The McConnell Foundation
The McConnell Foundation is an independent foundation based in Redding, California, and is classified as a Form 990-PF private foundation. It makes grants to eligible nonprofits, public education institutions, and government entities, primarily in five rural Northern California counties, as well as in Nepal and Laos.
The McConnell Foundation at a glance
In short: The McConnell Foundation gave $11.6M across 129 grants in 2024 (avg $90K), mostly in California. 24% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $11,645,281
- +19.1% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 129
- -2.3% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $90,273
- +21.8% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $7,450
- Total assets
- $434,935,449
- +3.4% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 24% first-time grantees (30 of 124, 2024)
- Primary geography
- California (91% 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 McConnell Foundation
- How to Apply
-
The 2024 filing lists a scholarship application process involving paper applications, transcripts, standardized test scores, and Student Aid Reports showing expected family contribution. Scholarship eligibility is restricted to residents of Modoc, Shasta, Siskiyou, Tehama, and Trinity Counties, with other eligibility factors including financial need and academic performance; relatives of disqualified persons are ineligible.
- Review Cycle
- The 2024 filing lists March 05. This date has passed; the filing does not specify a year for the deadline.
- Deadline
- The 2024 filing lists March 05.
- Contact
Application contact: Dave Tanner
Mailing address: 800 Shasta View Drive, Redding, CA 96003
Phone: (530) 226-6233
Website: https://mcconnellfoundation.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who The McConnell Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Redding City of ($3.5M). Together the top 10 received $9.2M.
Grant Size Distribution
658 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 551 grants of 658 (84%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The Foundation’s primary Northern California giving area comprises Modoc, Shasta, Siskiyou, Tehama, and Trinity Counties. It also funds projects in Nepal and Laos. In 2024, 91% of grant dollars went to recipients in California; the filing also reports shares for an unspecified state or category (“?”), Washington, D.C., Oregon, and Nevada.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 129 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is The McConnell Foundation open to new grantees?
24%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 30 of 124 grantees (24%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $27K; repeat grants $115K. How we count
Medians: $750 first-time, $8K repeat.
- 68% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving fell 29% from 2021 to 2024. Method
- In 2024 it paid out 119% 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 $7.1M (2020) to $16.3M (2021). In 2024 it made 129 grants totaling $11.6M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Redding City of Redding, CA | City of Redding Block 7 HCD/AHSC Funding | $3,462,391 |
| Turtle Bay Exploration Park Redding, CA | Operating support for calendar year 2024, sustainability gardens - site maintenance 2024, memberships, annual auction" | $1,588,581 |
| Shasta Regional Community Foundation Redding, CA | Operating Support for Occupancy Expenses 1335 Arboretum Drive, Suite B (2023-2025) ($77,028) Operating Support 2022-2026 ($193,375), The McConnell Fund at the Community Foundation of the North State 2024 ($742,500), Giving Tuesday 2024 ($70,091), & In Honor of Bill Cox's retirement from The McConnell Foundation Board of Directors after 12 years of service ($12,000). | $1,094,994 |
| Shasta College Foundation Redding, CA | 2014 ($4,221), 2019 ($150), 2020 ($4,000), 2021 ($2,000), 2022 ($7,500), 2023 ($10,500), & 2024 ($23,250) McConnell Scholars & Gateway to College | $617,000 |
| Siskiyou County Job Council Yreka, CA | Yreka Carnegie Library Rehabilitation Project | $500,000 |
| Shasta County Office of Education Redding, CA | Pathways to Success: Integrating Community Schools and Cradle to Career Initiatives in the North State | $453,000 |
| Natural Resource Conflict Transformation Center - Nepal (NRCTC) | Phase VIII: Peace for Prosperity Natural Resource Conflict Transformation Project: Global Platform III | $403,000 |
| Shasta Living Streets Redding, CA | Block 7 HCD/AHSC Funding Build Capacity and Scale Sustainable Programs for a Bikeable-Walkable Downtown Occupancy-Rent and Utility Subsidy | $350,926 |
| College OPTIONS Inc Redding, CA | College and Career Options 2022-2023 and 2024-2026 | $350,000 |
| Viva Downtown Redding Redding, CA | Butte Street Revitalization-Rent & Utility Subsidy 2023-2025 ($172,779) Butte Street Revitalization-Operating Grant 2022-2025 ($75,000), & Viva Downtown Place-Making ($93,000) | $340,779 |
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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 | $434,935,449 | $55,481,245 | $32,364,105 | $11,645,281 | 129 | $32,158,592 | $40,569,080 | $26,978,441 |
| 2023 | $420,547,459 | $29,297,321 | $27,440,794 | $9,780,004 | 132 | $25,318,757 | $12,815,303 | $28,283,396 |
| 2022 | $410,662,599 | $43,915,723 | $30,961,566 | $13,887,643 | 142 | $30,370,759 | $27,792,056 | $27,275,962 |
| 2021 | $396,162,055 | $72,189,566 | $32,015,383 | $16,300,697 | 127 | $27,216,146 | $53,945,288 | $29,420,339 |
| 2020 | $379,984,279 | $21,867,294 | $22,933,956 | $7,088,742 | 128 | — | $12,880,183 | $19,480,594 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The McConnell Foundation reported a distributable amount of $27.0M for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated October 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The Foundation’s mission is to help build better communities through philanthropy. Its website identifies Children, Youth & Education; Community Vitality; Scholarships; and NatureBridge at Yosemite as areas of emphasis. It also describes work in Healthy Communities, sustainability, and wildfire mitigation, and lists Arts & Culture, Recreation, and Social Services among areas of its grantmaking.
The Foundation supports 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations, public education institutions, and government entities; individuals and for-profit businesses are not eligible for funding. Examples among its 2024 grantees include Turtle Bay Exploration Park, whose mission is “to inspire wonder, exploration and appreciation of our world,” and Shasta College Foundation, which says it supports Shasta College and promotes excellence in education and service to the community. Shasta Living Streets describes its mission as encouraging clean, active, and healthy transportation, while College OPTIONS says it seeks to increase post-secondary education participation and success among students in several an individual recipient counties.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2024, the Foundation reported 129 grants totaling $11,645,281. Grants ranged from $75 to $3,462,391, with a median of $7,450.
Among the largest reported grants were $3,462,391 to the City of Redding for “City of Redding Block 7 HCD/AHSC Funding”; $1,588,581 to Turtle Bay Exploration Park for operating support and other listed purposes; $1,094,994 to Shasta Regional Community Foundation for operating support and other purposes, including The McConnell Fund at the Community Foundation of the an individual recipient; and $617,000 to Shasta College Foundation for McConnell Scholars and Gateway to College. Other large grants included $500,000 to Siskiyou County Job Council for the Yreka Carnegie Library Rehabilitation Project and $453,000 to Shasta County Office of Education for a community schools and cradle-to-career initiative.
The Foundation says its external grantmaking includes a partnership with the Community Foundation of the an individual recipient Through The McConnell Fund, that organization administers requests of up to $50,000 for eligible projects in the five-county giving area; the Foundation says it is not directly involved with grants made through the fund. The Foundation also describes the McConnell Scholars Program as a scholarship program for eligible first-time freshmen or transfer juniors.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists John A Mancasola as President & CEO, Shannon Phillips as Chief Operating Officer, Eva Jimenez as Chair of the Board, Lee W Salter as Treasurer, and Pamela Newman as Secretary. Dean Germano is listed as a director beginning March 2024, and William W Cox as a director through March 2024.
The McConnell Foundation is led by John A Mancasola, President & CEO on every filing since 2020; all 7 officers listed in 2024 are compensated.
Officers on the 2024 filing
John A Mancasola
President & CEO
On filings since 2020
50 hrs/week
$566K (2020) → $647K (2024)
Eva Jimenez
Chair of the Board
Secretary → Chair of the Board, 2022
On filings since 2020
10 hrs/week
$28K (2020) → $35K (2024)
William W Cox
Director
Director → Secretary, 2023
Secretary → Director, 2024
On filings since 2020
10 hrs/week
$28K (2020) → $8K (2024)
Dean Germano
Director
New on the 2024 filing
10 hrs/week
$23K (2024)
Lee W Salter
Treasurer
Chair of the Board → Treasurer, 2022
On filings since 2020
10 hrs/week
$28K (2020) → $30K (2024)
Shannon Phillips
Chief Operating Officer
On filings since 2020
50 hrs/week
$287K (2020) → $369K (2024)
Pamela Newman
Secretary
Secretary → Director, 2023
Director → Secretary, 2024
On filings since 2022
10 hrs/week
$28K (2022) → $30K (2024)
Former officers (1)
- Former: Doreeta J Domke (2020–2021) — Director
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 $647K, to John A Mancasola (President & CEO). 7 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Frequently asked questions about The McConnell Foundation
How much does The McConnell Foundation give each year?
The McConnell Foundation gave $11.6M across 129 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $9.8M across 132 grants.
What is The McConnell Foundation's typical grant size?
The McConnell Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $7,450, and its average grant was $90,273, across 129 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from The McConnell Foundation that year got $27K on average.
Where does The McConnell Foundation give grants?
The McConnell Foundation gives mostly in California: 91% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Redding, CA (41 grants), Washington, DC (4 grants), Anderson, CA (4 grants) and Yreka, CA (3 grants).
Does The McConnell Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 22% of The McConnell Foundation's 2024 grants with a stated purpose (28 of 129) were for general or operating support, per its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Recurring purposes include "2022 McConnell Scholars" (9 grants), "Food Donations" (9 grants) and "2023 McConnell Scholars" (6 grants).
Who are The McConnell Foundation's largest grantees?
The McConnell Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include Redding City of ($3,462,391), Turtle Bay Exploration Park ($1,588,581) and Shasta Regional Community Foundation ($1,094,994), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 53% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is The McConnell Foundation?
The McConnell Foundation reported $434.9M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $32.2M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $27.0M (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does The McConnell Foundation fund?
The Foundation’s mission is to help build better communities through philanthropy. Its website identifies Children, Youth & Education; Community Vitality; Scholarships; and NatureBridge at Yosemite as areas of emphasis. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The McConnell Foundation?
The 2024 filing lists a scholarship application process involving paper applications, transcripts, standardized test scores, and Student Aid Reports showing expected family contribution. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is The McConnell Foundation's EIN?
The McConnell Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 94-6102700. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated October 2026.
Data update history
(1)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). The McConnell Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 11, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/the-mcconnell-foundation-morg_20ea85a8979d492fbc73543be944abb4
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_946102700_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{The McConnell Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/the-mcconnell-foundation-morg_20ea85a8979d492fbc73543be944abb4},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-11. 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 McConnell 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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