The Youth Development Foundation focuses almost entirely on postsecondary access by funding student scholarship programs at the University of Nevada. Their small number of relatively large gifts are directed to university scholarship funds, indicating a targeted interest in enabling Nevada students' college success. The foundation gives repeatedly to the same institution rather than spreading funds broadly across causes or geographies.
Concentrated, few mid-to-large grants directed to a single institution with repeat funding for scholarship purposes rather than many small or diverse grants.
A repeated $12,500 scholarship pattern at the University of Nevada Foundation anchors Youth Development Foundation’s giving. Across the recent grants listed, the foundation returns to UNR-related scholarship support in multiple years, pairing 2023, 2024, and 2025 gifts with the same core purpose: student scholarships and general scholarship funding. That consistency makes higher education the clearest throughline in its work. The foundation’s larger grants are not spread widely across many program areas; instead, they cluster around a small number of named organizations and campaigns. In addition to scholarship support in Reno, the record includes a $5,000 gift to the Captain Paul Watson Foundation in 2025 and a $6,000 gift to Mercy for Animals in Los Angeles the same year, showing that the foundation also makes targeted donations to animal-related causes. It also appears to support conservation and rescue groups, with gifts to organizations such as Turtle Island Restoration, Peaceful Valley Donkey Rescue, and Woods Humane Society. The overall pattern is focused, recurrent, and institution-based, with several recipients appearing more than once across the grant list.
Higher-education support is the foundation’s clearest cause area. It gave $12,500 to Unr Foundation Scholarships in 2024 and again in 2025, and it also awarded $12,500 to the University of Nevada Foundation in 2023 for student scholarships. Those grants point to a sustained interest in scholarship funding rather than broad university operations. Outside postsecondary access, the foundation has made several animal-related grants. In 2025 it gave $6,000 to Mercy for Animals in Los Angeles for a general donation, and in 2024 it provided $5,000 to Xerces Society Inc for a general fund grant. The list also includes support for rescue and sanctuary organizations such as Peaceful Valley Donkey Rescue, Elephant Sanctuary, German Shepherd Rescue, and Woods Humane Society. Conservation appears as a smaller but recurring theme through grants to Turtle Island Restoration, The Yosemite Fund, and Yosemite Foundation.
Typical grants are small and concentrated at low five figures or below, with a p25 of $2,000, a median of $2,000, and a p75 of $5,000. The foundation’s recent list shows repeated support to the same organizations across years, especially the University of Nevada scholarship funds and several animal or conservation groups. The grants are generally annual or one-time donations, with some entries labeled general fund, general donation, or designated scholarship support. The foundation does not fund individuals and does not make program-related investments.
$64K
$2.8M
$186K
$93K
Most grants fall between $2K and $5K, with a median of $2K.
25th Percentile
$2K
Median
$2K
75th Percentile
$5K
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Notable grantees: UNR Foundation Scholarships, University of Nevada Foundation, University scholarship programs at the University of Nevada (UNR)
Grant recipients are all in the United States, with California accounting for 51% of grants. Many recipients are in California cities including Los Angeles, Studio City, San Luis Obispo, Caliente, Newport Beach, Forest Knolls, Laguna Beach, and Midway City. Outside California, the foundation also gives in Reno, Nevada; Hohenwald, Tennessee; Miles and San Angelo, Texas; and New York, New York. The recipient map therefore shows a strong California tilt alongside a smaller set of out-of-state gifts.
The clearest focus is postsecondary access through scholarship support at the University of Nevada. The recent record includes $12,500 grants to Unr Foundation Scholarships in 2024 and 2025, plus a $12,500 gift to the University of Nevada Foundation in 2023 for student scholarships.
Recipients include university scholarship funds, animal welfare organizations, and conservation groups. Named grantees in the recent list include Mercy for Animals, Xerces Society Inc, Peaceful Valley Donkey Rescue, Turtle Island Restoration, The Yosemite Fund, and Woods Humane Society.
The distribution is compact: p25 is $2,000, median is $2,000, and p75 is $5,000. The recent list also includes larger outliers such as $12,500 scholarship grants and a $6,000 gift to Mercy for Animals.
Yes. The recent grants list shows repeat awards to Unr Foundation Scholarships in 2024 and 2025, Mercy for Animals in 2023, 2024, and 2025, and several other repeat recipients such as Bark Ave Foundation, Turtle Island Restoration, Lifesavers Horse Rescue, and Elephant Sanctuary.
All recent grants are to U.S. recipients, and 51% go to organizations in California. California cities appearing in the list include Los Angeles, Studio City, San Luis Obispo, Caliente, Newport Beach, Forest Knolls, Laguna Beach, and Midway City.
2025
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2025.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| UNR FOUNDATION SCHOLARSHIPS | RENO, NV | $12,500 | 2025 | GENERAL DONATION |
| MERCY FOR ANIMALS | LOS ANGELES, CA | $6,000 | 2025 | GENERAL DONATION |
| CAPTAIN PAUL WATSON FOUNDATION | NEW YORK, NY | $5,000 | 2025 | GENERAL DONATION |
| FELINE NETWORK | SAN LUIS OBISPO, CA | $5,000 | 2025 | GENERAL DONATION |
| WOODS HUMANE SOCIETY INC | SAN LUIS OBISPO, CA | $3,000 | 2025 | GENERAL DONATION |
| BEST FRIENDS ANIMAL SANCTUARY | KANAB, UT | $2,500 | 2025 | GENERAL DONATION |
| ANIMAL PLACE SANCTUARY | GRASS VALLEY, CA | $2,500 | 2025 | GENERAL DONATION |
| ANIMAL ASSISTANCE LEAGUE | MIDWAY CITY, CA | $2,500 | 2025 | GENERAL DONATION |
| SEA TURTLE CONSERVANCY | GAINESVILLE, FL | $2,500 | 2025 | GENERAL DONATION |
| HUTCHINSON STREET CAT SOCIETY | HUTCHINSON, KS | $2,500 | 2025 | GENERAL DONATION |
| PEACEFUL VALLEY DONKEY RESCUE | MILES, TX | $2,500 | 2025 | GENERAL DONATION |
| BARK AVE FOUNDATION | STUDIO CITY, CA | $2,500 | 2025 | GENERAL DONATION |
| PACIFIC MAMMAL CENTER | LAGUNA BEACH, CA | $2,500 | 2025 | GENERAL DONATION |
| YOSEMITE FOUNDATION | SAN FRANCISCO, CA | $2,500 | 2025 | GENERAL DONATION |
| CATALINA ISLAND HUMANE SOCIETY INC | AVALON, CA | $2,000 | 2025 | GENERAL DONATION |
| XERCES SOCIETY INC | WASHINGTON, DC | $2,000 | 2025 | GENERAL DONATION |
| PACIFIC BALLET DANCE THEATRE | BURBANK, CA | $1,500 | 2025 | GENERAL DONATION |
| RANCHO BURRO DONKEY SANCTUARY | ARROYO GRANDE, CA | $1,000 | 2025 | GENERAL DONATION |
| FRIENDS OF HARBORS | NEWPORT BEACH, CA | $1,000 | 2025 | GENERAL DONATION |
| ANIMAL LEGAL DEFENSE | COTATI, CA | $1,000 | 2025 | GENERAL DONATION |
| PHYSICIANS FOR RESPONSIBLE MEDICINE | WASHINGTON, DC | $1,000 | 2025 | GENERAL DONATION |
| UNR FOUNDATION SCHOLARSHIPS | RENO, NV | $12,500 | 2024 | GENERAL FUND |
| LIFESAVERS HORSE RESCUE | CALIENTE, CA | $5,000 | 2024 | GENERAL FUND |
| BARK AVE FOUNDATION | STUDIO CITY, CA | $5,000 | 2024 | GENERAL FUND |
| PEACEFUL VALLEY DONKEY RESCUE | MILES, TX | $5,000 | 2024 | GENERAL FUND |
| MERCY FOR ANIMALS | LOS ANGELES, CA | $5,000 | 2024 | GENERAL FUND |
| CHURCH OF BIOCENTRISM FOR CAPT PAUL WATSON | WOODSTOCK, VT | $5,000 | 2024 | GENERAL FUND |
| TURTLE ISLAND RESTORATION | FOREST KNOLLS, CA | $5,000 | 2024 | GENERAL FUND |
| XERCES SOCIETY INC | WASHINGTON DC, WA | $5,000 | 2024 | GENERAL FUND |
| GERMAN SHEPHERD RESCUE | NEWPORT BEACH, CA | $3,000 | 2024 | GENERAL FUND |
| THE YOSEMITE FUND | SAN FRANCISCO, CA | $3,000 | 2024 | GENERAL FUND |
| ELEPHANT SANCTUARY | HOHENWALD, TN | $3,000 | 2024 | GENERAL FUND |
| BEST FRIENDS ANIMAL SANCTUARY | KANAB, UT | $2,500 | 2024 | GENERAL FUND |
| PHYSICIANS FOR RESPONSIBLE MEDICINE | WASHINGTON, DC | $2,500 | 2024 | GENERAL FUND |
| ANIMAL LEGAL DEFENSE | COTATI, CA | $2,000 | 2024 | GENERAL FUND |
| SEA TURTLE CONSERVANCY | GAINESVILLE, FL | $2,000 | 2024 | GENERAL FUND |
| PACIFIC WILDLIFE CARE | MORRO BAY, CA | $2,000 | 2024 | GENERAL FUND |
| PACIFIC MAMMAL CENTER | LAGUNA BEACH, CA | $2,000 | 2024 | GENERAL FUND |
| ANIMAL ASSISTANCE LEAGUE | MIDWAY CITY, CA | $2,000 | 2024 | GENERAL FUND |
| TREE PEOPLE | BEVERLY HILLS, CA | $2,000 | 2024 | GENERAL FUND |
| PERFORMING ANIMAL WELFARE SOCIETY | GALT, CA | $2,000 | 2024 | GENERAL FUND |
| ANIMAL PLACE SANCTUARY | GRASS VALLEY, CA | $2,000 | 2024 | GENERAL FUND |
| PAN AFRICAN SANCTUARY ALLIANCE | BEAVERTON, OR | $2,000 | 2024 | GENERAL FUND |
| IPRC | PORTLAND, OR | $2,000 | 2024 | GENERAL FUND |
| FELINE NETWORK | SAN LUIS OBISPO, CA | $1,500 | 2024 | GENERAL FUND |
| FRIENDS OF HARBORS | NEWPORT BEACH, CA | $1,500 | 2024 | GENERAL FUND |
| HUTCHINSON STREET CAT SOCIETY | HUTCHINSON, KS | $1,000 | 2024 | GENERAL FUND |
| HIGHER HEIGHTS LEADERSHIP SCHOLARSHIP | BROOKLYN, NY | $1,000 | 2024 | GENERAL FUND |
| MERCY FOR ANIMALS | LOS ANGELES, CA | $1,000 | 2024 | GENERAL FUND |
| THE WALL STREET JOURNAL | NEW YORK, NY | $711 | 2024 | GENERAL FUND |
UNR FOUNDATION SCHOLARSHIPS
$12,500GENERAL DONATION
MERCY FOR ANIMALS
$6,000GENERAL DONATION
CAPTAIN PAUL WATSON FOUNDATION
$5,000GENERAL DONATION
FELINE NETWORK
$5,000GENERAL DONATION
WOODS HUMANE SOCIETY INC
$3,000GENERAL DONATION
BEST FRIENDS ANIMAL SANCTUARY
$2,500GENERAL DONATION
ANIMAL PLACE SANCTUARY
GENERAL DONATION
ANIMAL ASSISTANCE LEAGUE
$2,500GENERAL DONATION
SEA TURTLE CONSERVANCY
$2,500GENERAL DONATION
HUTCHINSON STREET CAT SOCIETY
$2,500GENERAL DONATION
PEACEFUL VALLEY DONKEY RESCUE
$2,500GENERAL DONATION
BARK AVE FOUNDATION
$2,500GENERAL DONATION
PACIFIC MAMMAL CENTER
$2,500GENERAL DONATION
YOSEMITE FOUNDATION
$2,500GENERAL DONATION
CATALINA ISLAND HUMANE SOCIETY INC
$2,000GENERAL DONATION
XERCES SOCIETY INC
$2,000GENERAL DONATION
PACIFIC BALLET DANCE THEATRE
$1,500GENERAL DONATION
RANCHO BURRO DONKEY SANCTUARY
$1,000GENERAL DONATION
FRIENDS OF HARBORS
$1,000GENERAL DONATION
ANIMAL LEGAL DEFENSE
$1,000GENERAL DONATION
PHYSICIANS FOR RESPONSIBLE MEDICINE
$1,000GENERAL DONATION
UNR FOUNDATION SCHOLARSHIPS
$12,500GENERAL FUND
LIFESAVERS HORSE RESCUE
$5,000GENERAL FUND
BARK AVE FOUNDATION
$5,000GENERAL FUND
PEACEFUL VALLEY DONKEY RESCUE
$5,000GENERAL FUND
MERCY FOR ANIMALS
$5,000GENERAL FUND
CHURCH OF BIOCENTRISM FOR CAPT PAUL WATSON
$5,000GENERAL FUND
TURTLE ISLAND RESTORATION
$5,000GENERAL FUND
XERCES SOCIETY INC
$5,000GENERAL FUND
GERMAN SHEPHERD RESCUE
$3,000GENERAL FUND
THE YOSEMITE FUND
$3,000GENERAL FUND
ELEPHANT SANCTUARY
$3,000GENERAL FUND
BEST FRIENDS ANIMAL SANCTUARY
$2,500GENERAL FUND
PHYSICIANS FOR RESPONSIBLE MEDICINE
$2,500GENERAL FUND
ANIMAL LEGAL DEFENSE
$2,000GENERAL FUND
SEA TURTLE CONSERVANCY
$2,000GENERAL FUND
PACIFIC WILDLIFE CARE
$2,000GENERAL FUND
PACIFIC MAMMAL CENTER
$2,000GENERAL FUND
ANIMAL ASSISTANCE LEAGUE
$2,000GENERAL FUND
TREE PEOPLE
$2,000GENERAL FUND
PERFORMING ANIMAL WELFARE SOCIETY
$2,000GENERAL FUND
ANIMAL PLACE SANCTUARY
$2,000GENERAL FUND
PAN AFRICAN SANCTUARY ALLIANCE
$2,000GENERAL FUND
IPRC
$2,000GENERAL FUND
FELINE NETWORK
$1,500GENERAL FUND
FRIENDS OF HARBORS
$1,500GENERAL FUND
HUTCHINSON STREET CAT SOCIETY
$1,000GENERAL FUND
HIGHER HEIGHTS LEADERSHIP SCHOLARSHIP
$1,000GENERAL FUND
MERCY FOR ANIMALS
$1,000GENERAL FUND
THE WALL STREET JOURNAL
$711GENERAL FUND