbara, California, established in 2016. The foundation is designated as a 501(c)(3) organization and focuses on supporting nonprofits that provide experiential, non-academic programming for children.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$3.1M
-25.2% YoY
Annual Giving
$1.3M
+6.9% YoY
Grant Count
20
-60.8% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$63K
+172.5% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Audacious Foundation reported a distributable amount of $164K for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation's mission centers on providing a complete learning experience for the whole child. The organization is devoted to the principle that childhood experience forms the foundation of adult success, and believes all children—regardless of socioeconomic background—should have access to rich programming supporting holistic development.
The foundation supports four primary focus areas:
- Nature-Based Learning: Programs promoting access to safe outdoor environments, including school gardens
- Healthy Habits: Activities promoting physical, social, and emotional wellness in childhood
- Essential Life Skills: Programs offering skills like financial literacy, mindfulness, and confidence-building
- Whole-Child Initiatives: Holistic enrichment opportunities for low-income children beyond academics
Grantmaking
The Audacious Foundation operates on an invitation-only basis and does not accept unsolicited proposals. The foundation intentionally maintains low staffing levels to maximize grantmaking resources. Grants are executed with simple applications and minimal reporting requirements, reflecting a trust-based philanthropy approach.
Grant Range
$18,000
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation's work is primarily focused on Santa Barbara County, California.
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
Current Assets and Giving (2024):
- Total assets: $3,125,552
- Total giving: $1,235,217–$1,260,617
- Total revenue: $1,053,703
- Total expenses: $1,850,024
Historical Trends:
- 2023: Assets $4.18M, giving $1.7M (47 grants)
- 2022: Assets $5.2M, giving $791K (20 grants)
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $3,125,552 | $4,179,100 | $5,195,842 |
| Revenue | $1,053,703 | $862,527 | $426,095 |
| Expenses | $1,850,024 | $1,701,927 | $1,586,058 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $1,832,268 | $1,691,957 | $1,581,654 |
| Net Investment Income | $730,415 | $835,492 | $422,180 |
| Distributable Amount | $164,403 | $184,923 | $301,973 |
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
Grant Size Distribution
130 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include Wilderness Youth Project Incorporated ($625,138), Explore Ecology ($340,000), NatureTrack Foundation ($50,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Channel Islands YMCA Carpinteria, CA | Swim Lessons for students at 2 elementary schools during 23-24 school year: Our Lady of Guadalupe and Notre Dame | $14,740 |
| Children's Creative Project Santa Barbara, CA | Dance Workshops in 24-25 school year at La Purisima School | $5,042 |
| Dos Pueblos High School Goleta, CA | Dos Pueblos Media student experiences, such as taking students to the Student Television Network (STN) National Convention | $17,650 |
| Dos Pueblos High School Foundation Goleta, CA | Dos Pueblos Media Student Scholarships | $5,000 |
| Explore Ecology Santa Barbara, CA | Garden Explorers Early Childhood Education Project in 24-25 | $340,000 |
| Explore Ecology Santa Barbara, CA | garden education support at Notre Dame School for 24-25 | $22,266 |
| Fund For Santa Barbara Santa Barbara, CA | Yes 4 Lompoc Kids to improve Lompoc School Facilities | $5,500 |
| Lou Grant Parent-Child Workshop Carpinteria, CA | Early Childhood Best Practice Winner 2024 | $250 |
| NatureTrack Foundation Los Olivos, CA | Fostering a Lifelong Fascination with Nature program which provides K-12 youth field trips for children throughout the County | $50,000 |
| Ojai Valley Youth Foundation Ojai, CA | LOUD after-school music program at two schools in Ojai, CA 24-25 school year, plus expansion planning into Santa Barbara County | $17,350 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
- Paul J Orfalea: Chair/Treasurer (5 hours per week)
- Catherine Brozowski: President/Secretary (25 hours per week, compensation: $181,209)
The foundation is funded by Paul and Jane Wood Orfalea.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Paul J Orfalea | Chair/Treasurer | 5 | — |
| Catherine Brozowski | President/Secretary | 25 | $216,579 |
Contact Information
- Phone: (805) 564-2186
- Email: info@audaciousfoundation.org
- Address: P.O. Box 91340, Santa Barbara, CA 93190
- Website: www.audaciousfoundation.org
The foundation notes that it does not have capacity to respond to inquiries with unsolicited proposals.
Subject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Audacious Foundation fund?
The foundation's mission centers on providing a complete learning experience for the whole child. The organization is devoted to the principle that childhood experience forms the foundation of adult success, and believes all children—regardless of socioeconomic background—should have access to rich programming supporting holistic development. The foundation supports four primary focus areas: • **Nature-Based Learning**: Programs promoting access to safe outdoor environments, including school ga…
How do I apply for a grant from Audacious Foundation?
The Audacious Foundation operates on an invitation-only basis and does not accept unsolicited proposals. The foundation intentionally maintains low staffing levels to maximize grantmaking resources. Grants are executed with simple applications and minimal reporting requirements, reflecting a trust-based philanthropy approach. **Grant Statistics (2024):** • Total giving: $1,235,217–$1,260,617 • Number of grants: 16 • Median grant size: $18,000 • Grant range: $3,000–$625,000 • Giving rate: 39.5% …
Where does Audacious Foundation make grants?
The foundation's work is primarily focused on Santa Barbara County, California.
What size grants does Audacious Foundation award?
In 2024, Audacious Foundation awarded 20 grants totaling $1.3M — an average of about $63K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is Audacious Foundation required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, Audacious Foundation reported a distributable amount of $164K on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is Audacious Foundation's EIN?
Audacious Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 47-4602068. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Audacious Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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Data last updated June 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
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