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Stewardship Foundation

Annual Giving
$4.6M
Grant Range
$0K - $3.0M

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Stewardship Foundation

Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: $4,580,000 (2023)
  • Success Rate: Not applicable (invitation only)
  • Decision Time: Not publicly disclosed
  • Grant Range: $200 - $3,000,000
  • Average Grant: $60,263
  • Geographic Focus: Primarily California and Michigan, with national reach (based on recent 990-PF records)
  • Total Assets: $153,035,601 (2023)

Contact Details

Address: 1564 Mission Rd, Escondido, CA 92029-1105

Phone: (760) 745-0556

EIN: 33-0273191

Note: The foundation does not accept unsolicited applications and makes contributions only to preselected charitable organisations.

Overview

The Stewardship Foundation was established in 1987 as a private family foundation based in Escondido, California. With total assets exceeding $153 million as of 2023, the foundation provides resources to Christ-centred organisations whose mission is to share faith in Jesus Christ with people throughout the world. The foundation distributed approximately $4.6 million in grants across 76 awards in 2023. Leadership includes Jacob Brouwer (President), Jeanette Brouwer (CFO), and Arnold Veldkamp (Secretary), all of whom serve without compensation. The foundation focuses primarily on Christian education institutions, theological seminaries, churches, missionary organisations, and human service agencies aligned with Christian values.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programmes

The foundation operates on an invitation-only basis and does not have formal grant programmes with application cycles. Grant decisions are made by trustees for preselected charitable organisations.

Grant Distribution Pattern:

  • Large institutional grants: $100,000 - $3,000,000 (major Christian colleges, seminaries, and established ministries)
  • Mid-range grants: $25,000 - $99,999 (established churches and Christian organisations)
  • Smaller grants: $200 - $24,999 (majority of grants fall in the $5,000-$24,999 range)

Recent Major Recipients (2023):

  • Meadowbrook Village: $3,000,000
  • Providence Christian College: $600,000
  • Westminster Seminary: $400,000
  • San Diego Rescue Mission: $300,000

Priority Areas

The foundation supports organisations in the following areas:

Education:

  • Christian colleges and universities
  • Theological seminaries
  • Graduate and professional education programmes
  • Christian K-12 schools

Religion and Theology:

  • Churches (particularly Reformed and evangelical traditions)
  • Theological education institutions
  • Christian ministry organisations
  • Missionary organisations

Human Services:

  • Rescue missions
  • Youth development programmes
  • Youth services
  • Community service organisations with Christian missions

Geographic Priorities:

  • Strong presence in California (29 grants in 2023)
  • Significant support in Michigan (15 grants in 2023)
  • National reach across the United States
  • Some international missionary support

What They Don't Fund

While not explicitly stated, the foundation's giving pattern indicates they typically do not fund:

  • Secular organisations
  • Organisations without a clear Christian mission
  • Individual scholarship requests
  • Organisations outside their preselected network
  • Multi-year commitments are rare (grants typically for one year)

Important Limitation: Grants are generally limited to 10% of an organisation's total operating revenue.

Governance and Leadership

Key Personnel

Jacob Brouwer - President

  • Serves without compensation
  • Based in Escondido, California
  • Has business connections in the region

Jeanette Brouwer - Chief Financial Officer

  • Serves without compensation
  • Manages foundation finances and operations

Arnold Veldkamp - Secretary

  • Serves without compensation
  • Attorney based in Escondido, CA
  • Associated with multiple business entities in the region

All three trustees have long-standing connections to the Escondido area and appear to have maintained stable leadership of the foundation over many years.

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

This foundation does not have a public application process.

The Stewardship Foundation explicitly states: "The foundation has indicated it only makes contributions to preselected charitable organisations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds."

How Grants Are Awarded:

  • Grants are determined by trustee discretion
  • Organisations are preselected by the board
  • The foundation maintains ongoing relationships with supported organisations
  • Many recipients receive repeat funding year after year

Getting on Their Radar

The foundation operates through established relationships and trustee knowledge of organisations. Based on available information, the following patterns emerge:

Organisations Most Likely to Be Considered:

  • Christian educational institutions with strong theological foundations
  • Organisations with connections to Reformed or evangelical traditions
  • Established ministries with proven track records
  • Organisations located in California and Michigan
  • Institutions where trustees may have personal knowledge or board connections

Relationship Indicators:

  • The foundation has supported Westminster Seminary, suggesting connections to Reformed theological education
  • Support for Providence Christian College and other Christian colleges indicates interest in higher education
  • Grants to San Diego Rescue Mission show interest in local Christian social services
  • The foundation's 563 total awards over 14 years suggest a stable network of supported organisations

Note: Given that Jacob Brouwer, Jeanette Brouwer, and Arnold Veldkamp all serve without compensation and have Escondido connections, the foundation appears to be a family foundation with giving directed by personal knowledge and theological alignment.

Decision Timeline

Not publicly disclosed. As an invitation-only foundation, there are no published decision cycles or notification timelines.

Success Rates

Not applicable - the foundation does not accept applications from the general public.

Reapplication Policy

Not applicable for unsolicited requests. Organisations already in relationship with the foundation may receive recurring support, as evidenced by the pattern of ongoing grants to certain institutions.

Application Success Factors

Since this foundation operates on an invitation-only basis, traditional application success factors do not apply. However, the giving patterns reveal important insights:

Organisational Characteristics of Funded Recipients:

  1. Strong Christian Identity: All recipients demonstrate clear commitment to Christian faith and mission, particularly in sharing the gospel message.

  2. Educational Excellence: Educational institutions receiving support (Westminster Seminary, Providence Christian College) are established institutions with strong reputations in Christian higher education and theological training.

  3. Theological Alignment: The foundation shows preference for Reformed and evangelical theological traditions, as evidenced by support for Westminster Seminary and Reformed-oriented institutions.

  4. Established Organisations: Recipients tend to be well-established institutions with proven track records rather than new or emerging organisations.

  5. Mission Clarity: Supported organisations have clear missions focused on "bringing people into a relationship with God through faith in Jesus Christ" - language that aligns with the foundation's stated purpose.

  6. Geographic Proximity or Connection: Strong preference for California-based organisations (29 of 76 grants in 2023), particularly in Southern California, and Michigan organisations (15 of 76 grants).

Grant Size Patterns:

  • Large institutional grants ($600,000 to Providence Christian College, $400,000 to Westminster Seminary) go to established Christian education institutions
  • Mid-range grants support established churches and ministries
  • Smaller grants ($5,000-$24,999) comprise the majority (32 grants in this range in 2023)

For Organisations Seeking Similar Funding: Since direct application is not possible, organisations with similar profiles might consider:

  • Building relationships with trustees or board members through sector networking
  • Ensuring strong presence in Christian education or ministry circles where trustees are active
  • Focusing on other foundations with similar Christian education and ministry priorities that do accept applications

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  1. No Public Application Process: This foundation is not accessible through traditional grant applications. It operates exclusively on a preselected, invitation-only basis.

  2. Relationship-Based Giving: The foundation's model is built on trustee knowledge, personal connections, and long-term relationships with supported organisations.

  3. Christian Mission Essential: Only organisations with clear Christ-centred missions and goals of sharing Christian faith will be considered.

  4. Educational Focus: Strong preference for Christian higher education, particularly theological seminaries and Christian colleges.

  5. Geographic Concentration: California (especially Southern California) and Michigan organisations receive the majority of grants, suggesting trustee connections in these regions.

  6. Grant Size Variation: While the foundation can make very large grants ($3M to Meadowbrook Village), the majority of grants fall in the $5,000-$24,999 range, with an average grant of $60,263.

  7. Alternative Strategy: Grant writers should focus efforts on foundations with similar Christian education and ministry priorities that do accept public applications, rather than attempting to solicit this foundation.

References

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