The John C Mithun Foundation
The John C. Mithun Foundation is a private, independent foundation based in Santa Barbara, California. The foundation operates as a non-operating foundation that makes contributions to preselected charitable organizations.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
—
Annual Giving
$2.9M
+28.6% YoY
Grant Count
65
+3.2% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$45K
+24.7% YoY
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation's primary funding focus is education. Secondary areas of interest include philanthropy, voluntarism, and grantmaking, as well as human services. The foundation supports educational initiatives and community-based projects across multiple states.
Grantmaking
The foundation only makes contributions to preselected charitable organizations.
Grant Range
s & Patterns:**
Average Grant
$40,000
How to Apply
**
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation primarily supports organizations in California, Hawaii, and Minnesota, which account for 98% of all grants. Grantmaking reaches organizations across four states. Specific communities supported include Arcata, Carpinteria, Goleta, Honolulu, New York, Santa Barbara, and South Hopkins. The foundation also funds initiatives in New York.
Grant Distribution by State
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
- Total Assets: $52.9 million (as of 2023)
- Annual Expenses: Approximately $2.9 million
- Annual Revenue: Approximately $2.5 million
- Total Annual Giving: $2.3 million to $2.6 million
- IRS Ruling Year: 2012
- EIN: 45-4228213
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | — | — | — |
| Revenue | — | — | — |
| Expenses | — | — | — |
| Qualifying Distributions | — | — | — |
| Net Investment Income | — | — | — |
| Distributable Amount | — | — | — |
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
Grant Size Distribution
250 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include Lobero Theatre ($500,000), Uc Santa Barbara Foundation ($250,000), Santa Barbara International Film Festival ($120,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| CALM SANTA BARBARA, CA | GENERAL | $15,000 |
| COMMUNITY ENVIRONMENTAL COUNCIL SANTA BARBARA, CA | GENERAL | $20,000 |
| DIGNITY MOVES SANTA BARBARA, CA | GENERAL | $50,000 |
| DOS PUEBLOS HIGH SCHOOL FOUNDATION GOLETA, CA | GENERAL | $20,000 |
| ELINGS PARK SANTA BARBARA, CA | GENERAL | $25,000 |
| ENSEMBLE THEATER SANTA BARBARA, CA | GENERAL | $15,000 |
| FOOD FROM THE HEART SANTA BARBARA, CA | GENERAL | $100,000 |
| FOOD FROM THE HEART SANTA BARBARA, CA | GENERAL | $10,000 |
| FOODBANK GOLETA, CA | GENERAL | $25,000 |
| FRIENDS OF THE GOLETA VALLEY LIBRARY GOLETA, CA | GENERAL | $50,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
- John C. Mithun - Principal Officer and President
- Mercedes M. Millington - Secretary
- Jack Mithun - Trustee
- Susan Torrey - Trustee
The foundation is governed by two officers and trustees, with leadership serving voluntarily without compensation.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| JOHN C MITHUN | PRESIDENT | 1 | — |
| MERCEDES M MILLINGTON | VICE PRESIDENT | 1 | — |
| SUSAN M TORREY | SECRETARY | 1 | $15,000 |
Recent News & Activity
Recent developments and announcements
In May 2024, the John C. Mithun Foundation pledged a $1.5 million donation to the Royal Pride Foundation for San Marcos High School's Building Community Wellness Project. This gift was announced as the single largest donation ever to the San Marcos High School community. The project involves redesigning the campus wellness center into a state-of-the-art facility and creating a new "mini-campus" for the Health Careers Academy.
San Marcos High School\u2019s Building Community Wellness Project Receives\The foundation committed $550,000 to fund the complete renovation of the children's area at the Goleta Valley Library, including interior design, furnishings, and associated project costs.
Subject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Frequently Asked Questions
What does The John C Mithun Foundation fund?
The foundation's primary funding focus is education. Secondary areas of interest include philanthropy, voluntarism, and grantmaking, as well as human services. The foundation supports educational initiatives and community-based projects across multiple states.
How do I apply for a grant from The John C Mithun Foundation?
**Grant Sizes & Patterns:** • Typical grant awards range from $1,000 to $250,000 • Average grant size: $40,000 • Median grant size: $25,000 • Individual grants have ranged from $2,000 to $250,000 **Recent Activity:** • The foundation has made 122 grants totaling $4.9 million across available records • Annual distribution: $2.3 million to $2.6 million (2022-2023) • The foundation supports 59 unique organizations • Open to new applicants **Application Process:** The foundation only makes contribu…
Where does The John C Mithun Foundation make grants?
The foundation primarily supports organizations in California, Hawaii, and Minnesota, which account for 98% of all grants. Grantmaking reaches organizations across four states. Specific communities supported include Arcata, Carpinteria, Goleta, Honolulu, New York, Santa Barbara, and South Hopkins. The foundation also funds initiatives in New York.
What size grants does The John C Mithun Foundation award?
In 2024, The John C Mithun Foundation awarded 65 grants totaling $2.9M — an average of about $45K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
What is The John C Mithun Foundation's EIN?
The John C Mithun Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 45-4228213. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2024.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in The John C Mithun Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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Data last updated June 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
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