The Wood-Claeyssens Foundation
At a glance
This funder does not accept unsolicited applications. The foundation chooses the organisations it funds itself.
Key takeaways
- This is a California foundation based in Santa Barbara, with its priority stated as Santa Barbara County and Ventura County, so it suits organisations working in that area.
- It is invitation-only and does not accept unsolicited requests, so a small nonprofit should first request access by email, giving its name, organisation and type of grant request, before preparing any proposal; grant submissions are due by June 30, though event sponsorship requests are accepted year-round.
- About 8 in 10 of its grants to organisations fall between $5,000 and $170,000, with a median of $25,000, so pitching a request in that range is realistic, though its largest grant was $1,000,000.
- With 96% of its grant dollars going to organisations it had already funded in the two previous filings, this looks like a relationship-led funder where sustained, invited engagement matters more than a one-off approach.
- It will not fund individuals, and will not fund organisations that discriminate on the basis of age, gender, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, disability, national origin, political affiliation or religious belief.
Overview
The Wood-Claeyssens Foundation is a US private foundation based in Santa Barbara, 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 Wood-Claeyssens Foundation makes grants to qualified 501(c)(3) organisations serving the Santa Barbara and Ventura County areas. It describes its work as enabling people in need to obtain food, clothing, shelter, social services and public safety, while supporting self-actualisation and quality of life. Its stated fields are broad: attention often focuses on human service organisations, current and urgent community needs, and collaborative efforts involving other nonprofits and foundations. The Foundation also names community improvement, volunteerism, culture and humanities among its interests. It presents its approach as careful selection of qualified grantees.
Themes
- Self Actualization
- Public Safety
- Nonprofit Social Services
- Human Services
- Shelter Services
- Agriculture, Food & Nutrition
Geographic Focus
California. Priority: Santa Barbara County; Ventura County.
What They Don't Fund
- Individuals
- Organizations that discriminate on the basis of age, gender, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, disability, national origin, political affiliation or religious belief
How to apply
Applications are invitation-only. Organisations request access by email, giving their applicant name, organisation and type of grant request.
Deadlines:
- Grant submissions are due by June 30.
- Event sponsorship requests are accepted year-round.
Application success factors
- Repeat giving: In its TY2024 filing, 96% 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 357 grants to organisations were $25,000 or less.
What the foundation says:
- The Foundation often focuses on human service organisations.
- It gives attention to organisations addressing current and urgent community needs.
- It gives attention to collaborative efforts involving multiple other nonprofit organisations and foundations.
- It values careful selection of qualified grantees to maximise its impact in the community.
Where grants go
From grants to organisations in the foundation’s filings for tax years 2022–2024.
Grant dollars by state
- The largest single recipient received 6% of grant dollars to organisations.
- In tax year 2024, 96% of grant dollars went to organisations The Wood-Claeyssens Foundation had funded in earlier filings.
- No grants were paid directly to organisations outside the US.
- 4% of grant dollars went to intermediaries that regrant to other organisations.
Grants
How much do they typically give?
Share of 112 grants in tax year 2024 by size
Median $30,000 (tax year 2024)
The largest grants to organisations in the foundation’s latest filing:
- Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital · Cottage children's medical center; pediatric$1,000,0002024 tax year
- Marian Regional Medical Center Foundation · Marian robotic surgery program expansion$500,0002024 tax year
- Santa Barbara Foundation · Peac - general operating support$500,0002024 tax year
- Santa Ynez Valley Historical Museum · Support of the annual vaquero; benefit event carriage house mosiac; general operating support$325,0002024 tax year
- Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History · Support for the 2024 mineral masquerade; space lab exhibition & school & teacher services programs; general operating support$325,0002024 tax year
- Providence School · Safety & security initiative year 3, support of providence fund kickoff week challenge grant$305,0002024 tax year
- Students for Eco Education & Agriculture · 2024 santa barbara county farm day - community education & outreach events; in support of seeag's first annual spring celebration; 2024 ventura county farm day - community education & outreach events; general operating support$280,0002024 tax year
- Foundation for Cottage Rehabilitation · Rebuild & renew; the new crh at gvch$250,0002024 tax year
Grants to organisations listed in the foundation’s Form 990-PF filings. Grants to individuals are not shown.
Officers and directors
- Jenna M Burkey — Second Vice President
- Jared P Burkey — Director
- Brad Burkey — Director
- Brett L Burkey — First Vice President
- Shelby Hughes — Secretary
- Charles C Gray — Treasurer
- Noelle Claeyssens Burkey — President
From the latest Form 990-PF filing
3 years of tax filings
| Year | Total expenses | Grants paid | Assets | Filing document |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 tax year | $22,226,457 | $7,715,500 | $158,981,394 | Filing for 2022 tax year |
| 2023 tax year | $21,029,545 | $7,768,250 | $180,141,067 | Filing for 2023 tax year |
| 2024 tax year | $22,280,930 | $8,448,500 | $185,137,837 | 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
🎯 You've done the research. Now write an application they can't refuse.
Hinchilla combines funder's specific priorities with your organisation's past successful grants and AI analysis of what reviewers want to see.
Data privacy and security by default
Your organisation's past successful grants and experience
AI analysis of what reviewers want to see
A compelling draft application in 10 minutes instead of 10 hours
Spotted something that needs correcting? Let us know
At a glance
Applying to The Wood-Claeyssens Foundation?
Hinchilla drafts your answers around this funder's priorities, using your organisation's own documents.
No credit card required
Contact
- (805) 966-0543
- grants@woodclaeyssensfoundation.org
- Santa Barbara, CA
- woodclaeyssensfoundation.org
Applying to The Wood-Claeyssens Foundation?
Hinchilla drafts your answers around this funder's priorities, using your organisation's own documents.
No credit card required
Contact
- (805) 966-0543
- grants@woodclaeyssensfoundation.org
- Santa Barbara, CA
- woodclaeyssensfoundation.org