Swenson Family Foundation
The Swenson Family Foundation is a private foundation based in Orange, California. Its 2025 grants went to organizations in California, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Alabama, and Washington, D.C., supporting projects and programs including university facilities, scholarships, and services for children and families.
Key facts about Swenson Family Foundation
In short: Swenson Family Foundation gave $6.1M across 33 grants in 2025 (avg $186K), mostly in California. 32% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- EIN
- 33-0603766
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025
- Annual giving (2025)
- $6,148,203
- Grants made (2025)
- 33
- Average grant
- $186,309
- Median grant
- $50,000
- New grantees (estimate)
- 32% first-time grantees (8 of 25, 2025)
- Total assets
- $94,314,723
- Primary geography
- California (58% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- 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. Full details ↓
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated September 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology). Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Financial Overview
From 2025 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$94.3M
-2.9% YoY
Annual Giving
$6.1M
+3.3% YoY
Grant Count
33
-8.3% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$186K
+12.7% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Swenson Family Foundation reported a distributable amount of $4.6M for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Is Swenson Family Foundation open to new grantees?
32%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 8 of 25 grantees (32%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $20K; repeat grants $352K. How we count
Medians: $15K first-time, $70K repeat.
- 64% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving fell 27% from 2022 to 2025. Method
- In 2025 it paid out 136% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2020–2025). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.
Mission & Focus Areas
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2025 grants included support for university engineering and science buildings, the Swenson Sail Program, Swenson Scholars, and other organizational purposes. Among its grantees, California Lutheran University describes its mission as educating leaders for a global society, while Friends of Holy Innocents describes its work as promoting Catholic Church teachings and supporting Holy Innocents Church and associated schools and ministries. Ocean Institute says it uses the ocean as a classroom and provides ocean and maritime learning experiences; Olive Crest says it provides safe homes, counseling, and education for children and families in crisis.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2025, the foundation reported 33 grants totaling $6,148,203. Grant amounts ranged from $5,000 to $1,600,000, with a median of $50,000. Among the largest awards were $1,600,000 to University MN Duluth for the Swenson Sail Program; $1,000,000 to CHOC Children's Foundation for “Wells Spaces”; and $500,000 each to California Lutheran University for an engineering building, Chapman University for an engineering building and for its exempt purpose, and Friends of Holy Innocents for a science building. Other reported grants included $218,041 installments to the University of Wisconsin Superior Foundation for Swenson Scholars.
Ready to take the next step with Swenson Family Foundation?
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2025, California received 58% of grant dollars, Minnesota 29%, Wisconsin 9%, Alabama 2%, and Washington, D.C. 1%.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 33 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2020 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $4.5M (2021) to $9.4M (2023). In 2025 it made 33 grants totaling $6.1M.
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was University MN Duluth ($1.7M across 2 grants). Together the top 10 received $5.7M.
Grant Size Distribution
157 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 59 grants of 157 (38%).
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| University MN Duluth Minneapolis, MN | Swenson Sail Program 2025 | $1,600,000 |
| Choc Children's Foundation Orange, CA | Wells Spaces 2025 | $1,000,000 |
| California Lutheran University Thousand Oaks, CA | Engineering Building | $500,000 |
| Chapman University Orange, CA | Engineering Building - 2024 | $500,000 |
| Chapman University Orange, CA | To Further the Exempt Purpose of the Organization | $500,000 |
| Friends of Holy Innocents Covina, CA | Science Building | $500,000 |
| University of Wisconsin Superior Foundation Inc Superior, WI | 2025-2026 Swenson Scholars - 1ST Semester | $218,041 |
| University of Wisconsin Superior Foundation Inc Superior, WI | Spring 2026 Semester - Swenson Scholars | $218,041 |
| University MN Duluth Minneapolis, MN | Glensheen, 2025 | $132,000 |
| The Dollywood Foundation Andalusia, AL | To Further the Exempt Purpose of the Organization | $125,000 |
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants | Grant count |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $94,314,723 | $3,661,689 | $6,519,481 | $6,148,203 | 33 |
| 2024 | $97,139,565 | $3,886,325 | $6,254,287 | $5,951,073 | 36 |
| 2023 | $99,502,157 | $3,751,040 | $9,611,926 | $9,361,880 | 30 |
| Metric | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $94,314,723 | $97,139,565 | $99,502,157 |
| Revenue | $3,661,689 | $3,886,325 | $3,751,040 |
| Expenses | $6,519,481 | $6,254,287 | $9,611,926 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $6,253,232 | $6,043,334 | $9,429,748 |
| Net Investment Income | $3,533,949 | $3,775,837 | $3,822,632 |
| Distributable Amount | $4,592,385 | $4,649,058 | $4,718,524 |
Data update history
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS May 13, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Susan G. Swenson as president, Rosie Swenson as secretary, Cheryl L. Lentz as treasurer, and Eoin L. Kreditor, Christopher Lentz, and Timothy J. Swenson as directors.
Swenson Family Foundation is led by Susan G. Swenson, President on every filing since 2020; none of the 6 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Susan G. Swenson
President
On filings since 2020
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Eoin L. Kreditor
Director
On filings since 2020
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Timothy J. Swenson
Director
On filings since 2020
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Christopher Lentz
Director
On filings since 2022
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Cheryl L. Lentz
Treasurer
CFO → Treasurer, 2022
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Rosie Swenson
Secretary
On filings since 2020
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
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.
Contact
Mailing address: PO Box 12263, Orange, CA 92859
Phone: (714) 264-6814
Website: https://swensonfoundation.org
Frequently asked questions about Swenson Family Foundation
How much does Swenson Family Foundation give each year?
Swenson Family Foundation gave $6.1M across 33 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $6.0M across 36 grants.
What is Swenson Family Foundation's typical grant size?
Swenson Family Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $50,000, and its average grant was $186,309, across 33 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Swenson Family Foundation that year got $20K on average.
Where does Swenson Family Foundation give grants?
Swenson Family Foundation gives mostly in California: 58% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest states were Minnesota (29%) and Wisconsin (9%). The most frequent recipient cities were Orange, CA (7 grants), Superior, WI (5 grants), Minneapolis, MN (3 grants) and Thousand Oaks, CA (2 grants).
Who are Swenson Family Foundation's largest grantees?
Swenson Family Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include University MN Duluth ($1,732,000 across 2 grants), Chapman University ($1,041,667 across 3 grants) and Choc Children's Foundation ($1,041,667 across 2 grants), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 62% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Swenson Family Foundation?
Swenson Family Foundation reported $94.3M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $6.3M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $4.6M (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does Swenson Family Foundation fund?
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2025 grants included support for university engineering and science buildings, the Swenson Sail Program, Swenson Scholars, and other organizational purposes. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Swenson Family 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 Swenson Family Foundation's EIN?
Swenson Family Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 33-0603766. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.
Does Swenson Family Foundation accept unsolicited proposals?
No, according to Grantable's research on the foundation's published guidelines. See how to apply ↑
Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Here's the math on researching Swenson Family Foundation by hand.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Swenson Family Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
Similar Funders
Funders with grantees in common, and similar funders in California
Enterprise Holdings Foundation
Saint Louis, MO
Enterprise Holdings Foundation supports nonprofits in health, education, arts, disaster relief, reforestation, hunger relief, and community equity, with an emphasis on organizations actively supported by Enterprise employees and their families. Its reported grants range widely: 2024 giving averaged about $7,700 across 9,499 grants, while the foundation also offers awards of up to $40,000; it supports communities where Enterprise operates worldwide. Unsolicited requests are accepted at any time, but eligible applications must be submitted by an Enterprise team member or their spouse or domestic partner on behalf of a nonprofit they actively support.
Assets
$594.3M
Grants
1
Total Given
$101.4M
Orange County Community Foundation
Irvine, CA
OCCF supports nonprofits across arts and culture, education, health, human services, the environment, and community development, primarily in Orange County but also beyond through its charitable funds. Its 2025 grants had a median amount of $25,000, though awards varied widely; the profile does not state whether it accepts unsolicited requests.
Assets
$743.6M
Grants
975
Total Given
$120.4M
Silicon Valley Community Foundation
Mountain View, CA
Silicon Valley Community Foundation funds work in areas such as housing, economic security, education, health, the environment, arts and culture, and civic engagement, with Community Action Grants supporting local, community-led organizations in San Mateo and Santa Clara counties. Its 2024 grants had a median of $51,716, though amounts varied widely; applications depend on the program, and SVCF states that it does not accept unsolicited proposals for advised funds.
Assets
$12.3B
Grants
3,576
Total Given
$3.2B
California Community Foundation
Los Angeles, CA
The California Community Foundation funds work in education, health, housing, immigration, and other community needs, primarily in Los Angeles County. Its 2025 grants had a median of $50,000, though amounts varied widely; it does not accept unsolicited funding requests.
Assets
$2.3B
Grants
2,174
Total Given
$326.6M
The William & Flora Hewlett Foundation
Menlo Park, CA
The William & Flora Hewlett Foundation funds education, climate and conservation, the arts, gender equity, governance, democracy, and philanthropy, with work in the San Francisco Bay Area, the U.S. West, nationally, and internationally. Its 2024 grants had a median of $150,000, though awards ranged from $50 to more than $11 million; it often provides long-term general operating support. It generally does not accept unsolicited requests, except through invited open processes.
Assets
$14.2B
Grants
2,001
Total Given
$625.0M
Marin Community Foundation
Novato, CA
Marin Community Foundation funds equity-focused work, including affordable housing, homelessness, community resilience and power, and arts; its Buck Family Fund supports organizations serving Marin County, including those based elsewhere. Its 2025 grants had a median of $25,000 and ranged from $5,050 to $10 million; the profile does not state whether it accepts unsolicited requests.
Assets
$1.3B
Grants
1,573
Total Given
$186.1M
Direct Relief
Santa Barbara, CA
Direct Relief funds community health centers, free and charitable clinics, educational institutions, and other organizations addressing health inequities, and provides medical supplies for healthcare facilities serving underserved communities and people affected by emergencies. Its 2025 grants ranged from $5,500 to $4.34 million, with a median of $100,000, supporting work across the U.S. and more than 80 countries. The available information does not state whether it accepts unsolicited grant requests.
Assets
$1.3B
Grants
1,367
Total Given
$337.4M
Conrad N Hilton Foundation
Westlake Village, CA
The Conrad N. Hilton Foundation funds nonprofits working to improve lives and alleviate poverty, with initiatives including early childhood development, homelessness, refugees, safe water, and support for foster and opportunity youth. Its work is global, and its 2024 grants had a median award of $76,000. It generally does not accept unsolicited requests, except through its Good Neighbor Program for eligible local nonprofits and Title 1 schools.
Assets
$7.4B
Grants
1,339
Total Given
$287.7M
The San Diego Foundation
San Diego, CA
The San Diego Foundation supports nonprofits advancing racial and social justice, equity of opportunity, and resilient communities, with grants for projects, capacity building, or general support. Its 2025 itemized grants had a median of $25,000, with awards ranging from $5,100 to nearly $5 million; it generally funds organizations serving San Diego County residents, though some grants reach beyond the county. Applications are made through posted funding opportunities, and the profile does not state whether unsolicited requests are accepted.
Assets
$1.7B
Grants
1,158
Total Given
$94.3M
The California Endowment
Los Angeles, CA
The California Endowment funds health and racial equity, including health care access, community health, organizing, and policy change, primarily in California. Its 2024 grants had a median of $100,000, though amounts varied widely; it does not accept unsolicited requests and funds preselected organizations only.
Assets
$4.5B
Grants
1,125
Total Given
$215.9M
Kaiser Foundation Hospitals
Oakland, CA
Kaiser Foundation Hospitals supports community health, health-care access, and efforts addressing health inequities, including mental and behavioral health, housing, and employment. Its 2024 grants had a median of $25,000, with most grant dollars going to California; Southern California grants focus on its 14 service areas. For Southern California regional grants, unsolicited letters of inquiry and proposals are not accepted; other application routes described include invited inquiries and open event sponsorship applications.
Assets
$87.4B
Grants
1,122
Total Given
$225.4M
Jewish Community Foundation of Los Angeles
Los Angeles, CA
The Jewish Community Foundation of Los Angeles supports human services, health, education, Jewish life, arts and culture, and nonprofit capacity and facilities, with grants in Los Angeles, Israel, and beyond. Its 2024 itemized grants had a median of $25,000, though amounts varied widely. General Community grants are invitation-only and do not accept unsolicited requests; all 2025 grantmaking is by invitation only.
Assets
$1.2B
Grants
1,063
Total Given
$142.2M
More Funders in California
Swenson Family Foundation down — hundreds of funders to go?