FundersCalifornia

Wild Wisdom Foundation Inc (formerly

La Jolla, CA · EIN 27-3183913. Reported 215 grants totalling $10.7M to 107 organizations across tax years 2021-2024. This foundation did not tell the IRS it funds only preselected organizations.

Yesaccepts unsolicited requests
$15,000median grant
$10.7Mgranted, 2021-2024
107organizations funded
61%of grantees funded again the next year
$3,810,265assets, latest filing

Does this foundation accept applications?

Yes -- on its own tax return. Form 990-PF asks every private foundation whether it makes grants only to organizations it selects itself. Of the 91,758 foundations in our data that made a grant and answered, 78% said yes -- and applying to those is wasted effort. Wild Wisdom Foundation Inc (formerly did not check that box on its most recent filing, which puts it in the minority that is at least open to being approached.

This is the foundation's own statement to the IRS, not our judgement, and it says nothing about whether they have a form, a deadline, or an appetite for new grantees. Treat it as the reason this foundation is worth your research time, not as an invitation. Many small foundations of this kind have no website and no application process -- a letter of inquiry is the normal first step.

How big are its grants?

The median grant is $15,000. Half of everything it gave fell between $10,000 and $20,000; the smallest was $100 and the largest $2,178,133. If you are asking for materially more than the top of that range, you are asking the wrong foundation.

Under $1,000
12 grants
$1,000 - $5,000
31 grants
$5,000 - $10,000
8 grants
$10,000 - $25,000
123 grants
$25,000 - $50,000
21 grants
$50,000 - $100,000
8 grants
$100,000 and Up
12 grants

Every organization it funded

This is the complete list from its filings, largest first. Years funded is the number of separate tax years in which the organization received money -- more than one means a real relationship rather than a one-off.

OrganizationLocationTotal receivedGrantsYears fundedLast
The Annie Dunne Donor Advised FundSan Diego, CA$2,544,346222022
Gloriana Donor Advised FundLa Jolla, CA$1,500,000112021
Raymond James Charitable (annie Dunne Fund)St Petersburg, FL$1,500,000222024
Nature CollectiveSolana Beach, CA$600,000332023
Nature & Culture IntlDel Mar, CA$560,019442024
Raymond James Charitable (gloriana Fund)St Petersburg, FL$550,000222024
WildcoastDel Mar, CA$338,500222024
Oceanside Museum of ArtOceanside, CA$161,041222024
Strategic Energy InnovationsSan Rafael, CA$140,000332023
The Human Nature CenterVentura, CA$129,000442024
Common VisionBerkeley, CA$125,000442024
Ica San DiegoEncinitas, CA$112,500332024
Occidental CollegeLos Angeles, CA$100,500442024
Guided DiscoveriesClaremont, CA$90,000442024
Ocean Knoll ElementaryEncinitas, CA$75,546332023
Vista UnifiedVista, CA$75,000112021
Watsonville Charter School of the ArtsWatsonville, CA$72,000442024
Cadman PTASan Diego, CA$70,000442024
Rowan PTASan Diego, CA$70,000442024
Whitman ElementarySan Diego, CA$70,000442024
Friends of Valencia ParkSan Diego, CA$68,000442024
Clairemont Canyons AcademySan Diego, CA$65,000442024
Holmes ElementarySan Diego, CA$65,000442024
Lafayette PTASan Diego, CA$65,000442024
Longfellow Elementary PTO (los Compadres)San Diego, CA$65,000442024
Toler Elementary PTASan Diego, CA$65,000442024
Field PTASan Diego, CA$59,685442024
Encinitas Unified School District (capri)Encinitas, CA$55,000332024
Gage ElementarySan Diego, CA$55,000332024
Hawthorne ElementarySan Diego, CA$55,000442024
Vista La Mesa AcademyLa Mesa, CA$55,000332024
Bay Park ElementarySan Diego, CA$50,000332023
CASA De Oro ElementarySpring Valley, CA$50,000332023
Jefferson PTACarlsbad, CA$50,000442024
South O PTOOceanside, CA$50,000442024
The Ecology CenterSan Juan Capistrano, CA$41,710442024
Lemon Ave Elementary PTALa Mesa, CA$41,462442024
Foster ElementarySan Diego, CA$40,000222024
Juarez ElementarySan Diego, CA$40,000222024
Life LabSanta Cruz, CA$35,500112021
Sage Garden Project of CaliforniaLa Jolla, CA$35,000112024
Vista Unified (casita Center)Vista, CA$35,000332024
Burbank ElementarySan Diego, CA$30,000222022
Curie ElementarySan Diego, CA$30,000222024
Darnall Charter SchoolSan Diego, CA$30,000112024
Darnell CharterSan Diego, CA$30,000222022
La Mesa ElementaryLa Mesa, CA$30,000222022
One Cool EarthSan Luis Obispo, CA$30,000112021
Otay ElementaryChula Vista, CA$30,000222022
Pasadena Education FoundationPasadena, CA$30,000112021
Pasadena Educational FoundationS Pasadena, CA$30,000112022
Sequoia PTASan Diego, CA$30,000222022
EarthjusticeSan Francisco, CA$25,000112022
Hancock PtfSan Diego, CA$25,000222022
Amnesty InternationalNew York, NY$20,000222024
Alcott Elementary SchoolSan Diego, CA$15,000112021
Arches (jamul Elementary)Jamul, CA$15,000112021
Camp Read for KidsVisalia, CA$15,000112021
Crestwood PTAVisalia, CA$15,000112021
Encinitas Unified School DistrictEncinitas, CA$15,000112021
Food Literacy CenterSacramento, CA$15,000112021
Hamilton ElementarySan Diego, CA$15,000112022
Lakeside Farms ElementaryLakeside, CA$15,000112021
Louisa May Alcott PTASan Diego, CA$15,000112022
Mea-Mt Everest AcademySan Diego, CA$15,000112021
San Diego Cooperative Charter SchoolSan Diego, CA$15,000112022
Boys to MenSpring Valley, CA$14,000332024
Muttly Crew IncLake Forest, CA$11,000222022
Bella Monte Montessori AcademyVista, CA$10,000112021
Chesterton PTASan Diego, CA$10,000112021
Mdusd Education FoundationConcord, CA$10,000112021
San Dieguito River Valley ConservancySan Diego, CA$10,000112022
Boys and Girls Club Solana BeachSolana Beach, CA$7,500112024
Synergy Arb FoundationSolana Beach, CA$5,546112023
Chefs De Cuisine FoundationSan Diego, CA$5,000112022
Compassion and ChoicesPortland, OR$5,000112022
Native American Food Sovereignty AllianceFlagstaff, AZ$5,000112022
San Diego Children & NatureSan Diego, CA$5,000112023
Explore EcologySanta Barbara, CA$4,500112021
Planned Parenthood of CaSacramento, CA$3,500222022
Surfrider FoundationSan Clemente, CA$3,250332024
Batiquitos Lagoon FoundationCarlsbad, CA$2,500112024
Frosted FacesRamona, CA$2,500112022
Master GardenersSan Diego, CA$2,500112021
Campaign for TibetWashington, DC$2,200222022
Daybreak ChurchCarlsbad, CA$2,000112022
International Campaign for TibetWashington, DC$2,000112024
Safina CenterSetauket, NY$2,000222024
San Diego Archaeological CenterEscondido, CA$2,000112022
Ssafa- the Armed Forces CharityLondon, London$1,839112022
Stichting Werkgroep De RuyterRijnsburg, Netherlands$1,595112022
Doctors Without BordersHagerstown, MD$1,500112021
Ilan-Lael FoundationSanta Ysabel, CA$1,150112023
Nature ConservancyArlington, VA$1,000112023
Partners for TibetWashington, DC$1,000112023
San Diego Food BankSan Diego, CA$1,000112024
Save the ChildrenFairfield, CT$1,000222022
Ventura School DistrictVentura, CA$1,000112021
World Central KitchenWashington, DC$1,000112024
World Wildlife FundWashington, DC$1,000112022
Museum Contemporary Art San DiegoLa Jolla, CA$600222024
Cambria ElementaryCambria, CA$500112021
Loreto Street ElementaryLos Angeles, CA$500112021
Santa Rosa AcademyAtascadero, CA$500112021
National Resource Defense CouncilNew York, NY$250112021
GreenpeaceWashington, DC$200112023
Sierra ClubOakland, CA$100112022

54 of 107 (50%) received money in more than one year over the 4 years we hold.

Measured the way we measure every foundation -- what share of one year's grantees are funded again the next -- this one retains 61%, across 3 year-to-year transitions. The median foundation retains about 67%, so this one is about typical. A high number means its list is close to settled and a newcomer has to displace someone; a low one means it is still moving money around, which is where an opening is.

What kind of organizations it funds

By the recipient's own IRS classification, for the 55 grants where we could identify the organization. These are assigned categories, not our guesses.

Environment
31 grants
Arts & Culture
5 grants
Education
5 grants
International Affairs
3 grants
Animal Welfare
3 grants
Food & Nutrition
2 grants
Religion
2 grants
Philanthropy & Grantmaking
2 grants

Giving by year

Tax yearGrantsTotalMedian grant
202162$5,201,695$15,000
202260$1,701,720$15,000
202348$1,688,158$20,000
202445$2,110,966$15,000

Tax years, not calendar years, and the most recent year is usually incomplete -- filings arrive about a year late, so a low final year means late paperwork rather than a foundation winding down.

Where its money goes

Foundations concentrate geographically far more than their mission statements suggest. 80% of this one's giving went to organizations in California. If you are outside its footprint, that matters more than how well your programme fits.

California
$8.6M
Florida
$2.0M
New York
$22K
District of Columbia
$7K
Oregon
$5K
Arizona
$5K
London
$2K
Netherlands
$2K

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Funders that support the same organizations

These funders gave to organizations this one also funded -- some private foundations, some community foundations and other grantmaking charities. Shared grantees are the strongest available signal that two funders have overlapping priorities, and a funder already backing your peers is a far warmer prospect than one that merely lists your cause.

Fidelity Investments Charitable Gift Fund20 shared recipientsDonor Advised Charitable Giving Inc16 shared recipientsVanguard Charitable Endowment Program16 shared recipientsAmerican Online Giving Foundation Inc15 shared recipientsNational Philanthropic Trust14 shared recipientsMorgan Stanley Global Impact Funding Trust Inc13 shared recipients

How to approach this foundation

  1. Check you are its size. The median grant is $15,000. Asking for ten times that is the most common way small organizations waste a submission.
  2. Check you are in its geography. Its giving is concentrated in California.
  3. Read the recipient list above for organizations like yours. If nothing on it resembles your work, that is a real answer, and a cheap one to get.
  4. Look up the current filing before writing. The 990-PF names the foundation's officers and, where one exists, its application procedure. We link it below.

Related guides

Foundations funding environment in CaliforniaEvery funder in this group, rankedFoundations funding arts & culture in CaliforniaEvery funder in this group, rankedFoundations funding education in CaliforniaEvery funder in this group, rankedFoundations funding international affairs in CaliforniaEvery funder in this group, ranked

Where these numbers come from

Everything above is taken from Wild Wisdom Foundation Inc (formerly's own Form 990-PF filings, which the IRS publishes in bulk. We used 4 returns (tax years 2021-2024). Nothing here is scraped, inferred, or estimated.

Address of record on the latest return: 7755 Fay Ave D, La Jolla, CA, 92037. This is the address the foundation gave the IRS; many small foundations file through an accountant or a bank trust department, so it may not be where post to a programme officer should go.

EIN 27-3183913 · See the original filings on ProPublica · How we build this

This is history, not an open call. Foundation returns are published about a year after the tax year ends. Nothing on this page is a deadline. It is a record of who this foundation has actually funded, which is the best available predictor of who it will fund next -- and a much better basis for deciding whether to write to them than a mission statement.

Is something here wrong about your foundation? Email [email protected] and we will correct it.