The foundation concentrates large, place-based gifts supporting Catholic secondary school capital development, children's direct-service health (vision care), and California land-conservation campaigns. With only five grants totaling over $8.7M, donors favor capital and program support for institutions that deliver long-term community impact rather than many small awards. Recipients include repeat support to a single high school and sizable gifts to statewide conservation and child-health organizations working in California and Los Angeles specifically.
A single $4.5 million grant to St Genevieve High School for the Phase I Inspiration Building Project captures the scale and style of Frank McHugh-O'Donovan Foundation Inc. The foundation backs large, place-based awards that combine capital work with long-term program support, especially for Catholic secondary education, child vision care, and California conservation. Recent gifts also show continued support for a campus master plan at St. Genevieve High School, including the Center for Performing Arts Complex and Parish Fellowship Center construction project, indicating a willingness to fund multi-phase institutional projects over multiple years. The same pattern appears in its environmental giving. In 2024 and 2025, the foundation made major gifts to The Nature Conservancy for Proctor Valley and for protecting the San Andreas Corridor, alongside funding for regional habitat and linkage work in California. It also supports children’s direct-service needs through Vision to Learn’s free eye exams and prescription glasses fund for Los Angeles children in need. Across the portfolio, the grants are fewer in number but substantial in size, aimed at projects with visible physical or service-delivery outcomes rather than broad dispersal.
In Catholic school infrastructure, Frank McHugh-O'Donovan Foundation Inc. gave $1,000,000 to St Genevieve High School for the Phase 1 Campus Master Plan Project, including the Center for Performing Arts Complex and Parish Fellowship Center construction project, and later added $594,000 for the same effort. It also supported St Cornelius Catholic Church with $500,000 for remodel and roofing connected to school. In conservation, the foundation funded The Nature Conservancy with $1,000,706 for Proctor Valley and $400,000 for Protecting the San Andreas Corridor. It also gave $140,000 to Antelope Valley Conservancy for the Joshua Tree Woodland Preservation Fund. For youth-serving education and career pathways, Ventura County Farm to School received $175,000 for Strategic Plan Implementation and General Support and $100,000 for General Support and Program Activities for the 2024-2025 school year. TreePeople received $165,000 for Empowering and Activating Youth for a Greener Future.
$2M
$59.8M
$5.1M
$3.9M
Most grants fall between $30K and $200K, with a median of $67K.
25th Percentile
$30K
Median
$67K
75th Percentile
$200K
About 0% of grants go to recipients in CA.
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Highly concentrated, few very large grants (multi-million and ~$1M gifts), repeat funding to a primary beneficiary, and targeted place-based capital/program support rather than broad, diversified small grants.
Notable grantees: St. Genevieve High School, Vision to Learn, The Nature Conservancy, The Nature Conservancy — California Chapter
Typical grants are large: the 25th percentile is $30,000, the median is $67,000, and the 75th percentile is $200,000. The pattern is highly concentrated, with only five grants in the summary data totaling over $8.7 million. Several recipients appear across multiple years, including St Genevieve High School, Vision to Learn, The Nature Conservancy, Friends of the Los Angeles River, Los Angeles Arboretum Foundation Inc, Ventura County Farm to School, Stella Adler Theatre, and TreePeople. The foundation also funds individuals, but the grant record here is dominated by institutional awards and project-based support rather than many small gifts.
Grantmaking is national, but the visible pattern is California-centered. Los Angeles appears repeatedly through grants to Vision to Learn, Friends of the Los Angeles River, Los Angeles Neighborhood Land Trust, Catholic Schools Collaborative, Homes for Life Foundation, and The Childrens Life-saving Foundation. Other California cities include Panorama City, Arcadia, Camarillo, Hollywood, Beverly Hills, Long Beach, Huntington Beach, Rosemead, and Lake Hughes. Outside California, the recent grants list includes Arlington, Virginia, for The Nature Conservancy, and the recipient-country distribution is entirely US-based.
The recent grants point to Catholic secondary education, California land conservation, and direct services for children. Examples include St Genevieve High School for campus development, The Nature Conservancy for Proctor Valley and the San Andreas Corridor, and Vision to Learn for free eye exams and prescription glasses for Los Angeles children in need.
Typical grants are substantial: the 25th percentile is $30,000, the median is $67,000, and the 75th percentile is $200,000. The recent list also includes several much larger project gifts, including a $4.5 million award to St Genevieve High School.
Yes. Several grantees appear in multiple years, including St Genevieve High School, Vision to Learn, The Nature Conservancy, Friends of the Los Angeles River, Los Angeles Arboretum Foundation Inc, Ventura County Farm to School, Stella Adler Theatre, and TreePeople. That pattern suggests ongoing, multi-year support for selected organizations.
Its grantmaking is national, but the recent record is concentrated in California. The top state by grant count is California, and the recipient list includes Los Angeles, Panorama City, Arcadia, Camarillo, Hollywood, Beverly Hills, Long Beach, Huntington Beach, Rosemead, and Lake Hughes.
Yes. The foundation funds individuals, alongside its institutional grants. In the recent grant record shown here, however, the visible awards are directed to organizations.
2025
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2025.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| NATURE CONSERVANCY | SACRAMENTO, CA | $400,000 | 2025 | Protecting the San Andreas Corridor |
| FOCUSING PHILANTHROPY INC | SANTA MONICA, CA | $323,000 | 2025 | General & Unrestricted |
| FRIENDS OF THE LOS ANGELES RIVER | LOS ANGELES, CA | $200,000 | 2025 | The FoLAR Resilience Lab at the Harvard-Westlake River Park Campus |
| STELLA ADLER THEATRE | HOLLYWOOD, CA | $160,000 | 2025 | ACTion/Outreach Scholarship fund and General Support |
| ANTELOPE VALLEY CONSERVANCY | LAKE HUGHES, CA | $140,000 | 2025 | Joshua Tree Woodland Preservation Fund |
| LOS ANGELES ARBORETUM FOUNDATION INC | ARCADIA, CA | $100,000 | 2025 | Arboretum Visitor Plaza Entrance Project |
| VENTURA COUNTY FARM TO SCHOOL | CAMARILLO, CA | $100,000 | 2025 | General Support and Program Activities for 2024-2025 school year |
| COLETTES CHILDREN HOME INC | HUNTINGTON BEACH, CA | $100,000 | 2025 | Homeless Shelter Program (HSP) |
| TREEPEOPLE INC | BEVERLY HILLS, CA | $69,000 | 2025 | Environmental Education and School Greening |
| ALEXANDRIA HOUSE | LOS ANGELES, CA | $50,000 | 2025 | General Operating Support |
| HOMES FOR LIFE FOUNDATION | LOS ANGELES, CA | $30,000 | 2025 | Medical Services Coordinator fund |
| MESIVTA OF GREATER LOS ANGELES | HIDDEN HILLS, CA | $30,000 | 2025 | General Support |
| LAS FAMILIAS DEL PUEBLO | LOS ANGELES, CA | $20,000 | 2025 | General support |
| STUDENTS FOR ECO EDUCATION AND AGRICULTURE INC | VENTURA, CA | $20,000 | 2025 | Farm-to-Food Lab Education and Wellness Initiative and STEM Career Pathways in Agriculture Education Program |
| LOS ANGELES BOYS & GIRLS CLUB | LOS ANGELES, CA | $20,000 | 2025 | PROJECT LEARN: EVERY CHILD COLLEGE READY WITH STEM |
| VALLEY VILLAGE | WINNETKA, CA | $20,000 | 2025 | Operating Support for Valley Village programs serving adults with developmental disabilities |
| DIY GIRLS | PACOIMA, CA | $19,500 | 2025 | General Support |
| APOPO US INC | WASHINGTON, DC | $19,000 | 2025 | Supporting APOPO's Game Changing Free Running HeroRAT |
| THE CHILDRENS LIFE-SAVING FOUNDATION | SANTA MONICA, CA | $15,000 | 2025 | General Operating Support & Program Support for Expanded Camp for All Summer Program for Underserved Youth |
| YESHIVAT OHR CHANOCH INC | LOS ANGELES, CA | $15,000 | 2025 | General Support |
| PROJECT POOCH | LAKE OSWEGO, OR | $10,000 | 2025 | fund to Train, Certify, Mentor 8 youth for 3 months |
| MUTTVILLE | SAN FRANCISCO, CA | $10,000 | 2025 | Humane Education Program |
| MARLEYS MUTTS DOG RESCUE | TEHACHAPI, CA | $10,000 | 2025 | Pawsitive Change Program |
| FRIENDS OF BALLONA WETLANDS | PLAYA DEL REY, CA | $10,000 | 2025 | General Support |
| SHOWING ANIMALS RESPECT AND KINDNESS INC | GENEVA, IL | $10,000 | 2025 | Cameras and Drone equipment fund |
| FARM SANCTUARY INC | WATKINS GLEN, NY | $10,000 | 2025 | Bold Choice Fund (Humane Education) |
| TASHBAR SEPHARDIC YESHIVA KETANA | LOS ANGELES, CA | $10,000 | 2025 | General Support |
| BEST FRIENDS ANIMAL SOCIETY | KANAB, UT | $10,000 | 2025 | Best Friends National Advocacy Programs |
| ST MONICA ACADEMY INC | MONTROSE, CA | $7,500 | 2025 | Purchase of Computers |
| BALLONA WETLANDS LAND TRUST | PLAYA DEL REY, CA | $6,000 | 2025 | Continued Internship Program |
| LA COMPOST | LOS ANGELES, CA | $3,000 | 2025 | Bringing the Magic Soil Bus to Los Angeles Public Schools |
| HENRY E HUNTINGTON LIBRARY & ART GALLERY | SAN MARINO, CA | $3,000 | 2025 | Education Programs |
| ST GENEVIEVE HIGH SCHOOL | PANORAMA CITY, CA | $4,500,000 | 2024 | St. Genevieve Parish Schools Phase I Inspiration Building Project |
| NATURE CONSERVANCY | ARLINGTON, VA | $1,000,706 | 2024 | Proctor Valley |
| ST GENEVIEVE HIGH SCHOOL | PANORAMA CITY, CA | $594,000 | 2024 | Phase 1 Campus Master Plan Project including the Center for Performing Arts Complex and Parish Fellowship Center Construction Project |
| VISION TO LEARN | LOS ANGELES, CA | $561,000 | 2024 | Fund for Free Eye Exams and Prescription Glasses for Los Angeles Children in Need |
| ST CORNELIUS CATHOLIC CHURCH | LONG BEACH, CA | $500,000 | 2024 | Remodel and roofing connected to school |
| STELLA ADLER THEATRE | HOLLYWOOD, CA | $300,000 | 2024 | General Support |
| FRIENDS OF THE LOS ANGELES RIVER | LOS ANGELES, CA | $200,000 | 2024 | The FoLAR Resilience Lab at the Harvard-Westlake River Park Campus |
| LOS ANGELES ARBORETUM FOUNDATION INC | ARCADIA, CA | $200,000 | 2024 | Arboretum Visitor Plaza Entrance Project |
| VENTURA COUNTY FARM TO SCHOOL | CAMARILLO, CA | $175,000 | 2024 | Strategic Plan Implementation and General Support |
| TREEPEOPLE INC | BEVERLY HILLS, CA | $165,000 | 2024 | Empowering and Activating Youth for a Greener Future |
| CATHOLIC SCHOOLS COLLABORATIVE | LOS ANGELES, CA | $100,000 | 2024 | Implementation of CSC SIMPLE Whole Child, Whole School, Whole Community Model |
| HOMES FOR LIFE FOUNDATION | LOS ANGELES, CA | $80,000 | 2024 | Medical Services Coordinator Fund |
| ST MONICA ACADEMY INC | MONTROSE, CA | $59,000 | 2024 | Renovation of School Entrance |
| DIY GIRLS | SAN FERNANDO, CA | $50,000 | 2024 | General Operating Fund |
| MESIVTA OF GREATER LOS ANGELES | HIDDEN HILLS, CA | $30,000 | 2024 | General support |
| LAS FAMILIAS DEL PUEBLO | LOS ANGELES, CA | $30,000 | 2024 | General Support |
| HENRY E HUNTINGTON LIBRARY & ART GALLERY | SAN MARINO, CA | $25,000 | 2024 | Education Programs |
| SACRED HEART HIGH SCHOOL | LOS ANGELES, CA | $23,174 | 2024 | Grateful Hearts Project - The Community Service Days Initiative |
NATURE CONSERVANCY
$400,000Protecting the San Andreas Corridor
FRIENDS OF THE LOS ANGELES RIVER
$200,000The FoLAR Resilience Lab at the Harvard-Westlake River Park Campus
STELLA ADLER THEATRE
$160,000ACTion/Outreach Scholarship fund and General Support
ANTELOPE VALLEY CONSERVANCY
$140,000Joshua Tree Woodland Preservation Fund
Arboretum Visitor Plaza Entrance Project
VENTURA COUNTY FARM TO SCHOOL
$100,000General Support and Program Activities for 2024-2025 school year
HOMES FOR LIFE FOUNDATION
$30,000Medical Services Coordinator fund
LAS FAMILIAS DEL PUEBLO
$20,000General support
STUDENTS FOR ECO EDUCATION AND AGRICULTURE INC
$20,000Farm-to-Food Lab Education and Wellness Initiative and STEM Career Pathways in Agriculture Education Program
PROJECT LEARN: EVERY CHILD COLLEGE READY WITH STEM
VALLEY VILLAGE
$20,000Operating Support for Valley Village programs serving adults with developmental disabilities
General Operating Support & Program Support for Expanded Camp for All Summer Program for Underserved Youth
YESHIVAT OHR CHANOCH INC
$15,000General Support
PROJECT POOCH
$10,000fund to Train, Certify, Mentor 8 youth for 3 months
SHOWING ANIMALS RESPECT AND KINDNESS INC
$10,000Cameras and Drone equipment fund
TASHBAR SEPHARDIC YESHIVA KETANA
$10,000General Support
ST MONICA ACADEMY INC
$7,500Purchase of Computers
BALLONA WETLANDS LAND TRUST
$6,000Continued Internship Program
ST GENEVIEVE HIGH SCHOOL
$4,500,000St. Genevieve Parish Schools Phase I Inspiration Building Project
ST GENEVIEVE HIGH SCHOOL
$594,000Phase 1 Campus Master Plan Project including the Center for Performing Arts Complex and Parish Fellowship Center Construction Project
Fund for Free Eye Exams and Prescription Glasses for Los Angeles Children in Need
ST CORNELIUS CATHOLIC CHURCH
$500,000Remodel and roofing connected to school
STELLA ADLER THEATRE
$300,000General Support
FRIENDS OF THE LOS ANGELES RIVER
$200,000The FoLAR Resilience Lab at the Harvard-Westlake River Park Campus
VENTURA COUNTY FARM TO SCHOOL
$175,000Strategic Plan Implementation and General Support
CATHOLIC SCHOOLS COLLABORATIVE
$100,000Implementation of CSC SIMPLE Whole Child, Whole School, Whole Community Model
HOMES FOR LIFE FOUNDATION
$80,000Medical Services Coordinator Fund
ST MONICA ACADEMY INC
$59,000Renovation of School Entrance
LAS FAMILIAS DEL PUEBLO
$30,000General Support
SACRED HEART HIGH SCHOOL
$23,174Grateful Hearts Project - The Community Service Days Initiative