The David William Upham Foundation concentrates its giving on evangelical Christian ministry and education, with major gifts directed toward pastor and ministry training institutions and church-run K–12 education programs. Grants are large and focused, often funding the same organizations multiple times to support seminary education and Christian schooling. The foundation’s portfolio reflects a clear preference for strengthening conservative Christian leadership and family-oriented religious education.
The David William Upham Foundation’s most distinctive recent pattern is its repeated, large support for evangelical ministry training. The foundation gave The Master's Seminary $475,000 in 2025, following grants of $400,000 in both 2024 and 2023, and also awarded Master's Academy International $475,000 in 2025 after earlier grants of $200,000 in 2024 and $150,000 in 2023. That recurring emphasis points to a funder that backs institutional religious leadership development over time rather than making isolated gifts. Its grantmaking also extends to church-linked Christian education. In 2024, Grace Church received $350,000 to provide families accessible, professional and Christian education. Across the recent grants list, the foundation appears to favor substantial awards to a small set of organizations, with several recipients appearing in multiple years. The pattern is visible not only in seminary and pastor training, but also in support for faith-based schooling, ministry infrastructure, and related community needs. Alongside those core commitments, the portfolio reaches into a few other service areas, including children’s medical care, support for people with disabilities, food delivery for ill communities, veterans services, and selected community or cultural organizations. The grants show a foundation that concentrates on institutions and programs with an ongoing operating purpose, especially where training, education, and direct service overlap with faith-based missions.
The foundation’s clearest focus is evangelical pastor and ministry training. It awarded The Master's Seminary $475,000 in 2025 to support ministry training, then followed with $400,000 in both 2024 and 2023 for the same purpose. Master's Academy International also received $475,000 in 2025, with earlier grants of $200,000 in 2024 and $150,000 in 2023 to support pastor training. A second major area is Christian education tied to church communities. Grace Church received $350,000 in 2024 to provide families accessible, professional and Christian education. Beyond faith-based institutions, the foundation funds direct service for children and families. Children’s Hospital of Los Angeles received $125,000 in 2025 for medical care for children, while Children’s Hospital of Orange County received $100,000 in 2025 for the same purpose. It also supported Intervention Center for Early Childhood with $75,000 in 2025 for children with developmental delays.
$3.2M
$83.3M
$6M
$4.3M
Most grants fall between $15K and $40K, with a median of $25K.
25th Percentile
$15K
Median
$25K
75th Percentile
$40K
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Concentrated, high-value grants to a small number of religious education organizations; repeat multi-grant support for core grantees rather than many small or diverse awards.
Notable grantees: The Master's Seminary, Master's Academy International, Grace Church
Typical grants cluster in the $15,000 to $40,000 range, with a median gift of $25,000 and a 75th percentile of $40,000. The recent-grants list also shows repeated awards to the same organizations across 2023, 2024, and 2025, indicating ongoing relationships rather than one-off grants. The foundation is a regular funder, not a DAF, and it funds individuals. Its largest recent awards are much higher than the typical distribution, showing a mix of routine support and larger institutional gifts.
Grantmaking is heavily concentrated in California: 86% of grants go to recipients in the foundation’s headquarters state, and California is also the top state by grant count. Recent recipients cluster in Los Angeles, Santa Clarita, Sun Valley, Orange, Irvine, Studio City, and Tallulah Falls. Outside California, the grants list includes Washington, DC; Memphis, Tennessee; and Honolulu, Hawaii. All recent grants in the dataset go to US recipients.
Its recent grants concentrate on evangelical seminary and pastor training, church-affiliated Christian K–12 education, children’s medical care, developmental-delay support, food delivery for ill communities, veterans services, and select community or cultural organizations.
Yes. The Master's Seminary received grants in 2023, 2024, and 2025; Master's Academy International also received grants in all three years; and Intervention Center for Early Childhood received grants in 2023, 2024, and 2025.
The typical grant size is $15,000 at the 25th percentile, $25,000 at the median, and $40,000 at the 75th percentile.
California is the top state by grant count, and 86% of grants go to recipients in California. Recent California recipients include organizations in Los Angeles, Santa Clarita, Sun Valley, Orange, Irvine, and Studio City.
Yes. Recent grants include church-linked education and ministry training organizations, along with hospitals, a food-delivery nonprofit, veterans-service groups, a developmental-delay center, and community or cultural organizations.
2025
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2025.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| MASTER'S ACADEMY INTERNATIONAL | SUN VALLEY, CA | $350,000 | 2026 | TO SUPPORT PASTOR TRAINING |
| GRACE COMMUNITY CHURCH | SUN VALLEY, CA | $350,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| THE MASTER'S SEMINARY | SANTA CLARITA, CA | $350,000 | 2026 | TO SUPPORT MINISTRY TRAINING |
| HEART AND ARMOR FOUNDATION | LOS ANGELES, CA | $250,000 | 2026 | TO SUPPORT VETERAN'S SLEEP STUDY |
| CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL OF LOS ANGELES | LOS ANGELES, CA | $125,000 | 2026 | MARK TAPER AND JOHNNY MERCER ARTISTS PROGRAM |
| LOS ANGELES LGBT CENTER | LOS ANGELES, CA | $100,000 | 2026 | TO SUPPORT SERVICES FOR THE ELDERLY AND PROVIDING HOUSING FOR LGBT YOUTH |
| LA DREAM CENTER FOUNDATION | LOS ANGELES, CA | $100,000 | 2026 | TO SUPPORT THE LA WILDFIRE VICTIMS |
| CAMP HESS KRAMER | LOS ANGELES, CA | $100,000 | 2026 | TO SUPPORT THE REBUILDING OF THE WILSHIRE BOULEVARD TEMPLE CAMPS |
| AMERICAN CANCER SOCIETY | HAGERSTOWN, MD | $100,000 | 2026 | TO SUPPORT THE HOPE LODGE PROGRAM |
| INTERVENTION CENTER FOR EARLY CHILDHOOD | IRVINE, CA | $75,000 | 2026 | TO FUND A TOUCH ACTIVATED TECH ASSISTANCE DEVICE FOR THE AAC DEPARTMENT AND GROUP SCHOLARSHIPS |
| CENTER THEATER GROUP - INSTITUTIONAL ADVANCEMENT | LOS ANGELES, CA | $75,000 | 2026 | CHILDREN'S EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMMING - STUDENT MATINEES |
| LOS ANGELES PHILHARMONIC ASSOCIATION | LOS ANGELES, CA | $75,000 | 2026 | TO PROVIDE COMMUNITY SUPPORT |
| PROJECT ANGEL FOOD | LOS ANGELES, CA | $65,000 | 2026 | TO PROVIDE FOOD DELIVERY FOR THE ILL |
| TEMPLE BETH EL | APTOS, CA | $60,000 | 2026 | TO PROVIDE RELEVANT AND MEANINGFULL PROGRAMS TO THE CONGREGATION AND BEYOND |
| LA REGIONAL FOOD BANK | LOS ANGELES, CA | $50,000 | 2026 | TO PROVIDE MEALS TO PEOPLE IN NEED |
| CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL OF ORANGE COUNTY | ORANGE, CA | $50,000 | 2026 | CHERESE MARI LAULHERE CHILD LIFE DEPT GENERAL DONATION |
| HELPING HANDS MINISTRIES | TALLULAH FALLS, GA | $50,000 | 2026 | TO SUPPORT THE POOR AND NEEDY |
| SOUTHEAST COMMUNITY FOUNDATION | SHERMAN OAKS, CA | $50,000 | 2026 | FUND TUTORING PROGRAMS |
| HEART OF LOS ANGELES YOUTH INC | LOS ANGELES, CA | $40,000 | 2026 | TO SUPPORT AFTER-SCHOOL PROGRAMS |
| JEWISH FAMILY SERVICE OF LA | LOS ANGELES, CA | $40,000 | 2026 | TO SUPPORT THE FOOD INSECURE, LOW-INCOME SENIORS, DOMESTIC VIOLENCE VICTIMS AND MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES |
| SAN DIEGO ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY | SAN DIEGO, CA | $40,000 | 2026 | TO PURCHASE TWO ELECTRIC CARTS FOR THE HORTICULTURE TEAM |
| PANCREATIC CANCER ACTION NETWORK | MANHATTAN BEACH, CA | $40,000 | 2026 | TO SUPPORT PANCREATIC CANCER RESEARCH |
| PACIFIC COLLEGIATE SCHOOL | SANTA CRUZ, CA | $40,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| LA FAMILY HOUSING FOUNDATION | HOLLYWOOD, CA | $35,000 | 2026 | TO SUPPORT HOUSING FOR HOMELESS |
| ST JUDE CHILDREN'S RESEARCH HOSPITAL | MEMPHIS, TN | $35,000 | 2026 | TO SUPPORT CHILDREN WITH DEBILITATING ILLNESS |
| GIRLS ON THE RUN | LOS GATOS, CA | $30,000 | 2026 | TO SUPPORT AFTER SCHOOL PROGRAMMING AND PROVIDE SUPPORT TO GIRLS IN NEED |
| SHAKESPEARE PLAY ON DBA SANTA CRUZ SHAKESPEARE | SANTA CRUZ, CA | $30,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| PHASE ONE FOUNDATION | LOS ANGELES, CA | $30,000 | 2026 | TO SUPPORT CANCER RESEARCH |
| TANNERY WORLD DANCE & CULTURAL CENTER | SANTA CRUZ, CA | $30,000 | 2026 | TO SUPPORT THE YOUTH SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM |
| LUPUS LA FOUNDATION | ENCINO, CA | $30,000 | 2026 | TO SUPPORT LUPUS RESEARCH |
| LAKEWOOD HIGH SCHOOL ASB | LAKEWOOD, CA | $30,000 | 2026 | TO SUPPORT LAKEWOOD ASB |
| END BRAIN CANCER INITIATIVE | REDMOND, WA | $25,000 | 2026 | TO SUPPORT THE CHRIS ELLIOT FUND TO FUND THE BRAIN TUMOR PATIENT ADVOCACY AND ACCESS PROGRAM |
| GARDENA CARSON YMCA | GARDENA, CA | $25,000 | 2026 | FOOD DISTRIBUTION PROGRAM |
| LONG BEACH STATE FOUNDATION | LONG BEACH, CA | $25,000 | 2026 | FOR THE STUDENT EMERGENCY SERVICES - BASIC NEEDS PROGRAM |
| GARDENA CARSON YMCA | GARDENA, CA | $25,000 | 2026 | YOUTH AND GOVERNMENT PROGRAM |
| NATIONAL MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS SOCIETY | NEW YORK, NY | $25,000 | 2026 | TO SUPPORT MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS RESEARCH |
| FRIENDS OF THE SANTA CRUZ LIBRARIES | SANTA CRUZ, CA | $25,000 | 2026 | SUPPORT OF THE LIBRARY |
| THE STOREORG | NASHVILLE, TN | $25,000 | 2026 | TO HELP FEED THE FOOD INSECURE |
| LOS ANGELES RESIDENTIAL COMMUNITY FOUNDATION | SAUGUS, CA | $25,000 | 2026 | TO SUPPORT RESIDENTIAL CARE FOR CHALLENGED ADULTS |
| CABRILLO COLLEGE FOUNDATION | APTOS, CA | $25,000 | 2026 | FOR EMERGENCY GRANTS FOR STUDENTS |
| MONO COUNTY SHERIFF SEARCH & RESCUE TEAM | MAMMOTH LAKES, CA | $25,000 | 2026 | FOR RESCUE TRAINING |
| YMCA | WILMINGTON, CA | $25,000 | 2026 | TO PROVIDE AFTERSCHOOL CARE TO ELEMENTARY SCHOOL CHILDREN |
| STUDENT LUNCH BOX | LOS ANGELES, CA | $25,000 | 2026 | SUPPORT FOR THE MOBILE FOOD PANTRY |
| MAMMOTH SKI PATROL ALUMNI ASSOCIATION | MAMMOTH LAKES, CA | $25,000 | 2026 | FOR GENERAL SUPPORT |
| HOAG HOSPITAL FOUNDATION MELANOMA & SKIN CANCER PROGRAM | NEWPORT BEACH, CA | $25,000 | 2026 | TO SUPPORT THE MELANOMA AND SKIN CANCER PROGRAM |
| SUMMIT HIGH SCHOOL ASB | FONTANA, CA | $22,000 | 2026 | TO SUPPORT GIRLS SOFTBALL |
| FOOD ON FOOT | WEST HOLLYWOOD, CA | $20,000 | 2026 | FOR THE JOBS & HOUSING PROGRAM |
| CSULB LAUREN CHALMERS '83 BEACH PANTRY | LONG BEACH, CA | $20,000 | 2026 | TO SUPPORT FOOD INSECURE CSULB STUDENTS |
| FISH FOR LIFE | SAN CLEMENTE, CA | $20,000 | 2026 | TO SUPPORT FISHING TRIPS FOR CHILDREN WITH SPECIAL NEEDS |
| UCLA FOUNDATION - VETERANS LEGAL CLINIC | PASADENA, CA | $20,000 | 2026 | TO PROVIDE LEGAL SUPPORT FOR VETERANS |
GRACE COMMUNITY CHURCH
$350,000GENERAL SUPPORT
MARK TAPER AND JOHNNY MERCER ARTISTS PROGRAM
LOS ANGELES LGBT CENTER
$100,000TO SUPPORT SERVICES FOR THE ELDERLY AND PROVIDING HOUSING FOR LGBT YOUTH
LA DREAM CENTER FOUNDATION
$100,000TO SUPPORT THE LA WILDFIRE VICTIMS
CAMP HESS KRAMER
$100,000TO SUPPORT THE REBUILDING OF THE WILSHIRE BOULEVARD TEMPLE CAMPS
AMERICAN CANCER SOCIETY
$100,000TO SUPPORT THE HOPE LODGE PROGRAM
INTERVENTION CENTER FOR EARLY CHILDHOOD
$75,000TO FUND A TOUCH ACTIVATED TECH ASSISTANCE DEVICE FOR THE AAC DEPARTMENT AND GROUP SCHOLARSHIPS
CENTER THEATER GROUP - INSTITUTIONAL ADVANCEMENT
$75,000CHILDREN'S EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMMING - STUDENT MATINEES
TEMPLE BETH EL
$60,000TO PROVIDE RELEVANT AND MEANINGFULL PROGRAMS TO THE CONGREGATION AND BEYOND
LA REGIONAL FOOD BANK
$50,000TO PROVIDE MEALS TO PEOPLE IN NEED
CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL OF ORANGE COUNTY
$50,000CHERESE MARI LAULHERE CHILD LIFE DEPT GENERAL DONATION
HELPING HANDS MINISTRIES
$50,000TO SUPPORT THE POOR AND NEEDY
SOUTHEAST COMMUNITY FOUNDATION
$50,000FUND TUTORING PROGRAMS
JEWISH FAMILY SERVICE OF LA
$40,000TO SUPPORT THE FOOD INSECURE, LOW-INCOME SENIORS, DOMESTIC VIOLENCE VICTIMS AND MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES
TO PURCHASE TWO ELECTRIC CARTS FOR THE HORTICULTURE TEAM
PACIFIC COLLEGIATE SCHOOL
$40,000GENERAL SUPPORT
LA FAMILY HOUSING FOUNDATION
$35,000TO SUPPORT HOUSING FOR HOMELESS
TO SUPPORT CHILDREN WITH DEBILITATING ILLNESS
GIRLS ON THE RUN
$30,000TO SUPPORT AFTER SCHOOL PROGRAMMING AND PROVIDE SUPPORT TO GIRLS IN NEED
PHASE ONE FOUNDATION
$30,000TO SUPPORT CANCER RESEARCH
TANNERY WORLD DANCE & CULTURAL CENTER
$30,000TO SUPPORT THE YOUTH SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM
LUPUS LA FOUNDATION
$30,000TO SUPPORT LUPUS RESEARCH
LAKEWOOD HIGH SCHOOL ASB
$30,000TO SUPPORT LAKEWOOD ASB
END BRAIN CANCER INITIATIVE
$25,000TO SUPPORT THE CHRIS ELLIOT FUND TO FUND THE BRAIN TUMOR PATIENT ADVOCACY AND ACCESS PROGRAM
GARDENA CARSON YMCA
$25,000FOOD DISTRIBUTION PROGRAM
FOR THE STUDENT EMERGENCY SERVICES - BASIC NEEDS PROGRAM
GARDENA CARSON YMCA
$25,000YOUTH AND GOVERNMENT PROGRAM
FRIENDS OF THE SANTA CRUZ LIBRARIES
$25,000SUPPORT OF THE LIBRARY
THE STOREORG
$25,000TO HELP FEED THE FOOD INSECURE
LOS ANGELES RESIDENTIAL COMMUNITY FOUNDATION
$25,000TO SUPPORT RESIDENTIAL CARE FOR CHALLENGED ADULTS
MONO COUNTY SHERIFF SEARCH & RESCUE TEAM
$25,000FOR RESCUE TRAINING
YMCA
$25,000TO PROVIDE AFTERSCHOOL CARE TO ELEMENTARY SCHOOL CHILDREN
STUDENT LUNCH BOX
$25,000SUPPORT FOR THE MOBILE FOOD PANTRY
MAMMOTH SKI PATROL ALUMNI ASSOCIATION
$25,000FOR GENERAL SUPPORT
HOAG HOSPITAL FOUNDATION MELANOMA & SKIN CANCER PROGRAM
$25,000TO SUPPORT THE MELANOMA AND SKIN CANCER PROGRAM
SUMMIT HIGH SCHOOL ASB
$22,000TO SUPPORT GIRLS SOFTBALL
CSULB LAUREN CHALMERS '83 BEACH PANTRY
$20,000TO SUPPORT FOOD INSECURE CSULB STUDENTS
FISH FOR LIFE
$20,000TO SUPPORT FISHING TRIPS FOR CHILDREN WITH SPECIAL NEEDS
UCLA FOUNDATION - VETERANS LEGAL CLINIC
$20,000TO PROVIDE LEGAL SUPPORT FOR VETERANS