Cecile Stephens Charitable Foundation

Private foundation · Grantmaker Seal Beach, CA EIN: 20-1106340

The Cecile Stephens Charitable Foundation is a private foundation based in Seal Beach, California. Its 2024 filing describes support for college scholarships for graduating high school students, shelters serving abandoned, endangered, and disabled women and children, and a school music program for children.

Cecile Stephens Charitable Foundation at a glance

In short: Cecile Stephens Charitable Foundation gave $63K across 59 grants in 2024 (avg $1K), mostly in California. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.

Annual giving (2024)
$62,836
+17.5% vs 2023
Grants made (2024)
59
+5.4% vs 2023
Average grant
$1,065
+11.5% vs 2023
Median grant
$1,000
Total assets
$6,174
-66.0% vs 2023
Primary geography
California (91% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
Latest 990 filing
Form 990-PF, 2024 View filing

Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated October 2026.

How to apply to Cecile Stephens Charitable Foundation

How to Apply

For the choir scholarship, contact Kevin E Monson and submit the completed application and required essay.

Review Cycle
May 1.
Deadline
May 1.
Contact

Application contact: Kevin E Monson
Mailing address: Post Office Box 903, Seal Beach, CA 90740
Phone: (714) 422-8541

Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.

Who Cecile Stephens Charitable Foundation funds

How this funder distributes its grants

Top Recipients

Top 10 recipients in 2024

Vocal Music Parents Association: $5KVocal Music ParentsAssociation$5KBeyond Blindness: $3KBeyond Blindness$3KPrecious Lambs: $3KPrecious Lambs$3KInterval House: $3KInterval House$3KAmanda Gillis Foundation: $3KAmanda Gillis Foundation$3KCovenant House: $2KCovenant House$2KSeal Beach Animal Shelter: $2KSeal Beach Animal Shelter$2KUltimate Horizons: $2KUltimate Horizons$2KAxel Aguilar - Paid Directly to Col: $1KAxel Aguilar - Paid Directlyto Col$1KDeana Ali - Paid Directly to Uc San: $1KDeana Ali - Paid Directly toUc San$1K

The largest 2024 recipient was Vocal Music Parents Association ($5K). Together the top 10 received $23K.

Grant Size Distribution

293 grants across all recorded years

293<$50K$50–100K$100–250K$250–500K$500K–1M$1–5M$5M+

The most common grant size was under $50K: 293 grants of 293 (100%).

Geographic Focus

Where this funder awards grants

In 2024, 91% of grant dollars went to recipients in California, 5% to recipients in New York, and 4% to recipients in Nevada.

Grant Distribution by State

4states

Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 59 itemized grants.

Cities

Long BeachFountain ValleyLos AlamitosSeal BeachCypressHuntington BeachNew YorkRossmoorGarden GroveLakewoodLas VegasSanta AnaWestminsterAnaheimBellflowerComptonNewport BeachBerkeleyFullertonGardena

How Cecile Stephens Charitable Foundation gives

  • Giving held roughly steady from 2021 to 2024 (−12%). Method
  • In 2024 it paid out well above its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method

From the foundation's IRS Form 990-PF filings. Methodology.

Giving History

Giving Over Time

Total grant dollars and number of grants per year

$0$20K$40K$60K$80K57 grants2020 71 grants2021 50 grants2022 56 grants2023 59 grants2024

From 2020 to 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $54K (2023) to $72K (2021). In 2024 it made 59 grants totaling $63K.

Grants by year

Grant recipients and amounts by year

RecipientPurposeAmount
Vocal Music Parents Association Fountain Valley, CASupport for vocal music program at fountain valley high school$5,336
Beyond Blindness Santa Ana, CASupport a center for the training and education of blind children$2,500
Precious Lambs Long Beach, CASupport of a shelter for troubled and endangered youth$2,500
Interval House Seal Beach, CASupport of a shelter for troubled and endangered youth$2,500
Amanda Gillis Foundation Las Vegas, NVSupport of a shelter for troubled and endangered youth$2,500
Covenant House New York, NYSupport of a shelter for abandoned and endangered women and children$2,000
Seal Beach Animal Shelter Seal Beach, CASupport of the Seal Beach Animal Shelter$2,000
Ultimate Horizons Long Beach, CAProvide School Supplies to Underprivileged Children$2,000
Axel Aguilar - Paid Directly to Col New York, NYScholarship$1,000
Deana Ali - Paid Directly to Uc San Long Beach, CAScholarship$1,000
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Financial History

Multi-year comparison from IRS filings

Figures from IRS filings, by filing year
Filing yearTotal AssetsRevenueExpensesGrants paidGrantsQualifying DistributionsNet Investment IncomeDistributable Amount
2024$6,174$83,400$95,366$62,83659$64,116—$1,096
2023$18,140$57,401$84,072$53,50056$53,901—$1,887
2022$44,811$40,667$125,597$60,54550$60,545$4,267$3,999
2021$129,741$120,920$136,265$71,66871$70,668$3,920$7,413
2020$145,086$118,800$135,647$66,30957—$3,800$7,323

Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Cecile Stephens Charitable Foundation reported a distributable amount of $1K for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.

Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.

Mission & Focus Areas

The foundation’s stated activities include providing scholarships for college expenses, financial assistance to shelters, and support for a school music program. Its 2024 grants also included support for school supplies, an animal shelter, and organizations serving children and people with disabilities.

Among its grantees, Beyond Blindness describes its mission as empowering children with visual impairments and other disabilities to achieve their fullest potential. Interval House says its mission is to ensure safety and stability for people who are battered, abused, homeless, or at risk, and to help prevent violence and restore dignity and independence.

Grantmaking

In 2024, the foundation gave 59 grants totaling $62,836. Grant amounts ranged from $500 to $5,336, with a median of $1,000. Its largest grant was $5,336 to Vocal Music Parents Association for the vocal music program at Fountain Valley High School. Other notable grants included $2,500 each to Beyond Blindness, Precious Lambs, Interval House, and the Amanda Gillis Foundation; $2,000 each to Covenant House, Seal Beach Animal Shelter, and Ultimate Horizons; and $1,000 scholarships paid directly toward students’ college expenses.

The foundation states that it does not restrict giving to preselected organizations. For the choir scholarship, applicants must complete and submit an application with a one-page essay describing their future plans, goals, and aspirations. Eligibility is limited to students graduating from Fountain Valley High School who have at least a 2.5 unweighted high school GPA and at least three years performing with the school choir.

Leadership & Key People

Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings

The 2024 filing lists Kevin E Monson and Brian McMahon as trustees.

Cecile Stephens Charitable Foundation's 2024 filing lists 2 officers; all 2 officers listed in 2024 are compensated.

Officers on the 2024 filing

  • Brian McMahon

    Trustee

    On filings since 2020

    10 hrs/week

    $30K (2020) → $15K (2024)

  • Kevin E. Monson

    Trustee

    On filings since 2020

    10 hrs/week

    $30K (2020) → $15K (2024)

Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2024. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.

Compensation Overview

From 2024 IRS filing

Kevin E Monson — Trustee: $15KKevin E MonsonTrustee$15KBrian McMahon — Trustee: $15KBrian McMahonTrustee$15K

The highest reported compensation on the 2024 filing was $15K, to Kevin E Monson (Trustee). 2 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.

Frequently asked questions about Cecile Stephens Charitable Foundation

How much does Cecile Stephens Charitable Foundation give each year?

Cecile Stephens Charitable Foundation gave $63K across 59 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $54K across 56 grants.

What is Cecile Stephens Charitable Foundation's typical grant size?

Cecile Stephens Charitable Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $1,000, and its average grant was $1,065, across 59 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.

Where does Cecile Stephens Charitable Foundation give grants?

Cecile Stephens Charitable Foundation gives mostly in California: 91% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Long Beach, CA (30 grants), Fountain Valley, CA (9 grants), Los Alamitos, CA (3 grants) and Seal Beach, CA (2 grants).

Does Cecile Stephens Charitable Foundation give general operating support?

Not in 2024: none of the 59 grants with a stated purpose on Cecile Stephens Charitable Foundation's 2024 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Scholarship" (50 grants) and "Support of a Shelter for Troubled and Endangered Youth" (3 grants).

Who are Cecile Stephens Charitable Foundation's largest grantees?

Cecile Stephens Charitable Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include Vocal Music Parents Association ($5,336), Beyond Blindness ($2,500) and Precious Lambs ($2,500), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 16% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.

How large is Cecile Stephens Charitable Foundation?

Cecile Stephens Charitable Foundation reported $6K in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $64K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $1K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).

What does Cecile Stephens Charitable Foundation fund?

The foundation’s stated activities include providing scholarships for college expenses, financial assistance to shelters, and support for a school music program. See mission & focus areas ↑

How do I apply for a grant from Cecile Stephens Charitable Foundation?

For the choir scholarship, contact Kevin E Monson and submit the completed application and required essay. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑

What is Cecile Stephens Charitable Foundation's EIN?

Cecile Stephens Charitable Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 20-1106340. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.

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

  1. IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024

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Cite this profile

Grantable. (2026). Cecile Stephens Charitable Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/cecile-stephens-charitable-foundation-morg_ebd0d7939b76446ba533ddb6118477fb

BibTeX
@misc{grantable_201106340_2026,
  author       = {{Grantable}},
  title        = {{Cecile Stephens Charitable Foundation funder profile}},
  howpublished = {GrantGraph},
  year         = {2026},
  url          = {https://grantable.co/funders/cecile-stephens-charitable-foundation-morg_ebd0d7939b76446ba533ddb6118477fb},
  note         = {Accessed 2026-10-12. Data licensed CC BY 4.0}
}

The figures on this page are open data under CC BY 4.0: reuse them with credit to Grantable and a link. Download the data.

Figures come from Cecile Stephens Charitable Foundation's IRS filings (methodology). AI-written summaries, news items and logos are not covered by the open licence. Spot an error? Email hello@grantable.co.

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