Santa Monica Mountains Fund
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.
Santa Monica Mountains Fund at a glance
In short: Santa Monica Mountains Fund gave $423K across 3 grants in 2025 (avg $141K), mostly in California. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $422,860
- Grants made (2025)
- 3
- Average grant
- $140,953
- Median grant
- $30,860
- Total assets
- $4,676,040
- +43.4% vs 2024
- Primary geography
- California (100% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990, 2025; updated September 2026.
Who Santa Monica Mountains Fund funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 2 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was National Park Service ($411K across 2 grants). Together the top 2 received $423K.
Grant Size Distribution
4 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 2 grants of 4 (50%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 3 itemized grants.
States
Cities
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.
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2022 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $423K (2025) to $500K (2022). In 2025 it made 3 grants totaling $423K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| 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 |
Ready to take the next step with Santa Monica Mountains Fund?
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Net Investment Income |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $4,676,040 | $5,977,017 | $4,464,098 | $422,860 | 3 | $241,302 |
| 2024 | $3,260,386 | $3,337,539 | $3,136,824 | — | — | $134,211 |
| 2023 | $2,978,608 | $2,372,310 | $2,128,738 | — | — | $162,231 |
| 2022 | $2,639,727 | $1,175,537 | $2,413,793 | $500,000 | 1 | $-327,303 |
| 2021 | $3,868,748 | $2,767,634 | $1,635,855 | — | — | $230,963 |
| 2020 | $2,829,786 | $1,462,880 | $1,317,726 | — | — | $180,751 |
About Santa Monica Mountains Fund
Based on IRS filings
Santa Monica Mountains Fund is a public charity, 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.
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
The highest reported compensation on the 2025 filing was $127K, to Deanna Armbruster (Executive Dir.). 2 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
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.
Data update history
(2)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS October 31, 2023)
- Added Form 990 for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS May 15, 2026)
Other open foundation grants in California
California Open opportunities, soonest deadline first.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Santa Monica Mountains Fund's focus areas in our free grants database
Similar Funders
Funders with grantees in common, and similar funders in California
Mount Rushmore National Memorial Society
Rapid City, SD
Assets
$21.7M
Grants
1
Total Given
$1.1M
Ttee the Hamilton Grange
Wilmington, DE
Assets
$464K
Grants
1
Total Given
$24K
Big Bend Natural History Association Inc
Big Bend National Park, TX
To enrich the visitor experience through education of the public and the preservation of big bend national park and the rio grande wild & scenic river.
Assets
$1.8M
Grants
1
Total Given
$50K
Bryce Canyon Association
Bryce, UT
The Bryce Canyon Association (BCA) mission is to assist and promote the historical, scientific and educational activities of the national park service at bryce canyon national park. The association also supports the research, interpretation and conservation programs of the national park service and U.S. forest service.
Assets
$17.3M
Grants
2
Total Given
$578K
Canyonlands Natural History Assoc
Moab, UT
Assets
$18.2M
Grants
3
Total Given
$1.9M
Gateway Foundation
Saint Louis, MO
Gateway Foundation funds durable public art, urban design, lighting and parks projects, and nonprofit arts and culture organizations serving the Greater St. Louis area. Its 2025 grants ranged from $43,989 to $892,190, with a median of $73,150. It gives only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited funding requests.
Assets
$82.6M
Grants
6
Total Given
$1.2M
More similar funders
More Funders in California
The filing figures on this page are open data under CC BY 4.0. About GrantGraph Open
Figures come from Santa Monica Mountains Fund'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.
Santa Monica Mountains Fund down — hundreds of funders to go?