The Pasadena Community Foundation (PCF) is pleased to announce the recipients of its 2026 Capital Grants Program. This year, PCF awarded nearly $600,000 to 29 Pasadena-area nonprofit organizations in support of facility improvements and equipment purchases. The grants come at a consequential moment. In the months since the Eaton Fire, local nonprofits have faced new demands on their capacity while working to serve a community that is still finding its footing. These investments help ensure the organizations doing that work are equipped to meet it.
“This year’s Capital Grants carry extra weight. Our nonprofits showed up for this community after the Eaton Fire, and many of them are still showing up every day,” said Jeannine Bogaard, Director of Community Impact, Pasadena Community Foundation. “These grants invest in their ability to keep doing that. Strong facilities and reliable equipment are not glamorous, but they are what keeps the doors open. That matters now more than ever.”
PCF’s Capital Grants Program is the Foundation’s largest annual grant program, typically awarding more than a half million dollars each cycle. It is one of 11 grant programs PCF oversees each year, with total annual grantmaking that reaches over $2.6 million to Pasadena-area nonprofits. This year, PCF expects to grant $3 million by year’s end. Over the past three years, this program has directed more than $1.7 million into the operational backbone of local nonprofits.
PCF’s Capital Grants Program is open to 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations serving the Greater Pasadena area. It supports qualified organizations with their significant capital projects, facility improvements, or important equipment purchases. Nonprofits currently engaged in a capital campaign are eligible to apply for support. Applications for this grant program are reviewed by a selection committee made up by PCF board members who prioritize Capital Grant applications that:
- Address significant and enduring capital needs.
- Demonstrate a useful life of at least 3–5 years and represent a meaningful investment in the organization’s infrastructure or capacity.
- Show clear impact on mission delivery.
- Explain how capital investment will enhance the organization’s ability to serve the community effectively and sustainably.
- Support large-scale, transformational projects.
- For Capital Campaign Grants ($50,000), PCF looks for organizations engaged in active public fundraising efforts for major initiatives that will significantly expand or improve services.
Two $50,000 Capital Campaign Grants Building Spaces That Last
Each year, PCF awards two special $50,000 Capital Campaign Grants to organizations undertaking projects that are transformative for both their mission and the wider community. In 2026, those grants go to Sierra Madre Library Foundation and Door of Hope.
Sierra Madre Library Foundation
Sierra Madre Library Foundation will use its PCF Capital Campaign Grant to fund the Empowering Community Through Technology initiative, which transforms the Sierra Madre Public Library’s community and meeting rooms into fully equipped, tech-enabled spaces for residents, learners, and local organizations.
“This grant is a direct investment in access. When our community rooms are fully equipped, they become a hub for job seekers, students, small nonprofits, and neighbors who need a place to gather and connect,” said Robert Stockly, Board Chair, Sierra Madre Library Foundation. “PCF’s support makes that possible for the long term by promoting lifelong learning and strengthening our community.”
PCF Community Impact Team on site vist with Sierra Madre Library Foundation.
Door of Hope
Door of Hope will use its Capital Campaign Grant to support the opening of The David and Katherine Lee Home, its fifth shelter for families experiencing homelessness in the Pasadena area. The new facility expands Door of Hope’s capacity to provide safe, stable housing for families while they work toward lasting self-sufficiency.
“Opening a fifth shelter is not a small thing. It reflects years of community trust, donor generosity, and a deep conviction that every family deserves a safe place to start over,” said Rev. Megan Katerjian, CEO, Door of Hope. “PCF’s grant brings us one step closer to the day when every family in Pasadena has a safe place to call home.”
Door of Hopes’s David & Katherine Lee Home at the mid-build point.
The remaining $500,000 in Capital Grant funding supports 27 additional organizations, with individual awards up to $25,000. The projects span every corner of the community:
$50,000 Capital Campaign Grants
We believe strong communities thrive when philanthropy tackles real needs. To create lasting impact in Greater Pasadena, we focus on six key areas that that drive opportunity, build resilience, and improve well-being.
Mount Wilson Observatory (MWO) has watched over the Pasadena area since its opening in 1917, peeking out among the trees, keeping company with the looming telecommunications towers nearby. The Observatory has been the site of impressive scientific discoveries — it featured the most important scientific telescopes and astronomical instruments of the first half of the […]
More than a half-million dollars in PCF Capital Grant funding is on its way to 24 Pasadena-area nonprofit organizations to support their facility improvement projects and equipment purchases. PCF’s annual Capital Grant Program supports the infrastructure that nonprofit organizations need to carry out their mission, including equipment purchases, construction, and renovation. PCF is especially proud […]
Mount Wilson Observatory (MWO) has watched over the Pasadena area since its opening in 1917, peeking out among the trees, keeping company with the looming telecommunications towers nearby. The Observatory has been the site of impressive scientific discoveries — it featured the most important scientific telescopes and astronomical instruments of the first half of the […]
More than a half-million dollars in PCF Capital Grant funding is on its way to 24 Pasadena-area nonprofit organizations to support their facility improvement projects and equipment purchases. PCF’s annual Capital Grant Program supports the infrastructure that nonprofit organizations need to carry out their mission, including equipment purchases, construction, and renovation. PCF is especially proud […]
