The Confidence Foundation
At a glance
This funder does not accept unsolicited applications. The foundation chooses the organisations it funds itself.
Key takeaways
- The foundation states that it does not accept unsolicited requests and works by invitation only, so an unsolicited proposal is not something it says it will consider; a small charity should look for a route to an invitation before writing anything.
- Its giving spans a broad range of causes, including youth and education, health, animal welfare, arts and the environment, so fit depends more on whether it invites you than on cause.
- Most grants are modest: about 8 in 10 fall between $1,000 and $50,000, half are $5,000 or less and the median is $5,000, so a request around that size is a realistic benchmark rather than a ceiling, since its largest grant was about $385,000.
- Repeat giving is strong, with 85% of grant dollars to organisations going to groups it had also funded in earlier filings, so building a relationship that leads to an invitation matters more than a first approach.
- Its geographic focus is not stated; the filings show grants mainly in California, Missouri, Idaho and Washington, but that pattern is not a rule, so organisations elsewhere should not rule themselves out on that basis.
Overview
The Confidence Foundation is a US private foundation based in Pasadena, CA.
What they fund
Profile based on the foundation's IRS Form 990-PF filings (TY2024, TY2023, TY2022) only: no website or other web source for the foundation was found. Every statement is checked against the filings. Sources read on 7 October 2026.
Priority Areas
The filings describe grants to public charities across a wide variety of causes, alongside a substantial stream of general operating support. Recorded recipients include youth-serving and educational organisations, schools and universities, health and medical research organisations, animal-welfare organisations, arts and cultural institutions, environmental and conservation groups, food banks and community services. Other grants support scholarships, scouting and outdoor programmes, emergency services and community facilities. The record shows a wide-ranging pattern of giving, with both general support for organisations and targeted grants for programmes and projects. Some giving is routed through a community foundation for distribution to public charities.
Geographic Focus
No geographic focus is stated; the filings show grants mainly in California, Missouri, Idaho and Washington.
How to apply
The foundation states that it does not accept unsolicited requests.
Application success factors
- Repeat giving: In its TY2024 filing, 85% 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 626 grants to organisations were $5,000 or less.
Where grants go
From grants to organisations in the foundation’s filings for tax years 2022–2024.
Grant dollars by state
6 other states: 2%
- The largest single recipient received 22% of grant dollars to organisations.
- In tax year 2024, 85% of grant dollars went to organisations The Confidence Foundation had funded in earlier filings.
- No grants were paid directly to organisations outside the US.
- 23% of grant dollars went to intermediaries that regrant to other organisations.
Grants
How much do they typically give?
Share of 215 grants in tax year 2024 by size
Median $5,000 (tax year 2024)
The largest grants to organisations in the foundation’s latest filing:
- Greater Horizons · To support various public charities on a wide variety of causes$385,5002024 tax year
- Greater Horizons · To support various public charities on a wide variety of causes$300,0002024 tax year
- Greater Horizons · To support various public charities on a wide variety of causes$300,0002024 tax year
- Greater Horizons · To support various public charities on a wide variety of causes$200,0002024 tax year
- Strength of Shadow Dog Rescue · General operating support$190,0002024 tax year
- Greater Horizons · To support various public charities on a wide variety of causes$180,0002024 tax year
- Scripps Whittier Diabetes Institute · Project dulce support - m/y grant$100,0002024 tax year
- Boy Scouts of America Aloha Council · To fund the program and operational expenses of maui county scouting$100,0002024 tax year
Grants to organisations listed in the foundation’s Form 990-PF filings. Grants to individuals are not shown.
Officers and directors
- Arlo G Sorensen — Director
- Linda J Blinkenberg — Director
- Michael J Casey — Director
- Haley Kirk Dahl — Secretary
- David A Dahl — CFO / Director
- Kimberly A Whittier — Vice President / Director
- Cheyenna Whittier — President / Director
From the latest Form 990-PF filing
3 years of tax filings
| Year | Total expenses | Grants paid | Assets | Filing document |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 tax year | $5,003,858 | $4,786,233 | $76,182,016 | Filing for 2022 tax year |
| 2023 tax year | $4,967,187 | $4,075,933 | $93,173,301 | Filing for 2023 tax year |
| 2024 tax year | $5,326,590 | $4,488,500 | $106,505,352 | 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
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At a glance
Applying to The Confidence Foundation?
Hinchilla drafts your answers around this funder's priorities, using your organisation's own documents.
No credit card required
Contact
- Pasadena, CA
Applying to The Confidence Foundation?
Hinchilla drafts your answers around this funder's priorities, using your organisation's own documents.
No credit card required
Contact
- Pasadena, CA