The Crean Foundation
The Crean Foundation is a private foundation based in Laguna Hills, California. Its 2024 filing reports grants to charitable organizations in California, including organizations working in education, youth services, health, and community programs.
The Crean Foundation at a glance
In short: The Crean Foundation gave $3.2M across 104 grants in 2024 (avg $31K), mostly in California. 5% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $3,176,940
- +3.2% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 104
- -4.6% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $30,548
- +8.2% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $10,000
- Total assets
- $63,503,954
- +10.6% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 5% first-time grantees (5 of 103, 2024)
- 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 The Crean Foundation
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests; it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations.
- Contact
Mailing address: 27052 Falling Leaf Dr, Laguna Hills, CA 92653
Phone: (949) 642-3050
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who The Crean Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Orangewood Foundation - Samueli Aca ($500K). Together the top 10 received $2.1M.
Organizations only. It also paid 1 individual scholarship ($40,000), which are not listed by name.
Grant Size Distribution
531 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 468 grants of 531 (88%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
All grant dollars in 2024 went to recipients in California.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 104 itemized grants.
Cities
Is The Crean Foundation open to new grantees?
5%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 5 of 103 grantees (5%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $106K; repeat grants $27K. How we count
Medians: $10K first-time, $10K repeat.
- 95% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2021 to 2024 (−10%). Method
- In 2024 it paid out 95% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Foundations have until the end of the next year to meet it. 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 $3.1M (2023) to $3.5M (2021). In 2024 it made 104 grants totaling $3.2M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Orangewood Foundation - Samueli Aca Santa Ana, CA | Education Programs. | $500,000 |
| Children's Bureau Los Angeles, CA | Programs for disadvantaged children. | $250,000 |
| Army and Navy Academy Carlsbad, CA | Tuition Assistance for Low Income Students. | $250,000 |
| Anaheim Family YMCA Anaheim, CA | Programs for youth and development of new athletic facilities. | $215,000 |
| Olive Crest Santa Ana, CA | Support for foster youth. | $205,000 |
| Hoag Hospital Foundation Newport Beach, CA | Functional Medicine Program. | $200,000 |
| Concordia University Foundation Irvine, CA | Construction of new music, worship and theology building. | $200,000 |
| Children's Hospital of OC Foundatio Orange, CA | Pediatric Medical Care. | $117,500 |
| Alzheimer's Orange County Irvine, CA | Programs for People with Alzheimer's Disease. | $100,000 |
| Friends of Santa Ana Zoo Santa Ana, CA | Maintenance of animal exhibits. | $100,000 |
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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 | $63,503,954 | $6,199,795 | $4,043,995 | $3,176,940 | 104 | $3,176,940 | $5,318,644 | $3,342,203 |
| 2023 | $57,400,643 | $2,352,081 | $3,922,797 | $3,076,940 | 109 | $3,076,940 | $1,492,117 | $3,013,441 |
| 2022 | $63,086,444 | $4,213,752 | $4,285,067 | $3,415,840 | 109 | $3,415,840 | $3,756,242 | $3,242,662 |
| 2021 | $63,201,193 | $7,122,419 | $4,365,815 | $3,537,590 | 104 | $3,537,590 | $6,271,960 | $3,605,454 |
| 2020 | $60,463,700 | $2,065,286 | $4,158,213 | $3,536,850 | 105 | — | $1,736,257 | $3,200,351 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Crean Foundation reported a distributable amount of $3.3M 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
The foundation’s filing describes its book distribution as a direct charitable activity; it does not state a broader mission. Its 2024 grants included education programs, tuition assistance, services for children and foster youth, medical care and research, and support for community organizations.
The grantees’ own descriptions illustrate the range of work represented. Olive Crest says it provides safe homes, counseling, and education for children and families in crisis. Alzheimer’s Orange County describes work advancing research, providing care and support, and offering direct services to people with dementia. Friends of Santa Ana Zoo says it develops financial support, growth, and community awareness for the zoo. These are grantees’ stated missions, not the foundation’s.
Grantmaking
In 2024, the foundation reported 104 grants totaling $3,176,940. Grants ranged from $500 to $500,000, with a median of $10,000. Its largest awards included $500,000 to Orangewood Foundation – Samueli Aca for education programs; $250,000 each to Children’s Bureau for programs for disadvantaged children and Army and Navy Academy for tuition assistance for low-income students; and $215,000 to Anaheim Family YMCA for youth programs and development of new athletic facilities. Other large awards included $205,000 to Olive Crest, $200,000 to Hoag Hospital Foundation, and $200,000 to Concordia University Foundation.
The foundation states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Emily Crean Vogler as President, Susan E Thomas as Vice President, Connie Colwell as Secretary, and Marc S Goldin as CFO.
The Crean Foundation is led by Emily Crean Vogler, President since 2023 (on filings since 2020); 1 of 4 officers listed in 2024 is compensated.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Emily Crean Vogler
President
Vice President → President, 2023
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Marc S. Goldin
CFO
On filings since 2020
30 hrs/week
$309K (2020) → $510K (2024)
Susan E. Thomas
Vice President
Secretary → Vice President, 2023
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Connie Colwell
Secretary
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (1)
- Former: Andrew Crean (2020–2022) — President
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 $510K, to Marc S Goldin (CFO).
Frequently asked questions about The Crean Foundation
How much does The Crean Foundation give each year?
The Crean Foundation gave $3.2M across 104 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $3.1M across 109 grants.
What is The Crean Foundation's typical grant size?
The Crean Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $10,000, and its average grant was $30,548, across 104 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from The Crean Foundation that year got $106K on average.
Where does The Crean Foundation give grants?
The Crean 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 Ana, CA (24 grants), Irvine, CA (15 grants), Costa Mesa, CA (8 grants) and Los Angeles, CA (5 grants).
Does The Crean Foundation give general operating support?
Not in 2024: none of the 104 grants with a stated purpose on The Crean Foundation's 2024 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Religious Programs." (5 grants), "Medical Research." (3 grants) and "Education Programs." (3 grants).
Who are The Crean Foundation's largest grantees?
The Crean Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include Orangewood Foundation - Samueli Aca ($500,000), Children's Bureau ($250,000) and Army and Navy Academy ($250,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It also paid 1 individual scholarship ($40,000), which are not listed by name. Together they received 31% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is The Crean Foundation?
The Crean Foundation reported $63.5M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $3.2M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $3.3M (roughly 5% of its investment assets). Falling short in one year is not a violation: foundations have until the end of the next year to meet the minimum.
What does The Crean Foundation fund?
The foundation’s filing describes its book distribution as a direct charitable activity; it does not state a broader mission. Its 2024 grants included education programs, tuition assistance, services for children and foster youth, medical care and research, and support for community organizations. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The Crean Foundation?
The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests; 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 The Crean Foundation's EIN?
The Crean Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 95-3676334. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Does The Crean 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
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in The Crean Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). The Crean Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 10, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/the-crean-foundation-morg_8277d9c2bf2a43cea2ca9db86e6183a5
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_953676334_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{The Crean Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/the-crean-foundation-morg_8277d9c2bf2a43cea2ca9db86e6183a5},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-10. 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 The Crean 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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