Operation California Inc
It helps communities to alleviate the effects of disasters, disease and endemic poverty throughout the world by providing privately-funded relief, reconstruction and development aid. The organization works with partner agencies in many countries, including local and international ngo's, un and government health agencies and other civil society institutions. Each partner agency receives a list of available supplies and evaluates them in relation to local needs. Then the supplies are packed and shipped by air, sea and land to where the greatest need exists.
Operation California Inc at a glance
In short: Operation California Inc gave $613K across 12 grants in 2025 (avg $51K), top state Tennessee. 83% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $613,422
- -65.0% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 12
- +0.0% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $51,119
- -65.0% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $27,447
- Total assets
- $2,179,815
- -21.2% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 83% first-time grantees (10 of 12, 2025; small sample)
- Primary geography
- Tennessee (41% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990, 2025; updated September 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
Who Operation California Inc funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Appalachia Service Project ($250K). Together the top 10 received $600K.
Grant Size Distribution
101 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 54 grants of 101 (53%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 12 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is Operation California Inc open to new grantees?
83%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 10 of 12 grantees (83%) were first-time recipients. With only 12 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 8 points. First grants averaged $36K; repeat grants $129K. How we count
Medians: $27K first-time, $129K repeat.
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990 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.
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2020 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $586K (2020) to $9.1M (2022). In 2025 it made 12 grants totaling $613K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Appalachia Service Project Johnson City, TN | To provide disaster response for hurricane helene/milton - rebuild program/service provision | $250,000 |
| All Hands and Hearts Mattapoisett, MA | To provide disaster response for hurricane helene/milton - rebuild program/service provision | $145,000 |
| SBP New Orleans, LA | To provide disaster response for hurricane helene/milton - rebuild program/service provision | $50,000 |
| Reach Out Worldwide (Roww) Pasadena, CA | California Wildfire Relief | $42,380 |
| Disability Rights North Carolina Raleigh, NC | To provide disaster response for hurricane helene/milton - rebuild program/community relief service provision | $30,000 |
| Farm Share Homestead, FL | To provide disaster response for hurricane helene/milton - feeding program | $30,000 |
| Connecting a Caring Community West Hills, CA | California Wildfire Relief | $24,893 |
| Beloved Asheville Asheville, NC | To provide disaster response for hurricane helene/milton - rebuild program/community relief service provision | $10,000 |
| Manna Food Bank Mills River, NC | To provide disaster response for hurricane helene/milton - feeding program | $10,000 |
| El Salvador Fdn Winnetka, CA | California Wildfire Relief | $7,229 |
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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 | $2,179,815 | $3,488,555 | $4,032,586 | $613,422 | 12 | $4,448 |
| 2024 | $2,766,543 | $2,776,356 | $2,932,062 | $1,752,983 | 12 | $20,872 |
| 2023 | $2,935,722 | $6,751,511 | $10,349,669 | $8,495,239 | 24 | $21,327 |
| 2022 | $6,406,954 | $11,905,286 | $12,256,117 | $9,105,869 | 19 | $430 |
| 2021 | $6,771,517 | $5,746,005 | $5,789,979 | $2,462,417 | 34 | $827 |
| 2020 | $6,808,380 | $2,602,307 | $2,335,034 | $586,021 | 18 | $815 |
About Operation California Inc
Based on IRS filings
Operation California Inc is a public charity focused on International, Foreign Affairs & National Security, based in Los Angeles, CA. IRS filing data is available from 2020 through 2025. As of 2025, the organization holds $2.2M in total assets. In 2025, it awarded 12 grants totaling $613K. Net investment income was $4K.
Leadership & Key People
Officers and directors from IRS filings
Operation California Inc is led by Richard M. Walden, President & CEO on every filing since 2020; 1 of 13 officers listed in 2025 is compensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Richard M. Walden
President & CEO
On filings since 2020
60 hrs/week
$176K (2020) → $192K (2025)
Michael Mahdesian
Board Chair
Chairman → Board Chair, 2024
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Bob L. Johnson
Treasurer
Treasurer → Managing Member, 2021
Managing Member → Treasurer, 2024
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
David Nieh
Member
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Drew Hagan
Member
Managing Member → Member, 2024
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Gary Larsen
Member
Member → Managing Member, 2022
Managing Member → Member, 2024
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Jeff Franklin
Member
Managing Member → Member, 2024
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Julie Andrews Edwards
Member
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Julie Yannatta
Member
Managing Member → Member, 2024
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Maria Mohiuddin Verjee
Member
Managing Member → Member, 2024
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Nola Kambanda
Secretary
Member → Secretary, 2024
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Peter Greenberg
Member
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Richard Allen
Member
On filings since 2024
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (7)
- Former: Johnathan Estrin (2020–2023) — Member
- Former: Rick Allen (2020–2023) — Managing Member
- Former: Rosario Dawson (2020–2023) — Member
- Former: Skip Whitney (2020–2023) — Member
- Former: Julie Andrews (2021–2023) — Member
- Former: Mike Mahdesian (2021–2023) — Chairman
- Former: Gary Hart (2020) — Member
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 $192K, to Richard Walden (President & CEO).
Frequently asked questions about Operation California Inc
How much does Operation California Inc give each year?
Operation California Inc gave $613K across 12 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. In 2024 it gave $1.8M across 12 grants.
What is Operation California Inc's typical grant size?
Operation California Inc's median grant in 2025 was $27,447, and its average grant was $51,119, across 12 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Organizations receiving their first grant from Operation California Inc that year got $36K on average.
Where does Operation California Inc give grants?
Operation California Inc's top state is Tennessee, with 41% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990. The next largest states were Massachusetts (24%) and California (14%). The most frequent recipient cities were Pasadena, CA (2 grants).
Does Operation California Inc give general operating support?
Not in 2025: none of the 12 grants with a stated purpose on Operation California Inc's 2025 IRS Form 990 were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "California Wildfire Relief" (4 grants).
Who are Operation California Inc's largest grantees?
Operation California Inc's largest 2025 grantees include Appalachia Service Project ($250,000), All Hands and Hearts ($145,000) and SBP ($50,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. Together they received 73% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Operation California Inc?
Operation California Inc reported $2.2M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Its revenue that year was $3.5M.
What is Operation California Inc?
Operation California Inc is a public charity focused on International, Foreign Affairs & National Security, based in Los Angeles, CA. It holds $2.2M in total assets as of 2025.
What is Operation California Inc's EIN?
Operation California Inc's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 95-3504080. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.
Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990 filings.
Data update history
(7)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS January 11, 2021)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS February 25, 2022)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS May 11, 2023)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS February 23, 2024)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS November 13, 2024)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS November 12, 2025)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2025
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