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The Community Foundation San Luis Obispo
The Community Foundation San Luis Obispo reported $10.6 million in revenue and $8.4 million in expenses for calendar year 2025. Of every $100 it spent, $86.69 went to program services, $9.42 to management and general costs and $3.89 to fundraising. Its largest source of revenue was contributions and grants: 67.4% of the total. Government grants made up 11.0%. The highest compensation it reported for one person was $184,297 (CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER). 2 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation. Revenue rose 42% between 2019 and 2025. Source: Form 990, 2025.
Where $100 of spending went
Calendar year 2025 · Form 990, Part IX, line 25 · total expenses $8.4MFor context, the median across 1,001 covered philanthropy, voluntarism & grantmaking charities: $91.65 programs, $6.50 management, $1.85 fundraising (medians computed separately, so they may not sum to $100).
Where $100 of revenue came from
Calendar year 2025 · Form 990, Part VIII · total revenue $11M- Contributions & grants (non-government)$54.54 $6.0M
- Government grants$10.59 $1.2M
- Investment income$34.87 $3.8M
Other revenue was negative: −$377K. The bar shows the positive sources only.
The 990 scorecard · same measures for every charity, no grades
| Measure | 2025 | Median |
|---|---|---|
| Program services Part IX 25(B) ÷ 25(A) | 86.7% | 90.2% |
| Management & general Part IX 25(C) ÷ 25(A) | 9.4% | 6.4% |
| Fundraising Part IX 25(D) ÷ 25(A) | 3.9% | 1.8% |
| Fundraising cost per $1 of contributions Part IX 25(D) ÷ Part VIII 1h | $0.05 | $0.02 |
| Contributions & grants share of revenue Part VIII 1h ÷ 12 | 67.4% | 79.9% |
| Government grants share of revenue Part VIII 1e ÷ 12 | 11.0% | 0.0% |
| Program service revenue share Part VIII 2g ÷ 12 | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| Highest reported compensation Part VII-A, columns D–F | $184,297 | $325,675 |
| Highest compensation as share of expenses Part VII-A ÷ Part IX 25(A) | 2.18% | 1.56% |
| People paid over $100,000 Part VII, line 2 | 2 | 3 |
| Net assets, in months of expenses Part X 33(B) ÷ monthly expenses | 130.9 | 56.6 |
| Independent voting board members Part VI 1a–1b | 15 of 15 | 100.0% |
A median is context, not a target: hospitals, universities, food banks and grantmakers spend in very different ways. What these measures can and can't tell you.
What the money paid for, in its own words
2025 · Form 990, Part III · the three largest programs by expenseThe Community Foundation San Luis Obispo county serves the entire county of San Luis Obispo, funding a wide range of initiatives, projects and organizations. Through the generosity of our donors, past and present, philanthropy is promoted that strengthens civic life across the San Luis Obispo county region in response to the ever changing demographics and needs of our communities. We focus our grantmaking on the following core areas: arts & culture, education, health, human services, scholarships, environment and community enhancement
Highest reported compensation
2025 · Form 990, Part VII, Section A · roles as filed; names are in the filing, not here| Role | From this org | From related orgs | Other | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER Officer, 50.00 hrs/week | $178,929 | $0 | $5,368 | $184,297 |
| CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER Officer, 50.00 hrs/week | $140,915 | $0 | $3,900 | $144,815 |
| CEO (THROUGH JANUARY 2026) Officer, 50.00 hrs/week | $27,865 | $0 | $836 | $28,701 |
2 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation from The Community Foundation San Luis Obispo (Part VII, line 2). Compensation of current officers, directors and key employees totaled $348K (Part IX, line 5).
7 years of filings
Form 990, Parts I, VII, IX and X · each row is that year's own filing, linkedGovernance answers, as filed
2025 · the organization's own yes/no answers; explanations, if any, are in Schedule O of the filing · what each means- Voting board members, and how many are independent Part VI, lines 1a–1b15 · 15 independent
- Audited financial statements Part XII 2bYes
- Conflict-of-interest policy Part VI 12aYes
- Whistleblower policy Part VI 13Yes
- Document retention policy Part VI 14Yes
- Independent process for top executive pay Part VI 15aYes
- Board given the 990 before filing Part VI 11aYes
- Family or business ties among insiders Part VI 2No
- Aware of a significant diversion of assets Part VI 5No
- Excess benefit transaction with an insider Part IV 25aNo
- Loans to or from insiders outstanding Part IV 26No
- Lobbying, or a 501(h) election in effect Part IV 4No
- Over $15,000 of professional fundraising services Part IV 18No
- Over $10,000 of activity outside the U.S. Part IV 14bNo
- Employees Part I, line 514
- Volunteers Part I, line 6198
Private foundation grants it received
2 private foundations reported grants to The Community Foundation San Luis Obispo totaling $17,030 on their tax year 2023 Form 990-PF returns. See which foundations, on WHOFUNDS.
Source: WHOFUNDS open grant graph, matched from Form 990-PF Part XV.
Correct a figure or respond
Every number above is copied from The Community Foundation San Luis Obispo's own Form 990. If one doesn't match the filing, that's our error and we'll fix it. If you work for The Community Foundation San Luis Obispo, you can publish a response that is linked from this page.
Share or embed this breakdown
Of every $100 The Community Foundation San Luis Obispo spent in 2025, $86.69 went to programs. The full breakdown, from its IRS Form 990:
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- The Catholic Community FoundationSan Jose, CA · revenue $11M · programs 93.7% · 2024
All philanthropy, voluntarism & grantmaking charities · Largest charities in California
Questions people ask
How much of The Community Foundation San Luis Obispo's spending goes to programs?
In calendar year 2025, The Community Foundation San Luis Obispo reported that 86.7% of its $8.4 million in expenses went to program services, 9.4% to management and general and 3.9% to fundraising (Form 990, Part IX).
How much does The Community Foundation San Luis Obispo pay its top executive?
The largest total compensation The Community Foundation San Luis Obispo reported for one person in calendar year 2025 was $184,297, for the role of CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER (Form 990, Part VII, including compensation from related organizations and other compensation).
Where does The Community Foundation San Luis Obispo get its money?
Of $10.6 million in revenue in calendar year 2025, 67.4% came from contributions and grants (including 11.0% from government grants) and 0.0% from program service revenue (Form 990, Part VIII).
Is The Community Foundation San Luis Obispo a registered charity?
The IRS lists EIN 77-0496500 as a 501(c)(3) organization (publicly supported organization (170(b)(1)(a)(vi))), and its records show contributions as tax-deductible. Form 990 filings on record here cover tax years 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025. A filing shows what the organization reported; it doesn't by itself show whether a program works.
Sources
- 2025: Form 990 for calendar year 2025, object 202621609349300442 · read the filing · XML
- 2024: Form 990 for calendar year 2024, object 202541609349300249 · read the filing
- 2023: Form 990 for calendar year 2023, object 202421579349300442 · read the filing
- 2022: Form 990 for calendar year 2022, object 202301649349300325 · read the filing
- 2021: Form 990 for calendar year 2021, object 202223129349304992 · read the filing
- 2020: Form 990 for calendar year 2020, object 202101969349302605 · read the filing
- 2019: Form 990 for calendar year 2019, object 202021929349302332 · read the filing
All filings for EIN 77-0496500: ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer · IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search. Figures are as the organization reported them; we have not audited them.