Navigage Foundation

Navigage Foundation is a relationship-driven grantmaker with a singular focus on aging, built on a 90-year institutional heritage. The foundation evolved from California P.E.O. Home, a retirement community network established in 1934, converting its financial assets into a grantmaking fund around 2015 with the mission to help people live agelessly. This origin story shapes its giving culture: board members bring direct senior-services expertise — Chair James Rock (Realtor), Linda McMenamin (Senior Living Marketing & Sales Executive), Mary Winners (Senior Living Expert), Dr. Sarah Rock (Epidemiologist), and Deborah Weirick (Philanthropy Executive) — and all serve with zero compensation, signaling a lean, mission-first operation. Executive Director DeWayne McMullin (CPA) handles day-to-day administration.

The foundation's grantee record reveals an unmistakable preference for long-term partnerships over one-time awards. Among 71 recorded grants to 32+ distinct grantees, repeat recipients dominate: Vivalon received 8 grants totaling $597,020; Pasadena Senior Center received 7 grants totaling $510,000; USC Leonard Davis School of Gerontology received 5 grants totaling $500,000; and The Buck Institute accumulated 7 grants across two IRS filings totaling $817,000. First-time applicants should treat an initial grant as the opening of a longer relationship — not a one-time transaction — and frame proposals around programs with obvious staying power.

Navigage operates a two-tier application process. Requests of $25,000 and under use a streamlined form; requests over $25,000 require a detailed project description and budget template. There is no publicly accessible online portal — the process begins by contacting info@navigage.org or calling (818) 421-4994 to obtain current materials and confirm the quarterly review schedule. The board meets four times per year to consider applications.

Organizations best positioned are California-based 501(c)(3) nonprofits — 70 of 71 documented grants went to California — with programming clearly within housing, health education, or human services for older adults. The foundation explicitly funds four categories: research, education, programming/services, and equipment/physical plant improvements. First-time applicants should identify which category their project occupies, keep the initial ask below $25,000, and frame the proposal as the beginning of a potential multi-year partnership rather than a standalone request.

Navigage Foundation distributes between $700,000 and $1.35 million annually, with giving tied directly to investment returns from its $17–18M asset base. Net investment income has ranged from $421,220 (FY2022) to $984,651 (FY2021), creating meaningful year-to-year variability in available grant dollars — applicants should factor this into multi-year planning.

Four years of complete financial data: - FY2023: Grants paid $712,836; total giving $1,035,833; net investment income $565,872 - FY2022: Grants paid $1,074,360; total giving $1,338,499; net investment income $421,220 - FY2021: Grants paid $828,200; total giving $1,076,579; net investment income $984,651 - FY2020: Grants paid $806,250; total giving $1,040,842; net investment income $646,449

The consistent gap between grants paid and total giving each year suggests the foundation makes multi-year pledges or commitments that span cash disbursement periods.

For 14 recent grants: median $54,150, average $59,157, range $2,000–$212,000. Across all 71 historical grants the average is $63,324. The distribution skews toward $25,000–$100,000 for programmatic work at established organizations. Larger awards have been reserved for major research institutions and capital projects: Monte Vista Grove received $300,000 for a dining room renovation; USC Verdugo Hills Hospital Foundation received $292,836 across 3 grants for a community senior resource center; The Redwoods received $437,500 combined across two IRS entries for apartment renovations, PPE, and a generator.

By program type from the full historical record ($4,496,006 total across 71 grants): - Nutrition and meal delivery services (Vivalon, Pasadena Senior Center, Whistlestop): ~$1.15M (~26%) - Gerontology research (USC Leonard Davis + Buck Institute combined): ~$917,000 (~20%) - Facility improvements and capital projects: ~$825,000 (~18%) - Community services and outreach (Covia, USC Verdugo Hills, Pasadena Village, Alzheimer's LA): ~$760,000 (~17%) - Caregiver support, assistive technology, and smaller programs: remaining ~19%

Geographically, 70 of 71 documented grants went to California. The Pasadena/San Gabriel Valley corridor and Marin/Bay Area cluster represent the two highest-density funding zones, though the foundation's giving extends statewide to established organizations with strong senior-focused outcomes.

Navigage Foundation stands apart from its asset-comparable peers in two meaningful ways. First, it is the only foundation in this cohort with an active public website, published contact information, a visible named board, and a documented two-tier application process — most peer foundations at the $17–18M asset level operate with minimal public footprint, making Navigage significantly more accessible to new applicants. Second, Navigage's thematic focus on aging and gerontology is far narrower and more defined than the broad health mandates used by peers, which is a genuine advantage for grant seekers: organizations serving older adults can assess fit quickly and confidently, while general health organizations are likely a poor match for this funder regardless of asset alignment.

Navigage Foundation's public communications have been largely quiet since late 2021. The most recent published articles on the foundation's Navi-News page include 'Navigage Foundation – Helping Marin Residents Live Agelessly' (December 17, 2021), covering apartment renovation support for The Redwoods in Mill Valley, and two pieces from August 2021 covering Buck Institute educational program funding and a 'Meadows Revitalization' capital grant. No new news articles have appeared on the website since that period, as of mid-2026.

Administratively, the foundation filed its FY2024 tax return on October 17, 2025. Total assets for FY2024 stand at $17,750,348 — a modest increase from FY2023's $17,240,584 — indicating portfolio stabilization after the contraction from the FY2021 peak of $20,306,906. Full FY2024 giving figures are not yet publicly available through IRS data.

Board composition has been stable across all available filings. James Rock (Chair), Judy Vallas (Vice Chair), and Deborah Weirick (Secretary) have each served continuously. DeWayne McMullin remains Executive Director. No leadership changes, new program announcements, or public strategic pivots were identified in the 2025–2026 research window. Applicants should contact info@navigage.org directly to inquire about current program priorities not yet reflected in public-facing materials.

Start with an under-$25,000 request. The foundation's two-tier structure explicitly signals that requests under $25,000 use a streamlined form. First-time applicants who open with a modest, well-scoped ask — $15,000–$25,000 for a specific program component such as a senior meal delivery route, caregiver support session series, or equipment purchase — will face far less friction than those submitting above the threshold requiring full narrative documentation.

Make initial contact before submitting. No online portal, public deadlines, or downloadable forms are available on navigage.org as of mid-2026. Email info@navigage.org or call (818) 421-4994 to request current materials and confirm the next quarterly review date. This contact is also your first relationship-building moment with Executive Director DeWayne McMullin, a CPA who will be attentive to clear, precise budget presentation.

Use the foundation's exact language. Navigage's stated mission — 'enhancing the lives of older people through the support of housing, health education and human services' — and its aspiration to 'help people live agelessly' should appear naturally in your cover letter and narrative. Language like 'healthspan,' 'aging in community,' 'social connection,' and 'quality of life for older adults' maps directly to the board's professional backgrounds in senior living and epidemiology.

Name your program category explicitly. The foundation funds four types of work: research, education, programming/services, and equipment/physical plant. State clearly which category your project occupies. Equipment requests (delivery vehicles, accessibility upgrades, assistive technology — senior TV hearing adapters are a documented grant purpose) and facility capital improvements have well-established track records with this funder.

Demonstrate California nexus and geographic alignment. With 70 of 71 historical grants going to California, out-of-state applicants face a steep structural disadvantage. Within California, emphasize service in the Pasadena/San Gabriel Valley corridor or Marin/Bay Area region — the two highest-density funding zones — or provide a strong rationale for statewide reach comparable to established grantees like Covia Foundation or USC Leonard Davis.

Frame your proposal for multi-year relationship potential. The foundation's top recipients received 5–8 grants over multiple years. Your narrative should describe how your organization's work will evolve and deepen over time, inviting continued partnership rather than framing the ask as a one-time transaction.