Lisa & Ernest Auerbach Family Foundation

Private foundation · Grantmaker Rancho Santa Fe, CA EIN: 26-4228771

The Lisa & Ernest Auerbach Family Foundation is a private foundation based in Rancho Santa Fe, California. In 2024, it gave $184,880 through 20 grants to charitable organizations, with nearly all grant dollars going to recipients in California.

Key facts about Lisa & Ernest Auerbach Family Foundation

In short: Lisa & Ernest Auerbach Family Foundation gave $185K across 20 grants in 2024 (avg $9K), mostly in California. 40% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.

EIN
26-4228771
Latest 990 filing
Form 990-PF, 2024
Annual giving (2024)
$184,880
Grants made (2024)
20
Average grant
$9,244
Median grant
$2,000
New grantees (estimate)
40% first-time grantees (8 of 20, 2024)
Total assets
$1,525,940
Primary geography
California (98% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
Accepts unsolicited proposals
No
How to apply
The foundation makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds. Full details ↓

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

$1.5M

-4.0% YoY

Annual Giving

$185K

+13.2% YoY

Grant Count

20

-13.0% YoY

Avg Grant Size

$9K

+30.2% YoY

Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Lisa & Ernest Auerbach Family Foundation reported a distributable amount of $187K for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.

Is Lisa & Ernest Auerbach Family Foundation open to new grantees?

40%

first-time grantees, 2024

In 2024, 8 of 20 grantees (40%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $2K; repeat grants $14K. How we count

Medians: $1K first-time, $6K repeat.

  • 45% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
  • Giving held roughly steady from 2021 to 2024 (+8%). Method
  • In 2024 it paid out 99% 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 (2020–2024). 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 for the foundation is provided. Its 2024 grantees describe work that includes benefiting the University of California, Santa Cruz; teaching compassion and providing relief from poverty, as described by Duwara Consciousness Foundation; and building a stronger, healthier, more resilient San Diego, as described by Jewish Family Service of San Diego. Other grantees describe work supporting military personnel and their families, connecting volunteers with neighbors facing hunger, housing, and health challenges, assisting the Triform Camphill Community, funding projects for needy populations in Israel, and protecting donkeys and wild burros.

Grantmaking

In 2024, the foundation made 20 grants totaling $184,880. Grant amounts ranged from $100 to $90,000, with a median grant of $2,000.

Its largest 2024 grants included $90,000 to UC Santa Cruz Foundation, $25,000 to Duwara Consciousness Foundation, $15,000 to Jewish Family Service of San Diego, $12,500 to Ilan Lael Foundation, and $10,000 each to American Friends of Combatants for Peace and Warrior Foundation Freedom Station.

How to Apply

The foundation makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds.

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Geographic Focus

Where this funder awards grants

In 2024, 98% of grant dollars went to recipients in California, 2% to New York, and less than 1% to Washington, DC.

Grant Distribution by State

11states

Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 20 itemized grants.

Cities

San DiegoEscondidoNew YorkLa JollaSanta CruzAlbert LeaArcadiaBeverly HillsBrooklynGlenviewRancho Santa FeSanta YsabelChula VistaLos AngelesOceansidePasadenacRamonaSanta MonicaTusconWashington

Giving Over Time

Total grant dollars and number of grants per year

$0$50K$100K$150K$200K32 grants2020 14 grants2021 8 grants2022 23 grants2023 20 grants2024

From 2020 to 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $106K (2022) to $185K (2024). In 2024 it made 20 grants totaling $185K.

Grant Insights

How this funder distributes its grants

Top Recipients

Top 10 recipients in 2024

Uc Santa Cruz Foundation: $90KUc Santa Cruz Foundation$90KDuwara Consciousness Foundation: $25KDuwara ConsciousnessFoundation$25KJewish Family Service of San Diego: $15KJewish Family Service of SanDiego$15KIlan Lael Foundation: $13KIlan Lael Foundation$13KAmerican Friends of Combatants for Peace: $10KAmerican Friends of Combatantsfor Peace$10KWarrior Foundation Freedom Station: $10KWarrior Foundation FreedomStation$10KThe Americas Foundation: $6KThe Americas Foundation$6KVolunteer Collective: $5KVolunteer Collective$5KTriform Camphill Community: $3KTriform Camphill Community$3KDonkeyland: $2KDonkeyland$2K

The largest 2024 recipient was Uc Santa Cruz Foundation ($90K). Together the top 10 received $178K.

Grant Size Distribution

97 grants across all recorded years

94<$50K3$50–100K$100–250K$250–500K$500K–1M$1–5M$5M+

The most common grant size was under $50K: 94 grants of 97 (97%).

Giving History

Grant recipients and amounts by year

RecipientPurposeAmount
Uc Santa Cruz Foundation Santa Cruz, CASupport Organization Missions$90,000
Duwara Consciousness Foundation Oceanside, CASupport Organization Missions$25,000
Jewish Family Service of San Diego San Diego, CASupport Organization Missions$15,000
Ilan Lael Foundation Santa Ysabel, CASupport Organization Missions$12,500
American Friends of Combatants for Peace Pasadenac, CASupport Organization Missions$10,000
Warrior Foundation Freedom Station San Diego, CASupport Organization Missions$10,000
The Americas Foundation Solana Beach, CASupport Organization Missions$6,000
Volunteer Collective Santa Monica, CASupport Organization Missions$5,000
Triform Camphill Community Hudson, NYSupport Organization Missions$2,500
Donkeyland Riverside, CASupport Organization Missions$2,000

Financial History

Multi-year comparison from IRS filings

Filing year Assets Revenue Expenses Grants
2024 $1,525,940 $255,727 $318,961 $184,880
2023 $1,589,174 $253,469 $250,375 $163,310
2022 $1,586,080 $252,180 $225,150 $105,871
Revenue
Expenses
Qualifying Distributions
Net Investment Income
$0$100K$200K$300K$400K2020 2021 2022 2023 2024
Metric202420232022
Total Assets$1,525,940$1,589,174$1,586,080
Revenue$255,727$253,469$252,180
Expenses$318,961$250,375$225,150
Qualifying Distributions$184,880$163,310$105,971
Net Investment Income$123,075$169,564$133,868
Distributable Amount$186,956$187,666$183,501

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 Heidi Auerbach Farkash and John Farkash as directors.

Lisa & Ernest Auerbach Family Foundation's 2024 filing lists 2 officers; none of the 2 officers listed in 2024 report compensation.

Officers on the 2024 filing

  • Heidi Auerbach Farkash

    Director

    On filings since 2020

    No compensation reported

  • John Farkash

    Director

    On filings since 2020

    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

Mailing address: PO Box 576, Rancho Santa Fe, CA 92067
Phone: (858) 756-3594

Frequently asked questions about Lisa & Ernest Auerbach Family Foundation

How much does Lisa & Ernest Auerbach Family Foundation give each year?

Lisa & Ernest Auerbach Family Foundation gave $185K across 20 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $163K across 23 grants.

What is Lisa & Ernest Auerbach Family Foundation's typical grant size?

Lisa & Ernest Auerbach Family Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $2,000, and its average grant was $9,244, across 20 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Lisa & Ernest Auerbach Family Foundation that year got $2K on average.

Where does Lisa & Ernest Auerbach Family Foundation give grants?

Lisa & Ernest Auerbach Family Foundation gives mostly in California: 98% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were San Diego, CA (4 grants).

Does Lisa & Ernest Auerbach Family Foundation give general operating support?

Not in 2024: none of the 20 grants with a stated purpose on Lisa & Ernest Auerbach Family Foundation's 2024 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Support Organization Missions" (20 grants).

Who are Lisa & Ernest Auerbach Family Foundation's largest grantees?

Lisa & Ernest Auerbach Family Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include Uc Santa Cruz Foundation ($90,000), Duwara Consciousness Foundation ($25,000) and Jewish Family Service of San Diego ($15,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 70% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.

How large is Lisa & Ernest Auerbach Family Foundation?

Lisa & Ernest Auerbach Family Foundation reported $1.5M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $185K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $187K (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 Lisa & Ernest Auerbach Family Foundation fund?

No mission statement for the foundation is provided. See mission & focus areas ↑

How do I apply for a grant from Lisa & Ernest Auerbach Family Foundation?

The foundation makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑

What is Lisa & Ernest Auerbach Family Foundation's EIN?

Lisa & Ernest Auerbach Family Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 26-4228771. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.

Does Lisa & Ernest Auerbach Family Foundation accept unsolicited proposals?

No, according to Grantable's research on the foundation's published guidelines. See how to apply ↑

Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.

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