Essential Foundation | Foundation Profile

GrantBay analyzes IRS Form 990-PF data to help grant seekers find fit funders like Essential Foundation. Data shown is extracted from Form 990-PF filings.

EIN: 74-3072546

Foundation Overview

Based in San Diego, CA, Essential Foundation has awarded 86 grants totaling $843,604 to organizations in California, Virginia and 6 other states, plus international recipients. Individual grants range from $100 to $86,000, with a median award of $5,000.

Latest Tax Year
2023
Total Giving (all years)
$843,604
Total Assets
$90,875
Median Grant (all grants)
$5,000

Latest Form 990-PF Snapshot

Total Grants
20
Median Grant
$7,500
% Median Grant Decline
-25% (vs previous year)
Data extracted from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Last filing year: February 2026

Foundation Intelligence

Advanced analytics and strategic insights to help nonprofit organizations assess grant opportunities and optimize their application strategies

New Applicant Friendliness
Balanced Approach: 50%

10 of 20 recipients (50%) were new grantees. Foundation maintains loyal partnerships while remaining open to qualified new applicants with strong proposals.

Geographic Focus
California

76% of all grants are concentrated in California, demonstrating highly focused geographic giving. This foundation prioritizes deep community impact in its primary service area. Within California, funding concentrates in San Diego (49%), Los Angeles (20%), Santa Ana (6%).

Funding Trajectory
-38%

Declining funding trend with 38% decrease over 7 years may indicate reduced grant opportunities or shifting foundation priorities. This trajectory suggests more competitive application environment.

Program Areas
Community Projects

Highly focused on community projects with 100% of funding dedicated to this sector. This specialization indicates deep expertise and committed investment in the field.

Where is The Money Going?

Loading geographic data...
Loading chart...
Loading chart...
Loading chart...

Grants & Funding

Analyzing past grantees provides valuable insights into Essential Foundation's funding preferences, organizational priorities, and grant making patterns. This historical data helps potential applicants understand the foundation's strategic focus and identify successful funding approaches.

Name Amount Location Purpose Year
Commission On Voluntary Service & Action $10,000 Los Angeles, CA, US General Program Support 2023
Junior Achievement Of Greater Hampton Roads $1,000 Virginia Beach, VA, US General Program Support 2023
Leverage Leadership Co Priority Living $20,000 Tustin, CA, US General Program Support 2023
Naval Submarine League $12,500 Alexandria, VA, US General Program Support 2023
Navy Fleet Week Foundation $750 San Diego, CA, US General Program Support 2023
Navy League Of The Us Honolulu Council $5,000 Aiea, HI, US General Program Support 2023
Ndia San Diego $500 San Diego, CA, US General Program Support 2023
The Legacy - Rolf Benirschke Invitational $10,000 Del Mar, CA, US General Program Support 2023
United Through Reading $10,000 San Diego, VA, US General Program Support 2023
University Of Southern California $5,000 Los Angeles, CA, US General Program Support 2023
Commission On Voluntary Service & Action $10,000 Los Angeles, CA, US General Program Support 2023
Junior Achievement Of Greater Hampton Roads $1,000 Virginia Beach, VA, US General Program Support 2023
Leverage Leadership Co Priority Living $20,000 Tustin, CA, US General Program Support 2023
Naval Submarine League $12,500 Alexandria, VA, US General Program Support 2023
Navy Fleet Week Foundation $750 San Diego, CA, US General Program Support 2023
Navy League Of The Us Honolulu Council $5,000 Aiea, HI, US General Program Support 2023
Ndia San Diego $500 San Diego, CA, US General Program Support 2023
The Legacy - Rolf Benirschke Invitational $10,000 Del Mar, CA, US General Program Support 2023
United Through Reading $10,000 San Diego, VA, US General Program Support 2023
University Of Southern California $5,000 Los Angeles, CA, US General Program Support 2023
Navy Fleet Week Foundation $1,100 San Diego, CA, US General Program Support 2022
Navy Marine League $12,500 Arlington, VA, US General Program Support 2022
Sovereign Grace Church (aka - Citizens Church La) $80,000 Los Angeles, CA, US General Program Support 2022
The Legacy Foundation $10,000 Santa Ana, CA, US General Program Support 2022
United Through Reading $10,000 San Diego, CA, US General Program Support 2022
Navy Fleet Week Foundation $1,100 San Diego, CA, US General Program Support 2022
Navy Marine League $12,500 Arlington, VA, US General Program Support 2022
Sovereign Grace Church (Aka - Citizens Church La) $80,000 Los Angeles, CA, US General Program Support 2022
The Legacy Foundation $10,000 Santa Ana, CA, US General Program Support 2022
United Through Reading $10,000 San Diego, CA, US General Program Support 2022
Navy Fleet Week Foundation $1,100 San Diego, CA, US General Program Support 2022
Navy Marine League $12,500 Arlington, VA, US General Program Support 2022
Sovereign Grace Church (Aka - Citizens Church La) $80,000 Los Angeles, CA, US General Program Support 2022
The Legacy Foundation $10,000 Santa Ana, CA, US General Program Support 2022
United Through Reading $10,000 San Diego, CA, US General Program Support 2022
Good Tidings Foundation $1,300 Burlingame, CA, US General Program Support 2021
Miramar National Cemetery Support Foundation $10,000 San Diego, CA, US General Program Support 2021
Navy Fleet Week Foundation $500 San Diego, CA, US General Program Support 2021
Scpga Foundation $3,300 N/a, ONTARIO, CA General Program Support 2021
Special Operations Force Support Foundation $2,500 Arlington, VA, US General Program Support 2021
The Legacy Foundation $10,000 Santa Ana, CA, US General Program Support 2021
Uc San Diego Foundation $5,438 La Jolla, CA, US General Program Support 2021
United Through Reading $20,100 San Diego, CA, US General Program Support 2021
Commission On Voluntary Service And Action $25,000 Los Angeles, CA, US General Program Support 2020
Edify $10,000 San Diego, CA, US General Program Support 2020
Family Id $15,000 Edmond, OK, US General Program Support 2020
Joe Grohman Foundation $5,000 Fullerton, CA, US General Program Support 2020
Navy Fleet Week Foundation $1,000 San Diego, CA, US General Program Support 2020
Navy Intelligence Professional $500 Burke, VA, US General Program Support 2020
Priority Living - The Master's Program $20,000 Corona, CA, US General Program Support 2020
Redeemer San Diego $20,000 Encinitas, CA, US General Program Support 2020
Santa Fe Christian Schools $5,000 Solana Beach, CA, US General Program Support 2020
United Through Reading $10,000 San Diego, CA, US General Program Support 2020
University Of Southern California $15,000 Los Angeles, CA, US General Program Support 2020
Blue Angels Foundation $500 Pace, FL, US General Program Support - Operation Promise 2018
Commission On Voluntary Service & Action $2,738 Los Angeles, CA, US General Program Support 2018
Pancreatic Cancer Action Network (2018 Purple Stride San Diego) $500 Manhattan Beach, CA, US General Program Support 2018
Rolf Benirschke Legacy Foundation $2,000 San Diego, CA, US General Program Support 2018
Saved In America $1,500 Oceanside, CA, US General Program Support - Operation Promise 2018
Support The Enlisted Project $10,000 San Diego, CA, US General Program Support - Operation Promise 2018
The Rosie Network $500 San Diego, CA, US General Program Support - Operation Promise 2018
United Through Reading $10,000 San Diego, CA, US General Program Support - Operation Promise 2018
University Of Southern California $3,000 Los Angeles, CA, US General Program Support 2018
Uso Of Metropolitan New York $5,000 New York, NY, US General Program Support 2018
World Vision $2,000 Federal Way, WA, US General Program Support 2018
Armed Services Ymca San Diego $1,000 San Diego, CA, US General Program Support - Operation Promise 2017
The Rosie Network $1,000 San Diego, CA, US General Program Support - Operation Promise 2017
The Salute Military Golf Association (smga) $1,000 Silver Spring, MD, US General Program Support - Operation Promise 2017
United Through Reading $5,396 San Diego, CA, US General Program Support - Operation Promise 2017
Usc Viterbi School Of Engineering $4,000 Los Angeles, CA, US General Program Support 2017
Kcm $100 La Mirada, CA, US General Program Support 2017
Lynch Foundation For Children $1,000 Rancho Santa Fe, CA, US General Program Support 2017
Ndia San Diego $1,000 San Diego, CA, US General Program Support - Operation Promise 2017
Francis Parker School $1,000 San Diego, CA, US General Program Support 2016
Global Children Foundation $250 La Mesa, CA, US General Program Support 2016
Priority Living $10,000 San Diego, CA, US General Program Support 2016
Rolf Benirschke Legacy Foundation $2,000 San Diego, CA, US General Program Support 2016
San Diego Armed Forces Ymca $1,000 San Diego, CA, US General Program Support 2016
Seal Nsw Family $1,000 Carlsbad, CA, US General Program Support - Operation Promise 2016
Surface Navy Association San Diego $750 San Diego, CA, US General Program Support 2016
The Bridge Church $2,500 San Diego, CA, US General Program Support 2016
The Rosie Network $10,432 San Diego, CA, US General Program Support - Operation Promise 2016
The Salute Military Golf Association (smga) $1,000 Silver Spring, MD, US General Program Support - Operation Promise 2016
United Through Reading $5,000 San Diego, CA, US General Program Support - Operation Promise 2016
University Of Southern California $86,000 Los Angeles, CA, US General Program Support 2016
Usnaaa Hampton Roads Chapter $500 Virginia Beach, VA, US General Program Support 2016

Foundations Similar to Essential Foundation

Discover 5 foundations with comparable assets ($90,349-$91,301), similar grant patterns, and geographic focus in CA that may also align with your organization's funding needs and grant seeking strategy.

Foundation Name Total Assets Typical Grant Size Service Area Similarity Match

EIN: 81-1191280 | 279 grants awarded
$90,808
(≈ Similar)
$5,000
median grant
Santa Monica, CA
Same state
100%
Excellent match

EIN: 20-8088818 | 322 grants awarded
$90,974
(≈ Similar)
$5,000
median grant
Palos Verdes, CA
Same state
100%
Excellent match

EIN: 47-2672726 | 51 grants awarded
$91,301
(≈ Similar)
$5,000
median grant
La Jolla, CA
Same state
100%
Excellent match

EIN: 88-4414732 | 1 grants awarded
$90,398
(≈ Similar)
$5,625
median grant
San Diego, CA
Same state
100%
Excellent match

EIN: 77-6160326 | 11 grants awarded
$90,349
(≈ Similar)
$5,000
median grant
Salinas, CA
Same state
100%
Excellent match

Contact Information

Official contact details for Essential Foundation as registered with the IRS. These details are essential for grant applications, correspondence, and due diligence processes.

EIN 74-3072546
Website N/A
Address 9444 BALBOA AVE STE 100 San Diego, CA 92123-4351

Key People (2)

Board members, trustees, and key staff who oversee Essential Foundation's grant making decisions and strategic direction. Understanding leadership composition can provide insights into foundation priorities and potential networking opportunities.

Ceo Bryan B Min
Secretary Julie Min

Forms 990-PF

IRS Form 990-PF filings provide comprehensive financial information, grant details, and operational data. These documents are essential resources for understanding foundation capacity, giving patterns, and strategic priorities.

Form 990-PF Research Tips
  • Review Part XV for detailed grant recipient information and funding purposes
  • Check Part I for total assets, annual giving amounts, and payout requirements
  • Examine Part VIII for key personnel compensation and board structure
  • Look for trends across multiple years to understand giving patterns

About This Foundation Profile

This comprehensive foundation profile for Essential Foundation is powered by Grant Bay's advanced foundation research platform. Our system analyzes IRS Form 990-PF filings, grant histories, and philanthropic patterns to provide nonprofit organizations with actionable intelligence for grant seeking success.

Data Sources & Accuracy

All information is derived from official IRS filings and public records. Grant Bay processes thousands of Form 990-PF documents to extract grant details, financial data, and organizational information. Data accuracy depends on foundation reporting quality and IRS filing completeness.

Research Applications

Use this profile for prospect research, grant strategy development, application preparation, and relationship building. Combine this data with additional research on foundation priorities, application processes, and board member backgrounds for comprehensive grant seeking strategies.

Data Currency: Last updated February 2026 based on IRS Form 990-PF filings. Foundation information reflects most recent available tax year data.