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Catholic Community Foundation of San Diego

EIN 47-4949185 · San Diego, CA

Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthGood85 out of 100GovernanceStrong100 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

THE PURPOSE OF THIS ORGANIZATION IS TO FOSTER A CULTURE OF CATHOLIC STEWARDSHIP, PROVIDING A PLATFORM WHERE PEOPLE CAN CONNECT, LEARN, AND ACTIVELY CONTRIBUTE TO THE WELL BEING OF OUR SOCIETY THROUGH CATHOLIC PRINCIPLES. THE MISSION OF THE FOUNDATION IS TO FOSTER AND AMPLIFY CATHOLIC PHILANTHROPY.

Income
$5.1 million
Spending
$2.3 million
Spent on programs
86%
Reserves
41.2 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 64%
Employees
2
Volunteers
15
Highest pay
$113,343, former exec dir

Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Financial health

Good: 85 out of 100. Higher than 64% of charities in its peer group (religion, $1m to $10m).

  • Reserves

    35 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 41.2 months of spending.

  • Debt

    5 of 20

    It owes 64% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    15 of 15

    Income exceeded spending by 56% of income.

  • Income trend

    15 of 15

    Income rose 45% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    86% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 5 cents.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Governance

Strong: 100 out of 100. Higher than 85% of charities in its peer group (religion, $1m to $10m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    9 of 9 voting board members are independent.

  • Conflict of interest policy

    15 of 15

    Has a written conflict of interest policy.

  • Whistleblower policy

    8 of 8

    Has a written whistleblower policy.

  • Record keeping policy

    7 of 7

    Has a written policy on keeping and destroying records.

  • Board minutes

    5 of 5

    Keeps minutes of board meetings.

  • Board sees the tax return

    10 of 10

    Gave the board a copy of this return before filing it.

  • Pay set independently

    5 of 5

    Sets its chief executive's pay through independent review and comparison.

  • Independent check of accounts

    15 of 15

    Its accounts were audited by an independent accountant.

  • No reported misuse

    10 of 10

    Reports no diversion of assets, excess benefits or loans to insiders.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Impact evidence

Describes programs. Its tax return describes what it does but we have found no measurable results in it.

Programs described in its return (1)
  1. $1.9 million spent. THE CATHOLIC COMMUNITY FOUNDATION OF SAN DIEGO IS AN AUTONOMOUS PIOUS FOUNDATION FORMED UNDER CANON LAW AND A TAX-EXEMPT NONPROFIT UNDER CIVIL LAW. THE FOUNDATION IS INDEPENDENT FROM THE DIOCESE OF SAN DIEGO AND HAS ITS OWN BOARD OF TRUSTEES. THE FOUNDATION SERVES AS A RESOURCE FOR CREATING CATHOLIC LEGACIES AS A SPECIAL FORM OF STEWARDSHIP. AS A COMMUNITY FOUNDATION FOR CATHOLICS, WE ASSIST FAMILIES AND INDIVIDUALS TO PASS ALONG THEIR CATHOLIC HERITAGE AND VALUES TO FUTURE GENERATIONS.WE WORK TO ENCOURAGE CATHOLIC PHILANTHROPY AND THE STEWARDSHIP OF ASSETS TO GIVE BACK TO THE LORD FROM THE GIFTS HE HAS PROVIDED FOR US. WE MAKE CERTAIN THAT THE DONORS INTENTIONS ARE HONORED, AND HANDLE THE GRANTS AND DISTRIBUTIONS FROM THE FUNDS.ESTATE AND PLANNED GIVING SEMINARS ARE OFFERED TO EACH OF OUR 98 PARISHES. IN THESE SEMINARS, WE TEACH PARISHIONERS HOW TO MAKE A GIFT FROM THEIR ASSETS THROUGH THEIR WILLS OR ESTATE PLANS.THE CATHOLIC COMMUNITY FOUNDATION OF SAN DIEGO HELPS BUILD PERMANENT ENDOWMENT FUNDS FOR PARISHES, SCHOOLS AND ALL OTHER CATHOLIC MINISTRIES AND ORGANIZATIONS. WE WORK WITH PARISH AND SCHOOL LEADERS TO GROW THE ENDOWMENT FUNDS BY ENCOURAGING CATHOLICS AND OTHERS TO LEAVE LEGACIES TO THE ENDOWMENTS. TYPICALLY, THE ORIGINAL CORPUS FOR THESE FUNDS IS NOT INVADED. EARNINGS FROM THE ENDOWMENT INVESTMENTS ARE AVAILABLE TO THE DONOR FOR DISTRIBUTION ON A SEMI-ANNUAL BASIS TO CATHOLIC ORGANIZATIONS THAT ARE NEAR AND DEAR TO THEIR HEARTS.ONCE ENDOWMENTS ARE ESTABLISHED, THESE FUNDS ARE INVESTED IN A MANNER CONSISTENT WITH CATHOLIC VALUES INVESTING (CVI) STANDARDS ESTABLISHED BY THE U.S. CONFERENCE OF CATHOLIC BISHOPS. THEY ARE INVESTED IN A DIVERSIFIED MANNER TO PRESERVE AND GROW THE ENDOWMENTS. WE HANDLE THE ADMINISTRATIVE WORK FOR ENDOWMENT FUNDS AND PROVIDE GRANTS, UPON DONOR REQUEST, TO ASSIST OUR LOCAL CATHOLIC COMMUNITY.IN ADDITION TO ENDOWMENT FUNDS, THE FOUNDATION ALSO SUPPORTS THE ESTABLISHMENT OF PASS-THROUGH DONOR-ADVISED AND DESIGNATED FUNDS. BOTH OF THESE FUND TYPES FACILITATE GIVING AND MAKING AN IMPACT TODAY, TOMORROW AND IN FUTURE GENERATIONS. PASS-THROUGH DONOR-ADVISE FUNDS TEMPORARY IN NATURE, WITH FUNDS ON DEPOSIT FROM ONE MONTH TO SEVERAL YEARS. DISTRIBUTIONS FROM PASS-THROUGH DONOR-ADVISED FUNDS CAN BE DIRECTED BY DONORS TO NON-CATHOLIC ORGANIZATIONS, SUCH AS A DONORS ALMA MATER OR A NON-CATHOLIC CHARITY AS LONG AS ITS MISSION IS NOT INCONSISTENT WITH CATHOLIC VALUES. ONE OF THE KEY ADVANTAGES OF ESTABLISHING PASS-THROUGH DONOR-ADVISED FUNDS IS THAT THE DONOR RECEIVES AN IMMEDIATE, SINGLE TAX RECEIPT FROM THE FOUNDATION FOR THE GIFT AND THEN HAS SEVERAL MONTHS OR YEARS TO GRANT DISTRIBUTIONS TO CHARITABLE ORGANIZATIONS IN THE FUTURE, AS DESIRED.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Legitimacy checks

  1. Is it registered with the IRS? Passed.

    Listed in the IRS master file of tax-exempt organizations as a 501(c)(3) charitable organization.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.

  2. Has the IRS revoked its tax-exempt status? Passed.

    Not on the IRS automatic revocation list.

    Source: Automatic revocation of exemption list, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.

  3. Are donations tax-deductible? Passed.

    On the IRS list of organizations eligible to receive tax-deductible contributions.

    Source: Publication 78 data: organizations eligible for tax-deductible contributions, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.

  4. Is it keeping up with its IRS filings? Passed.

    Most recent return on file covers the year ending December 2024.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.

  5. How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.

    Recognized by the IRS since February 2016.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.

  6. Is it in good standing with state regulators? Passed.

    Not on California's list of charities barred from soliciting. Other states are not yet checked.

    Source: May Not Operate or Solicit for Charitable Purposes list, California Attorney General, Registry of Charities and Fundraisers, file dated October 21, 2026.

Ratings and checks are our reading of public records, using the published method. They are not a statement about anyone's honesty. If you work for this organization, you can send corrections or results, confirm you want gifts through Veridonate, or ask to be removed from giving.