The McCune Foundation
The McCune Foundation is a private foundation based in Ventura, California. Established in 1990 by George D. McCune and Sara Miller McCune, it supports grassroots organizations addressing critical issues in Santa Barbara and Ventura Counties through community organizing and efforts to empower and mobilize excluded populations.
The McCune Foundation at a glance
In short: The McCune Foundation gave $1.3M across 131 grants in 2025 (avg $10K), mostly in California. 39% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $1,345,475
- +18.5% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 131
- -4.4% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $10,271
- +23.9% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $2,500
- Total assets
- $37,494,780
- -1.6% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 39% first-time grantees (32 of 82, 2025)
- Primary geography
- California (99% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to The McCune Foundation
- How to Apply
-
The foundation’s stated policy is that it does not restrict giving to preselected organizations. Applicants begin by creating an organizational profile and completing an eligibility quiz; eligible organizations are then prompted to submit a registration and letter of inquiry. The foundation’s 2024 filing lists a two-page letter of inquiry and a copy of the organization’s IRS tax-exempt status letter as application materials. The filing limits awards to 501(c)(3) organizations operating in Santa Barbara or Ventura Counties and working in areas of interest to the board; grants are for projects that mobilize residents for economic and social justice initiatives. The website advises new applicants to review its guidelines and eligibility checklist and to discuss their project with the program officer before submitting a letter of inquiry.
- Review Cycle
- The website’s July 9, 2026 initial-proposal deadline and August 18, 2026 full-proposal deadline for the Fall 2026 cycle have passed. It lists January 2027 as the deadline period for the first 2027 grant cycle. The 2024 filing also describes January and July deadlines.
- Deadline
- The website’s July 9, 2026 initial-proposal deadline and August 18, 2026 full-proposal deadline for the Fall 2026…
- Contact
Application contact: Frank Rodriguez
Mailing address: PO Box 24340, Ventura, CA 93002
Phone: (805) 223-8373
Website: https://mccunefoundation.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Open Grants
3 open opportunities from The McCune Foundation
Mccune Foundation: Project & General Operating Support Grants
The McCune Foundation
Amount
Up to US $50,000
Deadline
Deadline not published
Mccune Foundation: Training Mini-Grants
The McCune Foundation
Amount
Varies
Deadline
Deadline not published
Training Mini-Grant Program
The McCune Foundation
Amount
US $500 - US $5,000
Deadline
Deadline not published
Who The McCune Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Fund for Santa Barbara ($177K across 10 grants). Together the top 10 received $717K.
Grant Size Distribution
543 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 531 grants of 543 (98%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation’s stated focus is Santa Barbara and Ventura Counties, California. Its 2025 grant data shows that 99% of grant dollars went to California recipients and 1% to recipients in Washington, D.C.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 131 itemized grants.
Cities
Is The McCune Foundation open to new grantees?
39%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 32 of 82 grantees (39%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $5K; repeat grants $24K. How we count
Medians: $2K first-time, $16K repeat.
- 50% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving grew 59% from 2022 to 2025. Method
- In 2025 it paid out 101% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2021–2025). 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 2021 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $814K (2021) to $1.3M (2025). In 2025 it made 131 grants totaling $1.3M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Fund for Santa Barbara Santa Barbara, CA | Central Coast Social Justice Academy | $60,000 |
| Cause (Central Coast Alliance United for a Sustainable Economy) Ventura, CA | General Operating Support for Ventura County | $50,000 |
| Cause (Central Coast Alliance United for a Sustainable Economy) Ventura, CA | General Operating Support for Santa Barbara County | $50,000 |
| Future Leaders of America Santa Maria, CA | General Support for N. Santa Barbara County | $50,000 |
| Future Leaders of America Santa Maria, CA | General Support for Oxnard and Santa Barbara | $50,000 |
| Mixtecoindigena Community Organizing Project Oxnard, CA | Organizing for Just Wages | $50,000 |
| Westminster Free Clinic Thousand Oaks, CA | Student Advocates Leading Uplifting Decisions (Salud) | $45,000 |
| Family Service Agency Santa Barbara, CA | Community Changers | $40,000 |
| Fund for Santa Barbara Santa Barbara, CA | Central Coast Social Justice Academy | $40,000 |
| Buen Vecino Westlake Village, CA | Social Capital Building Project | $35,000 |
Ready to take the next step with The McCune Foundation?
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Qualifying Distributions | Net Investment Income | Distributable Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $37,494,780 | $1,557,120 | $2,158,222 | $1,345,475 | 131 | $1,922,430 | $1,350,488 | $1,912,276 |
| 2024 | $38,099,725 | $1,638,293 | $1,940,689 | $1,135,524 | 137 | $1,724,151 | $1,187,230 | $1,884,279 |
| 2023 | $38,394,162 | $2,431,774 | $1,674,603 | $1,059,185 | 95 | $1,495,848 | $804,108 | $1,817,446 |
| 2022 | $37,611,502 | $36,845,719 | $1,221,707 | $848,753 | 89 | $1,120,817 | $757,210 | $671,512 |
| 2021 | $1,938,880 | $1,294,150 | $1,019,488 | $813,988 | 91 | — | $22,144 | $113,998 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The McCune Foundation reported a distributable amount of $1.9M for 2025 — 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 stated mission is “to be an agent of productive change in society by supporting the growth of social capital in communities.” It supports community-led work that seeks social and economic justice, addresses the causes of problems, builds social capital, and strengthens communities’ capacity to mobilize residents. The foundation says it does not fund direct services or purely educational programs.
Its 2025 grants illustrate a range of supported work, including organizing for just wages, youth leadership, community organizing training, and nonprofit leadership development. Among the grantees, Fund for Santa Barbara describes its mission as providing cash grants and free consulting to grassroots organizations in Santa Barbara County. Future Leaders of America says it provides leadership training, education, and personal development opportunities for Latino youth. These are the grantees’ own stated missions, not the foundation’s.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2025, the foundation reported 131 grants totaling $1,345,475. Grants ranged from $500 to $60,000, with a median grant of $2,500. Its listed grant programs include project and general operating support, with awards listed in the range of $0–$50,000.
Among the larger 2025 grants were $60,000 to Fund for Santa Barbara for the Central Coast Social Justice Academy; two grants of $50,000 each to CAUSE for general operating support in Ventura County and Santa Barbara County; two grants of $50,000 each to Future Leaders of America for general support in North Santa Barbara County and in Oxnard and Santa Barbara; and $50,000 to MixtecoIndigena Community Organizing Project for organizing for just wages. Other notable grants included $45,000 to Westminster Free Clinic for its Student Advocates Leading Uplifting Decisions (SALUD) program and $40,000 to Family Service Agency for Community Changers.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Sara Miller McCune as president, Charles Hale as vice-president, Claudia Z. Armann as executive director, Hilda Zacarias as treasurer, and Sandra Ball-Rokeach, Vicki Fisher Magasinn, Marcos Vargas, and Jocelyn Sze McCune as directors. Susan Rose and Victor Rios are listed as former directors.
The McCune Foundation is led by Claudia Z. Armann, Executive Director on every filing since 2021; 9 of 15 officers listed in 2025 are compensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Claudia Z. Armann
Executive Director
On filings since 2021
40 hrs/week
$116K (2021) → $185K (2025)
Sara Miller McCune
President
On filings since 2021
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Jocelyn Sze McCune
Director
On filings since 2021
3 hrs/week
$8K (2024) → $10K (2025)
Marcos Vargas
Director
On filings since 2021
3 hrs/week
$8K (2024) → $10K (2025)
Sandra Ball-Rokeach
Director
Vice President → Director, 2024
On filings since 2021
3 hrs/week
$8K (2024) → $10K (2025)
Vicki Fisher Magasinn
Director
Secretary → Director, 2024
On filings since 2021
3 hrs/week
$8K (2024) → $10K (2025)
Nancy Chen
Director
On filings since 2023
3 hrs/week
$8K (2024) → $10K (2025)
Wendy Sims-Moten
Director
On filings since 2023
3 hrs/week
$8K (2024) → $10K (2025)
Brando Pozzi
Director
On filings since 2023
3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Diane Wondolowski
Director
On filings since 2023
3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Hilda Zacarias
Treasurer
On filings since 2021
3 hrs/week
$5K (2024) → $13K (2025)
Monique Limon
Secretary
Director → Secretary, 2024
On filings since 2021
3 hrs/week
$8K (2024) → $10K (2025)
Charles Hale
Vice President
Director → Vice President, 2024
On filings since 2021
3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Susan Rose
Former Director
Director → Former Director, 2025
On filings since 2021
3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Victor Rios
Former Director
Director → Former Director, 2025
On filings since 2021
3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2021–2025. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Compensation Overview
From 2025 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2025 filing was $185K, to Claudia Z Armann (Executive Director). 9 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Frequently asked questions about The McCune Foundation
How much does The McCune Foundation give each year?
The McCune Foundation gave $1.3M across 131 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $1.1M across 137 grants.
What is The McCune Foundation's typical grant size?
The McCune Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $2,500, and its average grant was $10,271, across 131 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from The McCune Foundation that year got $5K on average.
Where does The McCune Foundation give grants?
The McCune Foundation gives mostly in California: 99% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Santa Barbara, CA (51 grants), Ventura, CA (17 grants), Santa Maria, CA (14 grants) and Lompoc, CA (7 grants).
Does The McCune Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 27% of The McCune Foundation's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (35 of 131) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Recurring purposes include "From Field to Fork Sponsorship" (3 grants).
Who are The McCune Foundation's largest grantees?
The McCune Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include Fund for Santa Barbara ($176,800 across 10 grants), Cause (Central Coast Alliance United for a Sustainable Economy) ($137,300 across 8 grants) and Future Leaders of America ($107,350 across 6 grants), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 31% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is The McCune Foundation?
The McCune Foundation reported $37.5M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $1.9M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $1.9M (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does The McCune Foundation fund?
The foundation’s stated mission is “to be an agent of productive change in society by supporting the growth of social capital in communities.” See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The McCune Foundation?
The foundation’s stated policy is that it does not restrict giving to preselected organizations. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is The McCune Foundation's EIN?
The McCune Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 77-0242953. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2021–2025.
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated October 2026.
Data update history
(2)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS May 15, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2021–2024
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in The McCune Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). The McCune Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 11, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/the-mccune-foundation-morg_21627b5326e447efb743468bff84f42c
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_770242953_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{The McCune Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/the-mccune-foundation-morg_21627b5326e447efb743468bff84f42c},
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 McCune 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.
The McCune Foundation down — hundreds of funders to go?