The Colburn Foundation is a private independent foundation established in 1999 and based in Los Angeles, California. Founded by Richard D. Colburn, a businessman who led Consolidated Electrical Distributors (CED), the foundation operates as a 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to supporting the classical music community. The foundation continues to be governed by a Board of Directors following Mr. Colburn's passing in 2004 at age 92.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$204.4M
+5.2% YoY
Annual Giving
$9.2M
+3.8% YoY
Grant Count
102
+10.9% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$91K
-6.4% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Colburn Foundation reported a distributable amount of $10.1M for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation's mission is to "adhere faithfully to his firm wishes, to encourage the education and performance of classical music, and to preserve the classical music genre, i.e., works composed in the 17th to early 20th century."
The foundation supports:
- Classical music performance and presentation organizations
- Music education and training of musicians
- Organizations with strong public outreach in classical music
The foundation explicitly does not fund:
- Individual musicians
- Commissions or composition programs
- Organizations predominantly performing or educating in world music, jazz, modern, or contemporary music
Grantmaking
The foundation discourages unsolicited grant requests. Prior to submission of any application, organizations must email the Grants Administrator, Carol Rinn, at crinn@colburnfoundation.org to determine the suitability of the intended request. The foundation operates on a rolling basis with quarterly board meetings and a typical decision time of three months.
Grant Range
Varies widely, typically multi-year general operating support
How to Apply
**
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
With very few exceptions, the Colburn Foundation's funding relationships are within the extensive Los Angeles community and Southern California region.
Grant Distribution by State
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
As of 2024:
- Total Assets: $204 million
- Total Revenue: $19.4 million
- Total Expenses: $24 million
- Total Liabilities: $33 million
As of 2023:
- Total Assets: $194.3 million
- Total Revenue: $14.5 million
- Total Expenses: $14.9 million
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $204,364,202 | $194,280,032 | $181,616,769 |
| Revenue | $19,384,539 | $14,498,770 | $-1,580,014 |
| Expenses | $24,028,332 | $14,889,556 | $11,661,590 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $9,590,328 | $9,287,188 | $9,659,611 |
| Net Investment Income | $15,737,605 | $13,333,157 | $193,304 |
| Distributable Amount | $10,060,346 | $9,215,551 | $9,186,787 |
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
Grant Size Distribution
200 grants across all recorded years
Open Grants
1 open opportunity from Colburn Foundation
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include The Colburn School ($4,390,473), Los Angeles Opera Company ($982,500), LA Chamber Orchestra Society ($321,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| WALLIS ANNENBURG CENTER FOR THE PER BEVERLY HILLS, CA | SUPPORT OF THE CLASSICAL ARTS | $25,000 |
| ARROWHEAD ARTS ASSOCIATION LAKE ARROWHEAD, CA | SUPPORT OF THE CLASSICAL ARTS | $600 |
| BAROQUE MUSIC FESTIVAL CORONA DEL M CORONA DEL MAR, CA | SUPPORT OF THE CLASSICAL ARTS | $12,500 |
| BOSTON COURT PERFORMING ARTS CENTER PASADENA, CA | SUPPORT OF THE CLASSICAL ARTS | $7,500 |
| CALDER PERFORMING ARTS ORGANIZATION TORRANCE, CA | SUPPORT OF THE CLASSICAL ARTS | $4,000 |
| CALIFORNIA BAPTIST UNIVERSITY RIVERSIDE, CA | SUPPORT OF THE CLASSICAL ARTS | $15,000 |
| CA YOUNG ARTISTS SYMPHONY NEWBURY PARK, CA | SUPPORT OF THE CLASSICAL ARTS | $15,000 |
| CAMERATA PACIFICA SANTA BARBARA, CA | SUPPORT OF THE CLASSICAL ARTS | $12,000 |
| CASA ROMANTICA CULTURAL CENTER GARD SAN CLEMENTE, CA | SUPPORT OF THE CLASSICAL ARTS | $5,000 |
| CENTER STAGE STRINGS ANN ARBOR, MI | SUPPORT OF THE CLASSICAL ARTS | $10,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
Board of Directors:
- Carol C. Grigor (Chairman)
- Robert S. Attiyeh
- David Colburn
- Richard W. Colburn
- Catherine Hogel
- Gail Eichenthal
- John P. Nuckols
- Allison Sampson
Staff:
- Allison Sampson (Vice President and Executive Director)
- Carol Rinn (Grants Administrator)
- Layne Pinkernell (Treasurer)
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| CAROL C GRIGOR | Chairman | 1 | — |
| ALLISON SAMPSON | EXECUTIVE DIR. | 20 | $92,894 |
| LAYNE PINKERNELL | Secretary/Treas | 24 | $64,214 |
| RICHARD W COLBURN | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| DAVID D COLBURN | Director | 1 | — |
| ROBERT S ATTIYEH | Director | 1 | $24,000 |
| GAIL EDEN EICHENTHAL | Director | 1 | — |
| JOHN P NUCKOLS | Director | 1 | — |
| CATHERINE HOGEL | Director | 2 | — |
Contact Information
Colburn Foundation 11693 San Vicente Blvd #159 Los Angeles, CA 90049-5105 Phone: (818) 399-4427 Email: crinn@colburnfoundation.org Website: https://www.colburnfoundation.org/
Subject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Colburn Foundation fund?
The foundation's mission is to "adhere faithfully to his firm wishes, to encourage the education and performance of classical music, and to preserve the classical music genre, i.e., works composed in the 17th to early 20th century." The foundation supports: • Classical music performance and presentation organizations • Music education and training of musicians • Organizations with strong public outreach in classical music The foundation explicitly does not fund: • Individual musicians • Commiss…
How do I apply for a grant from Colburn Foundation?
**Grant Activity (2023):** • Annual giving: $8.9 million • Number of awards: 92 grants • Grant range: Varies widely, typically multi-year general operating support • Median grant: $18,000 • Maximum grant: $4.4 million **Recent Major Grants (2023):** • Colburn School: $4,381,997 • Los Angeles Opera Company: $988,000 • Musica Angelica: $270,000 **Application Process:** The foundation discourages unsolicited grant requests. Prior to submission of any application, organizations must email the Grant…
Where does Colburn Foundation make grants?
With very few exceptions, the Colburn Foundation's funding relationships are within the extensive Los Angeles community and Southern California region.
What size grants does Colburn Foundation award?
In 2024, Colburn Foundation awarded 102 grants totaling $9.2M — an average of about $91K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is Colburn Foundation required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, Colburn Foundation reported a distributable amount of $10.1M on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is Colburn Foundation's EIN?
Colburn Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 95-4693145. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2021–2024.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Colburn Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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Data last updated June 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
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