Who Runs the Cormura Foundation, and What Does It Support in Southern California?
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Based in Newport Beach, California, the Cormura Foundation is involved with the local social justice and faith communities. This is the foundation of Samuel B. Corliss, Jr., who has served as a managing director for Merrill Lynch.
The foundation lacks transparency and does not maintain a website, but here is what we know so far about this grantmaker.
Major topics of interest
The Cormura Foundation has not publicly or explicitly stated its giving priorities, but we have picked up on certain preferences by reviewing recent tax filings and giving records. The foundation’s interests range from education to community recreation, immigration and religion. It prefers to keep grantmaking within Orange County, California and largely in the city of Newport Beach. But funding also goes to groups in the Orange County cities of Santa Ana, San Clemente and Irvine.
This is a collaborative grantmaker that has worked alongside other groups to improve outcomes for local immigrants. Other foundation interests include specific churches, religious ministries, recreation centers and schools.
Past grantmaking trends
The Cormura Foundation tends to give grants between $1,000 and $10,000. In total, it typically gives less than $1 million per year. The foundation’s grants usually go toward educational purposes and go to approximately nine to 12 grantees per year.
Recent grantees include the Embrace Carver Elementary Foundation in San Marino, Solutions for Urban Agriculture in Irvine, Verbum Dei High School in Los Angeles and the Newport Aquatic Center in Newport Beach. The Crystal Cove Conservancy in Newport Coast, Padres Unidos in Garden Grove and San Clemente Military Family Outreach in San Clemente have also received recent funding.
Contacting the Cormura Foundation
Based on recent tax records, the Cormura Foundation does not appear to accept unsolicited grant requests. Instead, it supports preselected organizations that the foundation team personally identifies. In addition to Samuel B. Corliss Jr., who serves as president, Vander Corliss is the vice president, Kathrine Corliss is the secretary and Sandra Corliss is the treasurer of this family-run philanthropy.
Grantseekers may reach out to the foundation with general inquiries directly by phone. You can read more about this funder in IP’s full profile of the Cormura Foundation, which is part of our Los Angeles and Southern California grantmaking guide.
