Rancho Santa Fe Foundation
Rancho Santa Fe Foundation is a public charity based in Rancho Santa Fe, California. Established in 1981, it connects donors with regional and global needs through grantmaking, donor services, and community leadership. Its grants support a wide range of causes, with strategic initiatives focused on military and veteran support, education, and community needs.
Rancho Santa Fe Foundation at a glance
In short: Rancho Santa Fe Foundation gave $14.3M across 253 grants in 2024 (avg $57K), mostly in California. 35% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $14,319,188
- +30.2% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 253
- -0.4% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $56,598
- +30.7% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $25,000
- Total assets
- $188,678,612
- +17.3% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 35% first-time grantees (89 of 252, 2024)
- Primary geography
- California (63% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990, 2024 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990, 2024; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to Rancho Santa Fe Foundation
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- Invitation Only
-
The foundation’s website says philanthropist-advised funds do not accept unsolicited requests, and Community Impact Fund applications are by invitation only. A 2023 Patriots Connection cycle required eligible organizations to be located in and serve San Diego County and to have 501(c)(3) status, or a qualifying fiscal sponsor; that cycle is past. The website describes Supporting Our Heroes as serving San Diego nonprofits that support military members, veterans, and families, but does not provide a current application cycle in the materials available here.
- Contact
Mailing address: PO Box 811, Rancho Santa Fe, CA 92067
Phone: (858) 764-0519
Website: https://rsffoundation.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Open Grants
4 open opportunities from Rancho Santa Fe Foundation
Community Impact Grants
Rancho Santa Fe Foundation
Amount
Varies
Deadline
Deadline not published
Rancho Santa Fe Women's Fund Grant
Rancho Santa Fe Foundation
Amount
US $25,000 - US $75,000
Deadline
Deadline not published
San Marcos COVID-19 Community Grants Program
Rancho Santa Fe Foundation
Amount
Varies
Deadline
Deadline not published
Who Rancho Santa Fe Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was University of Virginia Law School Foundation ($750K). Together the top 10 received $4.9M.
Grant Size Distribution
1,199 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 917 grants of 1,199 (76%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation describes its work as connecting donors with regional and global needs. Its website identifies San Diego County as a focus for strategic initiatives, including Supporting Our Heroes. The 2024 filing says discretionary grants are limited to organizations located in San Diego County, California, while donor-advised fund grants may go to qualified 501(c)(3) organizations in the United States or foreign equivalents. In 2024, 63% of grant dollars went to recipients in California; other leading recipient states were New York (8%), Texas (7%), Virginia (5%), and Pennsylvania (5%).
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 253 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is Rancho Santa Fe Foundation open to new grantees?
35%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 89 of 252 grantees (35%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $59K; repeat grants $56K. How we count
Medians: $25K first-time, $25K repeat.
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990 filings (2019–2024). 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 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $8.9M (2022) to $14.3M (2024). In 2024 it made 253 grants totaling $14.3M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| University of Virginia Law School Foundation Charlottesville, VA | Education | $750,000 |
| San Diego Humane Society San Diego, CA | Animal Welfare | $710,000 |
| National Philanthropic Trust Jenkintown, PA | Civic Engagement | $629,104 |
| Rock Ride on Center for Kids Georgetown, TX | Recreation/Sports/Activities | $625,000 |
| Wellbeing Foundation America Inc Williamsville, NY | Social Services | $600,000 |
| Orange County Community Foundation Irvine, CA | Civic Engagement | $400,251 |
| Miraglo Foundation La Jolla, CA | HEALTH | $400,000 |
| Scripps Health Foundation La Jolla, CA | HEALTH | $277,500 |
| Nativity Prep Academy San Diego, CA | Education | $274,000 |
| Rancho Santa Fe School District Rancho Santa Fe, CA | Education | $245,714 |
Ready to take the next step with Rancho Santa Fe Foundation?
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
The foundation reported that $49,066,299 was due to unaffiliated nonprofit agencies at December 31, 2024; it said those contributions were not reflected as contributions to the foundation.
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Net Investment Income |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $188,678,612 | $33,756,679 | $15,943,875 | $14,319,188 | 253 | $3,413,522 |
| 2023 | $160,817,877 | $15,000,167 | $12,906,142 | $10,996,771 | 254 | $3,394,617 |
| 2022 | $146,635,800 | $17,178,237 | $11,048,947 | $8,917,985 | 240 | $4,977,888 |
| 2021 | $166,599,422 | $22,283,277 | $13,322,003 | $10,959,695 | 234 | $10,192,726 |
| 2020 | $147,599,725 | $11,932,197 | $12,909,370 | $10,874,498 | 218 | $3,281,674 |
| 2019 | $133,002,190 | $12,258,547 | $12,248,679 | $10,423,633 | 198 | $5,161,546 |
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated October 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The mission stated by the foundation is to connect donors with regional and global needs through visionary community leadership, personalized service, and effective grantmaking.
Its strategic grantmaking includes Supporting Our Heroes, Advancing Education, and Building Healthy Communities. The foundation says Supporting Our Heroes serves military service members, veterans, and their families through nonprofit partners in San Diego County. Its Advancing Education pillar supports nonprofits working across early childhood, K–12, post-secondary education, and workforce development. In 2024, two organizations each received two-year grants of $50,000 per year through this education pillar.
The foundation’s 2024 grantees illustrate the range of its support. The University of Virginia Law School Foundation says its purpose is to receive, manage, and expend funds for the benefit of the University of Virginia School of Law. The San Diego Humane Society says it works to advance the welfare of animals and people. R.O.C.K. says it provides equine-assisted services to people with physical, cognitive, and emotional disabilities. Other 2024 recipients included organizations whose stated missions concern mental wellness, community impact, health, and education.
Grantmaking
The foundation’s 2024 filing lists 253 grants totaling $14,319,188. The grants ranged from $5,500 to $750,000, with a median grant of $25,000. Its 2024 impact report separately reports more than $14 million awarded through 1,400 grants to organizations locally, nationally, and internationally.
Among the largest grants listed for 2024 were $750,000 to the University of Virginia Law School Foundation for education; $710,000 to San Diego Humane Society for animal welfare; $629,104 to National Philanthropic Trust for civic engagement; $625,000 to R.O.C.K. for recreation, sports, and activities; and $600,000 to Wellbeing Foundation America for social services. Other large grants included $400,251 to Orange County Community Foundation for civic engagement, $400,000 to Miraglo Foundation for health, and $277,500 to Scripps Health Foundation for health.
The foundation says donor-advised fund grants are based on donor-advisor recommendations. Its website states that more than 125 philanthropist-advised funds do not accept unsolicited requests. Community Impact Fund grants are recommended by the foundation’s Grants and Projects committee and approved by its Board of Directors; applications are by invitation only.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 impact report identifies Ben Moraga as president and CEO and Linda Kitchens as board chair. The 2024 filing lists Tom Buchholz, Elaine Dodge, Michael Dyer, Michael Gregoire, Ken Little, Matt Miller, Tracy Mitchell, and Richard Montano as directors; Rick Norling as treasurer; and Linda Kitchens as board chair.
Rancho Santa Fe Foundation is led by Ben Moraga, President & CEO on the 2024 filing; 4 of 17 officers listed in 2024 are compensated.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Ben Moraga
President & CEO
New on the 2024 filing
40 hrs/week
$247K (2024)
Linda Kitchens
Board Chair
Director → Treasurer, 2022
Treasurer → Board Chair, 2024
On filings since 2020
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Amy Myers
Director of Philanthropy
On filings since 2023
40 hrs/week
$155K (2023) → $169K (2024)
Elaine Dodge
Director
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Ken Little
Director
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Matt Miller
Director
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Richard Montano
Director
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Tom Buchholz
Director
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Carl Wiese
Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Michael Dyer
Director
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Michael Gregoire
Director
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Tracy Mitchell
Director
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Janette Pritchard
Director
New on the 2024 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Karen Sprigle
Chief Operating Officer
COO → Chief Operating Officer, 2020
On filings since 2019
30 hrs/week
$119K (2019) → $137K (2024)
Nicole Tubbs
Vice President of Finance
New on the 2024 filing
40 hrs/week
$138K (2024)
Denise Stillinger
Secretary
Director → Secretary, 2024
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Rick Norling
Treasurer
Director → Treasurer, 2024
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (30)
- Former: Ed Blodgett (2019–2023) — Chairman
- Former: Robert Hill (2020–2023) — Secretary
- Former: Barbara Kyrillos (2021–2023) — Director
- Former: Michael Schumacher (2021–2023) — Director
- Former: Paul Thiel (2021–2023) — Director
- Former: Chris Sichel (2022–2023) — President & CEO
- Former: Robert Stine (2022–2023) — Director
- Former: Jeff Peterson (2023) — Finance Director
- Former: Kevin Crawford (2019–2022) — Director
- Former: Razia Richter (2019–2022) — Secretary
- Former: Alyce Ashcraft (2019–2021) — Secretary
- Former: Bill Davidson (2019–2021) — Director
- Former: Bob Stine (2019–2021) — Director
- Former: Daniel Platt (2019–2021) — Treasurer
- Former: Kent Freundt (2019–2021) — Director
- Former: Lou Mezzullo (2019–2021) — Director
- Former: Mike Gregoire (2019–2021) — Director
- Former: Ted Butz (2019–2021) — Director
- Former: Daniel Beals (2020–2021) — Finance Director
- Former: Chris Sichel Start (2021) — President & CEO
- Former: Christina Wilson Retire (2021) — President & CEO
- Former: Christina Wilson (2019–2020) — President & CEO
- Former: Jane Allison Austin (2019–2020) — Director
- Former: Mark Emkjer (2019–2020) — Director
- Former: Paula Powers (2019–2020) — Secretary
- Former: Dan Beals (2019) — Finance Director
- Former: Gordon Swanson (2019) — Director
- Former: Mark Holmlund (2019) — Director
- Former: Mark Petrie (2019) — Director
- Former: Terry Atkinson (2019) — Director
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2019–2024. "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
The highest reported compensation on the 2024 filing was $247K, to Ben Moraga (President & CEO). 4 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Frequently asked questions about Rancho Santa Fe Foundation
How much does Rancho Santa Fe Foundation give each year?
Rancho Santa Fe Foundation gave $14.3M across 253 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990. In 2023 it gave $11.0M across 254 grants.
What is Rancho Santa Fe Foundation's typical grant size?
Rancho Santa Fe Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $25,000, and its average grant was $56,598, across 253 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990. Organizations receiving their first grant from Rancho Santa Fe Foundation that year got $59K on average.
Where does Rancho Santa Fe Foundation give grants?
Rancho Santa Fe Foundation gives mostly in California: 63% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990 went to recipients there. The next largest states were New York (8%) and Texas (7%). The most frequent recipient cities were San Diego, CA (68 grants), Rancho Santa Fe, CA (16 grants), La Jolla, CA (10 grants) and Encinitas, CA (10 grants).
Does Rancho Santa Fe Foundation give general operating support?
Not in 2024: none of the 253 grants with a stated purpose on Rancho Santa Fe Foundation's 2024 IRS Form 990 were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Education" (48 grants), "Social Services" (30 grants) and "Health" (30 grants).
Who are Rancho Santa Fe Foundation's largest grantees?
Rancho Santa Fe Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include University of Virginia Law School Foundation ($750,000), San Diego Humane Society ($710,000) and National Philanthropic Trust ($629,104), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990. Together they received 15% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is Rancho Santa Fe Foundation?
Rancho Santa Fe Foundation reported $188.7M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990. Its revenue that year was $33.8M.
What does Rancho Santa Fe Foundation fund?
The mission stated by the foundation is to connect donors with regional and global needs through visionary community leadership, personalized service, and effective grantmaking. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Rancho Santa Fe Foundation?
The foundation’s website says philanthropist-advised funds do not accept unsolicited requests, and Community Impact Fund applications are by invitation only. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Rancho Santa Fe Foundation's EIN?
Rancho Santa Fe Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 95-3709639. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2024.
Does Rancho Santa Fe Foundation accept unsolicited proposals?
No, according to Grantable's research on the foundation's published guidelines. See how to apply ↑
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990 filings. Research dossier generated October 2026.
Data update history
(7)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Added Form 990 for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS August 10, 2020)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS July 29, 2021)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS September 30, 2022)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS October 2, 2023)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS September 25, 2024)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS October 28, 2025)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Rancho Santa Fe Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Rancho Santa Fe Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 8, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/rancho-santa-fe-foundation-morg_b3c803eb0ef74e7c852ff243d9bb1aa0
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_953709639_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Rancho Santa Fe Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/rancho-santa-fe-foundation-morg_b3c803eb0ef74e7c852ff243d9bb1aa0},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-08. 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 Rancho Santa Fe 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.
Rancho Santa Fe Foundation down — hundreds of funders to go?