Assistance League volunteers transforming the lives of children and adults through community programs
A distinctive thread in Assistance League of Santa Monica’s recent grantmaking is its steady support for youth camping and outdoor experiences, alongside scholarships and basic-needs aid for local children and families. In the latest grants, the foundation gave $65,695 to Westchester Family YMCA and $34,500 to Pali Institute for camping for youth, showing that recreation and access to enrichment are part of its giving pattern rather than a one-off line item. The foundation also backs education pathways. It awarded $86,000 to Santa Monica Education Found for scholarships in 2025 and $16,640 to Santa Monica College Foundation for scholarships for homeless or foster students. These grants sit within a broader mix that includes school-based support, emergency clothing, vision care, food, and in-kind household resources. Assistance League of Santa Monica’s work is oriented to children and adolescents, with recurring attention to Santa Monica-area schools, foster youth, unstably housed youth, and neurodiverse youth and their families.
Education and student aid are central to the foundation’s work. It gave $86,000 to Santa Monica Education Found for scholarships in 2025, and $16,640 to Santa Monica College Foundation for scholarships for homeless or foster students. School-based support also appears in a $67,740 grant to Santa Monica High School in 2023. Youth enrichment is another clear theme. The foundation funded camping for youth through $21,315 to Stoner Elementary, $17,480 to Grant Elementary School, and $15,000 to Will Rogers Learning Center in 2025. Basic-needs and family support show up in in-kind and food-related grants, including $11,000 to Westside Food Bank in 2025. Support for neurodiverse children and their families appears in grants to Growing Side by Side in 2024 and 2025.
Typical grant size sits in a narrow middle range: p25 is $10,000, median is $13,470, and p75 is $26,925. The recent record includes many repeat recipients across multiple years, such as Westchester Family YMCA, Stoner Elementary, Will Rogers Learning Center, Mckinley Elementary School, Westside Food Bank, and Growing Side by Side. That pattern suggests ongoing, program-specific support rather than isolated awards. The foundation funds through named programs such as scholarships, outreach, community support, camperships, and Operation School Bell. Some programs accept unsolicited requests, including Assistance League Outreach and Assistance League Community Support, while others do not.
$291K
$1.2M
$501K
$536K
Most grants fall between $10K and $27K, with a median of $13K.
25th Percentile
$10K
Median
$13K
75th Percentile
$27K
LESLIE NORDBY
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Grantmaking is fully local and entirely within California, with 100% of grants to recipients in the state. The strongest concentration is in Santa Monica, where many awards went to schools and local organizations, including Santa Monica Education Found, Santa Monica High School, Santa Monica College Foundation, Westside Food Bank, and Growing Side by Side. Outside Santa Monica, the foundation also funded recipients in Los Angeles, Running Springs, Van Nuys, and Santa Ana. The recent record shows no grants outside the United States.
Its active programs include scholarships, outreach, community support, camperships, and Operation School Bell®. Recent grants show support for K-12 education, youth camping, basic needs such as clothing and household goods, food assistance, vision care, and support for neurodiverse youth and their families.
Typical awards are in the mid-five-figure range, with p25 at $10,000, a median of $13,470, and p75 of $26,925. Recent grants include both smaller awards around $6,000 to $8,000 and larger awards above $65,000.
No. The recent grant record shows 24 grants, all to recipients in the United States, and every grant was made to organizations in California. The state-level concentration is 100% in CA.
Several organizations recur across years, including Westchester Family YMCA, Stoner Elementary, Will Rogers Learning Center, Mckinley Elementary School, Westside Food Bank, and Growing Side by Side. That repetition points to ongoing relationships rather than one-time awards.
Yes for some programs. Assistance League Outreach and Assistance League Community Support both accept unsolicited requests. Assistance League Scholarships, Assistance League Camperships, and Operation School Bell® do not accept unsolicited requests.
2025
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2025.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SANTA MONICA EDUCATION FOUND | SANTA MONICA, CA | $86,000 | 2025 | SCHOLARSHIPS |
| WESTCHESTER FAMILY YMCA | LOS ANGELES, CA | $45,985 | 2025 | CAMPING FOR YOUTH |
| PALI INSTITUTE | Running Springs, CA | $34,500 | 2025 | CAMPING FOR YOUTH |
| STONER ELEMENTARY | SANTA MONICA, CA | $21,315 | 2025 | CAMPING FOR YOUTH |
| GRANT ELEMENTARY SCHOOL | SANTA MONICA, CA | $17,480 | 2025 | CAMPING FOR YOUTH |
| SANTA MONICA COLLEGE FOUNDATI | SANTA MONICA, CA | $16,640 | 2025 | SCHOLARSHIPS FOR HOMELESS / FOSTER |
| WILL ROGERS LEARNING CENTER | SANTA MONICA, CA | $15,000 | 2025 | CAMPING FOR YOUTH |
| ROOSEVELT ELEMENTARY | SANTA MONICA, CA | $13,000 | 2025 | CAMPING FOR YOUTH |
| WESTERN LA COUNTY COUNCIL | Van Nuys, CA | $11,500 | 2025 | CAMPING FOR YOUTH |
| WESTSIDE FOOD BANK | SANTA MONICA, CA | $11,000 | 2025 | FOOD |
| IROC OCBSA | SANTA ANA, CA | $11,000 | 2025 | CAMPING FOR YOUTH |
| GROWING SIDE BY SIDE | SANTA MONICA, CA | $8,000 | 2025 | FAMILIES WITH NEURO-DIVERSE YOUTH |
| SANTA MONICA EDUCATION FOUND | SANTA MONICA, CA | $78,000 | 2024 | SCHOLARSHIPS |
| WESTCHESTER FAMILY YMCA | LOS ANGELES, CA | $65,695 | 2024 | CAMPING FOR YOUTH |
| SANTA MONICA YMCA | santa monica, CA | $13,640 | 2024 | CAMPING FOR YOUTH |
| STONER ELEMENTARY | SANTA MONICA, CA | $13,300 | 2024 | CAMPING FOR YOUTH |
| MCKINLEY ELEMENTARY SCHOOL | SANTA MONICA, CA | $10,000 | 2024 | CAMPING FOR YOUTH |
| WESTSIDE FOOD BANK | SANTA MONICA, CA | $8,000 | 2024 | FOOD |
| GROWING SIDE BY SIDE | SANTA MONICA, CA | $6,000 | 2024 | FAMILIES WITH NEURO-DIVERSE YOUTH |
| SANTA MONICA HIGH SCHOOL | SANTA MONICA, CA | $67,740 | 2023 | — |
| WESTCHESTER FAMILY YMCA | LOS ANGELES, CA | $24,400 | 2023 | CAMPING FOR YOUTH |
| WILL ROGERS LEARNING CENTER | SANTA MONICA, CA | $10,000 | 2023 | CAMPING FOR YOUTH |
| GRANT ELEMENTRY SCHOOL | SANTA MONICA, CA | $10,000 | 2023 | CAMPING FOR YOUTH |
| MCKINLEY ELEMENTARY SCHOOL | SANTA MONICA, CA | $10,000 | 2023 | CAMPING FOR YOUTH |
SANTA MONICA EDUCATION FOUND
$86,000SCHOLARSHIPS
WESTCHESTER FAMILY YMCA
$45,985CAMPING FOR YOUTH
PALI INSTITUTE
$34,500CAMPING FOR YOUTH
STONER ELEMENTARY
$21,315CAMPING FOR YOUTH
GRANT ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
$17,480CAMPING FOR YOUTH
SANTA MONICA COLLEGE FOUNDATI
$16,640SCHOLARSHIPS FOR HOMELESS / FOSTER
Current and upcoming funding from Assistance League of Santa Monica that your nonprofit may be able to apply for.
Who can apply: Potential partners are identified through requests from nonprofits, referrals from partnering schools, or Assistance League of Santa Monica members.
Deadline: Not specified on the provided page.
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WILL ROGERS LEARNING CENTER
$15,000CAMPING FOR YOUTH
ROOSEVELT ELEMENTARY
$13,000CAMPING FOR YOUTH
WESTERN LA COUNTY COUNCIL
$11,500CAMPING FOR YOUTH
WESTSIDE FOOD BANK
$11,000FOOD
IROC OCBSA
$11,000CAMPING FOR YOUTH
GROWING SIDE BY SIDE
$8,000FAMILIES WITH NEURO-DIVERSE YOUTH
SANTA MONICA EDUCATION FOUND
$78,000SCHOLARSHIPS
WESTCHESTER FAMILY YMCA
$65,695CAMPING FOR YOUTH
SANTA MONICA YMCA
$13,640CAMPING FOR YOUTH
STONER ELEMENTARY
$13,300CAMPING FOR YOUTH
MCKINLEY ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
$10,000CAMPING FOR YOUTH
WESTSIDE FOOD BANK
$8,000FOOD
GROWING SIDE BY SIDE
$6,000FAMILIES WITH NEURO-DIVERSE YOUTH
SANTA MONICA HIGH SCHOOL
$67,740WESTCHESTER FAMILY YMCA
$24,400CAMPING FOR YOUTH
WILL ROGERS LEARNING CENTER
$10,000CAMPING FOR YOUTH
GRANT ELEMENTRY SCHOOL
$10,000CAMPING FOR YOUTH
MCKINLEY ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
$10,000CAMPING FOR YOUTH
