Brittingham Family Foundation
The Brittingham Family Foundation is a private foundation based in Santa Barbara, California. Its stated goal is to be an enlightened community partner, supporting education, arts, social services, youth, health, and the environment.
Brittingham Family Foundation at a glance
In short: Brittingham Family Foundation gave $2.0M across 99 grants in 2025 (avg $20K), mostly in California. 28% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $2,019,514
- +44.1% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 99
- +41.4% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $20,399
- +1.9% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $5,000
- Total assets
- $57,948,296
- +7.5% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 28% first-time grantees (23 of 83, 2025)
- Primary geography
- California (55% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to Brittingham Family Foundation
- How to Apply
-
The foundation’s filing says it only accepts applications online through its grants and partnerships application page. The foundation does not restrict giving to preselected organizations. Requests are evaluated quarterly from certain U.S. counties; the filing does not name those counties. The filing says applicants could wait up to four months for a response.
- Review Cycle
- N/A, according to the filing.
- Deadline
- N/A, according to the filing.
- Contact
Application contact: Brittingham Family Foundation
Mailing address: 1482 East Valley Road Suite 703, Santa Barbara, CA 93108
Phone: (805) 969-5415
Email: info@brittinghamfamilyfoundation.org
Website: https://brittinghamfamilyfoundation.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Brittingham Family Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Jewish Federation of Greater SB ($250K). Together the top 10 received $1.4M.
Grant Size Distribution
357 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 323 grants of 357 (90%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The 2025 grant dollars were distributed among recipients in California (55%), Colorado (18%), New York (16%), Wisconsin (6%), and Washington (5%). The filing says the foundation evaluates requests quarterly from certain U.S. counties but does not identify them.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 99 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is Brittingham Family Foundation open to new grantees?
28%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 23 of 83 grantees (28%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $36K; repeat grants $20K. How we count
Medians: $5K first-time, $7K repeat.
- 64% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving grew 161% from 2022 to 2025. Method
- In 2025 it paid out 90% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Foundations have until the end of the next year to meet it. Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2018–2025). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2018 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $612K (2023) to $2.0M (2025). In 2025 it made 99 grants totaling $2.0M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Jewish Federation of Greater SB Santa Barbara, CA | Capital Campaign | $250,000 |
| Uniondocs Inc Ridgewood, NY | General Operating Support | $250,000 |
| Aspen Wildfire Foundation Aspen, CO | Wildfire Engine | $150,000 |
| US Olympic & Paralympic Foundation Colorado Springs, CO | General Operating Support | $150,000 |
| University of Wisconsin Foundation Madison, WI | Scott & Ella Brittingham Viking Fund | $116,364 |
| Community Initiatives Oakland, CA | House of Victory Foundation | $100,000 |
| Four Winds Inc Dear Harbor, WA | Sky and Sea Campaign | $100,000 |
| Crane Country Day School Santa Barbara, CA | In-Kind Rent | $80,400 |
| Santa Barbara Center for Performing Arts Santa Barbara, CA | Note Receivable Foregiven | $63,750 |
| Crane Country Day School Santa Barbara, CA | Annual Fund | $50,000 |
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Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Qualifying Distributions | Net Investment Income | Distributable Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $57,948,296 | $3,257,462 | $2,775,259 | $2,019,514 | 99 | $2,460,405 | $3,003,328 | $2,735,887 |
| 2024 | $53,917,314 | $1,774,757 | $2,188,664 | $1,401,880 | 70 | $1,891,069 | $1,539,828 | $2,391,152 |
| 2023 | $49,647,859 | $-347,567 | $1,400,177 | $612,000 | 57 | $1,140,863 | $431,077 | $2,326,898 |
| 2022 | $45,786,013 | $352,483 | $1,910,430 | $774,000 | 62 | $1,195,849 | $401,968 | $2,316,143 |
| 2021 | $51,514,804 | $5,398,088 | $1,773,969 | $853,810 | 69 | $1,320,126 | $4,503,327 | $2,001,681 |
| 2020 | $45,347,699 | $4,534,841 | $2,197,381 | $1,375,500 | 69 | — | $4,269,379 | $2,099,909 |
| 2018 | $45,266,399 | $3,431,731 | $3,087,167 | $1,648,000 | 44 | — | $3,067,924 | $2,061,104 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Brittingham Family Foundation reported a distributable amount of $2.7M for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation’s stated goal is to support education, arts, social services, youth, health, and the environment.
Its 2025 grantees illustrate a range of work. UnionDocs describes its mission as bringing together experimental media-makers, journalists, critical thinkers, and local partners. Aspen Wildfire Foundation says it works to reduce wildfire’s destructive consequences in the Aspen fire district and connected landscapes. Four Winds describes providing a camp environment intended to foster qualities such as adventure, cooperation, creativity, and self-confidence in young people. The Scholarship Foundation of Santa Barbara says it supports Santa Barbara County students toward and through college, graduate, and vocational school with information, advising, and scholarships.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2025, the foundation reported 99 grants totaling $2,019,514. Grant amounts ranged from $1,000 to $250,000, with a median of $5,000.
Among the largest reported grants were $250,000 to Jewish Federation of Greater Santa Barbara for a capital campaign and $250,000 to UnionDocs Inc. for general operating support. Other large grants included $150,000 to Aspen Wildfire Foundation for “Wildfire Engine,” $150,000 to the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Foundation for general operating support, and $116,364 to University of Wisconsin Foundation for the Scott & Ella Brittingham Viking Fund.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Scott Brittingham as president and Ella Brittingham as CFO and secretary.
Brittingham Family Foundation is led by Scott Brittingham, President on every filing since 2018; all 2 officers listed in 2025 are compensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Scott Brittingham
President
On filings since 2018
30 hrs/week
$150K (2018) → $150K (2025)
Ella Brittingham
CFO & Secretary
On filings since 2018
30 hrs/week
$100K (2018) → $100K (2025)
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2018–2025. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Compensation Overview
From 2025 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2025 filing was $150K, to Scott Brittingham (President). 2 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Frequently asked questions about Brittingham Family Foundation
How much does Brittingham Family Foundation give each year?
Brittingham Family Foundation gave $2.0M across 99 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $1.4M across 70 grants.
What is Brittingham Family Foundation's typical grant size?
Brittingham Family Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $5,000, and its average grant was $20,399, across 99 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Brittingham Family Foundation that year got $36K on average.
Where does Brittingham Family Foundation give grants?
Brittingham Family Foundation gives mostly in California: 55% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest states were Colorado (18%) and New York (16%). The most frequent recipient cities were Santa Barbara, CA (48 grants), Aspen, CO (10 grants), Los Angeles, CA (7 grants) and Hartsdale, NY (5 grants).
Does Brittingham Family Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 53% of Brittingham Family Foundation's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (52 of 99) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Recurring purposes include "SJK Art & Humanity" (3 grants).
Who are Brittingham Family Foundation's largest grantees?
Brittingham Family Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include Jewish Federation of Greater SB ($250,000), Uniondocs Inc ($250,000) and Aspen Wildfire Foundation ($155,000 across 2 grants), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 32% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Brittingham Family Foundation?
Brittingham Family Foundation reported $57.9M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $2.5M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $2.7M (roughly 5% of its investment assets). Falling short in one year is not a violation: foundations have until the end of the next year to meet the minimum.
What does Brittingham Family Foundation fund?
The foundation’s stated goal is to support education, arts, social services, youth, health, and the environment. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Brittingham Family Foundation?
The foundation’s filing says it only accepts applications online through its grants and partnerships application page. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Brittingham Family Foundation's EIN?
Brittingham Family Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 26-2992045. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2018–2025.
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(3)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2018 (received by the IRS November 15, 2019)
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS August 26, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Brittingham Family Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Brittingham Family Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 10, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/brittingham-family-foundation-morg_752c8c1626f84c3299b48ceed8fd935e
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_262992045_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Brittingham Family Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/brittingham-family-foundation-morg_752c8c1626f84c3299b48ceed8fd935e},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-10. Data licensed CC BY 4.0}
}The figures on this page are open data under CC BY 4.0: reuse them with credit to Grantable and a link. Download the data.
Figures come from Brittingham Family Foundation's IRS filings (methodology). AI-written summaries, news items and logos are not covered by the open licence. Spot an error? Email hello@grantable.co.
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