Susan & Bruce Worster Foundation
The Susan & Bruce Worster Foundation is a private foundation based in Montecito, California. In 2024, it reported 11 grants totaling $304,300 to charitable organizations, including universities and cultural institutions.
Susan & Bruce Worster Foundation at a glance
In short: Susan & Bruce Worster Foundation gave $304K across 11 grants in 2024 (avg $28K), mostly in California. 0% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $304,300
- +0.9% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 11
- +0.0% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $27,664
- +0.9% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $5,000
- Total assets
- $4,196,034
- -3.0% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 0% first-time grantees (0 of 11, 2024; small sample)
- Primary geography
- California (100% 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 Susan & Bruce Worster Foundation
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests for funds and states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations.
- Contact
Mailing address: 456 Crocker Sperry Drive, Montecito, CA 93108
Phone: (650) 815-6354
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Susan & Bruce Worster Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Regents of the University of CA ($106K). Together the top 10 received $303K.
Grant Size Distribution
41 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 26 grants of 41 (63%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The 2024 itemized grants include recipients in California and one recipient in Massachusetts: Wellesley College received $1,000. The filing’s reported grant-dollar share by recipient state lists California at 100% and Massachusetts at 0%.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 11 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is Susan & Bruce Worster Foundation open to new grantees?
0%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 0 of 11 grantees (0%) were first-time recipients. With only 11 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 9 points. How we count
- 100% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2021 to 2024 (−9%). Method
- In 2024 it paid out 106% 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 $302K (2023) to $353K (2022). In 2024 it made 11 grants totaling $304K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Regents of the University of CA Oakland, CA | General Use | $106,000 |
| Harvey Mudd College Claremont, CA | General Use | $88,300 |
| Santa Barbara Museum of Art Santa Barbara, CA | General Use | $62,500 |
| Uc Santa Barbara Foundation Santa Barbara, CA | General Use | $25,000 |
| Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History Santa Barbara, CA | General Use | $10,000 |
| Santa Barbara Symphony Santa Barbara, CA | General Use | $5,000 |
| J Paul Getty Trust Los Angeles, CA | General Use | $2,500 |
| Ensemble Theatre Company of Santa Barbara Inc Santa Barbara, CA | General Use | $2,000 |
| Santa Barbara Foundation Santa Barbara, CA | General Use | $1,000 |
| Wellesley College Wellesley Hills, MA | General Use | $1,000 |
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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 | $4,196,034 | $232,752 | $362,824 | $304,300 | 11 | $315,151 | $73,842 | $296,007 |
| 2023 | $4,326,106 | $225,441 | $346,228 | $301,505 | 11 | $309,905 | $78,086 | $256,458 |
| 2022 | $4,446,893 | $130,194 | $431,014 | $352,500 | 9 | $363,025 | $34,910 | $258,573 |
| 2021 | $4,747,713 | $500,350 | $400,260 | $335,511 | 5 | $344,811 | $321,135 | $285,934 |
| 2020 | $4,684,547 | $135,432 | $370,304 | $312,400 | 5 | — | $76,350 | $261,902 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Susan & Bruce Worster Foundation reported a distributable amount of $296K 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 higher education, art and natural history museums, a symphony, and a theater company. The grantees describe their own missions: Harvey Mudd College seeks to educate engineers, scientists, and mathematicians alongside study in the humanities, social sciences, and arts; the Santa Barbara Museum of Art aims to integrate art into people’s lives; and the Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History describes its work as inspiring awe for nature, promoting sustainability, and connecting communities.
Grantmaking
In 2024, the foundation gave 11 grants totaling $304,300. Grants ranged from $1,000 to $106,000, with a median grant of $5,000. Its largest reported grants were $106,000 to the Regents of the University of California, $88,300 to Harvey Mudd College, $62,500 to the Santa Barbara Museum of Art, and $25,000 to the UC Santa Barbara Foundation. Each was listed for “general use.”
Other 2024 recipients included the Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History ($10,000), Santa Barbara Symphony ($5,000), J. Paul Getty Trust ($2,500), Ensemble Theatre Company of Santa Barbara ($2,000), Santa Barbara Foundation ($1,000), Wellesley College ($1,000), and Occidental College ($1,000).
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Bruce Worster as president and director; Susan Worster as secretary through June 2024 and director; Brian Lodge Worster as chief financial officer and director; and Sara Worster Elkin as secretary as of June 2024 and director.
Susan & Bruce Worster Foundation is led by Bruce Worster, President & Director since 2024 (on filings since 2020); none of the 4 officers listed in 2024 report compensation.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Bruce Worster
President & Director
President → President & Director, 2024
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Susan Worster
Secretary & Director
Secretary → Secretary & Director, 2024
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Brian Lodge Worster
Chief Financial Officer & Director
New on the 2024 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Sara Worster Elkin
Secretary & Director
New on the 2024 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
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.
Frequently asked questions about Susan & Bruce Worster Foundation
How much does Susan & Bruce Worster Foundation give each year?
Susan & Bruce Worster Foundation gave $304K across 11 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $302K across 11 grants.
What is Susan & Bruce Worster Foundation's typical grant size?
Susan & Bruce Worster Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $5,000, and its average grant was $27,664, across 11 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
Where does Susan & Bruce Worster Foundation give grants?
Susan & Bruce Worster Foundation gives mostly in California: 100% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Santa Barbara, CA (6 grants) and Los Angeles, CA (2 grants).
Does Susan & Bruce Worster Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 100% of Susan & Bruce Worster Foundation's 2024 grants with a stated purpose (11 of 11) were for general or operating support, per its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are Susan & Bruce Worster Foundation's largest grantees?
Susan & Bruce Worster Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include Regents of the University of CA ($106,000), Harvey Mudd College ($88,300) and Santa Barbara Museum of Art ($62,500), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 84% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is Susan & Bruce Worster Foundation?
Susan & Bruce Worster Foundation reported $4.2M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $315K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $296K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does Susan & Bruce Worster Foundation fund?
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2024 grants included support for higher education, art and natural history museums, a symphony, and a theater company. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Susan & Bruce Worster Foundation?
The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests for funds and states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Susan & Bruce Worster Foundation's EIN?
Susan & Bruce Worster Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 77-0549392. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Does Susan & Bruce Worster 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-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 Susan & Bruce Worster Foundation funds
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Susan & Bruce Worster Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 17, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/susan-and-bruce-worster-foundation-morg_373fd2957c5d4448b7ba2a1f2e4fc721
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_770549392_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Susan \& Bruce Worster Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/susan-and-bruce-worster-foundation-morg_373fd2957c5d4448b7ba2a1f2e4fc721},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-17. 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 Susan & Bruce Worster 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.
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