California Polytechnic State University Foundation
To provide and augment programs that are an integral part of the educational mission of the university, primarily in the acquisition, investment and administration of gifts and endowments for the benefit of the university.
California Polytechnic State University Foundation at a glance
In short: California Polytechnic State University Foundation gave $32.4M across 4 grants in 2025 (avg $8.1M), mostly in California. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $32,427,301
- -1.4% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 4
- +0.0% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $8,106,825
- -1.4% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $4,105,727
- Total assets
- $467,647,859
- +7.0% vs 2024
- Primary geography
- California (100% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990, 2025; updated September 2026.
Who California Polytechnic State University Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 3 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was California Polytechnic State University ($23.8M). Together the top 3 received $28.0M.
Organizations only. It also paid 1 individual scholarship ($4,418,919), which are not listed by name.
Grant Size Distribution
20 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was in the $1–5M range: 10 grants of 20 (50%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 4 itemized grants.
States
Cities
How California Polytechnic State University Foundation gives
- Giving grew 26% from 2022 to 2025. Method
From the foundation's IRS Form 990 filings. Methodology.
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2020 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $18.9M (2021) to $32.9M (2024). In 2025 it made 4 grants totaling $32.4M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo, CA | Support of the University | $23,796,818 |
| 1 individual scholarship Recipients not named | — | $4,418,919 |
| Cal Poly Corporation San Luis Obispo, CA | Contributions to cal poly corporation in support of the university | $3,792,535 |
| Associated Students Inc San Luis Obispo, CA | Contributions to associated students, inc. In support of the university | $419,029 |
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Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Net Investment Income |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $467,647,859 | $62,571,176 | $67,383,655 | $32,427,301 | 4 | $12,286,291 |
| 2024 | $437,035,056 | $74,723,223 | $51,314,550 | $32,903,752 | 4 | $29,620,888 |
| 2023 | $403,663,890 | $46,982,068 | $46,371,070 | $25,198,907 | 4 | $8,221,708 |
| 2022 | $387,833,874 | $59,131,933 | $57,544,624 | $25,827,954 | 4 | $8,027,276 |
| 2021 | $434,195,321 | $44,339,782 | $40,325,198 | $18,899,566 | 4 | $14,950,849 |
| 2020 | $373,579,737 | $48,841,710 | $39,260,409 | $22,547,559 | 4 | $14,951,216 |
About California Polytechnic State University Foundation
Based on IRS filings
California Polytechnic State University Foundation is a public charity focused on Education, based in San Luis Obispo, CA. IRS filing data is available from 2020 through 2025. As of 2025, the organization holds $467.6M in total assets. In 2025, it awarded 4 grants totaling $32.4M. Net investment income was $12.3M.
Focus Areas
Leadership & Key People
Officers and directors from IRS filings
California Polytechnic State University Foundation is led by Jeffrey D. Armstrong, CEO & University President since 2025 (on filings since 2020); none of the 27 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Jeffrey D. Armstrong
CEO & University President
University President & CEO → University President, 2022
University President → CEO & University President, 2025
On filings since 2020
10 hrs/week
No compensation reported
William H. Swanson
Chairman
On filings since 2020
3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Jerry Lohr
Director
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Kenric B. Stone
Director
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Laura M. Pickering
Director
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Michael J. Applegate
Director
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Paul R. Bonderson Jr.
Director
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Philip S. Bailey Jr.
Director
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Richard J. Bradshaw
Director
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Stan Van Vleck
Director
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Jim Marderosian
Director
On filings since 2021
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Scott Gaudineer
Director
On filings since 2021
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Michael Abbott
Director
On filings since 2022
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Chris Trapani
Director
On filings since 2023
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Jennifer Jipson
Director
On filings since 2023
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Lisa Anderson
Director
On filings since 2023
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Ryan Martinez
Director
On filings since 2023
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Cynthia Vizcaino Villa Part Year
Director
On filings since 2024
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Tammy Kiely
Director
On filings since 2024
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Abegail Lara Part Year
Director
New on the 2025 filing
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Cheri De Jong
Director
New on the 2025 filing
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Hilary Decesare Part Year
Director
New on the 2025 filing
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Matt Weinstein
Director
New on the 2025 filing
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Richard C. Jacobsen Part Year
Director
New on the 2025 filing
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Charles L. Harrington
Vice Chairman
On filings since 2020
3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
John Ronca
Secretary
On filings since 2020
3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Marc Benadiba
Treasurer
On filings since 2020
8 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (30)
- Former: Hilary Decesare (2020–2024) — Director
- Former: Richard C. Jacobsen (2020–2024) — Director
- Former: Cynthia Jackson-Elmoore (2022–2024) — Director
- Former: Lloyd Dean (2022–2024) — Director
- Former: Zachary Smith (2022–2024) — CEO
- Former: Abegail Lara (2023–2024) — Director
- Former: Basia Gillespie Part Year (2024) — Director
- Former: Cheri Dejong (2024) — Director
- Former: John F. Salmonson Part Year (2024) — Director
- Former: Stephen J. Barnard Part Year (2024) — Director
- Former: Basia Gillespie (2020–2023) — Director
- Former: Cynthia Vizcaino Villa (2020–2023) — Director
- Former: John F. Salmonson (2020–2023) — Director
- Former: Stephen J. Barnard (2020–2023) — Director
- Former: Kenny Wu Part Year (2023) — Director
- Former: Mark Harris Part Year (2023) — Director
- Former: Robert C. Taylor Jr Part Year (2023) — Director
- Former: Trevor Harding Part Year (2023) — Director
- Former: Mark Harris (2020–2022) — Director
- Former: Robert C. Taylor Jr. (2020–2022) — Director
- Former: Robert E. Wacker (2020–2022) — Director
- Former: Dick Bradshaw (2022) — Director
- Former: Kenny Wu (2022) — Director
- Former: Trevor Harding (2022) — Director
- Former: Josh Machamer (2020–2021) — Director
- Former: Rob Moore (2020–2021) — Director
- Former: Jon Monett (2020) — Director
- Former: Kathleen Enz Finken (2020) — Director
- Former: Matthew N. Ewing Part Year (2020) — CEO
- Former: Saira Malik (2020) — Director
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2025. "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 California Polytechnic State University Foundation
How much does California Polytechnic State University Foundation give each year?
California Polytechnic State University Foundation gave $32.4M across 4 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. In 2024 it gave $32.9M across 4 grants.
What is California Polytechnic State University Foundation's typical grant size?
California Polytechnic State University Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $4,105,727, and its average grant was $8,106,825, across 4 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990.
Where does California Polytechnic State University Foundation give grants?
California Polytechnic State University Foundation gives mostly in California: 100% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990 went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were San Luis Obispo, CA (3 grants).
Does California Polytechnic State University Foundation give general operating support?
Not in 2025: none of the 4 grants with a stated purpose on California Polytechnic State University Foundation's 2025 IRS Form 990 were described as general or operating support.
How large is California Polytechnic State University Foundation?
California Polytechnic State University Foundation reported $467.6M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Its revenue that year was $62.6M.
What is California Polytechnic State University Foundation?
California Polytechnic State University Foundation is a public charity focused on Education, based in San Luis Obispo, CA. It holds $467.6M in total assets as of 2025.
What is California Polytechnic State University Foundation's EIN?
California Polytechnic State University Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 20-4927897. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.
Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990 filings.
Data update history
(6)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS May 11, 2021)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS May 2, 2022)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS May 12, 2023)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS May 14, 2024)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS May 8, 2025)
- Added Form 990 for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS May 15, 2026)
Live grants for the work California Polytechnic State University Foundation funds
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Figures come from California Polytechnic State University 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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