McBETH FOUNDATION
The McBeth Foundation is a private foundation based in Irvine, California. Founded by artist and philanthropist Barbara McBeth Woodruff, it makes grants for animal welfare, the environment, the arts, children, health sciences, and communications, with particular interest in projects that produce measurable improvements.
McBETH FOUNDATION at a glance
In short: McBETH FOUNDATION gave $2.6M across 35 grants in 2025 (avg $74K), mostly in California. 14% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $2,601,000
- +16.9% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 35
- +0.0% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $74,314
- +16.9% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $75,000
- Total assets
- $18,213,764
- +8.4% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 14% first-time grantees (5 of 35, 2025)
- Primary geography
- California (100% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to McBETH FOUNDATION
- How to Apply
-
The foundation’s website says applicants should download and complete its application and may provide additional materials explaining the project, cause, or need. Its 2024 filing states that applications should follow the format shown on the website and include a description of the entity, its history and charitable purpose; the purpose of the request; how the request relates to the entity’s total budget; affiliated entities; contact information; and a copy of the IRS ruling letter. The filing states that the foundation does not restrict giving to preselected organizations. Awards are generally restricted to the purposes defined on the foundation’s website and to areas where it has a presence, primarily Southern California.
- Review Cycle
- The website lists June 1 as the application deadline and says grants are given annually in September. The 2024 filing lists May 31 as the deadline.
- Deadline
- The website lists June 1 as the application deadline and says grants are given annually in September.
- Contact
Application contact: Amy Holmes
Mailing address: PO Box 11177, Newport Beach, CA 92658
Phone: (949) 252-5661
Website: https://mcbethfoundation.com
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Open Grants
1 open opportunity from McBETH FOUNDATION
Who McBETH FOUNDATION funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was United Cerebral Palsy of San Diego ($175K). Together the top 10 received $1.3M.
Grant Size Distribution
171 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was in the $50–100K range: 77 grants of 171 (45%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation says it primarily makes grants to local organizations in areas where it has a presence, with its 2024 filing describing the geographic focus as primarily Southern California. All reported 2025 grant dollars went to recipients in California.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 35 itemized grants.
Cities
Is McBETH FOUNDATION open to new grantees?
14%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 5 of 35 grantees (14%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $15K; repeat grants $84K. How we count
Medians: $10K first-time, $83K repeat.
- 83% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2022 to 2025 (+19%). Method
- In 2025 it paid out 115% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2019–2025). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2019 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $1.6M (2019) to $2.6M (2025). In 2025 it made 35 grants totaling $2.6M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| United Cerebral Palsy of San Diego San Diego, CA | Mobil Toy and Software Library, Project College | $175,000 |
| Make-a-Wish Orange County Irvine, CA | Wishes for Ill Children | $175,000 |
| Beyond Blindness Santa Ana, CA | Early Intervention Program | $125,000 |
| New Vista School Laguna Hills, CA | Computer Training for Autistic Students | $125,000 |
| CASA Teresa Orange, CA | Emergency Maternity Shelter and Resource Center | $125,000 |
| San Clemente Village San Clemente, CA | Food, Shelter for Needy | $125,000 |
| Reading Legacies San Diego, CA | Family Connections | $125,000 |
| University of Cal - Davis Davis, CA | Research Equine Health | $120,000 |
| Pacific Marine Mammal Center Laguna Beach, CA | Food, Medication, Emergency Care | $120,000 |
| South Coast Symphony Santa Ana, CA | Family Concert Plan, Marketing, Young Stars Concert. | $100,000 |
Ready to take the next step with McBETH FOUNDATION?
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Qualifying Distributions | Net Investment Income | Distributable Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $18,213,764 | $4,820,667 | $3,405,297 | $2,601,000 | 35 | $2,827,576 | $4,238,264 | $2,459,413 |
| 2024 | $16,799,088 | $3,541,431 | $2,950,181 | $2,225,200 | 35 | $2,447,574 | $3,038,824 | $2,207,431 |
| 2023 | $16,192,602 | $1,102,278 | $2,604,200 | $1,970,000 | 33 | $2,193,736 | $691,752 | $1,844,263 |
| 2022 | $17,694,524 | $1,692,566 | $2,918,463 | $2,191,000 | 36 | $2,416,050 | $1,190,091 | $2,033,786 |
| 2021 | $18,920,421 | $1,670,961 | $2,858,938 | $2,185,000 | 32 | — | $1,215,118 | $2,023,923 |
| 2020 | $20,108,398 | $1,721,494 | $2,302,655 | $1,689,100 | 30 | — | $1,322,512 | $1,667,487 |
| 2019 | $20,697,661 | $2,477,733 | $2,182,083 | $1,614,774 | 27 | — | $2,084,671 | $1,542,353 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, McBETH FOUNDATION reported a distributable amount of $2.5M for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated October 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation’s vision is to empower ideas that can make a difference by helping individuals and groups launch meaningful programs. Its stated funding areas are animal welfare, the environment, the arts, children, health sciences, and communications.
Examples of supported organizations illustrate the range of its giving. New Vista School says it provides education and counseling for students with high-functioning autism and language learning disabilities. Beyond Blindness says it empowers children with visual impairments and other disabilities. Reading Legacies says it uses intergenerational shared-reading experiences to empower children as family and community members. Casa Teresa says it provides temporary housing and ongoing support for pregnant women and women with newborns who are alone. Laguna Canyon Foundation says it works to conserve and protect the South Coast Wilderness.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2025, the foundation reported 35 grants totaling $2,601,000. Individual grants ranged from $2,000 to $175,000, with a median of $75,000. Among the largest awards were $175,000 to United Cerebral Palsy of San Diego for a mobile toy and software library and Project College, and $175,000 to Make-A-Wish Orange County for wishes for ill children. Other awards included $125,000 each to Beyond Blindness, New Vista School, Casa Teresa, San Clemente Village, and Reading Legacies.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Martin L DeKarver as trustee and Norm Timmins, Skye Woods, Tim Metcalf, and Amy Leite as board members. The foundation’s website lists Martin DeKarver as trustee and Tim Metcalf, Amy Holmes, Norm Timmins, and Stephanie Davenport as grant committee members.
McBETH FOUNDATION's 2025 filing lists 5 officers; 3 of 5 officers listed in 2025 are compensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Martin L DeKarver
Trustee
On filings since 2019
5 hrs/week
$90K (2019) → $100K (2025)
Amy Leite
Board Member
On filings since 2019
3 hrs/week
$45K (2019) → $0 (2025)
Norm Timmins
Board Member
On filings since 2019
2 hrs/week
$45K (2019) → $50K (2025)
Skye Woods
Board Member
On filings since 2019
2 hrs/week
$45K (2019) → $50K (2025)
Tim Metcalf
Board Member
On filings since 2019
4 hrs/week
No compensation reported
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 $100K, to Martin L DeKarver (Trustee). 3 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Frequently asked questions about McBETH FOUNDATION
How much does McBETH FOUNDATION give each year?
McBETH FOUNDATION gave $2.6M across 35 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $2.2M across 35 grants.
What is McBETH FOUNDATION's typical grant size?
McBETH FOUNDATION's median grant in 2025 was $75,000, and its average grant was $74,314, across 35 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from McBETH FOUNDATION that year got $15K on average.
Where does McBETH FOUNDATION give grants?
McBETH FOUNDATION gives mostly in California: 100% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Laguna Beach, CA (5 grants), San Diego, CA (5 grants), Irvine, CA (4 grants) and Santa Ana, CA (4 grants).
Does McBETH FOUNDATION give general operating support?
Not in 2025: none of the 35 grants with a stated purpose on McBETH FOUNDATION's 2025 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support.
Who are McBETH FOUNDATION's largest grantees?
McBETH FOUNDATION's largest 2025 grantees include United Cerebral Palsy of San Diego ($175,000), Make-a-Wish Orange County ($175,000) and Beyond Blindness ($125,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 18% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is McBETH FOUNDATION?
McBETH FOUNDATION reported $18.2M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $2.8M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $2.5M (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does McBETH FOUNDATION fund?
The foundation’s vision is to empower ideas that can make a difference by helping individuals and groups launch meaningful programs. Its stated funding areas are animal welfare, the environment, the arts, children, health sciences, and communications. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from McBETH FOUNDATION?
The foundation’s website says applicants should download and complete its application and may provide additional materials explaining the project, cause, or need. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is McBETH FOUNDATION's EIN?
McBETH FOUNDATION's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 33-0399736. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2025.
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated October 2026.
Data update history
(3)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS August 12, 2020)
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS August 12, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2019–2024
Explore Open Grants
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). McBETH FOUNDATION funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 10, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/mcbeth-foundation-morg_b0a1b656b03548da9bf096b2fd10bda4
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_330399736_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{McBETH FOUNDATION funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/mcbeth-foundation-morg_b0a1b656b03548da9bf096b2fd10bda4},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-10. Data licensed CC BY 4.0}
}The figures on this page are open data under CC BY 4.0: reuse them with credit to Grantable and a link. Download the data.
Figures come from McBETH FOUNDATION's IRS filings (methodology). AI-written summaries, news items and logos are not covered by the open licence. Spot an error? Email hello@grantable.co.
McBETH FOUNDATION down — hundreds of funders to go?