The Nurture Foundation
The Nurture Foundation is a private foundation based in Santa Barbara, California. Its 2024 filing reports 28 grants totaling $178,078, and its grantmaking includes organizations serving children and families, as well as organizations providing health, education, and community support.
The Nurture Foundation at a glance
In short: The Nurture Foundation gave $178K across 28 grants in 2024 (avg $6K), mostly in California. 25% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $178,078
- +5.4% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 28
- +0.0% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $6,360
- +5.4% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $5,000
- Total assets
- $4,665,529
- -3.7% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 25% first-time grantees (7 of 28, 2024)
- Primary geography
- California (96% 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 Nurture Foundation
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds.
- Contact
Mailing address: 1187 Coast Village Road 619, Santa Barbara, CA 93108
Phone: (805) 451-8444
Website: https://nurturecottagemontecito.com
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who The Nurture Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Crane Country Day School ($30K). Together the top 10 received $131K.
Grant Size Distribution
118 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 116 grants of 118 (98%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2024, 96% of grant dollars went to recipients in California and 4% to recipients in Missouri.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 28 itemized grants.
Cities
Is The Nurture Foundation open to new grantees?
25%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 7 of 28 grantees (25%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $6K; repeat grants $7K. How we count
Medians: $5K first-time, $5K repeat.
- 71% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2021 to 2024 (−13%). Method
- In 2024 it paid out 110% 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 $79K (2020) to $245K (2022). In 2024 it made 28 grants totaling $178K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Crane Country Day School Santa Barbara, CA | Endowment | $30,000 |
| Teddy Bear Cancer Foundation Santa Barbara, CA | Provides financial and emotional support to families of children with cancer | $30,000 |
| Storyteller Children's Center Santa Barbara, CA | Provide Kindergarten Readiness to Homeless Kids | $18,000 |
| Girls Inc of Carpinteria Carpinteria, CA | Provide Inspiration for Girls | $13,000 |
| Girls Inc of Greater Santa Barbara Goleta, CA | Provide Inspiration for Girls | $13,000 |
| Court Appointed Special Advocates Santa Maria, CA | Provide Adult Advocacy to Children | $6,000 |
| Huntington's Disease Society of America St. Louis, MO | Provide Education and Support to People with HD | $5,663 |
| Cancer Foundation of Santa Barbara Santa Barbara, CA | Provide Quality Cancer Care | $5,000 |
| Dyslexia Project Santa Barbara, CA | Provide Assistance to People with Dyslexia | $5,000 |
| Hearts Therapeutic Equestrian Center Santa Barbara, CA | Provide Horseback Riding for Disabled People | $5,000 |
Ready to take the next step with The Nurture 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $4,665,529 | $584,455 | $659,136 | $178,078 | 28 | $253,747 | $259,833 | $229,854 |
| 2023 | $4,845,263 | $518,165 | $654,804 | $169,002 | 28 | $209,770 | $223,888 | $220,165 |
| 2022 | $4,952,438 | $536,355 | $685,538 | $245,031 | 30 | $292,484 | $198,752 | $222,979 |
| 2021 | $5,033,300 | $876,337 | $635,907 | $203,809 | 22 | $249,734 | $535,319 | $265,925 |
| 2020 | $4,785,758 | $399,110 | $375,150 | $78,532 | 10 | — | $193,230 | $238,884 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Nurture Foundation reported a distributable amount of $230K 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
No formal mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2024 grants show support for organizations working in areas including children’s education and advocacy, cancer support, services for people with disabilities, and disaster relief. These are areas reflected in the listed grants, rather than stated foundation-wide priorities.
Grantee descriptions illustrate the work supported. Teddy Bear Cancer Foundation says it provides financial and emotional support to families of children with cancer in three California counties. Storyteller Children’s Center says it provides early childhood education and family support services to homeless and at-risk children. Hearts Therapeutic Equestrian Center says it works with people with physical, intellectual, and emotional disabilities using horses. The Santa Barbara Bucket Brigade says it prepares for and responds to natural disasters and community crises.
Grantmaking
In 2024, the foundation gave 28 grants totaling $178,078. Grants ranged from $275 to $30,000, with a median of $5,000.
Among the largest grants were $30,000 each to Crane Country Day School for an endowment and Teddy Bear Cancer Foundation; $18,000 to Storyteller Children’s Center; and $13,000 each to Girls Inc of Carpinteria and Girls Inc of Greater Santa Barbara. Other listed grants included $6,000 to Court Appointed Special Advocates and $5,000 each to Cancer Foundation of Santa Barbara, Hearts Therapeutic Equestrian Center, and Santa Barbara Bucket Brigade.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Kathleen McCarthy and Michael McCarthy as trustees.
The Nurture Foundation's 2024 filing lists 2 officers; 1 of 2 officers listed in 2024 is compensated.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Kathleen McCarthy
Trustee
On filings since 2020
35 hrs/week
$50K (2022) → $50K (2024)
Michael McCarthy
Trustee
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
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 $50K, to Kathleen McCarthy (Trustee).
Frequently asked questions about The Nurture Foundation
How much does The Nurture Foundation give each year?
The Nurture Foundation gave $178K across 28 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $169K across 28 grants.
What is The Nurture Foundation's typical grant size?
The Nurture Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $5,000, and its average grant was $6,360, across 28 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from The Nurture Foundation that year got $6K on average.
Where does The Nurture Foundation give grants?
The Nurture Foundation gives mostly in California: 96% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Santa Barbara, CA (21 grants) and St. Louis, MO (2 grants).
Does The Nurture Foundation give general operating support?
Not in 2024: none of the 28 grants with a stated purpose on The Nurture Foundation's 2024 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support.
Who are The Nurture Foundation's largest grantees?
The Nurture Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include Crane Country Day School ($30,000), Teddy Bear Cancer Foundation ($30,000) and Storyteller Children's Center ($18,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 44% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is The Nurture Foundation?
The Nurture Foundation reported $4.7M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $254K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $230K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does The Nurture Foundation fund?
No formal mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2024 grants show support for organizations working in areas including children’s education and advocacy, cancer support, services for people with disabilities, and disaster relief. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The Nurture Foundation?
The foundation states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is The Nurture Foundation's EIN?
The Nurture Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 43-1221550. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Does The Nurture 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 October 2026.
Data update history
(6)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS November 5, 2021)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS November 7, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS November 13, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS November 11, 2024)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS October 30, 2025)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in The Nurture Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
Similar Funders
Funders that support many of the same organizations
Santa Barbara Foundation
Santa Barbara, CA
The Santa Barbara Foundation supports a wide range of community needs in Santa Barbara County, including behavioral and physical health, food and shelter, education, conservation, and arts programs. Its 2024 grants had a median amount of $25,000, though individual awards varied widely. It invites applicants to review program opportunities and eligibility requirements and apply through each program’s stated process; whether it accepts unsolicited requests is not stated.
Assets
$503.6M
Grants
447
Total Given
$107.7M
Hutton Foundation
Santa Barbara, CA
The Hutton Foundation funds Santa Barbara County nonprofits in arts and culture, civic and community work, education, and health and human services, with priority for programs serving low-income and other underserved people. Its 2024 grants ranged from $1,000 to $100,000, with a median of $10,000; it accepts unsolicited requests through its grant cycles.
Assets
$107.0M
Grants
190
Total Given
$1.9M
Mosher Foundation
Santa Barbara, CA
The Mosher Foundation funds specific, measurable programs in education, healthcare, and performing arts, primarily in South Santa Barbara County. Its 2025 grants ranged from $800 to $150,000, with a median of $5,100. It uses an invitation-based process; eligible nonprofits that have not received funding may submit a one-page introductory letter, but the Foundation says it will not review new applications until 2027.
Assets
$33.0M
Grants
78
Total Given
$1.6M
Williams-Corbett Foundation
Santa Barbara, CA
The Williams-Corbett Foundation supports California nonprofits working in areas such as mental health, education, housing, food access, and cancer care, with a strong Santa Barbara-area presence. Its 2024 grants ranged from $2,674 to $40,000, with a median of $15,000. It has no grant application form; organizations may submit a request letter by March 15 or September 15.
Assets
$23.4M
Grants
79
Total Given
$1.2M
Oshay Family Foundation
San Leandro, CA
The Oshay Family Foundation supports a range of charitable organizations, with 87% of its 2024 grant dollars going to California organizations. Its 2024 grants ranged from $40 to $10,000, with a median of $1,000. It funds only preselected organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests.
Assets
$1.7M
Grants
110
Total Given
$135K
Latkin Charitable Foundation
Eagan, MN
Latkin Charitable Foundation funded organizations addressing human services, health, recovery, food and basic needs, and education, with awards restricted to Santa Barbara County. In 2025, grants ranged from $3,000 to $10,000, with a median of $6,000. It requests a letter describing the organization, its purpose, and how the grant will be used; deadlines are April 1 and October 1.
Assets
$6.2M
Grants
66
Total Given
$430K
More similar funders
More Funders in California
Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). The Nurture Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/the-nurture-foundation-morg_c0e75b6b58af4de4bc7f66fc87ca32d1
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_431221550_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{The Nurture Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/the-nurture-foundation-morg_c0e75b6b58af4de4bc7f66fc87ca32d1},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-12. 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 Nurture 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 Nurture Foundation down — hundreds of funders to go?