The Governors Cup Foundation predominantly funds direct-service nonprofits that support children and families, emergency basic needs, and community wellbeing in California. Their grants favor programs that create life-changing experiences for kids (wishes and cancer support), local food security, and pandemic-era economic relief for hospitality workers, with occasional community and event sponsorships tied to agriculture and faith-based groups.
Governors Cup Foundation Inc has repeatedly backed children’s wish-granting and pediatric support, with Make a Wish Foundation receiving $25,000 in 2023, $10,000 in 2024, and $25,000 in 2025. That multi-year pattern sits alongside grants for child-focused causes such as Mama Bears, which received $25,000 in 2024 for childhood cancer support, and Rancho Cielo, which received $25,000 in 2025 for young people facing challenges. The foundation’s giving is narrow and local, with every recorded grant going to recipients in California and most awards set at a flat $25,000. Within that pattern, it has supported direct-service organizations serving children and youth, food security work, and community relief efforts. The recent record also shows support for South Sac Food Closet in Sacramento and for Why Cant We Make a Difference in Los Angeles. In addition to program grants, the foundation has made event sponsorship gifts, such as a $2,500 grant to Saint Johns in Sacramento in 2023. The overall profile points to a funder that favors practical, community-based support rather than broad institutional giving.
Children and youth services are a central theme. In 2025, Governors Cup Foundation Inc gave $25,000 to Rancho Cielo in Salinas to support “all young people facing chall,” and in 2024 it gave $25,000 to Mama Bears in Fair Oaks for “fighting childhood cancer.” Wish-granting appears as another recurring priority: Make a Wish Foundation in Sacramento received $25,000 in 2023, $10,000 in 2024, and $25,000 in 2025 for “helping create life-changing wishes.” Food security is also present in the record. South Sac Food Closet in Sacramento received $25,000 in 2024 and another $25,000 in 2025, with the stated purpose “help feed the hungers.” The foundation has also supported hospitality-worker relief, including a $25,000 grant in 2023 to Community Foundation for Moterey Co for “help hospitality worker during pandimic.” Another 2024 grant went to Grower Shipper Foundation in Salinas for “raising community positive awareness,” showing an interest in community outreach tied to the agricultural sector.
Typical grants cluster tightly around a single size: p25 is $21,250, the median is $25,000, and p75 is also $25,000. That suggests a highly standardized grant pattern, with only a few smaller awards such as $10,000 and $2,500 appearing in the recent record. The grants also show some repeat recipients across multiple years, including Make a Wish Foundation and South Sac Food Closet, which each appear more than once. Governors Cup Foundation Inc is a private foundation under David Sanders, and it does not fund individuals or make program-related investments. The available record does not indicate an application process.
$75K
$902K
$172K
$134K
Most grants fall between $21K and $25K, with a median of $25K.
25th Percentile
$21K
Median
$25K
75th Percentile
$25K
DAVID SANDERS
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Moderately concentrated giving: a small number of mid-to-large grants ($25k–$60k) with some repeat support to flagship grantees (Make-A-Wish, South Sac Food Closet). Grants appear program-focused and regionally targeted across California rather than widely distributed national funding.
Notable grantees: Make‑A‑Wish Foundation, South Sac Food Closet, Community Foundation for Monterey County, Rancho Cielo, Mama Bears
Giving is entirely local in the available record: 100% of grants went to recipients in California, and California is the top state by grant count. Sacramento appears often, including grants to South Sac Food Closet, Make a Wish Foundation, Community Foundation for Moterey Co, and Saint Johns. Salinas also appears multiple times through Rancho Cielo and Grower Shipper Foundation. Other recipient cities include Fair Oaks and Los Angeles, showing a California-only footprint rather than a national one.
The recent record centers on children and youth services, including wish-granting, pediatric cancer support, and help for young people facing challenges. It also includes food security, hospitality-worker relief, and a small number of community outreach and event sponsorship grants.
No. In the available grant record, 100% of grants went to recipients in California, and California is the top state by grant count.
The grant pattern is highly concentrated at $25,000. The reported median grant size is $25,000, with p25 at $21,250 and p75 also at $25,000.
Yes. Make a Wish Foundation appears in 2023, 2024, and 2025, and South Sac Food Closet appears in both 2024 and 2025. That indicates some recurring support rather than one-time-only giving.
David Sanders is listed as the foundation’s leadership.
2025
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2025.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SOUTH SAC FOOD CLOSET | SACRAMENTO, CA | $25,000 | 2025 | HELP FEED THE HUNGERS |
| RANCHO CEILO | SALINAS, CA | $25,000 | 2025 | INVESTS IN ALL YOUNG PEOPLE FACING CHALL |
| MAKE A WISH FOUNDATION | SACRAMENTO, CA | $25,000 | 2025 | HELPING CREATE LIFECHANGING WISHES |
| SOUTH SAC FOOD CLOSET | SACRAMENTO, CA | $25,000 | 2024 | — |
| GROWER SHIPPER FOUNDATION | SALINAS, CA | $25,000 | 2024 | RAISING COMMUNITY POSITIVE AWARENESS |
| MAMA BEARS | FAIR OAKS, CA | $25,000 | 2024 | SUPPORT FOR FIGHTING CHILDHOOD CANCER |
| WHY CANT WE MAKE A DIFFERENCE | LOS ANGELES, CA | $25,000 | 2024 | — |
| MAKE A WISH FOUNDATION | SACRAMENTO, CA | $10,000 | 2024 | HELPING CREATE LIFE-CHANGING WISHES |
| COMMUNITY FOUNDATION FOR MOTEREY CO | SACRAMENTO, CA | $25,000 | 2023 | HELP HOSPITALITY WORKER DURING PANDIMIC |
| MAKE A WISH FOUNDATION | SACRAMENTO, CA | $25,000 | 2023 | HELPING CREATE LIFE-CHANGING WISHES |
| SAINT JOHNS | SACRAMENTO, CA | $2,500 | 2023 | EVENT SPONSORSHIP |
SOUTH SAC FOOD CLOSET
$25,000HELP FEED THE HUNGERS
RANCHO CEILO
$25,000INVESTS IN ALL YOUNG PEOPLE FACING CHALL
SOUTH SAC FOOD CLOSET
$25,000GROWER SHIPPER FOUNDATION
$25,000RAISING COMMUNITY POSITIVE AWARENESS
MAMA BEARS
$25,000SUPPORT FOR FIGHTING CHILDHOOD CANCER
WHY CANT WE MAKE A DIFFERENCE
$25,000COMMUNITY FOUNDATION FOR MOTEREY CO
$25,000HELP HOSPITALITY WORKER DURING PANDIMIC