The foundation concentrates its giving on animal welfare and wildlife conservation—especially locally in the Santa Barbara area—while also supporting a smaller stream of conservative youth political education and local cultural institutions. Funding is focused on practical rescue/rehab operations, marine sanctuary development and wildlife-focused media/education, often through sizable, repeat awards to a handful of organizations. The combination of large animal-oriented gifts and substantial grants to Young America’s Foundation makes the foundation’s priorities distinctive.
Concentrated giving via relatively large grants to a small number of repeat grantees; mix of multi-grant relationships and multi-year support with a strong local (Santa Barbara) geographic focus and a dominant emphasis on animal/wildlife causes alongside targeted political/cultural donations.
The largest recent award in the record is a $900,000 program-support grant to Santa Barbara Wildlife Care Network in Goleta, followed by another $500,000 award to the same organization in 2023. That repeat pattern shows how Wendy P Mccaw Foundation the Goldman Sachs uses substantial, multiyear funding for animal welfare and wildlife rehabilitation rather than one-off gifts. The foundation also backs marine mammal sanctuary work through The Whale Sanctuary Project and supports wildlife-focused media and outreach through TVSB (AnimalZone), giving those organizations six-figure support across multiple years. Beyond the wildlife portfolio, its recent grants include large awards to Young America’s Foundation, indicating a separate stream of support for conservative youth political education and leadership development. Local cultural giving also appears in the record through Santa Barbara Bowl Foundation. Across the recent grants list, the foundation’s pattern is not broad and diffuse; it is concentrated on a small set of organizations that receive repeated support, often at sizable levels, for operating or program work.
Animal welfare and wildlife care anchor the foundation’s giving. In 2025, it awarded $900,000 to Santa Barbara Wildlife Care Network for program support, and in 2024 it gave $100,000 to the same organization. Marine and sanctuary-related work also appears in the record: The Whale Sanctuary Project received $200,000 in 2023 for program support. The foundation also backs animal-related media and public education through TVSB (AnimalZone), which received $165,000 in both 2024 and 2025, plus $125,000 in 2023. Other animal-focused grants include Lions Tigers and Bears, Donkeyland, Ventana Wildlife Society, Eastwood Ranch Foundation, Bear League, Resqcats Inc, and Wildlife Care of Southern California, showing a mix of rescue, rehabilitation, and outreach priorities.
Typical awards cluster at a modest middle but reach much higher for select organizations: the p25 grant size is $20,000, the median is $25,000, and the p75 is $105,000. The recent record shows clear repeat support, with several recipients appearing in multiple years, including Santa Barbara Wildlife Care Network, Young America’s Foundation, Working Circle, TVSB (AnimalZone), Santa Barbara Bowl Foundation, Lions Tigers and Bears, Physicians Committee for Responsible Med, Resqcats Inc, Bear League, and Touched by an Animal. Grants are given as program support, program/project funding, and restricted program support. The foundation does not fund individuals and does not make program-related investments.
$2M
$30.7M
$2.8M
$2.4M
Most grants fall between $20K and $105K, with a median of $25K.
25th Percentile
$20K
Median
$25K
75th Percentile
$105K
About 0% of grants go to recipients in CA.
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Notable grantees: Santa Barbara Wildlife Care Network, Young America’s Foundation, TVSB (AnimalZone), The Whale Sanctuary Project, Santa Barbara Bowl Foundation
The foundation gives nationally, and every recent grant in the sample goes to U.S. recipients. California dominates the map, with repeated awards in Goleta, Santa Barbara, Alpine, Monterey, Los Angeles, Simi Valley, Homewood, and Moreno Valley. Goleta and Santa Barbara stand out as especially frequent recipient locations. Outside California, recent grants also land in Reston, Virginia; Washington, DC; Bethesda, Maryland; Chicago, Illinois; and Indian Hills, Colorado. Colorado is the top state by grant count, even though the foundation’s headquarters is in Wilmington, Delaware.
The recent grants point to animal welfare and wildlife conservation as the core focus, especially wildlife rescue and rehabilitation in the Santa Barbara area. The record also includes marine mammal sanctuary development, wildlife-focused media and outreach, conservative youth political education and leadership development, and support for Santa Barbara cultural institutions.
The typical award is $25,000 at the median, with a p25 of $20,000 and a p75 of $105,000. The distribution includes both smaller $25,000 grants and much larger six-figure awards for a small set of repeat recipients.
Yes. The recent record includes repeated support for Santa Barbara Wildlife Care Network, Young America’s Foundation, Working Circle, TVSB (AnimalZone), Santa Barbara Bowl Foundation, Lions Tigers and Bears, Physicians Committee for Responsible Med, Resqcats Inc, Bear League, and Touched by an Animal across 2023 through 2025.
The foundation gives nationally, but California is the clear center of its recent grantmaking, especially Goleta and Santa Barbara. Other recipient locations in the recent list include Indian Hills, Reston, Washington, DC, Bethesda, Chicago, Homewood, Alpine, Monterey, Los Angeles, and Simi Valley.
No. The provided data says it funds individuals is false, and makes program-related investments is false. The recent grants are all organizational program support or related project support.
2025
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2025.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SANTA BARBARA WILDLIFE CARE NETWORK | Goleta, CA | $900,000 | 2025 | PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| YOUNG AMERICA'S FOUNDATION | RESTON, VA | $400,000 | 2025 | PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| WORKING CIRCLE | Indian Hills, CO | $325,000 | 2025 | PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| TVSB (AnimalZone) | SANTA BARBARA, CA | $165,000 | 2025 | PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| SANTA BARBARA BOWL FOUNDATION | SANTA BARBARA, CA | $60,000 | 2025 | PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| VENTANA WILDLIFE SOCIETY | Monterey, CA | $30,000 | 2025 | PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| EASTWOOD RANCH FOUNDATION | LOS ANGELES, CA | $25,000 | 2025 | PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| RESQCATS INC | Santa Barbara, CA | $25,000 | 2025 | PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| BEAR LEAGUE | HOMEWOOD, CA | $25,000 | 2025 | PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| PHYSICIANS COMMITTEE FOR RESPONSIBLE MED | Washington, DC | $25,000 | 2025 | PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| WILDLIFE CARE OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA | SIMI VALLEY, CA | $25,000 | 2025 | PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| TOUCHED BY AN ANIMAL | Chicago, IL | $25,000 | 2025 | PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| CAT TOWN | OAKLAND, CA | $10,000 | 2025 | PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| YOUNG AMERICA'S FOUNDATION | RESTON, VA | $360,000 | 2024 | PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| TVSB (AnimalZone) | SANTA BARBARA, CA | $165,000 | 2024 | PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| SANTA BARBARA WILDLIFE CARE NETWORK | Goleta, CA | $100,000 | 2024 | PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| LIONS TIGERS AND BEARS | Alpine, CA | $50,000 | 2024 | PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| PHYSICIANS COMMITTEE FOR RESPONSIBLE MED | Washington, DC | $25,000 | 2024 | PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| RESQCATS INC | Santa Barbara, CA | $25,000 | 2024 | PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| CENTER FOR A HUMANE ECONOMY | BETHESDA, MD | $25,000 | 2024 | PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| DONKEYLAND | MORENO VALLY, CA | $20,000 | 2024 | PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| WILDCARE EASTERN SIERRA | BISHOP, CA | $20,000 | 2024 | PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| VENTANA WILDLIFE SOCIETY | Monterey, CA | $20,000 | 2024 | PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| CALIFORNIA WILDLIFE CENTER | CALABASAS, CA | $15,000 | 2024 | PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| CAT TOWN | Oakland, CA | $10,000 | 2024 | PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| THE SATO PROJECT | BROOKLYN, NY | $10,000 | 2024 | PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| ANIMAL RESCUE AID CORPORATION C/O TRACEY ROBINSON | ALPHARETTA, GA | $10,000 | 2024 | PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| SANTA BARBARA WILDLIFE CARE NETWORK | Goleta, CA | $500,000 | 2023 | PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| YOUNG AMERICA'S FOUNDATION | RESTON, VA | $250,000 | 2023 | PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| WORKING CIRCLE | Indian Hills, CO | $200,000 | 2023 | PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| THE WHALE SANCTUARY PROJECT | WASHINGTON, DC | $200,000 | 2023 | PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| TVSB (AnimalZone) | SANTA BARBARA, CA | $125,000 | 2023 | PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| SANTA BARBARA BOWL FOUNDATION | SANTA BARBARA, CA | $120,000 | 2023 | PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| DONKEYLAND | MORENO VALLY, CA | $30,000 | 2023 | PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| LIONS TIGERS AND BEARS | Alpine, CA | $30,000 | 2023 | PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| BEAR LEAGUE | HOMEWOOD, CA | $25,000 | 2023 | PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| TOUCHED BY AN ANIMAL | Chicago, IL | $25,000 | 2023 | PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| RESOCATSINC | Santa Barbara, CA | $25,000 | 2023 | PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| WILDLIFE CARE OF SOCAL | SIMI VALLEY, CA | $20,000 | 2023 | PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| SEMPERVIRENS FUND | LOS ALTOS, CA | $20,000 | 2023 | PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| PHYSICIANS COMMITTEE FOR RESPONSIBLE MED | Washington, DC | $20,000 | 2023 | PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| WILDCARE EASTERN SIERRA | BISHOP, CA | $20,000 | 2023 | PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| VENTANA WILDLIFE SOCIETY | Monterey, CA | $20,000 | 2023 | PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| CAT TOWN | Oakland, CA | $10,000 | 2023 | PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| ANIMAL RESCUE AID CORPORATION C/O TRACEY ROBINSON | ALPHARETTA, GA | $10,000 | 2023 | PROGRAM SUPPORT |
WORKING CIRCLE
$325,000PROGRAM SUPPORT
TVSB (AnimalZone)
$165,000PROGRAM SUPPORT
PROGRAM SUPPORT
EASTWOOD RANCH FOUNDATION
$25,000PROGRAM SUPPORT
RESQCATS INC
$25,000PROGRAM SUPPORT
BEAR LEAGUE
$25,000PROGRAM SUPPORT
WILDLIFE CARE OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
$25,000PROGRAM SUPPORT
TOUCHED BY AN ANIMAL
$25,000PROGRAM SUPPORT
CAT TOWN
$10,000PROGRAM SUPPORT
TVSB (AnimalZone)
$165,000PROGRAM SUPPORT
RESQCATS INC
$25,000PROGRAM SUPPORT
WILDCARE EASTERN SIERRA
$20,000PROGRAM SUPPORT
CAT TOWN
$10,000PROGRAM SUPPORT
ANIMAL RESCUE AID CORPORATION C/O TRACEY ROBINSON
$10,000PROGRAM SUPPORT
TVSB (AnimalZone)
$125,000PROGRAM SUPPORT
BEAR LEAGUE
$25,000PROGRAM SUPPORT
TOUCHED BY AN ANIMAL
$25,000PROGRAM SUPPORT
RESOCATSINC
$25,000PROGRAM SUPPORT
WILDLIFE CARE OF SOCAL
$20,000PROGRAM SUPPORT
WILDCARE EASTERN SIERRA
$20,000PROGRAM SUPPORT
CAT TOWN
$10,000PROGRAM SUPPORT
ANIMAL RESCUE AID CORPORATION C/O TRACEY ROBINSON
$10,000PROGRAM SUPPORT