McCarthy Family Foundation
/OVERVIEW: The McCarthy Family Foundation supports organizations working with victims of child abuse, as well as K-12 science education, HIV/AIDS research and assistance to homeless people in San Diego County, California.
IP TAKE: This funder has removed its site from the web and appears to be conducting its grantmaking via the San Diego Foundation, making it somewhat difficult to understand its current goals and priorities. It appears to be a good source of support for organizations of any size working with foster youth or victims of child abuse in San Diego. Other interests have been K-12 science education, homelessness and HIV/AIDS prevention. The McCarthy Family Foundation is less accessible than it has been in years past, but networking with past grantees may help your organization get a foot in the door here.
PROFILE: Established in 1988, the McCarthy Family Foundation (MFF) is a small private foundation based in San Diego, California. As a California public benefit corporation, most of the officers and directors are members of the McCarthy family. Two generations of family members serve at MFF, and Rachel McCarthy Henneforth is the foundation president. Since 2022, this funder’s grantmaking appears to have been conducted through the San Diego Foundation, making it difficult to know much about its specific areas of interest. It has also dismantled its website, further limiting information about its goals and priorities. In years past, however, the foundation supported mental health, education, housing and community development causes. Grantmaking mainly stays in Southern California, with a strong emphasis on the San Diego area.
Grants for Mental Health
The McCarthy Family Foundation has demonstrated strong commitment to Southern California organizations working with victims of child and domestic abuse. In San Diego, the foundation has supported Voices for Children, Becky’s House Children’s and Youth Services, Just in Time for Foster Youth and Kids’ Turn San Diego. Other grantees working in the area of mental health include the Women’s Resource Center of Oceanside, Crisis House of El Cajon and Casa de Amparo of San Marco.
Grants for Education
McCarthy’s education grantmaking has supported a broad range of K-12 and higher education organizations and schools. Grants for K-12 appear to prioritize after- and out-of-school learning opportunities and STEM, with grants going to organizations like the Elementary Institute of Science, the Boys and Girls Clubs of Oceanside, San Diego Labrats and environmental education programs at the Birch Aquarium at the University of California San Diego.
In higher education, the foundation has made grants to MiraCosta College, California State University at San Marcos and the University of California San Diego.
Grants for Housing, Homelessness, and Community Development
The McCarthy Family Foundation has also prioritized homelessness, supporting organizations that provide services and housing to homeless and vulnerable people. Grantees include San Diego’s Center for Community Solutions, Funders Together to End Homelessness in San Diego and the United Way of San Diego County.
Grants for Public Health and Diseases
The McCarthy Family Foundation’s past grantmaking for health has focused on AIDS/HIV treatment and prevention, although this has been a smaller area of giving in recent years. Past grantees include the Polmar Health Foundation, the Vista Community Clinic and UCLA’s HIV Extinction Project.
Important Grant Details
Past grants have mostly been awarded in amounts of up to $50,000, but larger grants have gone to organizations with which this funder maintains ongoing relationships.
This funder supports organizations of all sizes but emphasizes the San Diego area.
Foster youth and victims of child abuse are target populations.
Recent grantmaking has been conducted through the San Diego Foundation.
For additional information about past giving, see the McCarthy Family Foundation’s tax filings.
While this funder used to accept proposals for funding, it is unclear if it continues to do so since the removal of its website.
Reach out to this funder at the contact information provided below or via email at mail@mccarthyfamilyfdn.org.
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CONTACT:
McCarthy Family Foundation
PO Box 27389
San Diego, CA 92198-1389
858-485-0129
