Descanso Gardens Foundation
To practice exemplary stewardship of the gardens, offering people an experience close to nature and cultivating understanding of the natural world and people's place in it through inspiration, education, and example.
Descanso Gardens Foundation at a glance
In short: Descanso Gardens Foundation gave $11K across 1 grant in 2025 (avg $11K), mostly in California. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $10,700
- Grants made (2025)
- 1
- Average grant
- $10,700
- Median grant
- $10,700
- Total assets
- $27,307,341
- +2.5% 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 Descanso Gardens Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top recipient in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was California School of the Arts San Gabriel Valley ($11K).
Grant Size Distribution
4 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 4 grants of 4 (100%).
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 Descanso Gardens Foundation gives
- Giving fell 28% 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 2021 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $9K (2021) to $15K (2022). In 2025 it made 1 grant totaling $11K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| California School of the Arts San Gabriel Valley Duarte, CA | Donation was made as part of a partnership arrangement for the school to perform at enchanted | $10,700 |
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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 | $27,307,341 | $17,208,622 | $17,843,245 | $10,700 | 1 | $179,259 |
| 2024 | $26,652,667 | $16,854,161 | $16,663,490 | — | — | $309,000 |
| 2023 | $25,501,809 | $17,462,988 | $15,171,771 | $14,355 | 1 | $193,298 |
| 2022 | $20,705,100 | $16,704,728 | $13,160,520 | $14,908 | 1 | $216,442 |
| 2021 | $18,003,648 | $13,487,216 | $9,518,122 | $8,700 | 1 | $42,393 |
| 2020 | $11,011,837 | $6,352,909 | $5,917,333 | — | — | $47,220 |
| 2019 | $11,159,425 | $9,463,936 | $9,241,410 | — | — | $56,930 |
About Descanso Gardens Foundation
Based on IRS filings
Descanso Gardens Foundation is a public charity focused on Environment & Animals, based in La Canada Flintridge, CA. IRS filing data is available from 2019 through 2025. As of 2025, the organization holds $27.3M in total assets. In 2025, it awarded 1 grant totaling $11K. Net investment income was $179K.
Focus Areas
Leadership & Key People
Officers and directors from IRS filings
Descanso Gardens Foundation is led by Juliann Rooke, Chief Executive Officer since 2025 (on filings since 2019); 5 of 32 officers listed in 2025 are compensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Juliann Rooke
Chief Executive Officer
Executive Director → CEO, 2022
CEO → Chief Executive Officer, 2025
On filings since 2019
40 hrs/week
$208K (2019) → $310K (2025)
Brad Schwartz
Chair
Trustee → Board Member, 2023
Board Member → Chair, 2024
On filings since 2019
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Jennifer Errico
Director of Communications
On filings since 2024
40 hrs/week
$100K (2024) → $103K (2025)
Somer Sherwood-White
Chief Advancement Officer
CAO → Chief Advancement Officer, 2025
On filings since 2023
40 hrs/week
$129K (2023) → $180K (2025)
Emi Yoshimura - Chief
Operations & Administrator Officer
New on the 2025 filing
40 hrs/week
$151K (2025)
Marina Erlfe - Director
Of Education & Exhibitions
New on the 2025 filing
40 hrs/week
$107K (2025)
Ann Murphy
Board Member
Trustee & Chair → Board Member, 2023
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Blythe Haaga Parker
Board Member
Trustee → Board Member, 2023
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
James Levin
Board Member
Trustee & Treasurer → Treasurer, 2023
Treasurer → Board Member, 2024
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Laura Furey
Board Member
Trustee & Secretary → Secretary, 2023
Secretary → Board Member, 2024
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Lovell Holder
Secretary
Trustee → Board Member, 2023
Board Member → Secretary, 2024
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Sandra Mays
Vice Chair
Trustee → Trustee & Vice Chair, 2022
Trustee & Vice Chair → Vice Chair, 2023
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Wendy Lees
Board Member
Trustee & Vice Chair → Trustee & Treasurer, 2020
Trustee & Treasurer → Board Member, 2024
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Clarissa Weirick
Board Member
Trustee → Board Member, 2023
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Dimple Bhasin
Board Member
Trustee → Board Member, 2023
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Darcy Coleman
Board Member
Trustee → Board Member, 2023
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Diane Binney
Board Member
Trustee → Board Member, 2023
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Karl Swaidan
Board Member
Trustee → Board Member, 2023
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Linda Segal
Board Member
Trustee → Board Member, 2023
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Marie Queen
Treasurer
Trustee → Board Member, 2023
Board Member → Treasurer, 2024
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Milene Apanian
Board Member
Trustee → Board Member, 2023
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Patsy Pinney
Board Member
Trustee → Board Member, 2023
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Christy Hobart
Board Member
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Hope Tschopik Schneider
Board Member
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Jacob Tujian
Board Member
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Ara Aslanian
Board Member
On filings since 2024
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Ian McCarthy
Board Member
On filings since 2024
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Jane Haderlein
Board Member
New on the 2025 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Laura Olhasso
Board Member
New on the 2025 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Paige Farmer
Board Member
New on the 2025 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Scott Sugino
Board Member
New on the 2025 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
William Choi
Board Member
New on the 2025 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (21)
- Former: Ben Logan (2019–2024) — Board Member
- Former: Donald Voss (2019–2024) — Board Member
- Former: John Dangona (2019–2024) — Board Member
- Former: Lola James Kelly (2022–2024) — Board Member
- Former: Emi Yoshimura (2023–2024) — Coao
- Former: Steven Rosen MD (2023–2024) — Board Member
- Former: David Bare Director Of (2024) — Horticulture & Garden Operations
- Former: Jenina Garrett (2019–2023) — CFO
- Former: Kay Linden (2019–2023) — Board Member
- Former: Peggy Miller (2019–2022) — Trustee
- Former: David Stork (2021–2022) — COO
- Former: Jennifer Kuo (2022) — Trustee
- Former: Greg McLemore (2019–2021) — Trustee
- Former: Jennifer Kuo Baxter (2019–2021) — Trustee & Secretary
- Former: Katie King (2019–2021) — Trustee
- Former: Ned Russell (2019–2021) — Trustee
- Former: Carin Salter (2019–2020) — Trustee
- Former: Richard Atwater (2019–2020) — Trustee
- Former: Rick Neumann (2019–2020) — Trustee
- Former: Amy Lamb (2019) — Trustee
- Former: Georgianna B. Erskine (2019) — Trustee
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 $310K, to Juliann Rooke ((Ex Officio) Chief Executive Officer). 5 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Frequently asked questions about Descanso Gardens Foundation
How much does Descanso Gardens Foundation give each year?
Descanso Gardens Foundation gave $11K across 1 grant in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990.
How large is Descanso Gardens Foundation?
Descanso Gardens Foundation reported $27.3M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Its revenue that year was $17.2M.
What is Descanso Gardens Foundation?
Descanso Gardens Foundation is a public charity focused on Environment & Animals, based in La Canada Flintridge, CA. It holds $27.3M in total assets as of 2025.
Where does Descanso Gardens Foundation operate?
Descanso Gardens Foundation has awarded grants in California.
What is Descanso Gardens Foundation's EIN?
Descanso Gardens Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 95-2511202. 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
(3)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Added Form 990 for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS July 2, 2020)
- Added Form 990 for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS June 10, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Descanso Gardens Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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Descanso Gardens Foundation down — hundreds of funders to go?