Croul Family Foundation
Croul Family Foundation is a private foundation based in Irvine, California. Its stated mission focuses on Orange County and supports organizations working to improve K–12 educational outcomes, as well as organizations assisting people who are homeless or economically disadvantaged in Orange County.
Key facts about Croul Family Foundation
In short: Croul Family Foundation gave $1.4M across 72 grants in 2024 (avg $19K), mostly in California. 56% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- EIN
- 20-1222760
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024
- Annual giving (2024)
- $1,396,871
- Grants made (2024)
- 72
- Average grant
- $19,401
- Median grant
- $10,000
- New grantees (estimate)
- 56% first-time grantees (40 of 71, 2024)
- Total assets
- $23,967,769
- Primary geography
- California (94% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- How to apply
- The grant criteria state that the foundation does not accept unsolicited requests at present, while its grants page says it accepts unsolicited requests but that only a very limited portion of funds is available for… Full details ↓
- Deadline
- September 1 for the Letter of Inquiry, according to the grants page.
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated September 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology). Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$24.0M
+22.6% YoY
Annual Giving
$1.4M
+3.2% YoY
Grant Count
72
-6.5% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$19K
+10.4% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Croul Family Foundation reported a distributable amount of $1.1M for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Is Croul Family Foundation open to new grantees?
56%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 40 of 71 grantees (56%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $15K; repeat grants $26K. How we count
Medians: $8K first-time, $10K repeat.
- 28% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving fell 38% from 2021 to 2024. Method
- In 2024 it paid out 125% of 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.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation says it supports programs that further its mission, leverage future impact for organizations and communities, and are creative, innovative, and efficient. Its stated priorities include educational opportunities for economically disadvantaged people, veterans, food banks, and shelters. Grants may support operating or capital expenses, programs or projects, and endowments; the criteria say grants may not be used for start-up organizations.
The 2024 recipients illustrate a range of activities. Ocean Institute describes its work as using the ocean as a classroom and providing hands-on ocean and maritime history learning, with programs intended to reduce financial barriers to access. Brackens Kitchen says it works through food rescue, culinary training, and community feeding. Crystal Cove Conservancy describes educational and interpretive activities at Crystal Cove State Park, scientific studies, and restoration of historic district buildings. Planes of Fame Air Museum says its mission includes preserving aviation history, educating the public, and honoring aviation pioneers and veterans. Newport Beach Public Library Foundation says it funds library resources, programs, and services, and sponsors literary, cultural, and intellectual programs.
Grantmaking
In 2024, the foundation reported 72 grants totaling $1,396,871. Grant amounts ranged from $250 to $250,000, with a median of $10,000. The largest reported awards included $250,000 to Orange Catholic Foundation, $131,000 to OC Museum of Art, $62,932 to Claremont McKenna College, and $60,000 to Surfing Heritage Foundation. Other listed awards included $50,000 each to Bracken’s Kitchen, Crystal Cove Conservancy, Goodwill Industries of Orange County, Newport Beach Library Foundation, Ocean Institute, and Planes of Fame Air Museum.
The foundation’s published criteria list Basic Grants of $1,000–$14,999 and Full Grants of $15,000–$50,000. They state a preference for single-year grants; multi-year grants may be permitted for up to three years, subject to the foundation’s terms. Applicants must be public charities organized under IRC section 501(c)(3) and qualified under IRC section 170(b)(1)(A).
Review Cycle
September 1 for the Letter of Inquiry, according to the grants page.
How to Apply
The grant criteria state that the foundation does not accept unsolicited requests at present, while its grants page says it accepts unsolicited requests but that only a very limited portion of funds is available for general grants. The website describes an online Letter of Inquiry (LOI) process; selected organizations may be invited to submit a full grant application. The foundation’s filing directs applicants to the website for requirements, materials, and restrictions.
Ready to take the next step with Croul Family Foundation?
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation’s stated mission focuses on Orange County, California. In 2024, 94% of grant dollars went to recipients in California; 2% went to recipients in Oregon and 2% to recipients in Washington.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 72 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2020 to 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $1.4M (2023) to $3.5M (2020). In 2024 it made 72 grants totaling $1.4M.
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Orange Catholic Foundation ($250K). Together the top 10 received $804K.
Grant Size Distribution
493 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 417 grants of 493 (85%).
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Orange Catholic Foundation Garden Grove, CA | Program Support | $250,000 |
| Oc Museum of Art Costa Mesa, CA | Program Support | $131,000 |
| Claremont McKenna College Claremont, CA | Program Support | $62,932 |
| Surfing Eritage Foundation San Clemente, CA | Program Support | $60,000 |
| Bracken's Kitchen Garden Grove, CA | Program Support | $50,000 |
| Crystal Cove Conservancy Newport Beach, CA | Program Support | $50,000 |
| Goodwill Industries of Orange Coounty Santa Ana, CA | Program Support | $50,000 |
| Newport Beach Library Foundation Newport Beach, CA | Program Support | $50,000 |
| Ocean Institute Dana Point, CA | Program Support | $50,000 |
| Planes of Fame Air Museum Chino, CA | Program Support | $50,000 |
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $23,967,769 | $2,809,072 | $1,716,451 | $1,396,871 |
| 2023 | $19,556,832 | $1,037,574 | $1,665,240 | $1,353,604 |
| 2022 | $20,433,187 | −$855,364 | $2,325,940 | $2,024,453 |
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $23,967,769 | $19,556,832 | $20,433,187 |
| Revenue | $2,809,072 | $1,037,574 | $-855,364 |
| Expenses | $1,716,451 | $1,665,240 | $2,325,940 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $1,396,871 | $1,461,800 | $2,088,499 |
| Net Investment Income | $2,808,072 | $845,216 | $249,636 |
| Distributable Amount | $1,116,756 | $1,032,890 | $1,124,801 |
Data update history
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists John V Croul as CEO, John Bradford Croul as CFO, and Spencer Behr Croul as president.
Croul Family Foundation is led by John Bradford Croul, CEO & CFO on every filing since 2020; none of the 2 officers listed in 2024 report compensation.
Officers on the 2024 filing
John Bradford Croul
CEO & CFO
On filings since 2020
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Spencer Behr Croul
President
Secretary → President, 2024
On filings since 2020
5 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.
Contact
Application contact: Croul Family Foundation Co First Fo
Mailing address: 18101 Von Karman Avenue Suite 700, Irvine, CA 92612
Phone: (877) 968-6328
Website: https://croulfoundation.org
Frequently asked questions about Croul Family Foundation
How much does Croul Family Foundation give each year?
Croul Family Foundation gave $1.4M across 72 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $1.4M across 77 grants.
What is Croul Family Foundation's typical grant size?
Croul Family Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $10,000, and its average grant was $19,401, across 72 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Croul Family Foundation that year got $15K on average.
Where does Croul Family Foundation give grants?
Croul Family Foundation gives mostly in California: 94% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Newport Beach, CA (8 grants), Santa Ana, CA (7 grants), Irvine, CA (5 grants) and Garden Grove, CA (3 grants).
Does Croul Family Foundation give general operating support?
Not in 2024: none of the 72 grants with a stated purpose on Croul Family Foundation's 2024 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Program Support" (72 grants).
Who are Croul Family Foundation's largest grantees?
Croul Family Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include Orange Catholic Foundation ($250,000), Oc Museum of Art ($131,000) and Claremont McKenna College ($62,932), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 32% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is Croul Family Foundation?
Croul Family Foundation reported $24.0M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $1.4M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $1.1M (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does Croul Family Foundation fund?
The foundation says it supports programs that further its mission, leverage future impact for organizations and communities, and are creative, innovative, and efficient. Its stated priorities include educational opportunities for economically disadvantaged people, veterans, food banks, and shelters. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Croul Family Foundation?
The grant criteria state that the foundation does not accept unsolicited requests at present, while its grants page says it accepts unsolicited requests but that only a very limited portion of funds is available for… Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Croul Family Foundation's EIN?
Croul Family Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 20-1222760. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Here's the math on researching Croul Family Foundation by hand.
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