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Issa Family Foundation at a glance

· Private foundation

Issa Family Foundation

Its FY2025 filing reports that it funds preselected organizations and did not take unsolicited requests; check the foundation's own site before ruling it out.

$1.6M
Granted FY2025still arriving
41
Grants FY2025still arriving
5
States reached
$400k
Largest
01What it fundsRead
02The needRead
03Its granteesRead
04Its fieldRead
01What it funds
0195% classified

What it funded, over time

Every grant placed by its stated purpose and the recipient’s mission, by year, FY2020 to 2025.

Human Services$23MHousing & Shelter$2.4MYouth Development$1.3MReligion$840kArts & Culture$682kEducation$675kHealth$624kFood & Nutrition$615kOther$0
02FY2025 · 41 grants

Where the money goes

Grants by size, and the largest recipients.

By grant size · FY2025

  • Under $10k13 grants · $39k
  • $10k–50k20 grants · $375k
  • $50k–250k6 grants · $490k
  • $250k+2 grants · $650k
$10,000
Median grant
5
States reached
$36M
Total assets
Largest grants
RecipientAmount
SOLUTIONS FOR CHANGE$400,000
ST ANTHONY ORTHODOX CHRISTIAN CHURCH$250,000
NATIONAL CONFLICT RESOLUTION CENTER$175,000
LEAP TO SUCCESS$75,000
BOYS AND GIRLS CLUB OF VISTA$70,000
INTERFAITH COMMUNITY SERVICES$70,000
THE SALVATION ARMY$50,000
BIG BROTHERS BIG SISTERS$50,000
NEW HAVEN YOUTH & FAMILY SERVICES$40,000
SAN DIEGO FOOD BANK$35,000
FEEDING SAN DIEGO$30,000
ANGELS FOSTER FAMILY NETWORK$30,000
MOONLIGHT CULTURAL FOUNDATION$25,000
PALOMAR COLLEGE FOUNDATION$25,000
OPERATION HOPE NORTH COUNTY$25,000
02The need
03

Does the money reach high-need areas?

Each grant placed by the hardship in its grantee’s ZIP, against the area’s typical level.

show:

Its human-services grants (FY20–25, $23.5M) land where the poverty rate runs at 10%, against an area that typically sits at 9%. 100% of those dollars go to grantees based in above-average-need neighborhoods. Most of its grants land in higher-need ZIPs.

area typical 9%ANGELS FOSTER FAMILY NETWORK: $60k → 11%THE SUGAR BEAR FOUNDATION: $2k → 9%SOF SUPPORT INC: $10k → 7%THE ISSA FOUNDATION: $20.9M → 10%ANGELS FOSTER FAMILY NETWORK: $45k → 11%ANGELS FOSTER FAMILY NETWORK: $40k → 11%ANGELS FOSTER FAMILY NETWORK: $30k → 11%ANGELS FOSTER FAMILY NETWORK: $30k → 11%ANGELS FOSTER FAMILY NETWORK: $15k → 11%ELDERHELP OF SAN DIEGO: $10k → 11%ELIZABETH HOSPICE: $15k → 11%ELDERHELP OF SAN DIEGO: $10k → 11%CASA DE AMPARO: $40k → 11%LIFE PERSPECTIVES: $10k → 11%ELDERHELP OF SAN DIEGO: $10k → 11%CASA DE AMPARO: $30k → 11%LIFE PERSPECTIVES: $10k → 11%ELDERHELP OF SAN DIEGO: $10k → 11%ELIZABETH HOSPICE: $10k → 11%CASA DE AMPARO: $20k → 11%ELIZABETH HOSPICE: $10k → 11%CASA DE AMPARO: $15k → 11%LIFE PERSPECTIVES: $8k → 11%CASA DE AMPARO: $10k → 11%LIFE PERSPECTIVES: $8k → 11%LIFE PERSPECTIVES: $5k → 11%ELDERHELP OF SAN DIEGO: $3k → 11%LIFE PERSPECTIVES: $5k → 11%SOLUTIONS FOR CHANGE: $400k → 11%SOLUTIONS FOR CHANGE: $350k → 11%SOLUTIONS FOR CHANGE: $350k → 11%SOLUTIONS FOR CHANGE: $350k → 11%SOLUTIONS FOR CHANGE: $330k → 11%NORTH COUNTY SOLUTIONS FOR CHANGE: $250k → 11%LIFELINE COMMUNITY SERVICES: $15k → 11%NORTH COUNTY LIFELINE: $15k → 11%NORTH COUNTY LIFELINE: $10k → 11%CRISIS HOUSE: $10k → 11%CRISIS HOUSE: $10k → 11%CRISIS HOUSE: $5k → 11%CRISIS HOUSE: $5k → 11%SAN DIEGO OASIS: $10k → 11%0%20%40%50%more need →
grant to an above-average-need area below average· circle size = grant amount
How this is measured
Matched: human-services grants are those whose grantee’s IRS cause code is Human Services. Placed by people below the poverty line in the grantee’s ZIP, averaged from the tracts in that ZIP.

Which US states its grants reach

IL
NY
WY
IN
OH
PA
CA
UT
VA
MD
TN
NC
DC
GA
How this is measured
US grants placed by each grantee’s ZIP, which can differ from where services are delivered. Need from public data (U.S. Census/ACS, CDC PLACES, Eviction Lab, USDA), shown as context about the area, never attributed to the funder’s giving.
03Its grantees
repeat funding

Who it funds again

Organizations funded in more than one year, against those funded once.

32%of every dollar goes to organizations it has funded before.
$9.8M · 71 repeat orgs$21M to everyone else

Grantees it renews have grown median revenue +33% since the first grant, against +6% for those funded once.

71 repeat relationships: 39 still active in FY2025, 32 since wound down; 2 grantees were first funded in FY2025 (too recent to call).

How the two cohorts compare

Re-uppedFunded once

Organizations

71
26

Total granted

$9.8M
$21M

Median revenue growth · since first grant

+33%
+6%

Still filing today

72%
73%

New vs renewed · share of each year

In FY2025, 99% of grant dollars renewed an existing relationship; $11k went to new ones.

50%100%’20’21’22’23’24’25
RenewedFirst-time

Where new relationships form · theme of each grantee’s first grant

’20’21’22’23’24’25
Human ServicesHealthEducationArts & CultureFood & NutritionHousing & ShelterOther
How this is measured
First-time means a grantee’s first year in the filing window; renewed means funded in an earlier year too. The renewed share climbs naturally as a portfolio matures, so the signal is a year that bucks it (a wave of new grantees). The earliest year is left-censored: relationships that predate the data read as new. Theme is the grantee’s IRS cause.

Backed again, and grew

  • SF
    SOLUTIONS FOR CHANGE INC
    6× · 2020–2025 · $2.0M · revenue +8%
  • NC
    NATIONAL CONFLICT RESOLUTION CENTER
    6× · 2020–2025 · $540k · revenue +151%
  • LT
    Leap to Success
    6× · 2020–2025 · $510k · revenue +44% · 26% of their budget

Funded once

  • TI
    THE ISSA FOUNDATION
    one grant, 2024 · $21M · 84% of their budget
  • PO
    POINTS OF LIGHT FOUNDATION
    one grant, 2023 · $50k · revenue +9%
  • BB
    Building Better Communities Foundation
    one grant, 2022 · $25k · revenue +9%
How this is measured

Repeat means funded in two or more distinct years. Growth and survival are read from each grantee’s own subsequent IRS filings.

04Its field

Closest unfunded matches

The nonprofits that most resemble its grantees but are not funded by it, scored along the direction from the rest of the field toward the portfolio. A resemblance in what they say they do, not a recommendation.

1
The San Diego Foundation

The san diego foundation inspires enduring philanthropy and enables community solutions to improve the quality of life in our region.

Philanthropy
2
Center for Community Solutions

The mission is to end relationship and sexual violence by being a catalyst for caring communities and social justice. the vision is for all people to live full, free, expressive, and empowered lives in a safe, healthy, vibrant, and…

Health
3
San Diego State University Foundation Sdsu Research Foundation

To support and further the research, education and community service objectives of san diego state university.

Education
4
Dreams for Change Inc

Dreams for Change's mission is to respond to the needs of San Diegans by creating innovative and cost-effective programs to empower and stabilize the lives of under-served families and individuals.

Human Services
5
La Casa de las Madres

La Casa de las Madres' mission is to respond to calls for help from DV victims, of all ages, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. We give survivors the tools to transform their lives. We seek to prevent future violence by educating the…

—
6
Valle Del Sol Inc

Valle del sol inspires positive change by investing in health and human services to strengthen families with tools and skills for self-sufficiency and by building the next generation of latino and diverse leaders.

Health
7
San Diego Habitat Conservancy

Acquire, manage and protect land in perpetuity that supports sensitive habitats and species, and to educate and inspire people and communities as stewards and advocates of their natural environment.

Arts & Culture
8
United Way of San Diego County

To spark breakthrough community action that elevates every child and family toward a brighter future.

Philanthropy
9
San Diego Volunteer Lawyer Program Inc

The mission of san diego volunteer lawyer program, inc. is to provide equal access to the justice system by serving as a bridge between indigent and other disadvantaged people in san diego county and the volunteer lawyers who are willing…

Social Science
10
San Diego Housing Federation

The Federation brings together representatives of affordable housing community development corporations with others interested in the development and management of housing for low and moderate income persons in San Diego County to mutually…

Education
11
Regional Task Force On the Homeless

RTFH exists to reduce and end homelessness in San Diego, ensuring that if this situation does happen for anyone, it remains a rare, brief and non-recurring instance; not an outcome.

Human Services
12
San Diego Center for Children

Founded in 1887, the center is the oldest children's nonprofit in the region accredited by the joint commission for its excellence in quality of care. the center provides a continuum of therapeutic & educational services to youth &…

Human Services
How this is measured
The grantee most central to the portfolio’s shape is San Diego Oasis; the most unlike its peers is Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute. Resemblance is measured on each organization’s own IRS 990 mission text; it reflects how work is described, not its quality or impact.
04the grantee network

74 grantees tracked through their own filings, 2017–2025.

Each grant beside the grantee’s revenue from every source, year by year.

How this is measured

Counted here: distinct organizations funded across 2017 to 2025, not grant rows in a single year, so this will not match the grant count on the cover. 74 of the 100 grantees resolved in that span have returns of their own we could reconcile.

Each grantee is resolved to its own IRS returns. Association, dated; never a causal claim.

2
Load-bearing (≥25% of a budget)
17
Early backer (in before they grew)
73/74
Grantees still filing
54/74
Grew since first funded

Where the money sits, by cause and then by grantee

THE ISSA FOUNDATION: $20,921,313 · Human ServicesTHE ISSA FOUNDATIONSOLUTIONS FOR CHANGE INC: $2,030,000 · Human ServicesSOLUTIONS FOR CHANGE INC+10 more: $550,000 · Human ServicesST ANTHONY ORTHODOX CHRISTIAN CHURCH: $715,000 · OtherST ANTHONY ORTHOD…NATIONAL CONFLICT RESOLUTION CENTER: $540,000 · OtherNATIONAL CONFLICT…Interfaith Community Services Inc: $502,000 · OtherInterfaith Commun…THE SALVATION ARMY: $445,600 · OtherTHE SALVATION ARM…BOYS AND GIRLS CLUB OF VISTA INC: $405,000 · OtherBOYS AND GIRLS CL…BIG BROTHERS BIG SISTERS: $300,000 · OtherBIG BROTHERS BIG …New Haven Youth and Family Services Inc: $180,000 · OtherJUST IN TIME FOR FOSTER YOUTH: $181,000 · Other+46 more: $1,465,000 · Other+46 moreLeap to Success: $510,000 · Arts & CultureMOONLIGHT CULTURAL FOUNDATION: $150,000 · Arts & Culture+3 more: $22,100 · Arts & CulturePalomar College Foundation: $425,000 · EducationNorth County Education Foundation Inc: $92,500 · EducationMONARCH SCHOOL PROJECT: $57,500 · EducationNORTH COUNTY TRADE TECH HIGH SCHOOL: $50,000 · Education+5 more: $38,000 · EducationSEMPER FI & AMERICA'S FUND: $130,000 · HealthSECOND CHANCE INC: $115,000 · HealthVISTA COMMUNITY CLINIC: $85,000 · HealthRADY CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL SAN DIEGO: $70,000 · HealthTRI-CITY HOSPITAL FOUNDATION: $65,000 · HealthPALOMAR HEALTH FOUNDATION: $60,000 · HealthSCRIPPS HEALTH: $47,500 · HealthMCALISTER INSTITUTE FOR TREATMENT & EDUCATION INC: $25,000 · Health+4 more: $51,000 · HealthJACOBS & CUSHMAN SAN DIEGO FOOD BANK: $335,000 · Food & NutritionFEEDING SAN DIEGO: $160,000 · Food & NutritionBROTHER BENNO FOUNDATION INC: $34,000 · Food & NutritionBuilding Better Communities Foundation: $25,000 · Food & NutritionOPERATION HOPE-NORTH COUNTY INC: $205,000 · Housing & ShelterSAN DIEGO RESCUE MISSION INC: $55,000 · Housing & ShelterEAST COUNTY TRANSITIONAL LIVING CENTER: $15,000 · Housing & Shelter+1 more: $1,500 · Housing & Shelter
Human Services$23,501,313Other$4,733,600Arts & Culture$682,100Education$663,000Health$648,500Food & Nutrition$554,000Housing & Shelter$276,500

Each grantee by its size and the funder’s share of it; top left is load-bearing

25%50%75%100%$100k$1.0M$10M$100Mgrantee revenue →↑ funder's share of their budgetTHE ISSA FOUNDATION: $20,921,313 over 1y, 84% of budgetSOLUTIONS FOR CHANGE INC: $2,030,000 over 6y, 9.2% of budgetNATIONAL CONFLICT RESOLUTION CENTER: $540,000 over 6y, 1.6% of budgetLeap to Success: $510,000 over 6y, 26% of budgetInterfaith Community Services Inc: $502,000 over 6y, 0.4% of budgetPalomar College Foundation: $425,000 over 6y, 5.9% of budgetBOYS AND GIRLS CLUB OF VISTA INC: $405,000 over 6y, 4.5% of budgetJACOBS & CUSHMAN SAN DIEGO FOOD BANK: $335,000 over 6y, 0.1% of budgetANGELS FOSTER FAMILY AGENCY: $220,000 over 6y, 1.9% of budgetOPERATION HOPE-NORTH COUNTY INC: $205,000 over 6y, 6.5% of budgetJUST IN TIME FOR FOSTER YOUTH: $181,000 over 6y, 0.8% of budgetNew Haven Youth and Family Services Inc: $180,000 over 6y, 0.6% of budgetFEEDING SAN DIEGO: $160,000 over 4y, 0.1% of budgetMOONLIGHT CULTURAL FOUNDATION: $150,000 over 6y, 2.7% of budgetBOYS & GIRLS CLUBS OF OCEANSIDE INC: $142,500 over 4y, 1.4% of budgetSEMPER FI & AMERICA'S FUND: $130,000 over 6y, 0.1% of budgetAMERICAN TASK FORCE ON LEBANON INC: $125,000 over 4y, 9.1% of budgetCasa De Amparo: $115,000 over 5y, 0.3% of budgetSECOND CHANCE INC: $115,000 over 6y, 0.6% of budgetNorth County Education Foundation Inc: $92,500 over 6y, 4.7% of budgetVISTA COMMUNITY CLINIC: $85,000 over 6y, 0.0% of budgetSAN DIEGO MILITARY OUTREACH MINISTRIES: $85,000 over 4y, 2.4% of budgetRADY CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL SAN DIEGO: $70,000 over 4y, 0.0% of budgetGARY SINISE FOUNDATION: $70,000 over 3y, 0.2% of budgetALPHA PROJECT FOR THE HOMELESS: $65,000 over 4y, 0.1% of budgetTRI-CITY HOSPITAL FOUNDATION: $65,000 over 3y, 1.5% of budgetPALOMAR HEALTH FOUNDATION: $60,000 over 3y, 0.9% of budgetMONARCH SCHOOL PROJECT: $57,500 over 6y, 0.2% of budgetSAN DIEGO RESCUE MISSION INC: $55,000 over 3y, 0.1% of budgetNORTH COUNTY TRADE TECH HIGH SCHOOL: $50,000 over 3y, 0.5% of budgetPOINTS OF LIGHT FOUNDATION: $50,000 over 1y, 0.2% of budgetSCRIPPS HEALTH: $47,500 over 4y, 0.0% of budgetLIFE PERSPECTIVES: $45,000 over 6y, 0.6% of budgetBOYS & GIRLS CLUBS OF CARLSBAD: $45,000 over 4y, 0.3% of budgetELDERHELP OF SAN DIEGO: $43,000 over 5y, 0.5% of budgetBOYS & GIRLS CLUBS OF NORTHWEST SAN DIEGO COUNTY INC: $40,000 over 2y, 0.2% of budgetNORTH COUNTY LIFELINE INC DBA LIFELINE COMMUNITY SERVICES: $40,000 over 3y, 0.1% of budgetRene Moawad Foundation: $40,000 over 4y, 1.0% of budgetTHE ELIZABETH HOSPICE INC: $35,000 over 3y, 0.0% of budgetBROTHER BENNO FOUNDATION INC: $34,000 over 3y, 0.5% of budgetLAS PATRONAS: $33,500 over 6y, 0.6% of budgetCRISIS HOUSE: $30,000 over 4y, 0.4% of budgetAGUA HEDIONDA LAGOON FOUNDATION: $25,000 over 2y, 0.9% of budgetBuilding Better Communities Foundation: $25,000 over 1y, 0.5% of budgetDIRECT RELIEF: $25,000 over 1y, 0.0% of budgetU S-UKRAINE FOUNDATION: $25,000 over 1y, 0.7% of budgetMCALISTER INSTITUTE FOR TREATMENT & EDUCATION INC: $25,000 over 2y, 0.1% of budgetFORTE FOR CHILDREN: $25,000 over 2y, 4.0% of budget
Grantee by grantee: a decade per organization, before and after funding

A decade per grantee: revenue shaded, grants as bars, all rows on one timeline.

  • Who funds THE ISSA FOUNDATION ↗
  • Who funds SOLUTIONS FOR CHANGE INC ↗
  • Who funds NATIONAL CONFLICT RESOLUTION CENTER ↗
  • Who funds Leap to Success ↗
  • Who funds Interfaith Community Services Inc ↗
  • Who funds Palomar College Foundation ↗
  • Who funds BOYS AND GIRLS CLUB OF VISTA INC ↗
  • Who funds JACOBS & CUSHMAN SAN DIEGO FOOD BANK ↗
  • Who funds ANGELS FOSTER FAMILY AGENCY ↗
  • Who funds OPERATION HOPE-NORTH COUNTY INC ↗
  • Who funds JUST IN TIME FOR FOSTER YOUTH ↗
  • Who funds New Haven Youth and Family Services Inc ↗
  • Who funds FEEDING SAN DIEGO ↗
  • Who funds MOONLIGHT CULTURAL FOUNDATION ↗
  • Who funds BOYS & GIRLS CLUBS OF OCEANSIDE INC ↗
  • Who funds SEMPER FI & AMERICA'S FUND ↗
  • Who funds AMERICAN TASK FORCE ON LEBANON INC ↗
  • Who funds Casa De Amparo ↗
  • Who funds SECOND CHANCE INC ↗
  • Who funds North County Education Foundation Inc ↗
  • Who funds VISTA COMMUNITY CLINIC ↗
  • Who funds SAN DIEGO MILITARY OUTREACH MINISTRIES ↗
  • Who funds RADY CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL SAN DIEGO ↗
  • Who funds GARY SINISE FOUNDATION ↗
  • Who funds ALPHA PROJECT FOR THE HOMELESS ↗
  • Who funds TRI-CITY HOSPITAL FOUNDATION ↗
  • Who funds PALOMAR HEALTH FOUNDATION ↗
  • Who funds MONARCH SCHOOL PROJECT ↗
  • Who funds SAN DIEGO RESCUE MISSION INC ↗
  • Who funds NORTH COUNTY TRADE TECH HIGH SCHOOL ↗
  • Who funds POINTS OF LIGHT FOUNDATION ↗
  • Who funds SCRIPPS HEALTH ↗
  • Who funds LIFE PERSPECTIVES ↗
  • Who funds BOYS & GIRLS CLUBS OF CARLSBAD ↗

Co-funders

Grantmakers whose grantees overlap with this funder’s far more than size alone predicts. Closer means stronger alignment; arcs show where they also fund each other. Here they form a tightly interlocked group: most of these funders back each other's grantees too.

The San Diego Foundat…Rancho Santa Fe Found…Sempra FoundationJewish Community Foun…The Conrad Prebys Fou…David C Copley Founda…The Nordson Corporati…Walter J & Betty C Za…The Parker FoundationFrench Fund Samuel Ka…McCarthy Family Found…Billingsley Foundatio…
The San Diego FoundationCA70× affinity39 shared granteesties to 11 of 11Hover any node to trace its alignments.Compare side by side →

Open a dossier: The San Diego Foundation · Rancho Santa Fe Foundation · Sempra Foundation · Jewish Community Foundation of San Diego · The Conrad Prebys Foundation · David C Copley Foundation · The Nordson Corporation Foundation · Walter J & Betty C Zable Foundation · The Parker Foundation · French Fund Samuel Katherine Tua · McCarthy Family Foundation Inc · Billingsley Foundationcharle & Ruth

How this is measured
Affinity is a Gamma-Poisson posterior co-funding rate, re-centered on the typical rate, so thin evidence shrinks toward no signal. Overlap is association, not proof of shared intent.

How much its grantees rely on government

Each dot is one organization Issa Family Foundation funds: left to right is the share of its income from government, bottom to top the share from Issa Family Foundation. Bigger dots raise more.

2024
’20’21’22’23’24’25
no gov · 10%6%23%51%90%funder's share of their income ↑0%19%38%56%75%share of the org’s income from government →
    no gov moneyreceives it· size = income
    1get no government money at all
    29report government grants on their 990 we could not trace to a source (not plotted)
    0rely on government for over half their income
    ⤢ axis zoomed · 0–75%
    typical government reliance, FY20–25
    How this is measured
    Government income is each org’s traced federal awards (USASpending grants and contracts) plus state payments (open checkbooks) as a share of its total revenue (IRS Form 990); the self-reported government-grant line (990 line 1e) is carried for cross-check: a grantee that reports government grants we could not trace to a source is left off the chart rather than shown as receiving none. An association, not a claim that a grant caused the public funding. Coverage is precision-first, a floor rather than a census; state records exist for 9 states, so a grantee outside them shows no state figure (dimmed) rather than a false zero. Federal award amounts are obligations, which can span years, so a single-year share is indicative. 990 filings lag 12 to 24 months.

    On method. Every financial figure here is read from IRS e-file XML, the funder’s own 990/990-PF, and from the multi-year returns of the 100 grantees we resolved, each linked to its source. Grantee outcomes are each organization’s own program-service reporting (Form 990, Part III), read as association with funding, never as caused by it. Low-confidence name matches are suppressed rather than guessed. How we build these →

    How this is measured
    Each figure carries one of six labels. Filed is what the funder reported on its return. Official is another government record about an organization, such as a federal award or a charity register, joined by name where no shared identifier exists. Resolved is an identity we worked out where the filing named a recipient without an EIN, kept only above a measured confidence threshold. Computed is arithmetic over those, like themes, portfolio clusters and co-funder strength. Context is a statistic about a place rather than about an organization, which is what the need overlay is: it describes the area a grantee’s address sits in, not where its work lands. Inferred is drawn by a model from text, like the partnerships read out of public news and organization websites. Each is labeled where it appears.

    Generated from the IRS Form 990-PF e-file return for fiscal year 2025, released 2025. Filings run roughly 12 to 24 months behind; figures are dated accordingly.

    Source object · view filing

    Play a game based on Issa Family’s filings →

    More from the funding graph

    The unnamed billions
    grants reported with no recipient in the public record
    The regranting layer
    51% of grant dollars land in the regranting layer
    The DAF merry-go-round
    $9.7B circulates between donor-advised funds
    The endowment market
    who holds foundation money, and what just moved
    The camps
    funders cluster by geography, not ideology
    By state
    where grant money is based, and what stays home