The Victor and Susan Schaff Family
The Victor and Susan Schaff Family is a private foundation based in Carpinteria, California. It supports social causes and environmental initiatives, with its website describing a focus on the Santa Barbara and Central California region.
Key facts about The Victor and Susan Schaff Family
In short: The Victor and Susan Schaff Family gave $500K across 49 grants in 2025 (avg $10K), mostly in California. 27% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- EIN
- 86-6439121
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025
- Annual giving (2025)
- $500,099
- Grants made (2025)
- 49
- Average grant
- $10,206
- Median grant
- $7,500
- New grantees (estimate)
- 27% first-time grantees (13 of 49, 2025)
- Total assets
- $5,284,420
- Primary geography
- California (95% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- 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. Full details ↓
- Deadline
- The listed September 11, 2026 deadline has passed.
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology). Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Financial Overview
From 2025 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$5.3M
+424.9% YoY
Annual Giving
$500K
+69.4% YoY
Grant Count
49
+8.9% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$10K
+55.6% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Victor and Susan Schaff Family reported a distributable amount of $45K for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Is The Victor and Susan Schaff Family open to new grantees?
27%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 13 of 49 grantees (27%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $7K; repeat grants $11K. How we count
Medians: $5K first-time, $10K repeat.
- 73% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- In 2025 it paid out well above its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2023–2025). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation states that it supports social causes and environmental initiatives. Its website highlights educational opportunities and mentorship, sustainable practices, and support for people facing hardship or transition.
Its 2025 grants show support for organizations addressing a range of needs. For example, Unity Shoppe describes its work as providing essentials and job training to residents affected by poverty, disaster, or health crises. Transition House says it provides residential services and life tools to families experiencing homelessness. The Scholarship Foundation of Santa Barbara says it supports county students through information, advising, and scholarships. Environmental grants included support for conserving California native grassland ecosystems and for a database of wild California plants.
Grantmaking
In 2025, the foundation made 49 grants totaling $500,099. Grant amounts ranged from $599 to $100,000, with a median grant of $7,500. Among the largest awards were $100,000 to Unity Shoppe, $29,500 to California Native Grasslands Association, and $25,000 each to the Santa Barbara Foundation and Transition House.
Other 2025 grants included $20,000 each to Santa Barbara New House and Santa Barbara Rescue Mission, $15,000 each to Casa Serena and Habitat for Humanity of Southern Santa Barbara County, and $12,500 to HELP of Carpinteria. The grantee descriptions indicate work involving recovery, shelter, housing, transportation, and community support.
Review Cycle
The listed September 11, 2026 deadline has passed.
How to Apply
The foundation states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests. Its website lists an application period of August 3–September 11, 2026, and notes that the dates are subject to change.
Ready to take the next step with The Victor and Susan Schaff Family?
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2025, 95% of grant dollars went to recipients in California. The remaining shares went to organizations in Washington, D.C. (2%), Kansas (2%), and Idaho (1%). The foundation’s website describes its regional focus as Santa Barbara and Central California.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 49 itemized grants.
Cities
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2023 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $232K (2023) to $500K (2025). In 2025 it made 49 grants totaling $500K.
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Unity Shoppe Inc ($100K). Together the top 10 received $272K.
Grant Size Distribution
132 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 129 grants of 132 (98%).
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Unity Shoppe Inc Santa Barbara, CA | Providing Essentials and Support to Low-Income Families. | $100,000 |
| California Native Grasslands Assn Davis, CA | Conserving and Restoring California's Native Grassland Ecosystems. | $29,500 |
| Santa Barbara Foundation Santa Barbara, CA | General Support | $25,000 |
| Transition House Santa Barbara, CA | Empowering Homeless Families Through Housing and Supportive Services. | $25,000 |
| Santa Barbara New House Santa Barbara, CA | Creating Sustainable, Innovative Housing Solutions for Santa Barbara. | $20,000 |
| Santa Barbara Rescue Mission Santa Barbara, CA | Providing Shelter, Recovery, and Support for Homeless Individuals. | $20,000 |
| CASA Serena Santa Barbara, CA | Women's drug and alcohol rehab center in santa barbara | $15,000 |
| Habitat for Humanity of Southern Santa Barbara County Goleta, CA | Building Affordable Housing Through Volunteerism and Community Partnerships. | $15,000 |
| Help of Carpinteria Inc Carpinteria, CA | General Support | $12,500 |
| Aha Santa Barbara, CA | Help to Fight Heart Disease and Stroke | $10,000 |
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants | Grant count |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $5,284,420 | $4,807,800 | $530,095 | $500,099 | 49 |
| 2024 | $1,006,715 | $1,299,930 | $297,202 | $295,200 | 45 |
| 2023 | $3,987 | $236,400 | $232,413 | $232,000 | 38 |
| Metric | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $5,284,420 | $1,006,715 | $3,987 |
| Revenue | $4,807,800 | $1,299,930 | $236,400 |
| Expenses | $530,095 | $297,202 | $232,413 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $500,099 | $295,200 | $232,000 |
| Net Investment Income | $5,167 | — | — |
| Distributable Amount | $45,367 | $3,191 | $973 |
Data update history
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
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Western States LLC as trustee. Victor Schaff is listed as president of trustee, and Susan Schaff as a committee member of trustee. Other listed officers and directors are Jody K. Miller, Becky L. Rinaldi, and Jeffery P. Harris, committee members of trustee; Robin Storey, secretary of trustee; and Brandon V. Dixon, assistant secretary of trustee.
The Victor and Susan Schaff Family is led by Victor Schaff, President of Trustee on every filing since 2021; none of the 8 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Victor Schaff
President of Trustee
On filings since 2021
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Becky L. Rinaldi
Committee Member of Trustee
On filings since 2021
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Jody K. Miller
Committee Member of Trustee
On filings since 2021
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Robin Storey
Secretary of Trustee
On filings since 2021
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Susan Schaff
Committee Member of Trustee
On filings since 2021
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Western States LLC
Trustee
On filings since 2021
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Jeffery P. Harris
Committee Member of Trustee
On filings since 2023
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Brandon V. Dixon
Assistant Secretary of Trustee
On filings since 2024
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (2)
- Former: Randi C. Doll (2021–2023) — Assistant Secretary of Trustee
- Former: Brandon Dietrich (2021) — Treasurer of Trustee
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.
Contact
Mailing address: PO Box 1277, Carpinteria, CA 93014
Phone: (805) 331-4808
Website: HTTPS://WWW.SCHAFF-FAMILYFOUNDATION.ORG/
Frequently asked questions about The Victor and Susan Schaff Family
How much does The Victor and Susan Schaff Family give each year?
The Victor and Susan Schaff Family gave $500K across 49 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $295K across 45 grants.
What is The Victor and Susan Schaff Family's typical grant size?
The Victor and Susan Schaff Family's median grant in 2025 was $7,500, and its average grant was $10,206, across 49 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from The Victor and Susan Schaff Family that year got $7K on average.
Where does The Victor and Susan Schaff Family give grants?
The Victor and Susan Schaff Family gives mostly in California: 95% 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 (23 grants), Carpinteria, CA (7 grants), Goleta, CA (3 grants) and Berkeley, CA (2 grants).
Does The Victor and Susan Schaff Family give general operating support?
Yes: 24% of The Victor and Susan Schaff Family's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (12 of 49) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are The Victor and Susan Schaff Family's largest grantees?
The Victor and Susan Schaff Family's largest 2025 grantees include Unity Shoppe Inc ($100,000), California Native Grasslands Assn ($29,500) and Santa Barbara Foundation ($25,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 31% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is The Victor and Susan Schaff Family?
The Victor and Susan Schaff Family reported $5.3M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $500K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $45K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does The Victor and Susan Schaff Family fund?
The foundation states that it supports social causes and environmental initiatives. Its website highlights educational opportunities and mentorship, sustainable practices, and support for people facing hardship or transition. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The Victor and Susan Schaff Family?
The foundation states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is The Victor and Susan Schaff Family's EIN?
The Victor and Susan Schaff Family's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 86-6439121. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2021–2025.
Does The Victor and Susan Schaff Family 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.
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