Paul and Magdalena Ecke Poinsettia
The Paul and Magdalena Ecke Poinsettia Foundation is a private foundation based in Carlsbad, California, established in 1983. The foundation is supported by Paul Ecke III and managed by a family board serving without compensation. It represents the philanthropic legacy of the Ecke family, whose business revolutionized the poinsettia industry and established its association with Christmas globally.
Financial Overview
From 2025 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$3.0M
-1.0% YoY
Annual Giving
$144K
-7.8% YoY
Grant Count
11
-35.3% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$13K
+42.4% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Paul and Magdalena Ecke Poinsettia reported a distributable amount of $164K for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation supports a diverse range of charitable initiatives across multiple sectors:
- Education — including higher education
- Health — in-patient medical care, hospital care, reproductive health care, maternal and perinatal health, and disease-specific initiatives including cancer research
- Community and Economic Development — community improvement and community beautification
- Human Services — family services and child welfare
- Environmental Education — including science teacher grants and community and school garden grants
Grantmaking
The foundation does not accept unsolicited applications and operates on an invite-only basis.
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation supports initiatives in California and Colorado, with particular activity in cities including San Diego, San Francisco, and Fort Collins.
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
Most Recent Financial Data (2024):
- Total Assets: $3,015,066–$3,119,765
- Total Giving: $143,500–$159,534
- Total Revenues: $146,316
- Total Expenses: $192,735
- Giving Rate: 4.9% of assets
Historical Assets:
- 2023: $3.1 million
- 2024: $3.0 million
| Metric | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $2,984,806 | $3,015,066 | $3,063,513 |
| Revenue | $149,338 | $146,316 | $-232,648 |
| Expenses | $179,598 | $192,735 | $192,285 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $147,121 | $161,962 | $162,704 |
| Net Investment Income | $119,138 | $116,664 | $61,406 |
| Distributable Amount | $164,363 | $155,168 | $155,890 |
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
Grant Size Distribution
102 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2025 grants, the largest include California State University San Marcos Foundation ($40,000), Magdalena Ecke Family Ymca ($26,000), San Diego Botanic Garden ($23,500).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| CALIFORNIA STATE UNIVERSITY SAN MARCOS FOUNDATION SAN MARCOS, CA | HISTORICAL COLLECTION PLEDGE | $40,000 |
| CASA DE AMPARO SAN MARCOS, CA | CAPITAL CAMPAIGN | $5,000 |
| DON DIEGO FUND DEL MAR, CA | SCHOLARSHIP DONATION AND GALA DONATION | $4,000 |
| JOSEPH SHINODA MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP FOUNDATION INC MORRO BAY, CA | DONATION | $1,000 |
| MAGDALENA ECKE FAMILY YMCA ENCINITAS, CA | ROOF RAISER, SPONSOR POINSETTIA BALL, LIVE YOUTH DONATION, AND CAPITAL CAMPAIGN | $26,000 |
| MEXICAN AMERICAN EDUCATIONAL GUIDANCE FOUNDATION SOLANA BEACH, CA | SCHOLARSHIP FUND | $3,000 |
| SAN DIEGO BOTANIC GARDEN ENCINITAS, CA | SPONSOR GALA IN THE GARDENS AND CAPITAL CAMPAIGN | $23,500 |
| SCRIPPS HEALTH FOUNDATION ENCINITAS, CA | CAPITAL CAMPAIGN PLEDGE AND EVENT SPONSORSHIP | $22,500 |
| SUSTAINABLE CONSERVATION SAN FRANCISCO, CA | DONATION | $1,000 |
| COASTAL ROOTS FARM ENCINITAS, CA | DONATION | $5,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
Paul Ecke III — President of the foundation
The board consists of family members who serve without compensation.
Compensation Overview
From 2025 IRS filing
From 2025 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| PAUL ECKE III | PRESIDENT | 2 | — |
| BARBARA ECKE WINTER | SECRETARY | 2 | — |
| LIZBETH A ECKE | VICE-PRESIDENT | 2 | — |
| CHRISTOPHER CALKINS | TREASURER | 2 | — |
| EILEEN FARRELL | ASST. TREASURER/ASST. SECRETARY | 2 | — |
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Paul and Magdalena Ecke Poinsettia fund?
The foundation supports a diverse range of charitable initiatives across multiple sectors: • **Education** — including higher education • **Health** — in-patient medical care, hospital care, reproductive health care, maternal and perinatal health, and disease-specific initiatives including cancer research • **Community and Economic Development** — community improvement and community beautification • **Human Services** — family services and child welfare • **Environmental Education** — including…
How do I apply for a grant from Paul and Magdalena Ecke Poinsettia?
**Grant Characteristics:** • Typical award range: $1,000–$40,000 • Median grant amount: $5,000 • Annual giving: approximately $143,500–$159,534 (varies by fiscal year) • Number of grants: 15–18 grants annually **Application Policy:** The foundation does not accept unsolicited applications and operates on an invite-only basis. **Recent Grant Examples:** • California State University San Marcos Foundation: $40,000 (Historical Collection Pledge) • San Diego Botanic Garden: $23,500 (Gala sponsorshi…
Where does Paul and Magdalena Ecke Poinsettia make grants?
The foundation supports initiatives in California and Colorado, with particular activity in cities including San Diego, San Francisco, and Fort Collins.
What size grants does Paul and Magdalena Ecke Poinsettia award?
In 2025, Paul and Magdalena Ecke Poinsettia awarded 11 grants totaling $144K — an average of about $13K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is Paul and Magdalena Ecke Poinsettia required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2025, Paul and Magdalena Ecke Poinsettia reported a distributable amount of $164K on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is Paul and Magdalena Ecke Poinsettia's EIN?
Paul and Magdalena Ecke Poinsettia's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 95-3758658. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2021–2025.
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Data last updated June 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
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