Croul Family Foundation
At a glance
Key takeaways
- Its priority is Orange County, California, with stated themes of disadvantaged education, veteran support, and food banks and shelters, so work elsewhere or outside those themes is a weaker fit.
- It does not fund start-up organisations, and applicants must be public charities meeting the stated federal tax requirements.
- Half of its grants to organisations were $10,000 or less, and about 8 in 10 fall between $500 and $50,000, though its largest grant was $250,000, so that band is typical rather than a ceiling; its stated programme sizes are $1,000 to $14,999 for Basic Grants and $15,000 to $50,000 for Full Grants.
- Begin with a Letter of Inquiry through its website, due by September 1, and wait to hear whether it will invite a Full Grant Application.
- Repeat funding is strong, with 75% of its grant dollars to organisations in its latest filing going to groups it had also funded in earlier filings, so a first-time applicant should expect existing ties to count for a lot and should present a single-year request, which it prefers.
Overview
Croul Family Foundation is a US private foundation based in Irvine, CA.
What they fund
Profile derived from the foundation's IRS Form 990-PF filings (TY2024, TY2023, TY2022) and its website, with every statement checked against those sources. Sources read on 7 October 2026.
Priority Areas
The Foundation focuses its giving on Orange County, California, supporting organisations engaged in improving educational outcomes from kindergarten through twelfth grade. It also supports organisations assisting people who are homeless or economically disadvantaged in Orange County. Its stated grant priorities include educational opportunities for the economically disadvantaged, veterans, food banks and shelters. Applicants must be public charities meeting the stated federal tax requirements. The Foundation favours programmes that further its mission, leverage future impact on the organisation and community, and are creative, innovative and efficient. Single-year grants are preferred, while multi-year grants may be permitted under conditions.
Themes
- Disadvantaged education
- Veteran support
- Food banks and shelters
Geographic Focus
Priority: Orange County, California.
What They Don't Fund
- Start-up organizations
How to apply
For a Full Grant, applicants first submit a Letter of Inquiry through the Foundation website; the Foundation then informs them whether it will invite a Full Grant Application.
Deadlines: Letters of Inquiry are due by September 1.
Application success factors
- Repeat giving: In its TY2024 filing, 75% of its grant dollars to organisations went to organisations it had also funded in its TY2022 or TY2023 filing.
- Grant size: Across its TY2022, TY2023 and TY2024 filings, half of its 252 grants to organisations were $10,000 or less.
What the foundation says:
- Programmes should further the Foundation's mission.
- Programmes should leverage future impact on the organisation and community.
- Programmes should be creative, innovative and efficient.
- Single-year grants are preferred.
- Multi-year applicants may need to show appropriate use of funds and meet agreed benchmarks or performance goals before further instalments are paid.
- Grantees must report on the use of grant proceeds and project or programme progress within twelve months.
Where grants go
From grants to organisations in the foundation’s filings for tax years 2022–2024.
Grant dollars by state
6 other states: <1%
- The largest single recipient received 16% of grant dollars to organisations.
- In tax year 2024, 75% of grant dollars went to organisations Croul Family Foundation had funded in earlier filings.
- No grants were paid directly to organisations outside the US.
- <1% of grant dollars went to intermediaries that regrant to other organisations.
Grants
How much do they typically give?
Share of 72 grants in tax year 2024 by size
Median $10,000 (tax year 2024)
The largest grants to organisations in the foundation’s latest filing:
- Orange Catholic Foundation · Program support$250,0002024 tax year
- Oc Museum Of Art · Program support$131,0002024 tax year
- Claremont McKenna College · Program support$62,9322024 tax year
- Surfing Eritage Foundation · Program support$60,0002024 tax year
- Newport Beach Library Foundation · Program support$50,0002024 tax year
- Ocean Institute · Program support$50,0002024 tax year
- Bracken's Kitchen · Program support$50,0002024 tax year
- Planes of Fame Air Museum · Program support$50,0002024 tax year
Grants to organisations listed in the foundation’s Form 990-PF filings. Grants to individuals are not shown.
Officers and directors
- Spencer Behr Croul — President
- John Bradford Croul — CFO
- John V Croul — CEO
From the latest Form 990-PF filing
3 years of tax filings
| Year | Total expenses | Grants paid | Assets | Filing document |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 tax year | $2,325,940 | $2,024,453 | $20,433,187 | Filing for 2022 tax year |
| 2023 tax year | $1,665,240 | $1,353,604 | $19,556,832 | Filing for 2023 tax year |
| 2024 tax year | $1,716,451 | $1,396,871 | $23,967,769 | Filing for 2024 tax year |
Figures from the foundation’s IRS Form 990-PF filings. Assets are at fair market value at year end. The document icon links to each year’s filing on ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer.
Sources
Registers and filings
Other sources
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At a glance
Applying to Croul Family Foundation?
Hinchilla drafts your answers around this funder's priorities, using your organisation's own documents.
No credit card required
Contact
- (877) 968-6328
- grants@croulfoundation.org
- Irvine, CA
- croulfoundation.org
Applying to Croul Family Foundation?
Hinchilla drafts your answers around this funder's priorities, using your organisation's own documents.
No credit card required
Contact
- (877) 968-6328
- grants@croulfoundation.org
- Irvine, CA
- croulfoundation.org