College of the Desert Foundation
The mission of the College of the Desert Foundation is to enhance the quality of education by advancing the College of the Desert through building relationships, securing philanthropic support and stewarding assets.
College of the Desert Foundation at a glance
In short: College of the Desert Foundation gave $700K across 1 grant in 2025 (avg $700K), mostly in California. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $699,959
- +18.1% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 1
- +0.0% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $699,959
- +18.1% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $699,959
- Total assets
- $69,984,882
- +9.9% 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 College of the Desert Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top recipient in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Desert Community College District ($700K).
Grant Size Distribution
5 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was in the $500K–1M range: 3 grants of 5 (60%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
Grant Distribution by State
Share of the 2025 grant dollars on its one itemized grant.
States
Cities
How College of the Desert Foundation gives
- Giving grew 46% 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 2019 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $242K (2021) to $700K (2025). In 2025 it made 1 grant totaling $700K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Desert Community College District Palm Desert, CA | To provide funds to specific College of the Desert departments | $699,959 |
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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 | $69,984,882 | $7,787,829 | $3,816,767 | $699,959 | 1 | $5,019,561 |
| 2024 | $63,708,097 | $10,998,273 | $4,068,930 | $592,525 | 1 | $2,444,236 |
| 2023 | $52,675,648 | $3,477,705 | $3,202,927 | $519,731 | 1 | $1,085,911 |
| 2022 | $50,230,907 | $4,556,549 | $3,459,061 | $480,483 | 1 | $1,670,748 |
| 2021 | $55,154,245 | $22,091,116 | $3,144,691 | $241,569 | 1 | $2,315,174 |
| 2020 | $33,380,215 | $2,783,865 | $3,024,820 | $562,744 | 1 | $1,196,494 |
| 2019 | $33,642,066 | $4,193,253 | $3,116,627 | $681,964 | 1 | $1,788,011 |
About College of the Desert Foundation
Based on IRS filings
College of the Desert Foundation is a public charity focused on Education, based in Palm Desert, CA. IRS filing data is available from 2019 through 2025. As of 2025, the organization holds $70.0M in total assets. In 2025, it awarded 1 grant totaling $700K. Net investment income was $5.0M.
Focus Areas
Leadership & Key People
Officers and directors from IRS filings
College of the Desert Foundation is led by Catherine Wilkinson Abbott, Executive Director on every filing since 2020; 4 of 35 officers listed in 2025 are compensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Catherine Wilkinson Abbott
Executive Director
On filings since 2020
40 hrs/week
$225K (2025)
Diane Rubin
Chair
Vice President → Chair Elect, 2023
Chair Elect → Chair, 2024
On filings since 2019
0.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Edward Hernandez
Development Director
New on the 2025 filing
40 hrs/week
$150K (2025)
Barbara Fromm
Director
Director → Secretary, 2023
Secretary → Director, 2025
On filings since 2019
0.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Donna MacMillan
Director
On filings since 2019
0.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
James Greene
Director
On filings since 2019
0.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Jane Saltonstall
Director
On filings since 2019
0.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Marge Dodge
Director
Vice President → Secretary, 2021
Secretary → Director, 2023
On filings since 2019
0.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Norma Castaneda
Director
On filings since 2019
0.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Paul Hinkes
Director & Treasurer
Director → Director & Treasurer, 2025
On filings since 2020
0.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Ruben Perez
Trustee Representative
Director → Trustee Representative, 2025
On filings since 2020
0.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Carol Fragen
Director
On filings since 2021
0.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Dale Landon
Director
On filings since 2021
0.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Robert Moon
Director
On filings since 2021
0.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Joan Lamb
Director
On filings since 2023
0.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Shari Stewart
Director
On filings since 2023
0.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Ed Gubman
Director
On filings since 2024
0.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Jaishri Mehta
Director
On filings since 2024
0.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Jenell Vandenbos
Director
On filings since 2024
0.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Ramraghi Fuller
Director
On filings since 2024
0.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Rod Garcia
Director
On filings since 2024
0.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Alvin Schonfeld
Director
New on the 2025 filing
0.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Elizabeth Dick
Director
New on the 2025 filing
0.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Phillip Niblo
Director
New on the 2025 filing
0.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Amanda McCarthy
Database Manager
New on the 2025 filing
40 hrs/week
$109K (2025)
Patricia Kirstien Renna
Financial Officer
New on the 2025 filing
40 hrs/week
$143K (2025)
Tom Minder
Chair Elect
Treasurer → Director, 2023
Director → Chair Elect, 2024
On filings since 2019
0.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
William S Chunowitz
Co-Past Chair
Past Board Chair → Co Past Board Chair, 2024
Co Past Board Chair → Co-Past Chair, 2025
On filings since 2019
0.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Christine Anderson
Co-Past Chair
Chair → Co Past Board Chair, 2024
Co Past Board Chair → Co-Past Chair, 2025
On filings since 2021
0.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Jake Wuest
Treasurer
Director → Treasurer, 2023
On filings since 2021
0.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Corbyn Wild
Academic Senate Representative
Director → Academic Senate Representative, 2025
On filings since 2023
0.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Barbara Foster-Monachino
Secretary
New on the 2025 filing
0.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Juan Falcon
Student Representative
New on the 2025 filing
0.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Richard Chip West IIIInterim
Vice President of Administrator Serv.
New on the 2025 filing
0.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Val Martinez Garcia
College Superintendent
New on the 2025 filing
0.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (40)
- Former: Barbara Foster Monachino (2019–2024) — Director
- Former: Carol Bell Dean (2019–2024) — Director
- Former: James Williams (2020–2024) — Director
- Former: Marlene O'Sullivan (2020–2024) — Director
- Former: Connie Lurie (2023–2024) — Director
- Former: Charles Townsend Vinco (2024) — Director
- Former: Jerry Fogelson (2024) — Director
- Former: Laura Hope (2024) — College Superintendent
- Former: Peggy Cravens (2019–2023) — Director
- Former: Aurora Wilson (2020–2023) — Director
- Former: Kim Dozier (2020–2023) — Director
- Former: Leslie Usow (2021–2023) — Director
- Former: Peggy Jacobs (2021–2023) — Director
- Former: Martha Garcia (2022–2023) — College Superintendent
- Former: Andy Dunn (2023) — Director
- Former: James B. Johnson (2019–2022) — Director
- Former: Joanne Mintz (2019–2022) — Director
- Former: John Ramont (2019–2022) — Director
- Former: Robert Kincaid (2019–2022) — Director
- Former: Bonnie Stefan (2021–2022) — Director
- Former: Jeff Baker (2021–2022) — Director
- Former: Amaris Guzman (2022) — Student Board Member
- Former: Hasan Rakipi (2022) — Student Board Member
- Former: John P. Monahan (2019–2021) — Director
- Former: Chris Anderson (2019–2020) — Secretary
- Former: Joel L. Kinnamon (2019–2020) — Director
- Former: John W. Mosser (2019–2020) — Executive Director
- Former: Melinda Drickey (2019–2020) — Director
- Former: Arlene Schnitzerpassed (2020) — Director
- Former: Vern Kozlen Passed Away (2020) — Director
- Former: Arlene Schnitzer (2019) — Director
- Former: Brian Holcombe (2019) — Director
- Former: Carl Farmer (2019) — Director
- Former: Charles Monell MD (2019) — Parlimentarian
- Former: Dominique Shwe (2019) — Director
- Former: Donna Jean Darby (2019) — Past President
- Former: Gale Hackshaw (2019) — Director
- Former: Jean Carrus (2019) — Director
- Former: Robert C. Manion (2019) — Director
- Former: Vern Kozlen (2019) — Treasurer
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2019–2025. "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 $225K, to Catherine Wilkinson Abbott (Executive Director). 4 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Frequently asked questions about College of the Desert Foundation
How much does College of the Desert Foundation give each year?
College of the Desert Foundation gave $700K across 1 grant in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. In 2024 it gave $593K across 1 grant.
How large is College of the Desert Foundation?
College of the Desert Foundation reported $70.0M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Its revenue that year was $7.8M.
What is College of the Desert Foundation?
College of the Desert Foundation is a public charity focused on Education, based in Palm Desert, CA. It holds $70.0M in total assets as of 2025.
Where does College of the Desert Foundation operate?
College of the Desert Foundation has awarded grants in California.
What is College of the Desert Foundation's EIN?
College of the Desert Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 95-3829219. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2025.
Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990 filings.
Data update history
(8)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS May 10, 2021)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS March 22, 2022)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS June 1, 2023)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS May 8, 2024)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS April 29, 2025)
- Added Form 990 for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS May 15, 2020)
- Added Form 990 for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS May 4, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
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College of the Desert Foundation down — hundreds of funders to go?