The Borch Foundation concentrates almost all of its philanthropy on higher education, with a strong emphasis on scholarship support. Its giving is dominated by large, targeted gifts to a small number of universities—most notably repeated, multi-grant support for Furman University—indicating a preference for funding student aid and institutional academic priorities at private colleges and research universities.
A 2025 unrestricted grant of $1,050,000 to Furman University stands out as the Borch Foundation’s largest recent gift and a clear signal of its priorities. The foundation’s recent giving is built around higher education, especially scholarship support and institutional aid at private colleges and universities. Furman appears repeatedly in the grant record, including another $500,000 unrestricted gift in 2024 and a $500,000 scholarship-oriented grant in 2023, which points to sustained support rather than a one-off award. Beyond that central relationship, the Borch Foundation also makes sizable grants to other universities. In 2023 it gave $335,000 unrestricted to the University of Southern California, followed by additional unrestricted gifts of $50,000 in both 2024 and 2025. That pattern suggests the foundation favors targeted, high-value support for academic institutions over a broad spread of small awards. The grant list also shows that the foundation funds some non-higher-education organizations, but those appear secondary to its core college-focused philanthropy. Overall, the giving profile is centered on student aid, university priorities, and selected community organizations that fit a very specific grantmaking pattern.
Higher education is the foundation’s dominant focus. Furman University received $500,000 in 2023 for scholarship support, alongside later unrestricted gifts of $500,000 in 2024 and $1,050,000 in 2025. The University of Southern California also received substantial unrestricted support, including $335,000 in 2023 and $50,000 in each of the next two years. The foundation also supports student and campus-related programs beyond general university aid. Chestnut Hill BA received $7,500 in 2023, a grant tied to the foundation’s broader higher-education and student-participation pattern. Outside colleges, the grant list includes community and cultural organizations. The Marine Mammal Center received $5,000 in 2023 and $5,000 in 2024, while Monterey Bay Acquarium received $5,000 in both 2023 and 2024. Those gifts show some interest in conservation and public-facing institutions, even as higher education remains the main theme.
Typical awards are small relative to the foundation’s largest gifts: the reported grant-size distribution is $1,000 at the 25th percentile, $2,500 at the median, and $5,000 at the 75th percentile. The recent list also shows a clear split between a few very large university grants and many smaller unrestricted gifts. Several recipients recur across multiple years, including Furman University, the University of Southern California, Adventure Unlimited, Muttville, Humane Society, and Second Harvest. The foundation funds individuals, and it does not make program-related investments.
$2.4M
$10.3M
$1.5M
$2.5M
Most grants fall between $1K and $5K, with a median of $3K.
25th Percentile
$1K
Median
$3K
75th Percentile
$5K
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Highly concentrated: few, large grants with repeat funding to a primary grantee (Furman University), plus occasional substantial gifts to other universities rather than many small or geographically broad awards.
Notable grantees: Furman University, University of Southern California
The Borch Foundation gives nationally, but its recipient list is heavily concentrated in California: 65% of grants go to recipients in the HQ state, and California is also the top state by grant count. Many California recipients are in the Bay Area and nearby cities, including Los Angeles, San Francisco, Milpitas, San Jose, Monterey, and Sausalito. Outside California, grants also reached Greenville, South Carolina; Greenwood Village, Colorado; Denver, Colorado; Kanab, Utah; and Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts. All recorded grants in the provided country distribution went to U.S. recipients.
Higher education is the main focus. The recent record includes repeated support for universities, especially scholarship and unrestricted institutional grants. Smaller awards also go to animal welfare, conservation, social service, and community organizations, but those are secondary to the foundation’s university-centered pattern.
The reported distribution is $1,000 at the 25th percentile, $2,500 at the median, and $5,000 at the 75th percentile. The grant list also includes a few much larger awards to universities, which sit well above the typical range.
Yes. Multiple organizations appear in more than one year, including Furman University, the University of Southern California, Adventure Unlimited, Muttville, Humane Society, and Second Harvest. That repeated pattern suggests ongoing relationships rather than one-time gifts.
Most grants go to California recipients. The foundation’s top state by grant count is CA, and 65% of grants are given to recipients in the HQ state. California cities in the record include Los Angeles, San Francisco, Milpitas, San Jose, Monterey, Sausalito, and Anaheim.
Yes. The foundation funds individuals, alongside its grants to universities and nonprofit organizations.
2026
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2026.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Furman University | GREENVILLE, SC | $1,304,211 | 2026 | UNRESTRICTED |
| University of SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA | LOS ANGELES, CA | $927,704 | 2026 | UNRESTRICTED |
| Best Friends | KANAB, UT | $45,000 | 2026 | UNRESTRICTED |
| Muttville | SAN FRANCISCO, CA | $17,000 | 2026 | UNRESTRICTED |
| Adventure Unlimited | GREENWOOD VILLAGE, CO | $15,000 | 2026 | UNRESTRICTED |
| Humane Society | MILPITAS, CA | $13,000 | 2026 | UNRESTRICTED |
| Habitat for Humanity | SAN FRANCISCO, CA | $10,000 | 2026 | UNRESTRICTED |
| WINGS OF RESCUE | WOODLANDHILLS, CA | $7,000 | 2026 | UNRESTRICTED |
| THE MARINE MAMMAL CENTER | SAUSALITO, CA | $5,000 | 2026 | UNRESTRICTED |
| Monterey Bay Acquarium | MONTEREY, CA | $5,000 | 2026 | UNRESTRICTED |
| Second Harvest | San Jose, CA | $4,500 | 2026 | UNRESTRICTED |
| BOYS AND GIRLS CLUBS OF SV | SAN JOSE, CA | $4,000 | 2026 | UNRESTRICTED |
| Salvation Army | San Francisco, CA | $3,850 | 2026 | UNRESTRICTED |
| Chestnut Hill BA | Chestnut Hill, MA | $3,500 | 2026 | UNRESTRICTED |
| Marine Toys for Tots Foundation | Winchester, VA | $3,000 | 2026 | UNRESTRICTED |
| LifeMoves | MENLO PARK, CA | $3,000 | 2026 | UNRESTRICTED |
| Hope Services | SAN JOSE, CA | $3,000 | 2026 | UNRESTRICTED |
| Ghetto Rescue Foundation | ANAHEIM, CA | $2,500 | 2026 | UNRESTRICTED |
| SAN JOSE STATE UNIVERSITY | SAN JOSE, CA | $2,500 | 2026 | UNRESTRICTED |
| SOUTHWEST YMCA | SARATOGA, CA | $2,000 | 2026 | UNRESTRICTED |
| CHERISHABILITY | PORTLAND, OR | $2,000 | 2026 | UNRESTRICTED |
| WEST VALLEY COMMUNITY SERVICES | CUPEERTINO, CA | $2,000 | 2026 | UNRESTRICTED |
| THE ANIMAL FOUNDATION | LAS VEGAS, NV | $1,750 | 2026 | UNRESTRICTED |
| KEEPERS OF THE WILD | VALENTINE, AZ | $1,500 | 2026 | UNRESTRICTED |
| LONGYEAR FOUNDATION | CHESTNUT HILL, MA | $1,500 | 2026 | UNRESTRICTED |
| The Nature Conservency | ARLINGTON, VA | $1,500 | 2026 | UNRESTRICTED |
| CHRISTIAN SCIENCE ASSOCIATION OF PUPILS | LA JOLLA, CA | $1,000 | 2026 | UNRESTRICTED |
| BILL WILSON CENTER | SANTA CLARA, CA | $1,000 | 2026 | UNRESTRICTED |
| CEDARS CAMPS INC | BALLWIN, MO | $1,000 | 2026 | UNRESTRICTED |
| Dave Thomas Foundation | DUBLIN, OH | $1,000 | 2026 | UNRESTRICTED |
| NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY | EVANSTON, IL | $1,000 | 2026 | UNRESTRICTED |
| Arden Wood | SAN FRANCISCO, CA | $1,000 | 2026 | UNRESTRICTED |
| CAKE FOR KIDS | SUNNYVALE, CA | $1,000 | 2026 | UNRESTRICTED |
| Family Giving Tree | MILPITAS, CA | $1,000 | 2026 | UNRESTRICTED |
| PETS ALIVE | MIDDLETOWN, NY | $1,000 | 2026 | UNRESTRICTED |
| HOUSTON SPCA | HOUSTON, TX | $1,000 | 2026 | UNRESTRICTED |
| CAT TOWN | OAKLAND, CA | $1,000 | 2026 | UNRESTRICTED |
| HIGH RIDGE HOUSE INC | BRONX, NY | $500 | 2026 | UNRESTRICTED |
| HEARTLAND ANIMAL SHELTER | WHEELING, IL | $500 | 2026 | UNRESTRICTED |
| TWELVE ACRES | CAMPBELL, CA | $500 | 2026 | UNRESTRICTED |
| WISH BOOK | SAN JOSE, CA | $500 | 2026 | UNRESTRICTED |
| KQED | SAN FRANCISCO, CA | $300 | 2026 | UNRESTRICTED |
| Furman University | GREENVILLE, SC | $1,050,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED |
| University of SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA | LOS ANGELES, CA | $50,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED |
| Best Friends | KANAB, UT | $25,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED |
| Humane Society | MILPITAS, CA | $20,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED |
| Muttville | SAN FRANCISCO, CA | $15,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED |
| Adventure Unlimited | GREENWOOD VILLAGE, CO | $15,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED |
| Monterey Bay Acquarium | MONTEREY, CA | $5,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED |
| SPARTAN RACING BAJA | SAN JOSE, CA | $5,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED |
Humane Society
$13,000UNRESTRICTED
Monterey Bay Acquarium
$5,000UNRESTRICTED
BOYS AND GIRLS CLUBS OF SV
$4,000UNRESTRICTED
Salvation Army
$3,850UNRESTRICTED
Chestnut Hill BA
$3,500UNRESTRICTED
Ghetto Rescue Foundation
$2,500UNRESTRICTED
SAN JOSE STATE UNIVERSITY
$2,500UNRESTRICTED
SOUTHWEST YMCA
$2,000UNRESTRICTED
CHERISHABILITY
$2,000UNRESTRICTED
LONGYEAR FOUNDATION
$1,500UNRESTRICTED
CHRISTIAN SCIENCE ASSOCIATION OF PUPILS
$1,000UNRESTRICTED
CAKE FOR KIDS
$1,000UNRESTRICTED
PETS ALIVE
$1,000UNRESTRICTED
CAT TOWN
$1,000UNRESTRICTED
HIGH RIDGE HOUSE INC
$500UNRESTRICTED
TWELVE ACRES
$500UNRESTRICTED
WISH BOOK
$500UNRESTRICTED
Monterey Bay Acquarium
$5,000UNRESTRICTED
SPARTAN RACING BAJA
$5,000UNRESTRICTED