Busch Family Foundation

Private foundation · Grantmaker Carmel, CA EIN: 77-0356496

Busch Family Foundation is a private foundation, based in Carmel, CA. IRS filing data is available from 2021 through 2025. As of 2025, the organization holds $1.5M in total assets. In 2025, it awarded 9 grants totaling $78K. Net investment income was $100K.

Key facts about Busch Family Foundation

In short: Busch Family Foundation gave $78K across 9 grants in 2025 (avg $9K), mostly in California. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.

EIN
77-0356496
Latest 990 filing
Form 990-PF, 2025
Annual giving (2025)
$78,100
Grants made (2025)
9
Average grant
$8,678
Median grant
$8,200
Total assets
$1,501,449
Primary geography
California (84% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)

Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated September 2026.

Financial Overview

From 2025 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing

Total Assets

$1.5M

+1.1% YoY

Annual Giving

$78K

-4.8% YoY

Grant Count

9

+12.5% YoY

Avg Grant Size

$9K

-15.3% YoY

Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Busch Family Foundation reported a distributable amount of $85K for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.

How Busch Family Foundation gives

  • Giving held roughly steady from 2022 to 2025 (+4%). Method
  • In 2025 it paid out 96% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Foundations have until the end of the next year to meet it. Method

From the foundation's IRS Form 990-PF filings. Methodology.

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Geographic Focus

Where this funder awards grants

Grant Distribution by State

5states

Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 9 itemized grants.

Cities

VenturaSalinasWatsonvilleSanta BarbaraSanta AnaCoppellEurekaGoletaKirkwoodLake LeelanauMontereySan DiegoSan FranciscoTowson

Giving Over Time

Total grant dollars and number of grants per year

$0$25K$50K$75K$100K7 grants2021 7 grants2022 10 grants2023 8 grants2024 9 grants2025

From 2021 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $73K (2021) to $88K (2023). In 2025 it made 9 grants totaling $78K.

Grant Insights

How this funder distributes its grants

Top Recipients

Top 9 recipients in 2025

Palma School Foundation: $23KPalma School Foundation$23KOlive Crest Hope Refuge: $13KOlive Crest Hope Refuge$13KThe Defensive Line: $13KThe Defensive Line$13KJacob's Heart Children's Cancer Cen: $11KJacob's Heart Children'sCancer Cen$11KLivingston Memorial VNA Hospice: $8KLivingston Memorial VNAHospice$8KMuseum of Ventura County: $3KMuseum of Ventura County$3KCommunity Memorial Healthcare Found: $3KCommunity Memorial HealthcareFound$3KGirls Inc of Central Coast: $3KGirls Inc of Central Coast$3KBoys Girls Club of the Redwoods: $2KBoys Girls Club of theRedwoods$2K

The largest 2025 recipient was Palma School Foundation ($23K). Together the top 9 received $78K.

Grant Size Distribution

41 grants across all recorded years

41<$50K$50–100K$100–250K$250–500K$500K–1M$1–5M$5M+

The most common grant size was under $50K: 41 grants of 41 (100%).

Giving History

Grant recipients and amounts by year

RecipientPurposeAmount
Palma School Foundation Salinas, CAGeneral Support$22,500
Olive Crest Hope Refuge Santa Ana, CAGeneral Support$12,750
The Defensive Line Coppell, TXGeneral Support$12,750
Jacob's Heart Children's Cancer Cen Watsonville, CAGeneral Support$10,750
Livingston Memorial VNA Hospice Ventura, CAGeneral Support$8,200
Museum of Ventura County Ventura, CAGeneral Support$3,200
Community Memorial Healthcare Found Ventura, CAGeneral Support$3,200
Girls Inc of Central Coast Salinas, CAGeneral Support$2,750
Boys Girls Club of the Redwoods Eureka, CAGeneral Support$2,000

Financial History

Multi-year comparison from IRS filings

Revenue
Expenses
Qualifying Distributions
Net Investment Income
$0$50K$100K$150K2021 2022 2023 2024 2025
Metric202520242023
Total Assets$1,501,449$1,485,448$1,490,178
Revenue$115,849$97,675$69,901
Expenses$99,848$102,722$109,942
Qualifying Distributions$82,150$85,790$92,390
Net Investment Income$100,472$82,134$55,726
Distributable Amount$85,273$82,852$85,486

Data update history

When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable

  1. IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2021–2025

Leadership & Key People

Officers and directors from IRS filings

Busch Family Foundation is led by Ellyn D Busch Essig, President since 2025 (on filings since 2021); none of the 6 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.

Officers on the 2025 filing

  • Ellyn D Busch Essig

    President

    Secretary → President, 2025

    On filings since 2021

    1 hr/week

    No compensation reported

  • Frank B Busch

    Director

    Vice President → Director, 2025

    On filings since 2021

    1 hr/week

    No compensation reported

  • Jeffrey D Busch

    Director

    On filings since 2021

    1 hr/week

    No compensation reported

  • Peter S. Busch

    Director

    CFO → Director, 2025

    On filings since 2021

    1 hr/week

    No compensation reported

  • Gregory J Busch

    CFO

    Vice President → CFO, 2025

    On filings since 2021

    1 hr/week

    No compensation reported

  • Ralph B Busch III

    Vice President

    President → Vice President, 2025

    On filings since 2021

    1 hr/week

    No compensation reported

Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2021–2025. "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 Busch Family Foundation

How much does Busch Family Foundation give each year?

Busch Family Foundation gave $78K across 9 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $82K across 8 grants.

What is Busch Family Foundation's typical grant size?

Busch Family Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $8,200, and its average grant was $8,678, across 9 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.

Where does Busch Family Foundation give grants?

Busch Family Foundation gives mostly in California: 84% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest state was Texas (16%). The most frequent recipient cities were Ventura, CA (3 grants) and Salinas, CA (2 grants).

Does Busch Family Foundation give general operating support?

Yes: 100% of Busch Family Foundation's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (9 of 9) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.

Who are Busch Family Foundation's largest grantees?

Busch Family Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include Palma School Foundation ($22,500), Olive Crest Hope Refuge ($12,750) and The Defensive Line ($12,750), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 61% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.

How large is Busch Family Foundation?

Busch Family Foundation reported $1.5M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $82K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $85K (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 is Busch Family Foundation's EIN?

Busch Family Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 77-0356496. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2021–2025.

Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings.

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