The 661 Foundation primarily funds capital and program-specific projects for K–12 educational institutions and faith-based organizations, with a clear emphasis on facility improvements (e.g., pools, scoreboards, design plans). Grants are concentrated in California community projects—particularly school districts, parochial schools, and local civic initiatives—with a recurring relationship to Latter‑day Saints and Catholic beneficiaries. Many awards are one-off, project-targeted gifts rather than unrestricted operating support.
A $11.3 million grant to Kern High School Dist Ed Fd for a swimming pool is the clearest signal in 661 Foundation’s recent record: this funder backs large, project-specific facilities work, especially in K–12 settings. The same pattern appears in smaller awards for a scoreboard, city fountain construction, and design plans, showing a preference for tangible improvements rather than broad operating support. 661 Foundation also gives to faith-based institutions and community projects. Recent grants include support for the Church of Jesus Christ of LDS, with awards of $860,000 in 2025 and $600,000 in 2024, as well as support for JSerra Catholic High School in San Juan Capistrano. Those gifts place the foundation’s work at the intersection of education, religion, and local civic infrastructure. The foundation’s recent activity also shows an interest in community-serving amenities and event-based support, including a city fountain project and grants tied to a San Clemente LDS meal event. Across the record, the foundation tends to fund named projects with clear physical or programmatic purposes.
In K–12 education, 661 Foundation backed Kern High School Dist Ed Fd with $11.3 million for a swimming pool in 2024 and another $19,300 in 2025, pointing to sustained capital support for school facilities. The foundation also supported JSerra Catholic High School in San Juan Capistrano with $510,000 in 2024 and $90,000 in 2025 for general support. Its civic giving includes $460,025 to the City of San Juan Capistrano in 2025 for construction of a city fountain and $10,500 in 2024 for fountain design plans. In youth sports, SJ Capistrano Little League received $62,673 in 2025 for a scoreboard. The foundation also gave $10,000 in 2023 and $10,000 in 2024 to Hunger End Here/Hunger Ends Here for a San Clemente LDS meal event, linking grantmaking to a specific community meal program.
Typical grants are uneven in size, with a p25 of $19,300, a median of $90,000, and a p75 of $600,000. The recent record includes both very large capital gifts and much smaller project awards, which suggests a mix of major facility funding and targeted local support. Several recipients appear more than once across 2023–2025, including Kern High School Dist Ed Fd, the Church of Jesus Christ of LDS, JSerra Catholic High School, the City of San Juan Capistrano, and Hunger End Here/Hunger Ends Here. The foundation does not fund individuals and does not make program-related investments.
$15.5M
$69K
$1.5M
$1.6M
Most grants fall between $19K and $600K, with a median of $90K.
25th Percentile
$19K
Median
$90K
75th Percentile
$600K
About 23% of grants go to recipients in CA.
W Nathan Franklin
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Concentrated, project-specific giving: very large multi-grant support to a single public school district alongside smaller repeat and one-off capital gifts to faith-based institutions and local civic/youth projects. Mix of a few very large grants and several modest, targeted awards; a pattern of repeat funding to the same organizations but primarily for discrete capital or event purposes.
Notable grantees: Kern High School District Education Foundation, Church of Jesus Christ of Latter‑day Saints, JSerra Catholic High School, City of San Juan Capistrano, San Juan Capistrano Little League
Grants are concentrated in California, which is the top state by grant count, while 23% of grants go to recipients in Utah. Recent California recipients include Bakersfield, San Juan Capistrano, and Rancho Mission Viejo, showing a strong Southern and Central California footprint. Utah grants go to Salt Lake City-based religious recipients. All recent grants listed were made to U.S. organizations.
Recent grants point to capital and project-specific support for K–12 education, faith-based organizations, and civic amenities. Examples include a swimming pool for a school district, construction and design work for a city fountain, a scoreboard for a little league, and general support for religious and Catholic school beneficiaries.
The grant size distribution is wide: p25 is $19,300, median grant size is $90,000, and p75 is $600,000. The recent record ranges from five-figure project grants to multimillion-dollar facility funding.
Yes. The recent record shows repeat support for several recipients across multiple years, including Kern High School Dist Ed Fd, the Church of Jesus Christ of LDS, JSerra Catholic High School, the City of San Juan Capistrano, and Hunger End Here/Hunger Ends Here. That suggests some ongoing relationships alongside one-off project gifts.
California is the top state by grant count. Recent recipient cities in California include Bakersfield, San Juan Capistrano, Rancho Mission Viejo, and San Clemente. Utah is also a significant recipient state, with 23% of grants going to recipients there.
2025
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2025.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Church of Jesus Christ of LDS | Salt Lake City, UT | $860,000 | 2025 | General Support |
| City of San Juan Capistrano | San Juan Capist, CA | $460,025 | 2025 | Construction of City Fountain |
| JSerra Catholic High School | SJ Capistrano, CA | $90,000 | 2025 | General Support |
| SJ Capistrano Little League | RMV, CA | $62,673 | 2025 | Scoreboard |
| Kern High School Dist Ed Fd | Bakersfield, CA | $19,300 | 2025 | — |
| Kern High School Dist Ed Fd | Bakersfield, CA | $11,300,000 | 2024 | Funds for swimming pool |
| Church of Jesus Christ of LDS | Salt Lake City, UT | $600,000 | 2024 | General Support |
| JSerra Catholic High School | SJ Capistrano, CA | $510,000 | 2024 | General Support |
| City of San Juan Capistrano | San Juan Capist, CA | $10,500 | 2024 | Design plans for Fountain |
| Hunger Ends Here | Minneapolis, MN | $10,000 | 2024 | San Clemente LDS Meal Event |
| Kern High School Dist Ed Fd | Bakersfield, CA | $1,500,000 | 2023 | Funds for swimming pool |
| Church of Jesus Christ of LDA | Salt Lake City, UT | $40,000 | 2023 | General support |
| Hunger End Here | Minneapolis, MN | $10,000 | 2023 | San Clemente LDS meal event |
Church of Jesus Christ of LDS
$860,000General Support
City of San Juan Capistrano
$460,025Construction of City Fountain
JSerra Catholic High School
$90,000General Support
SJ Capistrano Little League
$62,673Scoreboard
Kern High School Dist Ed Fd
$19,300Kern High School Dist Ed Fd
$11,300,000Funds for swimming pool
Church of Jesus Christ of LDS
General Support
JSerra Catholic High School
$510,000General Support
City of San Juan Capistrano
$10,500Design plans for Fountain
Hunger Ends Here
$10,000San Clemente LDS Meal Event
Kern High School Dist Ed Fd
$1,500,000Funds for swimming pool
Church of Jesus Christ of LDA
$40,000General support
Hunger End Here
$10,000San Clemente LDS meal event