Heart of Gold Legacy Foundation

Private foundation · Grantmaker El Cajon, CA EIN: 51-0562506

Heart of Gold Legacy Foundation is a private foundation based in El Cajon, California. Its 2024 IRS filing states that awards are available only to entities providing animal rescue and shelter.

Key facts about Heart of Gold Legacy Foundation

EIN
51-0562506
Latest 990 filing
Form 990-PF, 2024
Total assets
$6,797,464
How to apply
The filing lists an application process involving a 501(c)(3) certificate and a statement of use of funds. Full details ↓
Deadline
September 30 annually.

Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated September 2026. 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

$6.8M

+4.8% YoY

Revenue

$243K

+44.8% YoY

Qualifying Distributions

$271K

-9.6% YoY

Expenses

$345K

-5.3% YoY

Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Heart of Gold Legacy Foundation reported a distributable amount of $286K for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.

How Heart of Gold Legacy Foundation gives

  • 28% of 2022 grantees were also funded in 2021. Method
  • In 2024 it paid out 95% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Foundations have until the end of the next year to meet it. Method

Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2022). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.

Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.

Mission & Focus Areas

No mission statement is provided. The foundation’s 2024 filing limits awards to entities that provide rescue and shelter for animals.

Among its 2022 grantees, Boston Buddies described its work as rescuing and rehoming Boston Terriers and mixes, including providing foster and medical care. Feral Cat Coalition described its work as assisting with feeding and neutering homeless cats. Animal Friends Rescue Project said it seeks lifelong homes for stray, abandoned, and abused cats and dogs, with a focus on animals at greatest risk.

Grantmaking

The foundation reported 18 grants totaling $10,000 in 2022, with no grants reported in 2023 or 2024. Three listed 2022 grantees each received $500: Boston Buddies Inc. in Huntington Beach, California; Feral Cat Coalition in San Diego, California; and Animal Friends Rescue Project in Pacific Grove, California.

Review Cycle

September 30 annually.

How to Apply

involving a 501(c)(3) certificate and a statement of use of funds.

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Geographic Focus

Where this funder awards grants

The foundation is based in El Cajon, California. Its listed 2022 grantees were based in Huntington Beach, San Diego, and Pacific Grove, California; the filing does not state a geographic funding area.

Grant Distribution by State

2states

Cities

San DiegoEl CajonOaklandTempeActonCarlsbadElk GroveHuntington BeachLemon GroveLos GatosPacific GroveParamountSan JoseSan MarcosSan RafaelSanta CruzSherman OaksTemecula

Giving Over Time

Total grant dollars and number of grants per year

$0$2.5K$5K$7.5K$10K1 grant2020 9 grants2021 18 grants2022 0 grants2023 0 grants2024

From 2020 to 2022, annual grant giving ranged from $500 (2020) to $10K (2022). In 2022 it made 18 grants totaling $10K.

Grant Insights

How this funder distributes its grants

Grant Size Distribution

28 grants across all recorded years

28<$50K$50–100K$100–250K$250–500K$500K–1M$1–5M$5M+

The most common grant size was under $50K: 28 grants of 28 (100%).

Giving History

Grant recipients and amounts by year

No grants recorded for 2024.

Financial History

Multi-year comparison from IRS filings

Filing year Assets Revenue Expenses Grants
2024 $6,797,464 $243,104 $345,232 0
2023 $6,487,649 $167,885 $364,644 0
2022 $6,170,988 $17,029 $329,226 $10,000 across 18 grants
Revenue
Expenses
Qualifying Distributions
Net Investment Income
$0$1M$2M$3M$4M2020 2021 2022 2023 2024
Metric202420232022
Total Assets$6,797,464$6,487,649$6,170,988
Revenue$243,104$167,885$17,029
Expenses$345,232$364,644$329,226
Qualifying Distributions$270,864$299,757$263,071
Net Investment Income$164,024$101,698$87,722
Distributable Amount$285,761$264,754$279,494

Data update history

When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable

  1. IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024

Leadership & Key People

Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings

The 2024 filing lists Teresita B. Bacani as President, Erlinda G. Buhay as Secretary, and Darhyl Besa as CFO. The filing also identifies Erlinda Buhay as Executive Director for application inquiries.

Heart of Gold Legacy Foundation is led by Teresita B. Bacani, President on every filing since 2020; 2 of 3 officers listed in 2024 are compensated.

Officers on the 2024 filing

  • Teresita B. Bacani

    President

    On filings since 2020

    1 hr/week

    No compensation reported

  • Darhyl Besa

    CFO

    On filings since 2020

    10 hrs/week

    $22K (2020) → $28K (2024)

  • Erlinda G. Buhay

    Secretary

    On filings since 2020

    7 hrs/week

    $7K (2020) → $6K (2024)

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.

Compensation Overview

From 2024 IRS filing

Darhyl Besa — CFO: $28KDarhyl BesaCFO$28KErlinda G Buhay — Secretary: $6KErlinda G BuhaySecretary$6K

The highest reported compensation on the 2024 filing was $28K, to Darhyl Besa (CFO). 2 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.

Contact

Application contact: Erlinda Buhay Executive Director
Mailing address: 1331 N Cuyamaca Suite G, El Cajon, CA 92020
Phone: (619) 596-6967

Frequently asked questions about Heart of Gold Legacy Foundation

How large is Heart of Gold Legacy Foundation?

Heart of Gold Legacy Foundation reported $6.8M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $271K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $286K (roughly 5% of its investment assets). Falling short in one year is not a violation: foundations have until the end of the next year to meet the minimum.

What does Heart of Gold Legacy Foundation fund?

No mission statement is provided. The foundation’s 2024 filing limits awards to entities that provide rescue and shelter for animals. See mission & focus areas ↑

How do I apply for a grant from Heart of Gold Legacy Foundation?

The filing lists an application process involving a 501(c)(3) certificate and a statement of use of funds. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑

Where does Heart of Gold Legacy Foundation make grants?

The foundation is based in El Cajon, California. Its listed 2022 grantees were based in Huntington Beach, San Diego, and Pacific Grove, California; the filing does not state a geographic funding area.

What is Heart of Gold Legacy Foundation's EIN?

Heart of Gold Legacy Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 51-0562506. 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.

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