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California · Community foundation

The Community Foundation San Luis Obispo

To make a difference through philanthropic leadership.

$6.5M
Granted FY2025(still arriving)
94
Itemized grants FY2025
82
Organizations funded FY2024
12%
First-time grantees FY2024
Read the full brief
Itemized, FY2025
$5.8M
The rest is grants the schedule does not break out
Median grant, FY2025
$35,000
Largest grant, FY2025
$273,677
Organizations funded a year
82 to 113
FY2018 to FY2024
States reached, FY2025
8
Total assets, FY2025
$99M

How open it is to new grantees

In FY2024, 12% of the organizations The Community Foundation San Luis Obispo funded were first-time grantees, receiving 16% of its grant dollars.

New vs renewed · share of each year

In FY2024, 84% of grant dollars renewed an existing relationship; $486k went to new ones.

50%100%’18’19’20’21’22’23’24
RenewedFirst-time

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

’18’19’20’21’22’23’24
Arts & CultureEducationHuman ServicesEnvironmentHealthYouth DevelopmentOther
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.
The numbers by year
Fiscal yearOrganizations fundedTo those organizationsFirst-time grantees
FY2025still arriving93$5.7M20%
FY202482$3.0M12%
FY202389$2.7M16%
FY202293$3.9M25%
FY202199$2.8M26%
FY2020113$3.3M35%
FY201984$1.5M31%
FY2018109$2.3M41%
100% classified

What it funded, over time

Every grant placed by its stated purpose and the recipient’s mission, by year, FY2017 to 2025.

Education$5.3MArts & Culture$4.8MHealth$3.7MHuman Services$3.6MHousing & Shelter$2.2MFood & Nutrition$2.1MEnvironment$2.0MYouth Development$1.4MOther$0

Where its grants go

Grant dollars by states, across the years we hold.

Which US states its grants reach

WA
ID
IL
MI
NY
MA
IN
CT
RI
CA
CO
VA
NM
KS
TN
NC
DC
TX
FL

Top grantees

Largest recipients by total granted, FY2017 to FY2025, and the share of each one’s budget the grants supplied at peak.

Show all 267 grantees
All grantees of The Community Foundation San Luis Obispo by total granted
GranteeTotal grantedYearsShare of their budget
Mission School Memorial Foundation$2,207,789618%
San Luis Obispo Museum of Art$1,457,715872%
Food Bank Coalition of San Luis Obispo County$959,10192%
Transitionsmental Health Association$898,34792%
5cities Homeless Coalition Inc$741,140837%
Lumina Alliance$710,91094%
San Luis Obispo Classical Academy$703,67763%
Community Counseling Center of San Luis Obispo County Inc$643,068914%
The Land Conservancy of San Luis Obispo County$637,72391%
San Luis Obispo Repertory Theatre$633,000912%
People's Self Help Housing Corp$590,08081%
San Luis Obispo County Child Abuse Prevention Council Dba Cfsslo$560,301613%
Community Action Partnership of San Luis Obispo County Inc$554,31490%
Cayucos Land Conservancy$515,000223%
Neighbor Church$500,0001n/a
Planned Parenthood California Central Coast$469,94691%
Slo Noor Foundation a Non-Profit Corporation$449,800910%
California Polytechnic State University Foundation$449,50020%
Pacific Wildlife Care$418,763910%
California Mid-State Fair$398,0952n/a
First Presbyterian Church of San Luis Obispo$364,5007n/a
Family Care Network Inc$359,00091%
Cal Poly Corporation$354,22980%
El Camino Homeless Organization$342,80084%
San Luis Obispo Symphony Inc$323,065814%
Court Appointed Special Advocates of San Luis Obispo County Inc$321,77897%
Boys & Girls Clubs of the Central Coast$314,94062%
Senior Nutrition Program of San Luis Obispo County$302,42186%
37th District Buyers Coalition The$292,775280%
Woods Humane Society Inc$289,77392%
Mozart Festival Association$288,500713%
Cuesta College Foundation$273,11493%
San Luis Obispo Child Development Center Child Development Resource Center$266,00095%
Jacks Helping Hand Inc$263,35095%
Central Coast Ag Network Inc AKA City Farm SLO$256,062832%
Morro Coast Audubon Society$211,224821%
Friends of San Luis Obispo Botanical Garden$210,874817%
Tolosa Children's Dental Center of San Luis Obispo County$210,00073%
San Luis Obispo County Young Mens Christian Association Inc$203,00072%
Paso Robles Youth Arts Center$191,57379%
Hospice of San Luis Obispo County$180,50068%
Big Brothers Big Sisters of San Luis Obispo County$179,75085%
Foundation for the Performing Arts Center$179,11394%
Kcbx Inc$175,20873%
California Mid-State Fair Heritage Foundation Inc$171,500211%
Arroyo Grande High School$171,4956n/a
Clark Center for the Performing Arts Inc$161,34697%
Paso Robles Pioneer Day Committee$160,000255%
Theta XI Foundation$150,000114%
Atascadero Loaves and Fishes$142,33658%
Mixteco Indigena Community Organizing Project$132,00011%
Courtney's House$131,000332%
Friends of 40prado$130,75099%
Slow Money San Luis Obispo$123,200767%
French Hospital Medical Center Foundation$120,70060%
Rise San Luis Obispo County$115,50023%
Ecologistics Inc$110,31355%
World Central Kitchen Inc$110,00030%
The Center for Reproductive Rights Inc$106,00060%
Monarch Parent Teacher Foundation$104,457621%
Studios on the Park Inc$103,485314%
City of San Luis Obispo$100,0001n/a
San Luis Obispo County Office of Education$98,9002n/a
Casa Solana INC$96,336728%
Infinite Music Foundation$96,250326%
Long Term Care Ombudsman Services of San Luis Obispo County$95,000218%
One Cool Earth$90,90055%
Restorative Partners Inc$90,84253%
Rise$90,0003n/a
The Storm Trysail Foundation$90,00049%
Wilshire Health and Community Services Inc$89,95390%
San Luis Obispo Alpha Inc$88,00054%
San Luis Obispo Children's Museum$87,07569%
The Monday Clubhouse Conservancy$83,252216%
Central Coast Link$83,00055%
San Luis Obispo County Arts Council Dba Arts Obispo$80,200329%
Transitional Food and Shelter Inc$79,190515%
Friends of Camp Natoma Inc$79,00056%
Bridge Lacrosse Dallas Inc$77,80048%
Access Central Coast formerly Independent Living Resource Ctr$75,00022%
Basin Street Regulars Central Coast Hot Jazz Society$75,000794%
Son Care Foundation Inc$75,00032%
Santa Maria Valley Senior Citizens$74,850852%
Second Chance At Love For Dogs$74,000535%
Opera San Luis Obispo Inc$73,13645%
Concordia Theological Seminary$72,1006n/a
San Luis Coastal Education Foundation$71,18735%
Slo County Office of Education$70,0001n/a
South County Youth Coalition$70,000313%
Grover Beach Community Library$69,653928%
Chamber of Commerce of San Luis Obiso Inc$66,00024%
Boys & Girls Club of North SLO Co Inc$65,00033%
The Gala Pride and Diversity Center$64,00027%
San Luis Obispo Wind Orchestra Inc$63,000546%
Central Coast State Parks Association$58,87546%
Los Osos Cares Inc$58,000331%
Central Coast Aquarium$57,60046%
Senior Volunteer Services$57,500215%
Pathpoint$57,00050%
Shower the People$53,500344%
California Rangeland Trust$50,50010%
San Luis Obispo Legal Assistance Foundation$50,10044%
Community Health Centers of the Central Coast Inc$50,00010%
California Rural Legal Assistance Inc$50,0001n/a
Bethel Lutheran Church$50,0001n/a
Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital Foundation$49,70020%
Cambria Community Healthcare District$47,1251n/a
Boys & Girls Club of South San Luis Obispo County$45,70043%
Fresh Start$45,0003n/a
Community Foundation of Estero Bay Inc$41,500513%
Mount Carmel Lutheran Church$41,0005n/a
Community Partners in Caring$40,00015%
Central Coast Salmon Enhancement Inc$40,00033%
Arroyo Grande Community Hospital Foundation$40,0003n/a
Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Monterey$39,9673n/a
Alliance for Pharmaceutical Access Inc$38,00049%
Bridge to Turkiye$37,82931%
Operation Surf$37,00032%
Elings Park Foundation$36,00022%
Hourglass Project Dba Reach$35,85411%
San Luis Obispo International Film Festival Inc$35,75038%
Congregation Beth David of San Luis Obispo$33,0001n/a
Save The Children Federation Inc$33,00010%
Santa Barbara County Immigrant Legal Defense Center$32,5001n/a
Race Matters Slo County$31,0001n/a
Central Coast Autism Spectrum Center$30,60025%
Access Support Network$30,50021%
South County Education Foundation$30,4892n/a
Meade Canine Rescue Foundation$30,00029%
Place of Hope Inc$30,00024%
Global Glimpse$29,50050%
Grizzly Youth Academy Foundation$29,050244%
Diversity Coalition San Luis Obispo County$28,00035%
San Luis Obispo Career Technical Education Foundation$27,00013%
Morro Bay Senior Citizens Inc$26,525311%
Foundation for Cottage Rehab and Goleta Valley Cottage Hosp$25,00011%
California Retired Teachers Association$25,0001n/a
Worldwide Fistula Fund$25,0001n/a
Ytt Northern Chumash Nonprofit$25,000113%
The University of Tennessee Foundation Inc$25,00010%
Central Coast Vineyard Team$25,0001n/a
Basin Street Regulars Incorporated$25,000247%
Pleasant Valley Estrella Cemetery District$24,7501n/a
St Luke United Methodist Church$24,0003n/a
Hope and Healing Academy$23,8181n/a
CARE4Paws Inc$23,50021%
Monterey College of Law$22,57010%
Slo4home Inc$21,00024%
Jewish Community Center of San Luis Obispo$20,988216%
Maury Magic Riders Inc$20,500432%
San Luis Obispo County Womenade$20,400211%
Orchestra Novo Inc$20,250212%
United Cerebral Palsy Association of San Luis Obispo County Inc$20,00020%
San Luis Obispo County Sheriff Advisory$20,00025%
History Center of San Luis Obispo County$20,00015%
Board of Trustees of Whitman College$20,00020%
California Charter Schools Association$20,00010%
Columbia First United Methodist Church$20,0003n/a
Cambria Connection$20,000135%
Jodi House Inc$20,00023%
County of San Luis Obispo$20,0001n/a
Hesperian Health Guides$20,00011%
PTA California Congress of Parents Teachers & Students Inc$20,000214%
The Foundation at Hearst Castle$20,00013%
International Medical Corps$19,45210%
Achievement House Inc$18,5001n/a
The Cambria Community Healthcare District Trust$18,087217%
Central Coast Music Academy$18,0003n/a
Affordable Housing Paso Robles$17,72021%
San Luis Obispo Community Leadership Foundation$17,34127%
Cancer Support Community - California Central Coast$17,00021%
Hayden Ministries$16,5001n/a
Brain Education Strategies and Technology$16,00038%
Atascadero Greyhound Foundation$15,50023%
San Luis Obispo County Deputy Sheriffs Association$15,40216%
Friends of the Elephant Seal$15,28926%
Willie L Brown Jr Institute on Politics and Public Service$15,209110%
The California 4-H Foundation$15,02911%
Montessori World Educational Institute$15,016116%
The Diocese of Monterey Parish and School Operating Corporation$15,0002n/a
The Surfrider Foundation$15,00010%
Ignite$15,00011%
Slo Village$14,5002n/a
Turkish American Cultural Association of Michigan$13,6361n/a
Morro Bay High School Music Boosters$13,0852n/a
Presbyterian Church USA$13,0002n/a
Corazon Latino$13,0001n/a
United Way of Slo County$12,85022%
Sonshine Folk School Farm$12,500210%
Guadalupe-Nipomo Dunes Center$12,10023%
True North Housing Alliance Inc Torres Shelter$12,00012%
Andrew Holland Foundation Inc$11,500121%
Lompoc Valley Parks & Recreation Foundation Inc$11,4001n/a
Heroica Foundation$11,000115%
Rotary Club of Morro Bay Foundation$10,5621n/a
Washburn University Foundation$10,50010%
Slo Jazz Festival Inc$10,0001n/a
Columbia Counseling Ministries$10,0002n/a
Creston Activities Town Center Helping Hand$10,0001n/a
Natural Resources Defense Council Inc$10,00010%
North San Luis Obispo Community Concert Association$10,0001n/a
Historical Society of Morro Bay$10,0001n/a
Fund for Santa Barbara Inc$10,00010%
5-Cities Community Service Foundation$10,0001n/a
Grantmakers Concerned With Immigrants and Refugees$10,00010%
Civic Ballet of San Luis Obispo Inc$10,00023%
Journalism Funding Partners$10,00010%
Morro Bay Open Space Alliance$10,000112%
Episcopal Diocese of the Rio Grande$10,0001n/a
National Women's History Museum$10,00011%
Children's Tumor Foundation$10,00010%
A Way Out Inc$10,00011%
Los Padres Forest Association$10,00013%
Five Cities Youth Baseball$10,00024%
Firstfruits Farm Slo$10,0001n/a
Friendship Adult Day Care Center Inc$10,00011%
Smart Share Housing Solutions Inc$10,000112%
Childrens Resource Network of the Central Coast$9,50011%
Channel Islands Young Men's Christian Association$9,50010%
Five Cities Youth Football League Inc$9,43817%
Central Coast Childrens Choir DBA Central Coast Youth Chorus$9,250122%
Environmental Center of San Luis Obispo$9,00012%
Immigrant Hope Santa Barbara Ca Inc$8,88013%
Columbia First United Methodist Church$8,0001n/a
National Coalition Against Domestic Violence$7,84911%
Clark Center Foundation$7,6211n/a
Literacy for Life Organization$7,50017%
Scholarship Memorials & Honors Comm Retired Teachers San Luis Obispo$7,5001n/a
Girl Scouts of California's Central Coast$7,00010%
The Church of Christ of San Luis Obispo California$7,0001n/a
San Luis Obispo County Bicycle Coalition$6,07412%
Santa Margarita Area Senior Citizens Club$6,0001n/a
Poway Unified School District Foundation$6,00012%
Novys Ark$6,00016%
Dana Adobe Nipomo Amigos$6,00011%
South County Chambers of Commerce$5,81011%
Five Cities Fire Authority$5,5421n/a
Paso Robles Scout House Foundation$5,2851n/a
Conservation Strategy Fund$5,00010%
San Luis Obispo Mothers for Peace$5,000115%
5 Cities Homeless Coalition$5,0001n/a
South Bay Seniors-People Helping People$5,000126%
Atascadero Education Foundation Inc$5,0001n/a
Camp Fire$5,00010%
Seneca Family of Agencies$5,00010%
San Luis Obispo Cal Ripken Baseball$5,00015%
North County Adaptive Sports and Recreation Program$5,0001n/a
Feline Network of the Central Coast$5,00014%
White Heron Sangha$5,0001n/a
American National Red Cross & Its Constituent Chapters and Branches$5,00010%
Seed of Abraham Ministries Inc$5,00010%
NAACP Legal Defense & Educ Fund Inc$5,00010%
Camp Ocean Pines Inc$5,00010%
Friends of the Charles Paddock Zoo$5,00014%
Jacoby Creek Land Trust$5,00017%
Morro Bay High School Athletic Boosters$5,00015%
The Wilderness Land Trust$5,00010%
Slo Tigers Athletics Boosters$5,00015%
Salvation Army National Corp$5,0001n/a
Idaho Conservation League Inc$5,00010%
Allan Hancock College Foundation$5,00010%
Central Coast Jr Golf Inc$5,00011%
Bay Foundation of Morro Bay$5,00010%
Music & Memory Inc$5,0001n/a
Global Fund for Women Inc$5,00010%
Honor Flight Central Coast California$5,00012%
Rotary Club of Pismo Beach-Five Cities Charitable Foundation$5,000111%

Plus 26 recipients with no EIN on record ($805k), not named here.

Where it is load-bearing

The Community Foundation San Luis Obispo supplied at least a quarter of the budget for 22 of its grantees at some point. The chart plots its 200 largest grantees; load-bearing ones sit top left.

25%50%75%100%$100k$1.0M$10M$100Mgrantee revenue →↑ funder's share of their budgetMission School Memorial Foundation: $2,207,789 over 6y, 18% of budgetSan Luis Obispo Museum of Art: $1,457,715 over 8y, 72% of budgetFood Bank Coalition of San Luis Obispo County: $959,101 over 9y, 2.2% of budgetTransitionsmental Health Association: $898,347 over 9y, 1.8% of budget5cities Homeless Coalition Inc: $741,140 over 8y, 37% of budgetLumina Alliance: $710,910 over 9y, 4.4% of budgetSan Luis Obispo Classical Academy: $703,677 over 6y, 2.9% of budgetCommunity Counseling Center of San Luis Obispo County Inc: $643,068 over 9y, 14% of budgetThe Land Conservancy of San Luis Obispo County: $637,723 over 9y, 1.0% of budgetSan Luis Obispo Repertory Theatre: $633,000 over 9y, 12% of budgetPeople's Self Help Housing Corp: $590,080 over 8y, 0.9% of budgetSan Luis Obispo County Child Abuse Prevention Council Dba Cfsslo: $560,301 over 6y, 13% of budgetCommunity Action Partnership of San Luis Obispo County Inc: $554,314 over 9y, 0.2% of budgetCayucos Land Conservancy: $515,000 over 2y, 23% of budgetPlanned Parenthood California Central Coast: $469,946 over 9y, 0.8% of budgetSlo Noor Foundation a Non-Profit Corporation: $449,800 over 9y, 9.7% of budgetCalifornia Polytechnic State University Foundation: $449,500 over 2y, 0.4% of budgetPacific Wildlife Care: $418,763 over 9y, 9.6% of budgetFamily Care Network Inc: $359,000 over 9y, 0.9% of budgetCal Poly Corporation: $354,229 over 8y, 0.1% of budgetEl Camino Homeless Organization: $342,800 over 8y, 3.7% of budgetSan Luis Obispo Symphony Inc: $323,065 over 8y, 14% of budgetCourt Appointed Special Advocates of San Luis Obispo County Inc: $321,778 over 9y, 7.1% of budgetBoys & Girls Clubs of the Central Coast: $314,940 over 6y, 2.0% of budgetSenior Nutrition Program of San Luis Obispo County: $302,421 over 8y, 6.2% of budget37th District Buyers Coalition The: $292,775 over 2y, 80% of budgetWoods Humane Society Inc: $289,773 over 9y, 1.9% of budgetMozart Festival Association: $288,500 over 7y, 13% of budgetCuesta College Foundation: $273,114 over 9y, 2.5% of budgetSan Luis Obispo Child Development Center Child Development Resource Center: $266,000 over 9y, 5.2% of budgetJacks Helping Hand Inc: $263,350 over 9y, 4.5% of budgetCentral Coast Ag Network Inc AKA City Farm SLO: $256,062 over 8y, 32% of budgetMorro Coast Audubon Society: $211,224 over 8y, 21% of budgetFriends of San Luis Obispo Botanical Garden: $210,874 over 8y, 17% of budgetTolosa Children's Dental Center of San Luis Obispo County: $210,000 over 7y, 3.4% of budgetSan Luis Obispo County Young Mens Christian Association Inc: $203,000 over 7y, 2.0% of budgetPaso Robles Youth Arts Center: $191,573 over 7y, 9.4% of budgetHospice of San Luis Obispo County: $180,500 over 6y, 7.9% of budgetBig Brothers Big Sisters of San Luis Obispo County: $179,750 over 8y, 5.1% of budgetFoundation for the Performing Arts Center: $179,113 over 9y, 4.4% of budgetKcbx Inc: $175,208 over 7y, 2.5% of budgetCalifornia Mid-State Fair Heritage Foundation Inc: $171,500 over 2y, 11% of budgetClark Center for the Performing Arts Inc: $161,346 over 9y, 7.4% of budgetPaso Robles Pioneer Day Committee: $160,000 over 2y, 55% of budgetTheta XI Foundation: $150,000 over 1y, 14% of budgetAtascadero Loaves and Fishes: $142,336 over 5y, 8.0% of budgetMixteco Indigena Community Organizing Project: $132,000 over 1y, 1.2% of budgetCourtney's House: $131,000 over 3y, 32% of budget

Tap a dot to name the grantee.

How this is measured
Share of budget is the funder’s grant in a year over the grantee’s total revenue that year, at its highest across the years we hold; revenue is from all sources. Only grantees confirmed against their own filings, whose grants do not exceed their revenue, are plotted: the largest 200.

Nonprofits that may fit its grantmaking

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.

Santa Barbara FoundationCA50.5× affinity33 shared granteesties to 11 of 11Hover any node to trace its alignments.Compare side by side →

Open a dossier: Santa Barbara Foundation · Must · Harold J Miossi Charitable Trust · The Niner Foundation Inc · Hutton Foundation Dba Hutton Parker Foundation · Resnick Foundation · Dignity Health · The McCune Foundation · The Shanbrom Family Foundation · Hughes Charitable Foundation · Bull Henry W Foundation · The Henry Mayo Newhall Foundation

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.

Compare The Community Foundation San Luis Obispo with peer funders

About The Community Foundation San Luis Obispo

How much does The Community Foundation San Luis Obispo give?
The Community Foundation San Luis Obispo reported 94 itemized grants totaling $5,792,964, out of $6,543,297 in total grant expense reported on the return in its FY2025 IRS filing. It funded between 82 and 113 organizations a year over FY2018 to FY2024.
What does The Community Foundation San Luis Obispo fund?
By grant dollars over FY2017 to FY2025, its largest causes are Education (17%), Arts & Culture (16%), Health (12%).
Who are The Community Foundation San Luis Obispo's largest grantees?
By total granted over FY2017 to FY2025: Mission School Memorial Foundation ($2.2M), San Luis Obispo Museum of Art ($1.5M), Food Bank Coalition of San Luis Obispo County ($959k).
Does The Community Foundation San Luis Obispo fund new organizations?
In FY2024, 12% of the organizations it funded were first-time grantees.
Which funders back the same organizations as The Community Foundation San Luis Obispo?
Its strongest co-funders, measured against what their size predicts, include Santa Barbara Foundation, Must, Harold J Miossi Charitable Trust.
Where is The Community Foundation San Luis Obispo based?
The Community Foundation San Luis Obispo is based in CA.

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 300 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 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

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