Patrick F Cadigan Family Foundation

Quick Stats

• Annual Giving: $14,825,000 (2024)
• Success Rate: Not publicly available (invitation/discretionary grants)
• Decision Time: Not applicable (no public application process)
• Grant Range: $10,000 - $8,200,000
• Geographic Focus: Primarily Massachusetts and California
• Total Assets: $290,312,414
• Established: 2002

Contact Details

Address: Newport Beach, CA
EIN: 33-0930701
Tax Status: 501(c)(3) Private Grantmaking Foundation

Note: The foundation does not maintain a public website or provide general contact information for grant inquiries.

Overview

The Patrick F. Cadigan Family Foundation was established in 2002 by Patrick F. Cadigan (1935-2020), a highly successful business executive and real estate investor, and his family. Patrick Cadigan served as president and CEO of the Electronic Engineering Company of California (EECO) for nearly 20 years before transitioning to real estate investment in Orange County. With assets exceeding $290 million, the foundation distributed approximately $14.8 million in grants in 2024. The foundation's mission is explicitly focused: "to fund buildings on schools and universities which reflect the kindness and generosity of Pat Cadigan," according to Dennis Delahant, Director and CEO. The foundation honors Patrick Cadigan's commitment to giving back to the Jesuit educational institutions and universities that shaped his personal and professional success. A student of legendary management theorist Peter Drucker at Claremont Graduate University, Cadigan embraced Drucker's philosophy of social responsibility and used his business success to support transformational educational infrastructure.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

The foundation operates through trustee discretion with no formal grant programs or public application process. Recent major grants include:

• Major Capital Projects: $10,000,000 - $49,000,000 (building and facility construction at educational institutions)
• Educational Infrastructure: Focused exclusively on brick-and-mortar projects (buildings, wellness complexes, academic centers)
• Number of Annual Grants: 4-10 grants per year (highly selective)

All grants are awarded at the discretion of the foundation's trustees and typically go to institutions with personal significance to the Cadigan family.

Priority Areas

Education - The foundation's exclusive focus is on educational institutions, particularly:

• Jesuit secondary schools (especially Boston College High School, Patrick Cadigan's alma mater from 1952)
• Universities where Patrick Cadigan studied (Boston College BA '57, Claremont Graduate University PhD)
• Building and facility construction projects that create lasting physical legacies
• Programs supporting entrepreneurship and the humanities (reflecting Peter Drucker's influence)

Geographic Priorities:

• Massachusetts (particularly Boston-area Jesuit institutions)
• California (Orange County and Claremont area)

What They Don't Fund

Based on their giving patterns, the foundation does not support:

• General operating expenses
• Program funding without capital/infrastructure components
• Institutions without established connections to the Cadigan family
• Organizations outside the education sector
• Individual scholarships or fellowships
• Small-scale projects (grants are typically seven figures or higher)

Governance and Leadership

Board of Directors

Dennis Delahanty - Director and Chief Executive Officer
Nathan Hanson - Director and Chief Financial Officer
Carl J. Greenwood - Director

Maria Cadigan - Daughter of Patrick Cadigan, actively represents the foundation at major gift presentations and groundbreaking ceremonies

Founder's Philosophy

Patrick Cadigan was deeply influenced by Peter Drucker's management philosophy, particularly the concept of corporate social responsibility. According to those who knew him, Cadigan "believed, as did Drucker, in the social responsibility of companies—that every company's goal isn't simply profits and shareholder dividends, but that each company has an obligation to support a functioning society with its success." This philosophy extended to his personal philanthropy.

Dennis Delahant, the foundation's CEO, articulated the foundation's mission clearly: "The mission of the Foundation is to fund buildings on schools and universities which reflect the kindness and generosity of Pat Cadigan."

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

The Patrick F. Cadigan Family Foundation does not have a public application process. All grants are made at the discretion of the foundation's trustees, typically to institutions with established connections to the Cadigan family.

The foundation awards grants exclusively to educational institutions that had personal significance to Patrick Cadigan, particularly:

• Schools he attended (BC High, Boston College, Claremont Graduate University)
• Institutions aligned with his values and educational philosophy
• Organizations where family members or trustees have existing relationships

Unsolicited applications are not accepted, and there is no application portal, guidelines, or published deadlines.

Decision Timeline

Not applicable - The foundation operates on a trustee-discretionary model with no formal application or review cycle. Major gifts appear to be planned in consultation with recipient institutions over extended periods.

Success Rates

Not applicable for unsolicited applications, as none are accepted.

Reapplication Policy

Not applicable - Organizations cannot apply or reapply without an existing relationship with the foundation.

Application Success Factors

For Organizations With Established Relationships

Given the foundation's very specific focus, the following factors characterize successful grants:

1. Direct Connection to Patrick Cadigan's Life All major grant recipients have been institutions where Patrick Cadigan studied or that aligned with his Jesuit educational background. BC High, Boston College, and Claremont Graduate University have been primary beneficiaries.

2. Major Capital Projects The foundation's mission explicitly focuses on "buildings on schools and universities." Recent grants include:

• $49 million to BC High for the Patrick F. Cadigan '52 Family Foundation Wellness Complex (largest gift in the school's 159-year history)
• $42 million to Claremont Graduate University for the School of Arts & Humanities building and entrepreneurship hub
• $15 million to Boston College for the Cadigan Alumni Center (2012)
• $12 million to BC High for arts and recreation center (2012)

3. Projects That Create Lasting Physical Legacy Dennis Delahant's statement about funding "buildings...which reflect the kindness and generosity of Pat Cadigan" indicates the foundation seeks permanent, visible monuments to the founder's values.

4. Alignment with Drucker's Philosophy The $42 million Claremont gift specifically supported both the humanities and entrepreneurship—reflecting Patrick Cadigan's belief in Peter Drucker's integration of liberal arts education with practical management and social responsibility.

5. Seven-Figure or Eight-Figure Scale Recent grants have ranged from $12 million to $49 million. The foundation makes very few grants (4-10 per year) but those grants are transformational in scale.

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

• This foundation does not accept unsolicited applications - There is no public application process, and approaching them without an established relationship is unlikely to be productive
• Relationship-driven giving - All documented grants have gone to institutions with direct personal connections to Patrick Cadigan's education and values
• Focus on permanence - The foundation funds buildings and physical infrastructure, not programs or operations
• Transformational scale - This is not a foundation for modest grants; typical awards are $10+ million for major capital projects
• Jesuit educational institutions are primary beneficiaries - BC High and Boston College have received the majority of documented grants
• California connections matter - Claremont Graduate University (where Cadigan earned his PhD under Peter Drucker) is a key beneficiary
• Mission is explicitly narrow - The foundation's stated mission is to fund buildings at schools and universities that reflect Patrick Cadigan's generosity, limiting its scope considerably

References

• Charity Navigator Profile: https://www.charitynavigator.org/ein/330930701 (Accessed January 2026)
• ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer, IRS Form 990 data: https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/330930701 (Accessed January 2026)
• Cause IQ Foundation Profile: https://www.causeiq.com/organizations/the-patrick-f-cadigan-family-foundation,330930701/ (Accessed January 2026)
• "BC HIGH RECEIVES HISTORIC $49M GIFT FROM LATE ALUMNUS PAT CADIGAN '52," BC High press release, April 2022: https://www.bchigh.edu/bc-high-receives-historic-49m-gift-from-late-alumnus-pat-cadigan-52-to-build-50000-square-foot-wellness-complex
• "Foundation of late Orange County property investor gives $49 million to Boston prep school," Orange County Register, April 11, 2022: https://www.ocregister.com/2022/04/11/foundation-of-late-orange-county-property-investor-gives-49-million-to-high-school/
• "CGU Receives Historic $42 Million Commitment in Support of Entrepreneurship and the Humanities," Claremont Graduate University, February 2022: https://www.cgu.edu/news/2022/02/cgu-receives-history-making-42-million-commitment-in-support-of-entrepreneurship-and-the-humanities/
• "Passings: Remembering Patrick F. Cadigan," Claremont Graduate University, May 2020: https://www.cgu.edu/news/2020/05/passings-remembering-patrick-f-cadigan-and-jonathan-jaffee-who-embodied-drucker-values/
• "In Memoriam: Patrick F. Cadigan," Boston College, 2020: https://www.bc.edu/bc-web/bcnews/campus-community/alumni/in-memoriam-patrick-f-cadigan.html
• "Remembering Patrick F. Cadigan BA'57, PhD," Boston College Alumni: https://www.bc.edu/bc-web/offices/alumni/sites/landing-pages/remembering-pat-cadigan.html
• "No. 49: Patrick and Tandra Cadigan," Chronicle of Philanthropy: https://www.philanthropy.com/article/no-49-patrick-and-tandra-cadigan/