The Scott & Elizabeth V Christensen Charitable Foundation concentrates its giving on San Diego–area youth and education, with a strong emphasis on supporting foster youth transitions and local higher-education programs. Most dollars are directed as general/operations support to a small set of repeat grantees, signaling a preference for deep, reliable funding to organizations they trust. Their giving is local and programmatic—favoring direct service providers and community colleges over broad national causes.
A $120,000 operating grant to Just in Time for Foster Youth in 2025 is the clearest signal in the Scott & Elizabeth V Christensen Charitable Foundation’s recent giving: the foundation backs services that help foster youth move toward independence. That grant sits alongside repeated support for Palomar College Foundation, including $30,000 in 2025 and $20,000 in 2024, showing a parallel commitment to student access and success at local higher-education institutions. The foundation’s pattern is compact and relationship-driven, with most awards landing in San Diego County and many written as operations support rather than project-specific funding. In practice, that means it tends to underwrite organizations already embedded in the community, especially those serving young people, emancipated youth, and community college students. Its recent recipients also include Rise Up Industries, Miramar College Foundation Inc, and San Diego Continuing Education Foun, reinforcing a local portfolio built around direct service and education support rather than broad national grantmaking.
Foster youth transition work is a clear priority. The foundation gave $120,000 in 2025 to Just in Time for Foster Youth for operations, and the organization also received $95,000 in both 2024 and 2023. In higher education, the largest recent award outside foster youth services was $30,000 to Palomar College Foundation in 2025 for operations, with additional support in earlier years. The foundation also funds other San Diego County college partners, including Miramar College Foundation Inc, San Diego City College Foundation, and San Diego Mesa College Foundation, all through operations grants. Its nonprofit support extends beyond colleges to local youth-serving organizations such as Rise Up Industries, FACE Foundation, Shelter to Soldier, Doors of Change, and Changing Lanes.
The typical grant size is clustered tightly around the middle: p25 is $2,500, median is $5,000, and p75 is $5,000. That distribution matches a portfolio dominated by small operating grants, with a handful of larger commitments standing out. The recent record shows repeat funding across multiple years, especially for Just in Time for Foster Youth, Palomar College Foundation, Rise Up Industries, Miramar College Foundation Inc, San Diego City College Foundation, San Diego Mesa College Foundation, and San Diego Continuing Education Foun. The foundation does not fund individuals and does not make program-related investments, indicating grantmaking is its primary tool.
$185K
$2.3M
$228K
$255K
Most grants fall between $3K and $5K, with a median of $5K.
25th Percentile
$3K
Median
$5K
75th Percentile
$5K
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Concentrated and repeat-focused: a small number of mid-to-large grants with a dominant recipient (Just in Time for Foster Youth) receiving the majority of funding, plus recurring support to a local community college foundation.
Notable grantees: Just in Time for Foster Youth, Palomar College Foundation, Other San Diego–area youth and education service organizations (local, repeat grantees)
The foundation’s giving is highly local: 92% of grants go to recipients in California, and the most frequent recipient state outside the HQ data point is Texas. Most recent grants are concentrated in San Diego, with additional awards in San Marcos, Santee, Poway, and Manhattan Beach. Outside California, the recent list includes one recipient in Dallas, Texas and one in Windsor, Colorado. All recent grants in the data went to U.S. recipients.
It focuses on youth and education, especially foster youth transitioning to independence, local higher-education programs, and San Diego-area nonprofits serving young people. The recent record includes operating support for foster youth services and several community college foundations.
Typical awards are small and clustered close together: the 25th percentile is $2,500, the median is $5,000, and the 75th percentile is $5,000. Recent grants include many $5,000 operating awards and a smaller number of larger commitments.
Yes. Several recipients appear in multiple years, including Just in Time for Foster Youth, Palomar College Foundation, Rise Up Industries, Miramar College Foundation Inc, San Diego City College Foundation, San Diego Mesa College Foundation, and San Diego Continuing Education Foun.
Its giving is local, with 92% of grants going to recipients in California. Recent grants also reached Dallas, Texas and Windsor, Colorado, but the overall pattern is concentrated in San Diego and nearby California cities.
No. The data shows funds individuals is false and makes program-related investments is false, so its activity is centered on charitable grants rather than direct support to individuals or PRI-style investments.
2025
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2025.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Just in Time for Foster Youth | San Diego, CA | $120,000 | 2025 | Operations |
| Palomar College Foundation | San Marcos, CA | $30,000 | 2025 | Operations |
| San Diego City College Foundation | San Diego, CA | $5,000 | 2025 | Operations |
| Miramar College Foundation Inc | San Diego, CA | $5,000 | 2025 | Operations |
| Shelter to Soldier | San Diego, CA | $5,000 | 2025 | Operations |
| San Diego Continuing Education Foun | San Diego, CA | $5,000 | 2025 | Operations |
| San Diego Mesa College Foundation | San Diego, CA | $5,000 | 2025 | Operations |
| Life Choices Poway | Poway, CA | $2,000 | 2025 | Operations |
| Fire Foundation of Denver | Littleton, CO | $2,000 | 2025 | Operations |
| Changing Lanes | San Diego, CA | $2,000 | 2025 | Operations |
| Doors of Change | San Diego, CA | $2,000 | 2025 | Operations |
| The Resource Center | Greeley, CO | $1,000 | 2025 | Operations |
| Navigators | Boone, IA | $1,000 | 2025 | Operations |
| Just in Time for Foster Youth | San Diego, CA | $95,000 | 2024 | Operations |
| Palomar College Foundation | San Marcos, CA | $20,000 | 2024 | Operations |
| Rise Up Industries | Santee, CA | $15,000 | 2024 | Operations |
| San Diego City College Foundation | San Diego, CA | $5,000 | 2024 | Operations |
| FACE Foundation | San Diego, CA | $5,000 | 2024 | Operations |
| Miramar College Foundation Inc | San Diego, CA | $5,000 | 2024 | Operations |
| San Diego Mesa College Foundation | San Diego, CA | $5,000 | 2024 | Operations |
| San Diego Continuing Education Foun | San Diego, CA | $5,000 | 2024 | Operations |
| Doors of Change | San Diego, CA | $2,500 | 2024 | Operations |
| Life Choices Poway | Poway, CA | $2,500 | 2024 | Operations |
| Stepping Stones of Windsor | Windsor, CO | $2,500 | 2024 | Operations |
| Changing Lanes | San Diego, CA | $2,500 | 2024 | Operations |
| Just in Time for Foster Youth | San Diego, CA | $95,000 | 2023 | Operations |
| Rise Up Industries | Santee, CA | $15,000 | 2023 | Operations |
| San Diego Mesa College Foundation | San Diego, CA | $5,000 | 2023 | Operations |
| Miramar College Foundation Inc | San Diego, CA | $5,000 | 2023 | Operations |
| San Diego Continuing Education Foun | San Diego, CA | $5,000 | 2023 | Operations |
| San Diego City College Foundation | San Diego, CA | $5,000 | 2023 | Operations |
| Palomar College Foundation | San Marcos, CA | $5,000 | 2023 | Operations |
| Peters Work | Manhattan Beach, CA | $3,000 | 2023 | Operations |
| Life Choices Poway | Poway, CA | $3,000 | 2023 | Operations |
| United States War Dogs Association | Pinole, CA | $2,500 | 2023 | Operations |
| Warrior Dog Foundation | Dallas, TX | $2,500 | 2023 | Operations |
| Our Lady of Angels | San Diego, CA | $2,000 | 2023 | Operations |
| Changing Lanes | San Diego, CA | $2,000 | 2023 | Operations |
| Arts Bus Express | San Diego, CA | $1,000 | 2023 | Operations |
Miramar College Foundation Inc
$5,000Operations
San Diego Continuing Education Foun
Operations
San Diego Mesa College Foundation
$5,000Operations
Life Choices Poway
$2,000Operations
Fire Foundation of Denver
$2,000Operations
Changing Lanes
$2,000Operations
Doors of Change
$2,000Operations
The Resource Center
$1,000Operations
Navigators
$1,000Operations
Rise Up Industries
$15,000Operations
FACE Foundation
$5,000Operations
Miramar College Foundation Inc
$5,000Operations
San Diego Mesa College Foundation
$5,000Operations
San Diego Continuing Education Foun
$5,000Operations
Doors of Change
$2,500Operations
Life Choices Poway
$2,500Operations
Stepping Stones of Windsor
$2,500Operations
Changing Lanes
$2,500Operations
Rise Up Industries
$15,000Operations
San Diego Mesa College Foundation
$5,000Operations
Miramar College Foundation Inc
$5,000Operations
San Diego Continuing Education Foun
$5,000Operations
Peters Work
$3,000Operations
Life Choices Poway
$3,000Operations
United States War Dogs Association
$2,500Operations
Warrior Dog Foundation
$2,500Operations
Our Lady of Angels
$2,000Operations
Changing Lanes
$2,000Operations
Arts Bus Express
$1,000Operations