# Rancho Santa Fe Foundation

Rancho Santa Fe Foundation is an Endowment / Foundation based in Encinitas, United States.

## Overview

- **Organization type:** Endowment / Foundation
- **Headquarters:** Encinitas, United States
- **Region:** North America
- **Address:** Encinitas, CA, United States
- **Founded:** 1981
- **Assets under management:** $200M (Altss estimate)
- **Website:** www.rsffoundation.org
- **LinkedIn:** https://www.linkedin.com/company/rancho-santa-fe-foundation

## Regulatory record

- **Reports private funds:** No

## About

Founded in 1981, the Rancho Santa Fe Foundation operates as a community foundation serving the philanthropic needs of donors in one of the wealthiest ZIP codes in the United States. Under President and CEO Ben Moraga, the foundation connects individuals and institutions with regional and global charitable causes through personalized donor services and grant-making programs. The foundation's investment structure centers on a Managed Investment Pool that aggregates donor contributions, alongside a Charitable Special Assets Fund portfolio holding mixed-use real estate in San Diego County, California, and protected open-space land holdings within the state. Its grant-making extends through specialized vehicles including the Rancho Santa Fe Women's Fund and The Patriots Connection. The foundation partners with regional organizations such as Voices for Children and the San Diego Community Foundation, while maintaining membership in the League of California Community Foundations and the Council on Foundations. Oversight of the foundation's investment pool rests with Investment Committee Chairman Ken Little, a Partner at Brandes Investment Partners. Board Chairman Kevin Crawford and Board Member Theodore Roth, CEO of Totem Enterprises, compose the senior governance structure. The foundation participates in the YPO San Diego Gold Chapter through a board-affiliated relationship. The foundation's structural differentiator lies in its geographic concentration—serving the Rancho Santa Fe covenant community, where donor-advised funds function as an extension of ultra-high-net-worth family-office philanthropy. Its Charitable Special Assets Fund enables the acceptance of non-cash, complex assets like real estate, a capability not universally available among community foundations.

## Sectors

- Philanthropy
- Community Development

## People

- Ben Moraga — President & CEO
- Kevin Crawford — Board Chairman
- Theodore Roth — Board Member
- Ken Little — Investment Committee Chairman

## Questions

### How is the Rancho Santa Fe Foundation's investment pool structured?

The foundation maintains a Managed Investment Pool that aggregates charitable capital from its donor-advised funds and other giving vehicles. The pool is overseen by Investment Committee Chairman Ken Little, a Partner at Brandes Investment Partners. The foundation also operates a Charitable Special Assets Fund capable of holding complex, non-cash gifts such as real estate.

### Who governs the Rancho Santa Fe Foundation?

President and CEO Ben Moraga leads day-to-day operations. The board is chaired by Kevin Crawford. Theodore Roth, CEO of Totem Enterprises, serves as a board member. Investment oversight is delegated to Investment Committee Chairman Ken Little.

### Does the foundation accept non-cash charitable donations?

Yes. Through its Charitable Special Assets Fund, the foundation can accept complex, non-cash assets such as mixed-use real estate and protected open-space land. This differentiates it from community foundations that only accept liquid securities or cash.

### What specialized giving vehicles does the foundation operate?

The foundation runs the Rancho Santa Fe Women's Fund and The Patriots Connection, both of which function as collective giving circles. These sit alongside traditional donor-advised funds and the foundation's general grant-making programs.

## Related profiles

- [Peabody Retirement Board](https://altss.com/profile/peabody-retirement-board)
- [St. Mark's School of Texas](https://altss.com/profile/st-mark-s-school-of-texas)

---

Last updated: 2026-06-03T20:00:00.000Z

Canonical page: https://altss.com/profile/rancho-santa-fe-community-foundation

Maintained by Altss — https://altss.com — methodology: https://altss.com/methodology