Spanninga Family Foundation

Quick Stats

• Annual Giving: $324,218 (2024)
• Success Rate: Not publicly available
• Decision Time: Not publicly available
• Grant Range: Approximately $324,000 (based on single 2024 grant)
• Geographic Focus: California (with some Florida activity)

Contact Details

• Website: None identified
• Phone: Not publicly available
• Email: Not publicly available
• Mailing Address: 401 B Street, Suite 2400, San Diego, CA 92101

Overview

The Spanninga Family Foundation is a private non-operating foundation established in 2022 with assets of approximately $10.8 million. Based in San Diego, California, the foundation focuses primarily on education and educational services. As a newly established but well-capitalized foundation managed entirely by volunteer family members, it operates without public grant guidelines or an open application process. The foundation awarded $324,218 in grants in 2024, demonstrating significant grant-making capacity. Their documented support includes endowed scholarship programs for community college transfer students, particularly those who demonstrate both academic merit and financial self-sufficiency.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

While specific grant programs are not publicly detailed, the foundation has established:

• Educational Endowments: $324,000+ for scholarship programs supporting transfer students
• Focus: Community college to four-year university pathways

Priority Areas

• Education and educational services
• Community college transfer student support
• Merit-based scholarship programs
• Student financial assistance programs

What They Don't Fund

Not publicly specified, but as a private foundation focused on education, likely excludes non-educational initiatives

Governance and Leadership

The foundation is managed entirely by family members serving without compensation:

• Donald Spanninga - President/CEO and Director (San Diego, CA)
• Paul Spanninga - Secretary and Director (Arcata, CA)
• Christopher Spanninga - Treasurer/CFO and Director (Brooklyn, NY)

All board positions are volunteer roles with no reported compensation.

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

This funder does not have a public application process. Grants appear to be awarded through board discretion and established relationships. The foundation is listed as having "0 live grant opportunities" in grant databases, suggesting they do not accept unsolicited applications through traditional channels.

Getting on Their Radar

Based on their documented grant-making pattern, the foundation appears to identify beneficiaries through board connections and strategic partnerships with educational institutions. Their support of the University of South Florida's Spanninga Family Endowed Scholarship suggests they work directly with universities to establish endowed programs rather than through open application processes.

Decision Timeline

Not publicly available

Success Rates

Not publicly available

Reapplication Policy

Not publicly specified

Application Success Factors

Based on the foundation's documented grant to the University of South Florida, successful recipients demonstrate:

• Strong focus on community college transfer pathways
• Programs supporting students with demonstrated work ethic who support themselves financially
• Merit-based criteria combined with financial need considerations
• Sustainable endowment models rather than one-time grants
• Educational institutions with significant transfer student populations

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

• The foundation operates without public grant guidelines or open application processes
• Focus exclusively on education, particularly community college transfer student support
• Foundation prefers endowed scholarship programs over one-time grants
• With $10.8 million in assets and low operating expenses, the foundation has significant untapped grant-making capacity
• As a new foundation (established 2022), grant-making patterns are still developing
• Direct outreach to the mailing address may be the only avenue for initial contact
• Research connections through board members or past grant recipients for potential introductions

References

• Charity Navigator Foundation Profile (accessed February 26, 2026)
• CauseIQ Foundation Database Entry (accessed February 26, 2026)
• Instrumentl Grant Database (accessed February 26, 2026)
• Grantable.co Foundation Profile (accessed February 26, 2026)
• University of South Florida Spanninga Family Endowed Scholarship documentation (accessed February 26, 2026)
• IRS Tax Exempt Organization Database - EIN 88-2081855 (accessed February 26, 2026)
• BizProfile.net California Entity Filing Information (accessed February 26, 2026)