Scott & Elizabeth V Christensen
Scott & Elizabeth V Christensen is a private foundation based in San Diego, California. It reported 13 grants totaling $185,000 in 2024, with grants going primarily to California organizations.
Scott & Elizabeth V Christensen at a glance
In short: Scott & Elizabeth V Christensen gave $185K across 13 grants in 2024 (avg $14K), mostly in California. 31% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $185,000
- +12.1% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 13
- +8.3% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $14,231
- +3.5% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $5,000
- Total assets
- $2,331,325
- +0.6% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 31% first-time grantees (4 of 13, 2024; small sample)
- Primary geography
- California (98% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to Scott & Elizabeth V Christensen
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation stated on its 2024 filing that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds.
- Contact
Mailing address: 10085 Carroll Canyon Road 220, San Diego, CA 92131
Phone: (858) 271-6244
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Scott & Elizabeth V Christensen funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Just in Time for Foster Youth ($120K). Together the top 10 received $181K.
Grant Size Distribution
67 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 62 grants of 67 (93%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The 2024 filing reports that 98% of grant dollars went to recipients in California, 2% to Colorado, and 1% to Iowa.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 13 itemized grants.
Cities
Is Scott & Elizabeth V Christensen open to new grantees?
31%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 4 of 13 grantees (31%) were first-time recipients. With only 13 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 8 points. First grants averaged $2K; repeat grants $20K. How we count
Medians: $2K first-time, $5K repeat.
- 69% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving grew 23% from 2021 to 2024. Method
- In 2024 it paid out 131% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2020–2024). 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 2020 to 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $143K (2020) to $185K (2024). In 2024 it made 13 grants totaling $185K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Just in Time for Foster Youth San Diego, CA | Operations | $120,000 |
| Palomar College Foundation San Marcos, CA | Operations | $30,000 |
| San Diego City College Foundation San Diego, CA | Operations | $5,000 |
| San Diego Mesa College Foundation San Diego, CA | Operations | $5,000 |
| Miramar College Foundation Inc San Diego, CA | Operations | $5,000 |
| San Diego Continuing Education Foun San Diego, CA | Operations | $5,000 |
| Shelter to Soldier San Diego, CA | Operations | $5,000 |
| Changing Lanes San Diego, CA | Operations | $2,000 |
| Life Choices Poway Poway, CA | Operations | $2,000 |
| Doors of Change San Diego, CA | Operations | $2,000 |
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Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Qualifying Distributions | Net Investment Income | Distributable Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $2,331,325 | $228,252 | $255,357 | $185,000 | 13 | $192,642 | $204,537 | $146,609 |
| 2023 | $2,317,341 | $163,081 | $242,434 | $165,000 | 12 | $187,205 | $146,852 | $124,467 |
| 2022 | $2,435,019 | $314,160 | $229,497 | $151,000 | 14 | $163,142 | $272,423 | $141,043 |
| 2021 | $2,359,850 | $235,211 | $213,284 | $151,000 | 16 | $158,508 | $219,435 | $161,022 |
| 2020 | $2,337,923 | $119,476 | $203,753 | $143,000 | 12 | — | $108,064 | $134,764 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Scott & Elizabeth V Christensen reported a distributable amount of $147K for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2024 grants included support for organizations working with young people, colleges and students, veterans, and students with disabilities. For example, Just in Time for Foster Youth describes its work as providing transition-age foster youth with relationships and resources to help them thrive; Palomar College Foundation says it secures supplemental funding and provides program support for Palomar Community College and its students. Shelter to Soldier says it provides specially trained dogs to medically retired U.S. veterans who need a service dog. These are the grantees’ stated missions, not the foundation’s.
Grantmaking
In 2024, the foundation reported 13 grants totaling $185,000. Grant amounts ranged from $1,000 to $120,000, with a median of $5,000. The largest grants were $120,000 to Just in Time for Foster Youth and $30,000 to Palomar College Foundation, both for operations. Other grants included $5,000 each to San Diego City College Foundation, San Diego Mesa College Foundation, Miramar College Foundation, San Diego Continuing Education Foundation, and Shelter to Soldier; and $2,000 to Doors of Change.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Stacy Denherder as president, Laurie McKee as secretary, and Ailene McManus as treasurer.
Scott & Elizabeth V Christensen is led by Stacy Denherder, President on every filing since 2020; all 3 officers listed in 2024 are compensated.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Stacy Denherder
President
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
$13K (2020) → $13K (2024)
Ailene McManus
Treasurer
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
$13K (2020) → $13K (2024)
Laurie McKee
Secretary
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
$13K (2020) → $13K (2024)
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2024. "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 $13K, to Stacy Denherder (President). 3 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Frequently asked questions about Scott & Elizabeth V Christensen
How much does Scott & Elizabeth V Christensen give each year?
Scott & Elizabeth V Christensen gave $185K across 13 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $165K across 12 grants.
What is Scott & Elizabeth V Christensen's typical grant size?
Scott & Elizabeth V Christensen's median grant in 2024 was $5,000, and its average grant was $14,231, across 13 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Scott & Elizabeth V Christensen that year got $2K on average.
Where does Scott & Elizabeth V Christensen give grants?
Scott & Elizabeth V Christensen gives mostly in California: 98% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were San Diego, CA (8 grants).
Does Scott & Elizabeth V Christensen give general operating support?
Not in 2024: none of the 13 grants with a stated purpose on Scott & Elizabeth V Christensen's 2024 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Operations" (13 grants).
Who are Scott & Elizabeth V Christensen's largest grantees?
Scott & Elizabeth V Christensen's largest 2024 grantees include Just in Time for Foster Youth ($120,000), Palomar College Foundation ($30,000) and San Diego City College Foundation ($5,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 84% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is Scott & Elizabeth V Christensen?
Scott & Elizabeth V Christensen reported $2.3M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $193K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $147K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does Scott & Elizabeth V Christensen fund?
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2024 grants included support for organizations working with young people, colleges and students, veterans, and students with disabilities. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Scott & Elizabeth V Christensen?
The foundation stated on its 2024 filing that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Scott & Elizabeth V Christensen's EIN?
Scott & Elizabeth V Christensen's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 33-0958243. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Does Scott & Elizabeth V Christensen 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-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(1)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Live grants for the work Scott & Elizabeth V Christensen funds
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Scott & Elizabeth V Christensen funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 21, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/scott-and-elizabeth-v-christensen-morg_9ac0994617924c8eacfd3d213cfa5ffc
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_330958243_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Scott \& Elizabeth V Christensen funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/scott-and-elizabeth-v-christensen-morg_9ac0994617924c8eacfd3d213cfa5ffc},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-21. 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 Scott & Elizabeth V Christensen'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.
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