Gochnauer Family Foundation
The Gochnauer Family Foundation is a private foundation based in Corona del Mar, California. Established in December 1998, it provides financial support to organizations and programs serving families and children in need, including those promoting spiritual, medical, cultural, or educational growth or providing essential services.
Key facts about Gochnauer Family Foundation
In short: Gochnauer Family Foundation gave $828K across 55 grants in 2025 (avg $15K), mostly in California. 44% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- EIN
- 33-0833479
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025
- Annual giving (2025)
- $827,744
- Grants made (2025)
- 55
- Average grant
- $15,050
- Median grant
- $5,004
- New grantees (estimate)
- 44% first-time grantees (24 of 55, 2025)
- Total assets
- $16,138,623
- Primary geography
- California (51% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- How to apply
- The website states that the foundation is no longer reviewing applications. Full details ↓
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; 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 2025 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$16.1M
+6.3% YoY
Annual Giving
$828K
+164.7% YoY
Grant Count
55
+41.0% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$15K
+87.7% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Gochnauer Family Foundation reported a distributable amount of $793K for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Is Gochnauer Family Foundation open to new grantees?
44%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 24 of 55 grantees (44%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $4K; repeat grants $24K. How we count
Medians: $2K first-time, $10K repeat.
- 55% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving grew 162% from 2022 to 2025. Method
- In 2025 it paid out 104% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2020–2025). 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’s stated purpose is to provide financial help for families and children in need by supporting organizations and programs that promote spiritual, medical, cultural, and educational growth or provide essential services.
Examples of grantees’ work include the Unsilenced Project, whose mission is to stop institutional child abuse by empowering self-advocates; Opportunity International, which says it equips people living in poverty in developing countries to build sustainable incomes and educate their children; and OneGoal, which says it provides underserved students with resources and support to earn a postsecondary degree. These are the grantees’ descriptions of their own missions.
Grantmaking
In 2024, the foundation reported 39 grants totaling $312,728. Awards ranged from $257 to $40,000, with a median of $3,500. The foundation says grants typically range from $1,000 to $25,000 and may support operating or capital needs.
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation’s criteria say it does not accept applications serving communities outside Southern California, Illinois, Wisconsin, or developing countries. In 2024, grant dollars went to recipients in Illinois (42%), California (38%), Wisconsin (10%), New York (6%), and Massachusetts (4%).
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 55 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2020 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $198K (2023) to $828K (2025). In 2025 it made 55 grants totaling $828K.
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Orange Way United Way ($153K). Together the top 10 received $580K.
Grant Size Distribution
210 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 205 grants of 210 (98%).
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Orange Way United Way Irvine, CA | General | $153,175 |
| Unsilenced Project Inc Rancho Mission Viejo, CA | General | $100,000 |
| Opportunity International Carol Stream, IL | General | $95,000 |
| Francis Parker School Chicago, IL | General | $61,200 |
| CEO Leadership Alliance Orange Coun Laguna Beach, CA | General | $35,000 |
| University of Wisconsin Green Bay' Green Bay, WI | General | $30,000 |
| Vocel Chicago, IL | General | $30,000 |
| Chicago House Chicago, IL | General | $25,741 |
| The Shea Center San Juan Capistrano, CA | General | $25,000 |
| Equalities Illinois Education Chicago, IL | General | $24,500 |
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants | Grant count |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $15,188,088 | $360,080 | $477,507 | $312,728 | 39 |
| 2023 | $4,136,819 | $384,004 | $349,557 | $198,030 | 38 |
| 2022 | $4,100,282 | $480,527 | $481,507 | $315,510 | 39 |
| Metric | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $16,138,623 | $15,188,088 | $4,136,819 |
| Revenue | $2,925,602 | $360,080 | $384,004 |
| Expenses | $1,092,815 | $477,507 | $349,557 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $827,744 | $312,728 | $198,030 |
| Net Investment Income | $1,862,883 | $296,701 | $333,877 |
| Distributable Amount | $793,483 | $289,550 | $236,961 |
Data update history
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS July 1, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The foundation’s website lists Beth Gochnauer as Chairperson and Secretary; Dick Gochnauer as President and Treasurer; Grant Gochnauer as Vice President and Trustee; and Meg (Gochnauer) Appelgate as Vice President, Trustee, and Managing Director. It also lists Benjamin Appelgate as Secretary, Gabriel Fontes as a Board Member, and Spencer Appelgate as a Junior Board Member.
Gochnauer Family Foundation is led by Richard W. Gochnauer, President on every filing since 2020; 2 of 4 officers listed in 2025 are compensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Richard W. Gochnauer
President
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
Beth A. Gochnauer
Chair & Secretary
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
Grant D. Gochnauer
Vice President
On filings since 2020
$100K (2025)
Mary E. Appelgate
Vice President
New on the 2025 filing
$100K (2025)
Former officers (2)
- Former: Meg Appelgate (2022–2024) — Vice President
- Former: Meg Lehman (2020–2021) — Vice President
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.
Compensation Overview
From 2025 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2025 filing was $100K, to Grant D Gochnauer (Vice Preside). 2 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Contact
Application contact: Meg Appelgate
Mailing address: 31911 Via Granada, San Juan Capistrano, CA 92675
Phone: (949) 752-2190
Email: meg@gochnauer.org
Website: https://gochnauer.org
Frequently asked questions about Gochnauer Family Foundation
How much does Gochnauer Family Foundation give each year?
Gochnauer Family Foundation gave $828K across 55 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $313K across 39 grants.
What is Gochnauer Family Foundation's typical grant size?
Gochnauer Family Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $5,004, and its average grant was $15,050, across 55 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Gochnauer Family Foundation that year got $4K on average.
Where does Gochnauer Family Foundation give grants?
Gochnauer Family Foundation gives mostly in California: 51% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest state was Illinois (39%). The most frequent recipient cities were Chicago, IL (22 grants), Irvine, CA (7 grants), Santa Ana, CA (5 grants) and New York, NY (3 grants).
Does Gochnauer Family Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 100% of Gochnauer Family Foundation's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (55 of 55) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are Gochnauer Family Foundation's largest grantees?
Gochnauer Family Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include Orange Way United Way ($153,175), Unsilenced Project Inc ($100,000) and Opportunity International ($95,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 42% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Gochnauer Family Foundation?
Gochnauer Family Foundation reported $16.1M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $828K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $793K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does Gochnauer Family Foundation fund?
The foundation’s stated purpose is to provide financial help for families and children in need by supporting organizations and programs that promote spiritual, medical, cultural, and educational growth or provide essential services. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Gochnauer Family Foundation?
The website states that the foundation is no longer reviewing applications. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Gochnauer Family Foundation's EIN?
Gochnauer Family Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 33-0833479. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.
Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
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