Downey Kiwanis Foundation
The Downey Kiwanis Foundation is a private foundation based in Downey, California, established in January 1985. The foundation was incorporated by C. Richard Holmes, Richard M. Lehn, and Charles Pifer. It operates as a 501(c)(3) organization affiliated with Kiwanis International, an organization dedicated to serving children in local communities.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$6.1M
+3.9% YoY
Annual Giving
$238K
-20.8% YoY
Grant Count
13
+0.0% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$18K
-20.8% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Downey Kiwanis Foundation reported a distributable amount of $268K for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation's primary mission has been providing college scholarships for graduating high school students in Downey and the surrounding region. The foundation has extended its scholarship program to benefit students in Lakewood and other nearby communities.
Beyond scholarships, the foundation supports numerous community projects and initiatives, including:
- Financial support for the ARC
- YMCA development and construction projects
- Playground equipment and park improvements (Furman Park)
- Columbia Memorial Space Center
- Downey Theater music education programs
- First United Methodist Church child daycare programs
- Rancho Research Institute wellness center for Downey residents
- Kiwanis International Foundation's eliminate maternal and neonatal tetanus project
Grantmaking
The foundation appears to be possibly open to applications, with no "preselected only" restriction noted in recent filings.
Grant Range
$5,000
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation primarily funds organizations and initiatives in Downey, California, with expanded scholarship programs serving students from:
- Downey High School
- Warren High School
- Columbus High School
- Lakewood High School
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
Assets & Revenue (2024):
- Total assets: $6,059,762
- Total revenues: $479,876
- Total expenses: $249,426
- Total giving: $238,333
The foundation ranks in the top 25% of foundations by asset size nationally (#20,923 of 159,550 foundations).
Staffing: The foundation operates with no paid employees, relying entirely on volunteer board leadership.
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $6,059,762 | $5,830,511 | $5,836,766 |
| Revenue | $479,876 | $308,563 | $499,544 |
| Expenses | $249,426 | $310,926 | $310,127 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $238,333 | $300,904 | $300,030 |
| Net Investment Income | $377,033 | $248,104 | $233,255 |
| Distributable Amount | $268,224 | $249,660 | $256,372 |
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
66 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include 48 Graduating High School Students ($120,600), Downey Family Ymca ($50,000), Rancho Research Institute ($20,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| 48 GRADUATING HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS DOWNEY, CA | SCHOLARSHIP | $120,600 |
| RANCHO RESEARCH INSTITUTE DOWNEY, CA | FINANCIAL SUPPORT FOR THE DON KNABE WELLNESS CENTER | $20,000 |
| ARC OF SOUTHEAST LOS ANGELES DOWNEY, CA | FINANCIAL SUPPORT | $1,500 |
| DOWNEY SYMPHONIC SOCIETY DOWNEY, CA | BRINGING MUSIC TO THE 5TH GRADE STUDENTS OF DOWNEY | $17,000 |
| DOWNEY UNITED METHODIST CHURCH DOWNEY, CA | SUPPORT THE DAY CARE OPERATION | $5,000 |
| DOWNEY UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT DOWNEY, CA | SUPPORT OF TRUE LASTING CONNECTION PROGRAM | $4,000 |
| 3 DOWNEY HIGH SCHOOL TEACHERS DOWNEY, CA | 3 SCHOLARSHIPS FOR TEACHERS OF THE YEAR | $6,000 |
| KIWANIS CLUB OF DOWNEY LOS AMIGOS DOWNEY, CA | SUPPORT OF PATHFINDER'S LEADERSHIP CAMP | $4,908 |
| DOWNEY FAMILY YMCA DOWNEY, CA | FINANCIAL SUPPORT FOR CONSTRUCTION OF NEW YMCA | $50,000 |
| ST PETER'S EDUCATION CENTER FALLBROOK, CA | SUPPORT OF CENTER'S ACTIVITIES | $1,200 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The foundation is governed by a board of directors with limited paid staffing:
| Name | Title |
|---|---|
| Carmen Vasquez | President |
| Leslie Jones | Secretary |
| Gary Nesbit | Treasurer |
| Charles Pifer | Director |
| Steve Roberson | Director |
| Alan Frischer | Director |
| Stephen Chu | Director |
| John Casillas | Director |
| Jason Cierpiszewski | Director |
| Jesse Padilla | Director |
All board members serve on a volunteer basis with no reported compensation.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| CARMEN VASQUEZ | PRESIDENT | 1 | — |
| LESLIE JONES | Secretary | 1 | — |
| GARY NESBIT | Treasurer | 1 | — |
| CHARLES PIFER | Director | 0.2 | — |
| STEVE ROBERSON | Director | 0.2 | — |
| ALAN FRISCHER | DIRECTOR | 0.2 | — |
| STEPHEN CHU | Director | 0.2 | — |
| JOHN CASILLAS | Director | 0.2 | — |
| JASON CIERPISZEWSKI | Director | 0.2 | — |
| JESSE PADILLA | Director | 0.2 | — |
Recent News & Activity
Recent developments and announcements
The foundation continues active grantmaking with recent scholarship awards and community project support. The foundation awarded $112,000 in college scholarships in recent years and has donated $50,000 for computer lab initiatives in the community. The foundation maintains regular scholarship banquets to recognize and support graduating high school students pursuing higher education.
Downey Kiwanis Foundation awards $112K in college scholarships \u2014 The\Frequently Asked Questions
What does Downey Kiwanis Foundation fund?
The foundation's primary mission has been providing college scholarships for graduating high school students in Downey and the surrounding region. The foundation has extended its scholarship program to benefit students in Lakewood and other nearby communities. Beyond scholarships, the foundation supports numerous community projects and initiatives, including: • Financial support for the ARC • YMCA development and construction projects • Playground equipment and park improvements (Furman Park) •…
How do I apply for a grant from Downey Kiwanis Foundation?
**Grant Activity:** • The foundation made 13-14 grants in its most recent fiscal year • Median grant size: $5,000 • Grant range: $125 to $121,000 • Total giving: $238,333 (2024) **Recent Scholarship Awards:** • During the 2023 Scholarship Banquet, the foundation awarded over $122,000 in college scholarships to graduating seniors from Downey, Warren, Columbus, and Lakewood High Schools • The foundation has provided 34-48 scholarships to graduating high school students from three Downey high scho…
Where does Downey Kiwanis Foundation make grants?
The foundation primarily funds organizations and initiatives in Downey, California, with expanded scholarship programs serving students from: • Downey High School • Warren High School • Columbus High School • Lakewood High School
What size grants does Downey Kiwanis Foundation award?
In 2024, Downey Kiwanis Foundation awarded 13 grants totaling $238K — an average of about $18K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is Downey Kiwanis Foundation required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, Downey Kiwanis Foundation reported a distributable amount of $268K on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is Downey Kiwanis Foundation's EIN?
Downey Kiwanis Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 95-4001578. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
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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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