The Told Foundation concentrates its giving on education in Southern California, with a strong emphasis on higher-education scholarship support and operating funding for local colleges and learner-focused institutions. Grants also fund children’s informal learning (museum) and arts education, and the foundation tends to make large, multi-thousand-dollar awards to a small set of repeat recipients. While primarily regionally focused, it will occasionally fund out-of-state higher-education partners.
Told Foundation’s recent giving is marked by a large award to California Lutheran University: $1,246,010 in 2025 for Ahmanson Science Center support, Center for Nonprofit Leadership operational support, and general operating expenses. That single grant reflects the foundation’s pattern of funding higher education through both program-specific and unrestricted support, especially at institutions tied to Southern California. The foundation also made repeated five- and six-figure grants to California Lutheran University in earlier years, including scholarship support and additional Center for Nonprofit Leadership funding, showing a sustained relationship rather than isolated project backing. Alongside college and university support, the foundation funds local institutions that serve children, students, and community audiences. Kidstream Children’s Museum received both campaign and operating support, while the Museum of Ventura County and ToArts were also supported with operating, program, and capacity-building grants. Told Foundation’s profile is shaped by repeated grants to a small set of recipients, with several awards in the $100,000 to $500,000 range and a mix of unrestricted and purpose-restricted support. It also extends some funding beyond its core California base, including support for University of Denver and the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America.
Education is the clearest throughline in Told Foundation’s grantmaking. California Lutheran University received $500,000 in 2024 as an expendable scholarship grant, and Moorpark College Foundation received $50,000 in 2024 for an educational grant. The foundation also backed California State University Northridge Foundation with $125,000 in 2024 for the Emerging Advanced Materials Lab, tying higher education support to institutional initiatives as well as student aid. The foundation also supports arts and cultural learning. ToArts received $350,000 in 2024 for arts education, another $50,000 in 2024 for the same purpose, and $100,000 for capacity building. Museum programming is another visible area: Kidstream Children’s Museum received $250,000 in 2024 for its comprehensive campaign, while the Museum of Ventura County received $100,000 in 2024 for internship support and $100,000 in 2023 for an internship program and new 2022 exhibits. Workforce and leadership development appear in a narrower but distinct set of grants, including support for internships at CSUCI Foundation and the Museum of Ventura County, and operational support for the Center for Nonprofit Leadership at California Lutheran University.
$5.3M
$66.1M
$53M
$5.7M
Most grants fall between $10K and $100K, with a median of $50K.
25th Percentile
$10K
Median
$50K
75th Percentile
$100K
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Concentrated giving: relatively few, large grants with multiple repeat awards to flagship beneficiaries (notably California Lutheran University). Predominantly education-focused dollars with both expendable scholarship gifts and unrestricted operating support rather than many small, one-off grants.
Notable grantees: California Lutheran University, CSUCI Foundation (California State University Channel Islands), Kidstream Children’s Museum, ToArts, University of Denver
Typical grant size is $10,000 at the 25th percentile, $50,000 at the median, and $100,000 at the 75th percentile, which fits a pattern of steady mid-six-figure and five-figure awards. The recent record shows repeat funding to the same recipients across multiple years, especially California Lutheran University, ToArts, CSUCI Foundation, Museum of Ventura County, and the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. That repetition suggests ongoing relationships rather than one-time gifts. Told Foundation is a private foundation and funds individuals, with a grantmaking mix that includes unrestricted operating support, scholarships, and program-specific awards.
Grantmaking is overwhelmingly California-centered: 87% of grants went to recipients in the foundation’s HQ state. The most common recipient state is Illinois, driven by grants to Chicago-based Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. Within California, grants land in Thousand Oaks, Camarillo, Ventura, Northridge, Moorpark, and Westlake Village. Outside California, the recent record includes University of Denver in Denver, Colorado, and American Heart Association in Boone, Iowa.
The foundation gives most often to colleges, universities, and education-related nonprofits. Recent grants include California Lutheran University, CSUCI Foundation, ToArts, Kidstream Children’s Museum, Museum of Ventura County, and Moorpark College Foundation. The purposes range from scholarships and operating support to internships, arts education, and museum programming.
The grant-size distribution is $10,000 at the 25th percentile, $50,000 at the median, and $100,000 at the 75th percentile. Recent awards also show several larger six- and seven-figure grants, including $1,246,010 to California Lutheran University and $575,000 to the University of Denver.
Yes. California Lutheran University appears multiple times across 2023 to 2025 for center support, scholarships, and operating expenses. ToArts, CSUCI Foundation, Museum of Ventura County, and the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America also received repeated support over multiple years, indicating ongoing relationships.
Most grants go to recipients in California, which accounts for 87% of grants in the dataset. The most common recipient state overall is Illinois, with multiple grants to Chicago-based Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. California recipient cities include Thousand Oaks, Camarillo, Ventura, Northridge, Moorpark, and Westlake Village.
Yes. Several recent grants were for general operating expenses, including California Lutheran University, CSUCI Foundation, Kidstream Children’s Museum, Museum of Ventura County, Ventura Co Community Foundation, and the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. The foundation also funded capacity building at ToArts and staff development at Boys & Girls Club of Camarillo.
2025
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2025.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CALIFORNIA LUTHERAN UNIVERSITY | THOUSAND OAKS, CA | $1,246,010 | 2025 | TO FUND AHMANSON SCIENCE CENTER SUPPORT AND CENTER FOR NONPROFIT LEADERSHIP OPERATIONAL SUPPORT; TO FUND GENERAL OPERATING EXPENSES TO FULFILL THE RECIPIENT'S MISSION |
| UNIVERSITY OF DENVER | DENVER, CO | $575,000 | 2025 | TO FUND GENERAL OPERATING EXPENSES TO FULFILL THE RECIPIENTS MISSION |
| CSUCI FOUNDATION | CAMARILLO, CA | $464,935 | 2025 | TO FUND GENERAL OPERATING EXPENSES TO FULFILL THE RECIPIENTS MISSION |
| KIDSTREAM CHILDREN'S MUSEUM | CAMARILLO, CA | $250,000 | 2025 | TO FUND GENERAL OPERATING EXPENSES TO FULFILL THE RECIPIENTS MISSION |
| TO ARTS | THOUSAND OAKS, CA | $200,000 | 2025 | TO FUND GENERAL OPERATING EXPENSES TO FULFILL THE RECIPIENTS MISSION |
| CALIFORNIA STATE UNIVERSITY NORTHRIDGE FOUNDATION | NORTHRIDGE, CA | $150,000 | 2025 | TO FUND GENERAL OPERATING EXPENSES TO FULFILL THE RECIPIENTS MISSION |
| MUSEUM OF VENTURA COUNTY | VENTURA, CA | $150,000 | 2025 | TO FUND GENERAL OPERATING EXPENSES TO FULFILL THE RECIPIENTS MISSION |
| VENTURA CO COMMUNITY FOUNDATION | CAMARILLO, CA | $150,000 | 2025 | TO FUND GENERAL OPERATING EXPENSES TO FULFILL THE RECIPIENTS MISSION |
| EVANGELICAL LUTHERAN CHURCH IN AMERICA | CHICAGO, IL | $80,000 | 2025 | TO FUND GENERAL OPERATING EXPENSES TO FULFILL THE RECIPIENTS MISSION |
| THE MOORPARK COLLEGE FOUNDATION | MOORPARK, CA | $75,000 | 2025 | TO FUND GENERAL OPERATING EXPENSES TO FULFILL THE RECIPIENTS MISSION |
| BOYS & GIRLS CLUB OF CAMARILLO | CAMARILLO, CA | $50,000 | 2025 | TO FUND STAFF DEVELOPMENT GRANT |
| AMERICAN HEART ASSOCIATION | BOONE, IA | $35,000 | 2025 | TO FUND GENERAL OPERATING EXPENSES TO FULFILL THE RECIPIENTS MISSION |
| STUDIO CHANNEL ISLANDS ART CENTER | CAMARILLO, CA | $25,000 | 2025 | TO FUND GENERAL OPERATING EXPENSES TO FULFILL THE RECIPIENTS MISSION |
| CANCER SUPPORT COMMUNITY | WESTLAKE VILLAGE, CA | $25,000 | 2025 | TO FUND GENERAL OPERATING EXPENSES TO FULFILL THE RECIPIENTS MISSION |
| CASA PACIFICA CENTERS FOR CHILDREN & FAMILIES | CAMARILLO, CA | $25,000 | 2025 | TO FUND NONPUBLIC SPECIAL EDUCATION SCHOOL (NPS) |
| BIG BROTHERS BIG SISTERS OF VENTURA COUNTY | CAMARILLO, CA | $25,000 | 2025 | TO FUND BUILDING CAPACITY AROUND BIGS GRANT |
| VENTURA COUNTY LEADERSHIP ACADEMY | VENTURA, CA | $10,000 | 2025 | TO FUND GENERAL OPERATING EXPENSES TO FULFILL THE RECIPIENTS MISSION |
| VENTURA COLLEGE FOUNDATION | VENTURA, CA | $10,000 | 2025 | TO FUND BASIC NEEDS PANTRY AT VENTURA COLLEGE |
| FOOD SHARE VENTURA COUNTY | OXNARD, CA | $10,000 | 2025 | TO FUND GENERAL OPERATING EXPENSES TO FULFILL THE RECIPIENTS MISSION |
| LIVINGSTON MEMORIAL VISITING | VENTURA, CA | $10,000 | 2025 | TO FUND GENERAL OPERATING EXPENSES TO FULFILL THE RECIPIENTS MISSION |
| JOEL & FRANCES MCCREA RANCH FOUNDATION | MOORPARK, CA | $3,000 | 2025 | TO FUND INTERPRETIVE EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS |
| CHANNEL ISLANDS MARITIME MUSEUM | OXNARD, CA | $3,000 | 2025 | TO FUND MARITIME EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS |
| CALIFORNIA LUTHERAN UNIVERSITY | THOUSAND OAKS, CA | $650,000 | 2024 | CENTER FOR NONPROFIT LEADERSHIP |
| CALIFORNIA LUTHERAN UNIVERSITY | THOUSAND OAKS, CA | $500,000 | 2024 | EXPENDABLE SCHOLARSHIP GRANT |
| TOARTS | THOUSAND OAKS, CA | $350,000 | 2024 | ARTS EDUCATION GRANT |
| KIDSTREAM CHILDREN'S MUSEUM | CAMARILLO, CA | $250,000 | 2024 | COMPREHENSIVE CAMPAIGN |
| CALIFORNIA STATE UNIVESRITY NORTHRIDGE FOUNDATION | NORTHRIDGE, CA | $125,000 | 2024 | SUPPORT FOR EMERGING ADVANCED MATERIALS LAB |
| TOARTS | THOUSAND OAKS, CA | $100,000 | 2024 | CAPACITY BUILDING GRANT |
| CSUCI FOUNDATION | CAMARILLO, CA | $100,000 | 2024 | INTERNSHIP SUPPORT |
| MUSEUM OF VENTURA COUNTY | VENTURA, CA | $100,000 | 2024 | INTERNSHIP SUPPORT |
| EVANGELICAL LUTHERAN CHURCH IN AMERICA | CHICAGO, IL | $65,000 | 2024 | HOWARD & MARY WENNES HUNGER LEADERSHIP ENDOWMENT |
| TOARTS | THOUSAND OAKS, CA | $50,000 | 2024 | ARTS EDUCATION GRANT |
| THE MOORPARK COLLEGE FOUNDATION | MOORPARK, CA | $50,000 | 2024 | EDUCATIONAL GRANT |
| STUDIO CHANNEL ISLANDS ART CENTER | CAMARILLO, CA | $25,000 | 2024 | ARTS EDUCATION GRANT |
| CSUCI FOUNDATION | CAMARILLO, CA | $25,000 | 2024 | CIMAS EDUCATIONAL GRANTS |
| EVANGELICAL LUTHERAN CHURCH IN AMERICA | CHICAGO, IL | $10,000 | 2024 | TRAVEL GRANT FOR THE WORLD HUNGER LEADER GATHERING |
| KIDSTREAM CHILDREN'S MUSEUM | CAMARILLO, CA | $10,000 | 2024 | EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS |
| LIVINGSTON MEMORIAL VISITING NURSE ASSN | CAMARILLO, CA | $5,000 | 2024 | GRIEF AND BEREAVEMENT PROGRAMS |
| JOEL AND FRANCES MCCREA RANCH FOUNDATION | MOORPARK, CA | $2,500 | 2024 | INTERPRETIVE EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS |
| CHANNEL ISLANDS MARITIME MUSEUM | OXNARD, CA | $2,500 | 2024 | MARITIME EXPLORATIONS PROGRAM |
| CALIFORNIA LUTHERAN UNIVERSITY | THOUSAND OAKS, CA | $350,000 | 2023 | CENTER FOR NONPROFIT LEADERSHIP |
| CALIFORNIA LUTHERAN UNIVERSITY | THOUSAND OAKS, CA | $250,000 | 2023 | EXPENDABLE SCHOLARSHIP GRANT |
| MUSEUM OF VENTURA COUNTY | VENTURA, CA | $100,000 | 2023 | INTERNSHIP PROGRAM/NEW 2022 EXHIBITS |
| CSUCI FOUNDATION | CAMARILLO, CA | $100,000 | 2023 | EXPANDING INTERNSHIP CAPACITY |
| EVANGELICAL LUTHERAN CHURCH IN AMERICA | CHICAGO, IL | $65,000 | 2023 | THE HOWARD & MARY WENNES HUNGER LEADERSHIP ENDOWMENT |
| TOARTS | THOUSAND OAKS, CA | $50,000 | 2023 | ARTS EDUCATION GRANT |
| STUDIO CHANNEL ISLANDS ART CENTER | CAMARILLO, CA | $25,000 | 2023 | ARTS EDUCATION GRANT |
| CSUCI FOUNDATION | CAMARILLO, CA | $15,000 | 2023 | STUDENT BASIC NEEDS PROGRAM |
| KIDSTREAM CHILDREN'S MUSEUM | CAMARILLO, CA | $10,000 | 2023 | UNRESTRICTED CAMPAIGN GRANT |
| EVANGELICAL LUTHERAN CHURCH IN AMERICA | CHICAGO, IL | $10,000 | 2023 | TRAVEL GRANT FOR THE WORLD HUNGER LEADER GATHERING |
CALIFORNIA LUTHERAN UNIVERSITY
$1,246,010TO FUND AHMANSON SCIENCE CENTER SUPPORT AND CENTER FOR NONPROFIT LEADERSHIP OPERATIONAL SUPPORT; TO FUND GENERAL OPERATING EXPENSES TO FULFILL THE RECIPIENT'S MISSION
TO FUND GENERAL OPERATING EXPENSES TO FULFILL THE RECIPIENTS MISSION
CSUCI FOUNDATION
$464,935TO FUND GENERAL OPERATING EXPENSES TO FULFILL THE RECIPIENTS MISSION
TO FUND GENERAL OPERATING EXPENSES TO FULFILL THE RECIPIENTS MISSION
TO ARTS
$200,000TO FUND GENERAL OPERATING EXPENSES TO FULFILL THE RECIPIENTS MISSION
TO FUND GENERAL OPERATING EXPENSES TO FULFILL THE RECIPIENTS MISSION
TO FUND GENERAL OPERATING EXPENSES TO FULFILL THE RECIPIENTS MISSION
VENTURA CO COMMUNITY FOUNDATION
$150,000TO FUND GENERAL OPERATING EXPENSES TO FULFILL THE RECIPIENTS MISSION
EVANGELICAL LUTHERAN CHURCH IN AMERICA
$80,000TO FUND GENERAL OPERATING EXPENSES TO FULFILL THE RECIPIENTS MISSION
TO FUND GENERAL OPERATING EXPENSES TO FULFILL THE RECIPIENTS MISSION
TO FUND GENERAL OPERATING EXPENSES TO FULFILL THE RECIPIENTS MISSION
STUDIO CHANNEL ISLANDS ART CENTER
$25,000TO FUND GENERAL OPERATING EXPENSES TO FULFILL THE RECIPIENTS MISSION
CANCER SUPPORT COMMUNITY
$25,000TO FUND GENERAL OPERATING EXPENSES TO FULFILL THE RECIPIENTS MISSION
TO FUND NONPUBLIC SPECIAL EDUCATION SCHOOL (NPS)
TO FUND BUILDING CAPACITY AROUND BIGS GRANT
VENTURA COUNTY LEADERSHIP ACADEMY
$10,000TO FUND GENERAL OPERATING EXPENSES TO FULFILL THE RECIPIENTS MISSION
FOOD SHARE VENTURA COUNTY
$10,000TO FUND GENERAL OPERATING EXPENSES TO FULFILL THE RECIPIENTS MISSION
LIVINGSTON MEMORIAL VISITING
$10,000TO FUND GENERAL OPERATING EXPENSES TO FULFILL THE RECIPIENTS MISSION
JOEL & FRANCES MCCREA RANCH FOUNDATION
$3,000TO FUND INTERPRETIVE EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS
CHANNEL ISLANDS MARITIME MUSEUM
$3,000TO FUND MARITIME EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS
TOARTS
$350,000ARTS EDUCATION GRANT
SUPPORT FOR EMERGING ADVANCED MATERIALS LAB
TOARTS
$100,000CAPACITY BUILDING GRANT
EVANGELICAL LUTHERAN CHURCH IN AMERICA
$65,000HOWARD & MARY WENNES HUNGER LEADERSHIP ENDOWMENT
TOARTS
$50,000ARTS EDUCATION GRANT
STUDIO CHANNEL ISLANDS ART CENTER
$25,000ARTS EDUCATION GRANT
EVANGELICAL LUTHERAN CHURCH IN AMERICA
$10,000TRAVEL GRANT FOR THE WORLD HUNGER LEADER GATHERING
JOEL AND FRANCES MCCREA RANCH FOUNDATION
$2,500INTERPRETIVE EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS
CHANNEL ISLANDS MARITIME MUSEUM
$2,500MARITIME EXPLORATIONS PROGRAM
EVANGELICAL LUTHERAN CHURCH IN AMERICA
$65,000THE HOWARD & MARY WENNES HUNGER LEADERSHIP ENDOWMENT
TOARTS
$50,000ARTS EDUCATION GRANT
STUDIO CHANNEL ISLANDS ART CENTER
$25,000ARTS EDUCATION GRANT
EVANGELICAL LUTHERAN CHURCH IN AMERICA
$10,000TRAVEL GRANT FOR THE WORLD HUNGER LEADER GATHERING