The Brunson Foundation is heavily focused on animal welfare — funding large-scale animal rescue, sanctuary, spay/neuter and preservation programs — while also making selective investments in education, youth development and medical research. Their grantmaking is characterized by a small number of very large awards to a handful of organizations, with repeated grants to the same grantees indicating long-term relationships and strategic support.
The Brunson Foundation’s largest recent awards go to animal welfare infrastructure: $3,000,000 in 2023 and $2,000,000 in 2024 to The Michelson Found Animals F in Los Angeles for animal welfare. That scale sets the tone for a grantmaker that backs a small set of organizations with major support, rather than spreading dollars broadly. Its recent record also includes a $1,019,000 grant to The Cat House on the Kings in Parlier for an animal sanctuary, showing a strong interest in facilities and long-term care for animals. The foundation pairs that core animal focus with selective support for education, youth development, and medical research. In 2025, it made repeated $100,000 grants to St Margaret Episcopal School in San Juan Capistrano and UC Irvine Foundation in Irvine, and it gave $240,000 to Taco Bell Foundation in Irvine for youth development and education. The pattern points to a funder that mixes very large animal grants with smaller, targeted awards in a few additional fields, often returning to the same organizations across years.
Animal rescue and sanctuary work is central to the foundation’s giving. It awarded $250,000 in 2025 to Eastwood Ranch Foundation in Los Angeles for animal preservation, and $1,019,000 in 2023 to The Cat House on the Kings in Parlier for an animal sanctuary. Those grants sit alongside support for spay/neuter and community animal protection, including $225,000 to Spay4LA in Los Angeles in 2023. The foundation also backs companion-animal welfare policy and treatment initiatives. In 2023 it gave $100,000 to Jason Debus Heigl Foundation in Burbank for animal protection and welfare, $50,000 to Coalition of Pet & Public Sft in Los Angeles for animal welfare, and $25,525 to Center for Humane Economy in Bethesda for improved animal treatment. Outside animal work, it has funded youth and education programs, including $240,000 to Taco Bell Foundation in Irvine and $40,000 to Stemulate OC in Irvine for engineering education.
Typical grants cluster at a fairly high level: p25 is $25,525, the median is $50,000, and p75 is $100,000. The recent record still includes several much larger awards, so the distribution is shaped by a few major grants rather than many mid-sized ones. Repeated awards to the same organizations appear across years, including The Michelson Found Animals F, Eastwood Ranch Foundation, Taco Bell Foundation, St Margaret Episcopal School, UC Irvine Foundation, and Child Guidance Center. The foundation is a private grantmaker with a regional scope; it does not fund individuals and does not make program-related investments.
$4.8M
$104.1M
$4M
$5M
Most grants fall between $26K and $100K, with a median of $50K.
25th Percentile
$26K
Median
$50K
75th Percentile
$100K
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Concentrated giving: a small number of very large grants account for most dollars, frequent repeat funding to core animal-welfare partners, and occasional targeted gifts to education and medical research institutions.
Notable grantees: The Michelson Found Animals, The Cat House on the Kings, Spay4LA, Eastwood Ranch Foundation, Taco Bell Foundation
Giving is concentrated in California, which accounts for 76% of grants and is also the top state by grant count. Los Angeles appears frequently, along with Irvine, San Juan Capistrano, Santa Ana, and Sacramento. Outside California, the foundation has funded organizations in New York, Texas, Florida, Iowa, and Maryland. All recent grants in the file go to U.S. recipients.
Its strongest pattern is animal welfare and protection, including sanctuaries, rescue groups, spay/neuter work, and animal-treatment advocacy. Recent grants also show selective support for youth development, K–12 education, youth mental health, and medical research.
The grant-size profile is centered on relatively large awards: p25 is $25,525, the median is $50,000, and p75 is $100,000. The recent record also includes multi-million-dollar grants at the top end.
Yes. The recent grants list shows repeated awards to The Michelson Found Animals F, Eastwood Ranch Foundation, Taco Bell Foundation, St Margaret Episcopal School, UC Irvine Foundation, and Child Guidance Center, indicating ongoing relationships with a number of grantees.
California is the main state in its grantmaking, with 76% of grants going to recipients in CA. Frequent recipient cities include Los Angeles, Irvine, San Juan Capistrano, Santa Ana, and Sacramento.
Yes, but less often than in California. Recent grants also went to organizations in New York, Texas, Florida, Iowa, and Maryland, including recipients in New York, Dripping Springs, Watkins Glen, Bradenton, Vinton, and Bethesda.
2026
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2026.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| UC Irvine Foundation | Irvine, CA | $3,100,000 | 2026 | Medical research |
| Michelson Foundation Animals Founda | Culver City, CA | $1,000,000 | 2026 | Animal welfare |
| CHOC Foundation | Orange, CA | $150,400 | 2026 | Support for children in need of hospital care. |
| Eastwood Ranch Foundation | Los Angeles, CA | $150,000 | 2026 | Animal preservation. |
| St Margaret Episcopal School | San Juan Capistrano, CA | $100,000 | 2026 | Elementary and Secondary Education |
| Child Guidance Center | Santa Ana, CA | $97,900 | 2026 | Youth program for mental health |
| Stemulate OC | Irvine, CA | $70,000 | 2026 | Education of youth for engineering. |
| Teaching Everyone Animals Matter | Sacramento, CA | $50,000 | 2026 | Animal adoption and awareness care |
| 4Th Watch Educational Services | Gardena, CA | $35,000 | 2026 | Children's education |
| Oak Valley College | Rialto, CA | $25,000 | 2026 | Equip students to live, learn, and grow in their faith, service, and calling through a Bachelor of Arts in Business framed by a Christian worldview with no student loans. |
| Boys Girls Club of Whittier | Whittier, CA | $20,000 | 2026 | Education, activities and support for children. |
| Jessie Rees Foundation | Rnch Santa Margarita, CA | $5,000 | 2026 | Helping children with cancer |
| Eastwood Ranch Foundation | Los Angeles, CA | $250,000 | 2025 | Animal preservation |
| Eastwood Ranch Foundation | Los Angeles, CA | $250,000 | 2025 | Animal preservation. |
| Taco Bell Foundation Inc | Irvine, CA | $240,000 | 2025 | Youth development and education |
| Taco Bell Foundation | Irvine, CA | $240,000 | 2025 | Youth development and education. |
| St Margaret Episcopal School | San Juan Capistrano, CA | $100,000 | 2025 | Elementary and Secondary Education |
| St Margaret Episcopal School | San Juan Capist, CA | $100,000 | 2025 | Elementary and Secondary Education |
| UC Irvine Foundation | Irvine, CA | $100,000 | 2025 | Medical research |
| UC Irvine Foundation | Irvine, CA | $100,000 | 2025 | Medical research |
| Child Guidance Center | Santa Ana, CA | $52,970 | 2025 | Youth programs for mental health |
| Child Guidance Center | Santa Ana, CA | $52,970 | 2025 | Youth program for mental health |
| Stemulate OC | Irvine, CA | $40,000 | 2025 | Education youth for engineering |
| Stemulate OC | Irvine, CA | $40,000 | 2025 | Education of youth for engineering. |
| Teaching Everyone Animals Mat | Sacramento, CA | $30,000 | 2025 | Animal adoption and awareness care |
| Teaching Everyone Animals Matter | Sacramento, CA | $30,000 | 2025 | Animal adoption and awareness care |
| The Michelson Found Animals F | Los Angeles, CA | $2,000,000 | 2024 | Animal Welfare |
| Child Guidance Center | Santa Ana, CA | $7,500 | 2024 | Support children in need. |
| The Michelson Found Animals F | Los Angeles, CA | $3,000,000 | 2023 | Animal Welfare |
| The Cat House on the Kings | Parlier, CA | $1,019,000 | 2023 | Animal Sanctuary |
| Spay4LA | Los Angeles, CA | $225,000 | 2023 | Animal Protection and Welfare |
| Jason Debus Heigl Foundation | Burbank, CA | $100,000 | 2023 | Animal Protection and Welfare |
| Better Together Animal Rescue | Vinton, IA | $95,000 | 2023 | AAnimal Protection and Welfare |
| Coalition of Pet & Public Sft | Los Angeles, CA | $50,000 | 2023 | Animal Welfare |
| Critters Without Litters | Bakersfield, CA | $50,000 | 2023 | Animal Protection and Welfare |
| Space for Giants USA Inc | New York, NY | $50,000 | 2023 | Wildlife Preservation |
| New Beginnings A Pet Sanct | Bradenton, FL | $30,000 | 2023 | Animal Protection and Welfare |
| Center for Humane Economy | Bethesda, MD | $25,525 | 2023 | Improved Animal Treatment |
| The Petco Foundation | San Antonio, TX | $25,000 | 2023 | Animal welfare |
| Serengeti Foundation | Dripping Spgs, TX | $25,000 | 2023 | Wildlife sanctuary |
| Latino Alliance For Animal Ca | Panorama City, CA | $20,000 | 2023 | Animal Welfare |
| Dog Land | Manhattan Beach, CA | $10,345 | 2023 | Animal Protection and Welfare |
| Farm Sanctuary | Watkins Glen, NY | $10,000 | 2023 | Prevention of cruelty to animals |
| Downtown Dog Rescue | Pasadena, CA | $10,000 | 2023 | Dog and Cat Rescue |
| Chimp Haven | Keithville, LA | $10,000 | 2023 | Wildlife Santuary and Refuge |
UC Irvine Foundation
$3,100,000Medical research
Michelson Foundation Animals Founda
$1,000,000Animal welfare
CHOC Foundation
$150,400Support for children in need of hospital care.
Eastwood Ranch Foundation
$150,000Animal preservation.
St Margaret Episcopal School
$100,000Elementary and Secondary Education
Child Guidance Center
$97,900Youth program for mental health
Stemulate OC
$70,000Education of youth for engineering.
Teaching Everyone Animals Matter
$50,000Animal adoption and awareness care
4Th Watch Educational Services
$35,000Children's education
Oak Valley College
$25,000Equip students to live, learn, and grow in their faith, service, and calling through a Bachelor of Arts in Business framed by a Christian worldview with no student loans.
Boys Girls Club of Whittier
$20,000Education, activities and support for children.
Jessie Rees Foundation
$5,000Helping children with cancer
Eastwood Ranch Foundation
$250,000Animal preservation.
Taco Bell Foundation Inc
$240,000Youth development and education
Taco Bell Foundation
$240,000Youth development and education.
St Margaret Episcopal School
$100,000Elementary and Secondary Education
UC Irvine Foundation
$100,000Medical research
Child Guidance Center
$52,970Youth programs for mental health
Child Guidance Center
$52,970Youth program for mental health
Stemulate OC
$40,000Education youth for engineering
Stemulate OC
$40,000Education of youth for engineering.
Teaching Everyone Animals Mat
$30,000Animal adoption and awareness care
Teaching Everyone Animals Matter
$30,000Animal adoption and awareness care
The Michelson Found Animals F
$2,000,000Animal Welfare
Child Guidance Center
$7,500Support children in need.
The Michelson Found Animals F
$3,000,000Animal Welfare
Spay4LA
$225,000Animal Protection and Welfare
Jason Debus Heigl Foundation
$100,000Animal Protection and Welfare
Better Together Animal Rescue
$95,000AAnimal Protection and Welfare
Coalition of Pet & Public Sft
$50,000Animal Welfare
Critters Without Litters
$50,000Animal Protection and Welfare
New Beginnings A Pet Sanct
$30,000Animal Protection and Welfare
The Petco Foundation
$25,000Animal welfare
Serengeti Foundation
$25,000Wildlife sanctuary
Latino Alliance For Animal Ca
$20,000Animal Welfare
Dog Land
$10,345Animal Protection and Welfare
Downtown Dog Rescue
$10,000Dog and Cat Rescue