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Santa Monica Mountains Fund

Foundation · Grantmaker Thousand Oaks, CA EIN: 95-4187832 Website

SANTA MONICA MOUNTAINS FUND (THE FUND) OPERATES AS A NOT-FOR-PROFIT ORGANIZATION LOCATED IN THOUSAND OAKS, CALIFORNIA. THE FUND WAS ESTABLISHED ON JANUARY 22, 1988, TO PROTECT AND ENCOURAGE APPRECIATION AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE NATIONAL AND STATE PARKLANDS IN THE SANTA MONICA MOUNTAINS BY SUPPORTING THE NATIONAL PARK SERVICE (NPS) and CALIFORNIA STATE PARKS (CSP). THE FUND ACHIEVES THIS MISSION BY PARTNERING WITH NPS AND CSP TO FURTHER EDUCATION, SCIENCE AND RESEARCH; IMPROVING PARK FACILITIES AND TRAILS; ENGAGING COMMUNITY MEMBERS AND YOUTH IN EDUCATION; AND LEADING EFFORTS TO STEWARD THE NATURAL AND CULTURAL RESOURCES OF THESE BEAUTIFUL MOUNTAINS.

Key facts about Santa Monica Mountains Fund

In short: Santa Monica Mountains Fund gave $423K across 3 grants in 2025 (avg $141K), mostly in California. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990.

EIN
95-4187832
Latest 990 filing
Form 990, 2025
Annual giving (2025)
$422,860
Grants made (2025)
3
Average grant
$140,953
Median grant
$30,860
Total assets
$4,676,040
Primary geography
California (100% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)

Data from IRS Form 990, 2025; updated September 2026.

Financial Overview

From 2025 IRS Form 990 · View filing

Total Assets

$4.7M

+43.4% YoY

Annual Giving

$423K

Grant Count

3

Avg Grant Size

$141K

How Santa Monica Mountains Fund gives

  • Giving held roughly steady from 2022 to 2025 (−15%). Method

From the foundation's IRS Form 990 filings. Methodology.

About Santa Monica Mountains Fund

Based on IRS filings

Santa Monica Mountains Fund is a nonprofit organization, based in Thousand Oaks, CA. IRS filing data is available from 2020 through 2025. As of 2025, the organization holds $4.7M in total assets. In 2025, it awarded 3 grants totaling $423K. Net investment income was $241K.

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Geographic Focus

Where this funder awards grants

Grant Distribution by State

1state

Share of all 3 itemized 2025 grant dollars.

States

Cities

Thousand OaksSacramento

Giving Over Time

Total grant dollars and number of grants per year

$0$200K$400K$600K0 grants20200 grants20211 grants20220 grants20230 grants20243 grants2025

Grant Insights

How this funder distributes its grants

Top Recipients

Top 2 recipients in 2025

National Park Service: $411K across 2 grantsNational Park Service$411K · 2 grantsCA Dept Parks and Recreation: $12KCA Dept Parks and Recreation$12K

Grant Size Distribution

4 grants across all recorded years

2<$50K$50–100K$100–250K1$250–500K1$500K–1M$1–5M$5M+

Giving History

Grant recipients and amounts by year

RecipientPurposeAmount
National Park Service Thousand Oaks, CA—$380,000
National Park Service Thousand Oaks, CA—$30,860
CA Dept Parks and Recreation Sacramento, CA—$12,000

Financial History

Multi-year comparison from IRS filings

Revenue
Expenses
Qualifying Distributions
Net Investment Income
$0$2M$4M$6M$8M202020212022202320242025
Metric202520242023
Total Assets$4,676,040$3,260,386$2,978,608
Revenue$5,977,017$3,337,539$2,372,310
Expenses$4,464,098$3,136,824$2,128,738
Qualifying Distributions———
Net Investment Income$241,302$134,211$162,231
Distributable Amount———

Data update history

When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable

  1. Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS October 31, 2023)
  2. Added Form 990 for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS May 15, 2026)

Leadership & Key People

Officers and directors from IRS filings

Santa Monica Mountains Fund is led by Deanna Armbruster, Executive Director since 2022 (on filings since 2020); 2 of 13 officers listed in 2025 are compensated.

Officers on the 2025 filing

  • Deanna Armbruster

    Executive Director

    COO → Executive Director, 2022

    On filings since 2020

    40 hrs/week

    $55K (2020) → $127K (2025)

  • Kim Kovacs

    President

    Treasurer → President, 2023

    On filings since 2020

    2 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Nicole Cortell

    CFO

    On filings since 2024

    20 hrs/week

    $71K (2024) → $97K (2025)

  • Dennis H. Washburn

    Member

    Director → Member, 2022

    On filings since 2020

    1 hr/week

    No compensation reported

  • Thomas Bliss

    Treasurer

    Secretary → Treasurer, 2023

    On filings since 2022

    2 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Asia Marie Evans

    Member

    Vice President → Member, 2024

    On filings since 2023

    1 hr/week

    No compensation reported

  • Darrin Hurwitz

    Secretary

    On filings since 2023

    1 hr/week

    No compensation reported

  • Elaine Lee

    Member

    On filings since 2023

    1 hr/week

    No compensation reported

  • Andrew Vought

    Member

    On filings since 2024

    1 hr/week

    No compensation reported

  • Gretchen Warnock Aluwihare

    Member

    On filings since 2024

    1 hr/week

    No compensation reported

  • James Fox

    Member

    On filings since 2024

    1 hr/week

    No compensation reported

  • Lesley Goren

    Member

    New on the 2025 filing

    1 hr/week

    No compensation reported

  • Tess Blankenship

    Member

    New on the 2025 filing

    1 hr/week

    No compensation reported

Former officers (10)
  • Former: Annmarie Greenwood (2020–2023) — Member
  • Former: Nicole Kaplan (2020–2023) — CFO
  • Former: Tes Macaraya (2022–2023) — Member
  • Former: Marilyn Peake (2023) — Member
  • Former: Carol Henry (2020–2022) — Member
  • Former: Marc Kaplan (2020–2022) — President
  • Former: Thomas Liu (2020–2022) — Vice President
  • Former: Amanda Greene (2020–2021) — Secretary
  • Former: Charlotte Parry (2020–2021) — Executive Director
  • Former: Trevis Niemeyer (2020–2021) — Director

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

Deanna Armbruster — Executive Dir.: $127KDeanna ArmbrusterExecutive Dir.$127KNicole Cortell — CFO: $97KNicole CortellCFO$97K

Frequently asked questions about Santa Monica Mountains Fund

How much does Santa Monica Mountains Fund give each year?

Santa Monica Mountains Fund gave $423K across 3 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990.

What is Santa Monica Mountains Fund's typical grant size?

Santa Monica Mountains Fund's median grant in 2025 was $30,860, and its average grant was $140,953, across 3 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990.

Where does Santa Monica Mountains Fund give grants?

Santa Monica Mountains Fund gives mostly in California: 100% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990 went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Thousand Oaks, CA (2 grants).

How large is Santa Monica Mountains Fund?

Santa Monica Mountains Fund reported $4.7M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Its revenue that year was $6.0M.

What is Santa Monica Mountains Fund's EIN?

Santa Monica Mountains Fund's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 95-4187832. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.

Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990 filings.

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