Charles Lee Powell Foundation
Charles Lee Powell Foundation is a private foundation, based in Del Mar, CA. IRS filing data is available from 2020 through 2025. As of 2025, the organization holds $63.9M in total assets. In 2025, it awarded 4 grants totaling $2.8M. Net investment income was $4.5M.
Charles Lee Powell Foundation at a glance
In short: Charles Lee Powell Foundation gave $2.8M across 4 grants in 2025 (avg $694K), mostly in California. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $2,775,000
- -0.2% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 4
- -20.0% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $693,750
- +24.8% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $650,000
- Total assets
- $63,937,091
- +8.2% vs 2024
- Primary geography
- California (100% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated September 2026.
Who Charles Lee Powell Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 4 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was University of California San Diego ($825K). Together the top 4 received $2.8M.
Grant Size Distribution
22 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was in the $500K–1M range: 20 grants of 22 (91%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 4 itemized grants.
States
Cities
How Charles Lee Powell Foundation gives
- Giving held roughly steady from 2022 to 2025 (+0%). Method
- In 2025 it paid out 103% of 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
From 2020 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $2.8M (2020) to $2.8M (2021). In 2025 it made 4 grants totaling $2.8M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| University of California San Diego La Jolla, CA | Education | $825,000 |
| Stanford University Stanford, CA | Education | $650,000 |
| University of Southern California Los Angeles, CA | Education | $650,000 |
| California Institute of Technology Pasadena, CA | Education | $650,000 |
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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 | $63,937,091 | $5,003,102 | $4,416,759 | $2,775,000 | 4 | $3,013,458 | $4,473,001 | $2,918,483 |
| 2024 | $59,106,886 | $7,397,400 | $3,653,286 | $2,780,000 | 5 | $3,026,130 | $6,795,813 | $2,862,416 |
| 2023 | $57,283,726 | $-341,472 | $3,700,124 | $2,775,000 | 4 | $3,021,761 | $851,278 | $2,638,104 |
| 2022 | $52,581,116 | $968,257 | $3,459,426 | $2,776,000 | 5 | $3,020,638 | $548,875 | $2,750,485 |
| 2021 | $69,039,834 | $9,169,668 | $3,958,527 | $2,800,000 | 4 | $3,032,377 | $8,451,957 | $2,756,295 |
| 2020 | $64,879,450 | $3,681,557 | $3,806,263 | $2,775,000 | 4 | — | $3,019,305 | $2,754,451 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Charles Lee Powell Foundation reported a distributable amount of $2.9M for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Leadership & Key People
Officers and directors from IRS filings
Charles Lee Powell Foundation is led by William J Holliday, President & CEO since 2022 (on filings since 2020); all 5 officers listed in 2025 are compensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
William J Holliday
President & CEO
Director → President & CEO, 2022
On filings since 2020
29 hrs/week
$25K (2020) → $120K (2025)
Mary F Berglund
Director
On filings since 2020
3 hrs/week
$28K (2020) → $15K (2025)
William M Low
Director
On filings since 2020
3 hrs/week
$25K (2020) → $30K (2025)
Charles Castle
Director
On filings since 2022
3 hrs/week
$12K (2022) → $29K (2025)
Margaret Mangin
Director
On filings since 2022
3 hrs/week
$25K (2022) → $28K (2025)
Former officers (2)
- Former: Charles W Rees Jr. (2020–2022) — Director
- Former: Joel O Holliday (2020–2022) — President & CEO
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.
Compensation Overview
From 2025 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2025 filing was $120K, to William J Holliday (President / CEO). 5 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Frequently asked questions about Charles Lee Powell Foundation
How much does Charles Lee Powell Foundation give each year?
Charles Lee Powell Foundation gave $2.8M across 4 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $2.8M across 5 grants.
What is Charles Lee Powell Foundation's typical grant size?
Charles Lee Powell Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $650,000, and its average grant was $693,750, across 4 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
Where does Charles Lee Powell Foundation give grants?
Charles Lee Powell Foundation gives mostly in California: 100% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there.
Does Charles Lee Powell Foundation give general operating support?
Not in 2025: none of the 4 grants with a stated purpose on Charles Lee Powell Foundation's 2025 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Education" (4 grants).
How large is Charles Lee Powell Foundation?
Charles Lee Powell Foundation reported $63.9M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $3.0M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $2.9M (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What is Charles Lee Powell Foundation's EIN?
Charles Lee Powell Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 23-7064397. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.
Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings.
Data update history
(6)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS August 13, 2021)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS November 10, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS October 2, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS May 15, 2024)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS May 14, 2025)
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS May 13, 2026)
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