The Schlinger Family Foundation concentrates its giving into a very small number of large grants that split primarily between educational enrichment at an independent school and marine conservation. Roughly two-thirds of funding supports The Prentice School’s Mind Masters program (repeat grants), while the remaining funds go to unrestricted support for Sea Shepherd’s marine protection work. The foundation appears to favor targeted, high-dollar investments in organizations or programs with personal or mission-aligned appeal rather than broad, diversified grantmaking.
A $350,000 grant to The Prentice School for Mind Masters, followed by a $300,000 scholarship award to the same school, shows how the Schlinger Family Foundation concentrates its giving in a small number of large, program-specific commitments. The foundation’s recent record centers on a few recurring relationships rather than a wide spread of small awards. Education appears prominently through The Prentice School in Santa Ana, where the foundation has supported Mind Masters, scholarships, general operations, and the Full Ride Scholarship Fund across multiple years. Marine conservation is another clear thread: Sea Shepherd Conservation Society received a $300,000 unrestricted grant, and other recent awards support ocean and land conservation work through organizations such as Environmental Defense Center, Monterey Bay Aquarium Foundation, American Friends of the Ocean Cleanup Foundation, The Living Desert, and Friends of Harbor Beaches and Park Inc. The grant list also includes support for health, disaster response, arts, and community programs, indicating a foundation that uses targeted, high-value grants to back organizations and projects with specific missions. Its giving pattern suggests preference for programs where unrestricted support or named funds can have concentrated impact rather than broad thematic dispersion.
Education is a consistent priority. The foundation gave $300,000 to The Prentice School for the Scholarship Fund, $102,355 for General & Unrestricted support, and $100,000 for The Full Ride Scholarship Fund. Conservation also appears in several forms: Environmental Defense Center received $175,000 and $150,000 in General & Unrestricted support, plus $100,000 for its endowment fund and another $100,000 for EDC’s Legacy Society. Ocean protection shows up through the $100,000 grant to American Friends of the Ocean Cleanup Foundation. The grant list also includes a $100,000 award to Hawaii Community Foundation for the Maui Strong Fund, showing that the foundation will support disaster relief when it aligns with its giving patterns. Health-related giving appears through a $100,000 unrestricted grant to Aids Services Foundation Orange County.
Typical grants cluster at meaningful mid-sized levels: the 25th percentile is $10,000, the median is $15,000, and the 75th percentile is $30,000, even though the recent list includes many six-figure awards. The foundation behaves like a repeat, relationship-driven funder. The Prentice School appears in multiple years and across several purposes, and Environmental Defense Center also recurs over multiple grants. Grant descriptions show a mix of general & unrestricted support, program support, scholarship funding, endowment support, and event-related giving. It is classified as a regular funder, not a DAF, and it also funds individuals.
$3M
$4.7M
$3.2M
$3M
Most grants fall between $10K and $30K, with a median of $15K.
25th Percentile
$10K
Median
$15K
75th Percentile
$30K
About 0% of grants go to recipients in CA.
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Concentrated, high-dollar giving to a very small number of recipients; repeat funding to a core education grantee and single large gift to an environmental advocacy organization rather than many small grants.
Notable grantees: THE PRENTICE SCHOOL, SEA SHEPHERD CONSERVATION SOCIETY, Local independent school education initiatives (Mind Masters–style programs)
Giving is national, and the recipient country distribution is entirely U.S.-based. California receives the most grants by count, with many recipients in Santa Ana, Santa Barbara, Costa Mesa, Monterey, Orange, Palm Desert, Newport Beach, Irvine, Placentia, and Huntington Beach. Outside California, recent grants include Phoenix, Arizona; Alexandria, Virginia; Honolulu, Hawaii; and Renton, Washington. The foundation’s headquarters are in Wilmington, Delaware, but recent grant locations are concentrated elsewhere.
Recent grants show a strong focus on education and conservation. The Prentice School received multiple awards for scholarships, Mind Masters, and general support, while Environmental Defense Center, Monterey Bay Aquarium Foundation, Sea Shepherd Conservation Society, and American Friends of the Ocean Cleanup Foundation reflect an environmental and marine conservation thread.
Yes. The Prentice School appears across several years with multiple purposes, including Mind Masters, scholarship funding, general support, and The Full Ride Scholarship Fund. Environmental Defense Center also appears more than once, including general support, an endowment fund, and Legacy Society support.
The grant-size distribution centers on smaller awards than the largest recent gifts suggest: the 25th percentile is $10,000, the median is $15,000, and the 75th percentile is $30,000. The recent grants table also shows a number of six-figure awards, indicating a mixed pattern of smaller typical grants and occasional large commitments.
California is the top state by grant count. Recent recipient cities there include Santa Ana, Santa Barbara, Costa Mesa, Monterey, Orange, Palm Desert, Newport Beach, Irvine, Placentia, and Huntington Beach. The country distribution for recipients is 100% U.S.
Yes. Recent awards include marine and land conservation, health, disaster relief, arts, and community support. Examples include Sea Shepherd Conservation Society for general support, Hawaii Community Foundation for the Maui Strong Fund, Aids Services Foundation Orange County for general support, and Segerstrom Center for the Arts for general support.
2025
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2025.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| THE PRENTICE SCHOOL | SANTA ANA, CA | $300,000 | 2025 | Scholarship Fund |
| TURNING POINT USA INC | PHOENIX, AZ | $250,000 | 2025 | General & Unrestricted |
| ENVIRONMENTAL DEFENSE CENTER | SANTA BARBARA, CA | $150,000 | 2025 | General & Unrestricted |
| AIDS SERVICES FOUNDATION ORANGE COUNTY | IRVINE, CA | $100,000 | 2025 | General & Unrestricted |
| CHOC FOUNDATION | ORANGE, CA | $100,000 | 2025 | General & Unrestricted |
| AMERICAN FRIENDS OF THE OCEAN CLEANUP FOUNDATION | PASADENA, CA | $100,000 | 2025 | General & Unrestricted |
| TURNING POINT USA INC | PHOENIX, AZ | $100,000 | 2025 | General & Unrestricted |
| SEGERSTROM CENTER FOR THE ARTS | COSTA MESA, CA | $100,000 | 2025 | General & Unrestricted |
| ST JUDE HOSPITAL | FULLERTON, CA | $100,000 | 2025 | General & Unrestricted |
| GIANT COMMUNITY FUND | SAN FRANCISCO, CA | $75,000 | 2025 | WILLIE MAYS SCHOLARS |
| CHILDRENS ADVOCACY CENTER FOR CHILD ABUSE ASSESSME | LONG BEACH, CA | $53,000 | 2025 | General & Unrestricted |
| ROCK HOUSE CHURCH | BREA, CA | $51,500 | 2025 | General & Unrestricted |
| THE LIVING DESERT | PALM DESERT, CA | $50,000 | 2025 | General & Unrestricted |
| ESPERANZA WRESTLING BOOSTERS CLUB | YORBA LINDA, CA | $50,000 | 2025 | General & Unrestricted |
| ONEOC | SANTA ANA, CA | $50,000 | 2025 | PATRIOTIC SERVICE DOG FOUNDATION |
| STEPHEN SILLER TUNNEL TO TOWERS FOUNDATION | STATEN ISLAND, NY | $50,000 | 2025 | General & Unrestricted |
| TURNING POINT USA INC | PHOENIX, AZ | $50,000 | 2025 | General & Unrestricted |
| WHITEFISH COMMUNITY FOUNDATION INC | WHITEFISH, MT | $50,000 | 2025 | General & Unrestricted |
| A COMPAS INC | SANTA BARBARA, CA | $50,000 | 2025 | General & Unrestricted |
| ROCK HOUSE CHURCH | BREA, CA | $50,000 | 2025 | General & Unrestricted |
| OCEAN INSTITUTE | DANA POINT, CA | $50,000 | 2025 | General & Unrestricted |
| PTA CALIFORNIA CONGRESS OF PARENTS TEACHERS & STUD | YORBA LINDA, CA | $50,000 | 2025 | Program 2 - To purchase classroom supplies, curriculum enrichment, scholarship fund and fund for new technology, teacher professional development and general activities fund |
| THE LIVING DESERT | PALM DESERT, CA | $50,000 | 2025 | General & Unrestricted |
| W M KECK OBSERVATORY | KAMUELA, HI | $50,000 | 2025 | General & Unrestricted |
| THE LIVING DESERT | PALM DESERT, CA | $50,000 | 2025 | General & Unrestricted |
| CHOC FOUNDATION | ORANGE, CA | $40,000 | 2025 | General & Unrestricted |
| TURNING POINT USA INC | PHOENIX, AZ | $40,000 | 2025 | Turning Point USA, Action |
| ANGELS FOSTER CARE OF SANTA BARBARA | SANTA BARBARA, CA | $30,000 | 2025 | General & Unrestricted |
| SANTA ANA UNIFIED | SANTA ANA, CA | $25,000 | 2025 | Carr Intermediate School |
| HOMELESS INTERVENTION SERVICES OF ORANGE COUNTY | PLACENTIA, CA | $25,000 | 2025 | General & Unrestricted |
| COURT APPOINTED SPECIAL ADVOCATES OF ORANGE COUNTY | ORANGE, CA | $25,000 | 2025 | General & Unrestricted |
| WORKING WARDROBES FOR A NEW START | SANTA ANA, CA | $25,000 | 2025 | General & Unrestricted |
| SURFRIDER FOUNDATION | SAN CLEMENTE, CA | $25,000 | 2025 | General & Unrestricted |
| ALZHEIMERS ORANGE COUNTY | IRVINE, CA | $25,000 | 2025 | General & Unrestricted |
| PACIFIC MARINE MAMMAL CENTER | LAGUNA BEACH, CA | $25,000 | 2025 | General & Unrestricted |
| WWP INC - WOUNDED WARRIOR PROJECT INC | TOPEKA, KS | $25,000 | 2025 | General & Unrestricted |
| CRYSTAL COVE CONSERVANCY | NEWPORT COAST, CA | $25,000 | 2025 | General & Unrestricted |
| LITTLE LEAGUE BASEBALL INC | YORBA LINDA, CA | $25,000 | 2025 | General & Unrestricted |
| GRACE PLACE FOR CHILDREN AND FAMILIES INC | NAPLES, FL | $25,000 | 2025 | General & Unrestricted |
| WESTON A PRICE FOUNDATION | WASHINGTON, DC | $20,000 | 2025 | General & Unrestricted |
| SANTA BARBARA HISTORICAL MUSEUM | SANTA BARBARA, CA | $20,000 | 2025 | General & Unrestricted |
| STUART C GILDRED FAMILY YMCA | SANTA YNEZ, CA | $20,000 | 2025 | General & Unrestricted |
| SANTA YNEZ VALLEY CHRISTIAN ACADEMY | SANTA YNEZ, CA | $20,000 | 2025 | General & Unrestricted |
| PAGE YOUTH CENTER | SANTA BARBARA, CA | $20,000 | 2025 | General & Unrestricted |
| SANTA BARBARA CENTER FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS INC | SANTA BARBARA, CA | $20,000 | 2025 | General & Unrestricted |
| SANTA BARBARA MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY | SANTA BARBARA, CA | $20,000 | 2025 | General & Unrestricted |
| SANTA BARBARA BOTANIC GARDEN INC | SANTA BARBARA, CA | $20,000 | 2025 | General & Unrestricted |
| SANTA YNEZ VALLEY SENIOR ADVISORY COUNCIL | SOLVANG, CA | $15,000 | 2025 | New Senior Development Center |
| SPARROWS NEST OF NW MT | KALISPELL, MT | $15,000 | 2025 | General & Unrestricted |
| SANTA YNEZ VALLEY CHILDRENS MUSEUM | BUELLTON, CA | $15,000 | 2025 | General & Unrestricted |
TURNING POINT USA INC
$250,000General & Unrestricted
General & Unrestricted
SEGERSTROM CENTER FOR THE ARTS
$100,000General & Unrestricted
ST JUDE HOSPITAL
$100,000General & Unrestricted
GIANT COMMUNITY FUND
$75,000WILLIE MAYS SCHOLARS
CHILDRENS ADVOCACY CENTER FOR CHILD ABUSE ASSESSME
$53,000General & Unrestricted
ROCK HOUSE CHURCH
$51,500General & Unrestricted
ESPERANZA WRESTLING BOOSTERS CLUB
$50,000General & Unrestricted
A COMPAS INC
$50,000General & Unrestricted
ROCK HOUSE CHURCH
$50,000General & Unrestricted
PTA CALIFORNIA CONGRESS OF PARENTS TEACHERS & STUD
$50,000Program 2 - To purchase classroom supplies, curriculum enrichment, scholarship fund and fund for new technology, teacher professional development and general activities fund
ANGELS FOSTER CARE OF SANTA BARBARA
$30,000General & Unrestricted
SANTA ANA UNIFIED
$25,000Carr Intermediate School
HOMELESS INTERVENTION SERVICES OF ORANGE COUNTY
$25,000General & Unrestricted
SURFRIDER FOUNDATION
$25,000General & Unrestricted
WWP INC - WOUNDED WARRIOR PROJECT INC
$25,000General & Unrestricted
LITTLE LEAGUE BASEBALL INC
$25,000General & Unrestricted
STUART C GILDRED FAMILY YMCA
$20,000General & Unrestricted
SANTA YNEZ VALLEY CHRISTIAN ACADEMY
$20,000General & Unrestricted
PAGE YOUTH CENTER
$20,000General & Unrestricted
SANTA BARBARA MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY
$20,000General & Unrestricted
SPARROWS NEST OF NW MT
$15,000General & Unrestricted
SANTA YNEZ VALLEY CHILDRENS MUSEUM
$15,000General & Unrestricted