Akawee
Akawee is a private foundation based in Long Beach, California. Its 2024 filing states that it provides grants and gifts to religious, charitable, and educational organizations.
Akawee at a glance
In short: Akawee gave $15K across 10 grants in 2025 (avg $1K), mostly in California. 20% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $14,562
- +7.9% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 10
- -9.1% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $1,456
- +18.7% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $1,000
- Total assets
- $243,083
- +3.8% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 20% first-time grantees (2 of 10, 2025; small sample)
- Primary geography
- California (79% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to Akawee
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds.
- Contact
Mailing address: 2750 Bellflower Bl 201, Long Beach, CA 90815
Phone: (562) 425-7700
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Akawee funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Petaluma People Services Center ($5K). Together the top 10 received $15K.
Grant Size Distribution
41 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 41 grants of 41 (100%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2025, 79% of grant dollars went to recipients in California, 14% to recipients in Hawaii, and 7% to recipients in Washington, DC.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 10 itemized grants.
Cities
Is Akawee open to new grantees?
20%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 2 of 10 grantees (20%) were first-time recipients. With only 10 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 10 points. First grants averaged $531; repeat grants $2K. How we count
Medians: $531 first-time, $1K repeat.
- 70% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving grew 79% from 2022 to 2025. Method
- In 2025 it paid out 128% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2020–2025). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2020 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $8K (2022) to $15K (2025). In 2025 it made 10 grants totaling $15K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Petaluma People Services Center Petaluma, CA | Provide Operating Funds | $5,000 |
| Committee on the Shelterless Petaluma, CA | Provide Operating Funds | $2,500 |
| Redwood Empire Food Bank Santa Rosa, CA | Provide Operating Funds | $2,000 |
| Molokai Land Trust Hoolehua, HI | Provide Operating Funds | $1,000 |
| Sonoma Land Trust Santa Rosa, CA | Provide Operating Funds | $1,000 |
| Hui Ho Olana Molokai, HI | Provide Operating Funds | $1,000 |
| National Public Radio Washington, DC | Provide Operating Funds | $1,000 |
| Petaluma River Park Petaluma, CA | Provide Operating Funds | $500 |
| Entertainment Community Fund Los Angeles, CA | Provide Operating Funds | $500 |
| Kqed San Francisco, CA | Provide Operating Funds | $62 |
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Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Qualifying Distributions | Net Investment Income | Distributable Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $243,083 | $27,042 | $18,227 | $14,562 | 10 | $14,562 | $12,042 | $11,391 |
| 2024 | $234,268 | $20,605 | $16,969 | $13,500 | 11 | $13,500 | $6,334 | $10,569 |
| 2023 | $230,632 | $35,308 | $13,121 | $9,000 | 5 | $9,000 | $20,351 | $9,400 |
| 2022 | $208,445 | $36,464 | $12,654 | $8,155 | 4 | $8,155 | $21,464 | $9,744 |
| 2021 | $184,635 | $23,440 | $18,988 | $14,450 | 11 | — | $8,440 | $9,739 |
| 2020 | $180,183 | $27,111 | $15,182 | $11,000 | 4 | — | $13,361 | $8,404 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Akawee reported a distributable amount of $11K for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
Akawee’s 2024 filing describes its charitable activity as providing grants and gifts to religious, charitable, and educational organizations.
Its 2025 grantees include organizations with varied missions. Petaluma People Services Center says it works to improve the community’s social and economic health through programs that strengthen individual dignity and self-sufficiency. Committee on the Shelterless says it helps people experiencing homelessness find and keep housing, increase self-sufficiency, and improve well-being. Redwood Empire Food Bank says it feeds neighbors in need and works to end hunger. Sonoma Land Trust says it protects Sonoma County’s scenic, natural, cultural, agricultural, and open lands. Molokai Land Trust says it protects and restores Molokaʻi’s land and resources and works to perpetuate Native Hawaiian traditions. NPR describes its work as collaborating with member public radio stations to inform the public through noncommercial programming. KQED says it provides Northern California audiences with community-supported media, supports community dialogue and the arts, and helps students and teachers.
Grantmaking
In 2025, Akawee made 10 grants totaling $14,562. Grants ranged from $62 to $5,000, with a median of $1,000. The largest grants were $5,000 to Petaluma People Services Center, $2,500 to Committee on the Shelterless, and $2,000 to Redwood Empire Food Bank. Other 2025 grants included $1,000 each to Molokai Land Trust, Sonoma Land Trust, Hui Ho Olana, and National Public Radio; $500 each to Petaluma River Park and Entertainment Community Fund; and $62 to KQED. The listed grant purposes were to provide operating funds.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Deborah May-Buffum as Director, Robert Paul Maurice as Vice President, and John Timothy May as Secretary and CFO.
Akawee's 2025 filing lists 3 officers; none of the 3 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Deborah May-Buffum
Director
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
John Timothy May
Secretary & CFO
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
Robert Paul Maurice
Vice President
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2025. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Frequently asked questions about Akawee
How much does Akawee give each year?
Akawee gave $15K across 10 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $14K across 11 grants.
What is Akawee's typical grant size?
Akawee's median grant in 2025 was $1,000, and its average grant was $1,456, across 10 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Akawee that year got $531 on average.
Where does Akawee give grants?
Akawee gives mostly in California: 79% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest states were Hawaii (14%) and District of Columbia (7%). The most frequent recipient cities were Petaluma, CA (3 grants) and Santa Rosa, CA (2 grants).
Does Akawee give general operating support?
Yes: 100% of Akawee's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (10 of 10) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are Akawee's largest grantees?
Akawee's largest 2025 grantees include Petaluma People Services Center ($5,000), Committee on the Shelterless ($2,500) and Redwood Empire Food Bank ($2,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 65% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Akawee?
Akawee reported $243K in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $15K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $11K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does Akawee fund?
Akawee’s 2024 filing describes its charitable activity as providing grants and gifts to religious, charitable, and educational organizations. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Akawee?
The foundation states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Akawee's EIN?
Akawee's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 95-2647598. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.
Does Akawee accept unsolicited proposals?
No, according to Grantable's research on the foundation's published guidelines. See how to apply ↑
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(1)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2025
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