Brutten Family Foundation
The Brutten Family Foundation is a private foundation based in Solana Beach, California. Founded by Patricia and Marc Brutten in 1996, it supports organizations working to expand access to the outdoors, high-quality education, and mental health services, with a record of philanthropy focused on San Diego County and global charities.
Brutten Family Foundation at a glance
In short: Brutten Family Foundation gave $693K across 32 grants in 2024 (avg $22K), mostly in California. 45% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $692,556
- +178.2% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 32
- +45.5% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $21,642
- +91.3% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $5,000
- Total assets
- $348,482
- +12.9% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 45% first-time grantees (14 of 31, 2024)
- Primary geography
- California (74% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to Brutten Family Foundation
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- Yes
- How to Apply
-
The foundation accepts unsolicited requests. It invites applicants to submit a one-page letter; its filing also specifies written applications with detailed information about the intended use of funds. The application contact listed on the filing is Patricia Brutten. The foundation states that it does not restrict giving to preselected organizations and lists no restrictions on awards. For educational grants, it requires a full financial overview of the applicant family’s financial condition; awards may be grants, loans, or a combination.
- Contact
Application contact: Patricia Brutten
Mailing address: PO Box 1095, Rancho Santa Fe, CA 92067
Phone: (858) 625-4100
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Open Grants
1 open opportunity from Brutten Family Foundation
Who Brutten Family Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was The San Diego Foundation ($150K). Together the top 10 received $582K.
Organizations only. It also paid 1 grant to individuals ($10,000), which are not listed by name.
Grant Size Distribution
126 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 107 grants of 126 (85%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation describes its philanthropy as focused on benefiting San Diego County and global charities. In 2024, 74% of grant dollars went to California recipients, 14% to Florida, 8% to the District of Columbia, 3% to Colorado, and 1% to Pennsylvania.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 32 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is Brutten Family Foundation open to new grantees?
45%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 14 of 31 grantees (45%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $18K; repeat grants $26K. How we count
Medians: $5K first-time, $11K repeat.
- 32% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2021 to 2024 (−18%). Method
- In 2024 it paid out well above its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2020–2024). 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 2020 to 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $247K (2022) to $845K (2021). In 2024 it made 32 grants totaling $693K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| The San Diego Foundation San Diego, CA | The foundation mission is to inspire enduring philanthropy and enable community solutions to improve the quality of life in our region. | $150,000 |
| The Vanguard School of Lake Wales Forida Inc Lake Wales, FL | Helping Students with 2024/2025 Endowment Funding | $100,000 |
| USD Burnham-Moores Center San Diego, CA | To help recruit, educate, guide and mentor a diverse group of real estate students with the goal of facilitating their career pursuits in a socially responsible manner, with a global perspective and in collaboration with the real estate industry. | $54,700 |
| Focusing Philanthropy Santa Monica, CA | The foundation areas of focus include increasing access to medical care, education and job training, clean water, agricultural productivity, mental health services, and other core needs. | $50,000 |
| Oceana Inc Washington, DC | Working to protect and restore our oceans, oceana is the largest international advocacy organization dedicated solely to ocean conservation. | $50,000 |
| San Diego Rescue Mission San Diego, CA | Provide a homeless shelter, hunger relief, children's preschool, and emergency services learn more. | $50,000 |
| USD Burnham-Moores Center Military Scholarship San Diego, CA | Offers military scholarships for students transitioning from the military or for military-connected undergraduate and graduate students pursuing a real estate degree. | $50,000 |
| Voices for Children Inc Vista, CA | The foundation helps uc san diego obtain private gifts in support of research, teaching, and public service. | $27,500 |
| Scripps Health Foundation San Diego, CA | Enhances the current and future health care needs of the san diego communities through support of patient care, health education, clinical research and major capital projects | $25,000 |
| Sharp Healthcare Foundation San Diego, CA | Enhances the current and future health care needs of the san diego communities through support of patient care, health education, clinical research and major capital projects | $25,000 |
Ready to take the next step with Brutten Family Foundation?
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Qualifying Distributions | Net Investment Income | Distributable Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $348,482 | $732,058 | $692,886 | $692,556 | 32 | $692,556 | $1,842 | $14,076 |
| 2023 | $308,755 | $351,920 | $353,093 | $248,903 | 22 | $248,903 | — | $13,853 |
| 2022 | $359,928 | $251,557 | $250,044 | $247,299 | 27 | $247,299 | — | $8,755 |
| 2021 | $308,415 | $176,292 | $848,258 | $845,006 | 23 | $846,558 | — | $20,016 |
| 2020 | $980,381 | $1,041,347 | $547,104 | $541,669 | 22 | — | — | $18,472 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Brutten Family Foundation reported a distributable amount of $14K for 2024 — 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 says it seeks to expand access to the outdoors, high-quality education, and vital mental health services. Its stated environmental interests include educating a new generation of environmentalists and supporting technologies that reduce carbon emissions and preserve natural resources. For education, it seeks to improve access for people who might otherwise be unable to obtain it. In homelessness and mental health, it looks for infrastructure and programs aimed at long-term recovery solutions.
Its 2024 grantees illustrate the range of organizations it supports. The San Diego Rescue Mission describes its work as addressing the needs of people experiencing homelessness through rehabilitation and recovery services. Outdoor Outreach says its mission is to connect youth to the transformative power of the outdoors. Barrio Logan College Institute says it prepares disadvantaged students to attend and succeed in college, while Voices for Children describes its work as providing court-appointed special advocates for abused children.
Grantmaking
The foundation awarded 32 grants totaling $692,556 in 2024, compared with 22 grants totaling $248,903 in 2023 and 27 grants totaling $247,299 in 2022. In 2024, grants ranged from $100 to $150,000, with a median grant of $5,000.
Among the largest 2024 awards were $150,000 to The San Diego Foundation, $100,000 to The Vanguard School of Lake Wales, and $54,700 to the USD Burnham-Moores Center. Other notable grants included $50,000 each to Focusing Philanthropy, Oceana Inc., the San Diego Rescue Mission, and the USD Burnham-Moores Center Military Scholarship.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Patricia Brutten as president, Marc R. Brutten as secretary, and Corey Eagle as treasurer.
Brutten Family Foundation is led by Patricia Brutten, President on every filing since 2020; none of the 3 officers listed in 2024 report compensation.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Patricia Brutten
President
On filings since 2020
4 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Corey Eagle
Treasurer
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Marc R. Brutten
Secretary
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2024. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Frequently asked questions about Brutten Family Foundation
How much does Brutten Family Foundation give each year?
Brutten Family Foundation gave $693K across 32 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $249K across 22 grants.
What is Brutten Family Foundation's typical grant size?
Brutten Family Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $5,000, and its average grant was $21,642, across 32 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Brutten Family Foundation that year got $18K on average.
Where does Brutten Family Foundation give grants?
Brutten Family Foundation gives mostly in California: 74% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest states were Florida (14%) and District of Columbia (8%). The most frequent recipient cities were San Diego, CA (12 grants), Los Angeles, CA (3 grants), Washington, DC (2 grants) and Colorado Springs, CO (2 grants).
Does Brutten Family Foundation give general operating support?
Occasionally: 3% of Brutten Family Foundation's 2024 grants with a stated purpose (1 of 32) were for general or operating support, per its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are Brutten Family Foundation's largest grantees?
Brutten Family Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include The San Diego Foundation ($150,000), The Vanguard School of Lake Wales Forida Inc ($100,000) and USD Burnham-Moores Center ($54,700), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It also paid 1 grant to individuals ($10,000), which are not listed by name. Together they received 44% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is Brutten Family Foundation?
Brutten Family Foundation reported $348K in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $693K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $14K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does Brutten Family Foundation fund?
The foundation says it seeks to expand access to the outdoors, high-quality education, and vital mental health services. Its stated environmental interests include educating a new generation of environmentalists and supporting technologies that reduce carbon emissions and preserve natural resources. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Brutten Family Foundation?
The foundation accepts unsolicited requests. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Brutten Family Foundation's EIN?
Brutten Family Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 46-5318556. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Does Brutten Family Foundation accept unsolicited proposals?
Yes, according to Grantable's research on the foundation's published guidelines. See how to apply ↑
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(6)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS November 15, 2021)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS October 27, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS November 3, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS November 6, 2024)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS November 4, 2025)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Brutten Family Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 20, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/brutten-family-foundation-morg_e51cc98f6ec54290999c8e22346d7c2a
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_465318556_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Brutten Family Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/brutten-family-foundation-morg_e51cc98f6ec54290999c8e22346d7c2a},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-20. 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 Brutten 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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