Erickson Family Charitable Foundation
ERICKSON FAMILY CHARITABLE FOUNDATION is a private foundation based in Gig Harbor, Washington. Its 2020 filing is marked as the organization’s final return, indicating that it appears to have wound down or stopped grantmaking.
Key facts about Erickson Family Charitable Foundation
In short: Erickson Family Charitable Foundation gave $2.1M across 17 grants in 2020 (avg $124K), mostly in California. 24% of 2020 grantees were new. Source: 2020 IRS Form 990-PF.
- EIN
- 33-1184117
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2020
- Annual giving (2020)
- $2,115,000
- Grants made (2020)
- 17
- Average grant
- $124,412
- Median grant
- $50,000
- New grantees (estimate)
- 24% first-time grantees (4 of 17, 2020)
- Primary geography
- California (74% of itemized 2020 grant dollars)
- 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. Full details ↓
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2020; updated September 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology). Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Financial Overview
From 2020 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
—
Annual Giving
$2.1M
+148.8% YoY
Grant Count
17
-15.0% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$124K
+192.7% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Erickson Family Charitable Foundation reported a distributable amount of $44K for 2020 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Is Erickson Family Charitable Foundation open to new grantees?
24%
first-time grantees, 2020
In 2020, 4 of 17 grantees (24%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $41K; repeat grants $150K. How we count
Medians: $38K first-time, $50K repeat.
- 76% of 2020 grantees were also funded in 2019. Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2018–2020). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.
Mission & Focus Areas
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2020 grants show support for a range of organizations. For example, the La Jolla Aquatic Complex Foundation says its mission is to help cover the aquatic complex’s annual operating expenses and grow its capital reserve and endowment funds. The La Jolla Historical Society says it celebrates the region’s history and culture through programs, exhibitions, and research. Transcendence Theatre Company describes itself as a performing arts organization combining health and wellness with the arts.
Other 2020 grantees describe work in areas including regenerative agriculture and land stewardship (White Buffalo Land Trust), humanitarian aid (Direct Relief), and sustaining ecological health in Sonoma Valley (Sonoma Ecology Center). The Heritage Foundation says it promotes conservative public policies.
Grantmaking
In 2020, the foundation made 17 grants totaling $2,115,000. Grant amounts ranged from $8,000 to $1,200,000, with a median of $50,000. Its largest grants included $1,200,000 to the La Jolla Aquatic Complex Foundation for athletics; $150,000 each to the American Enterprise Institute for public policy research and education and the Foundation for Individual Rights in for education; and $125,000 to the Federalist Society for reform of the American legal system. Other notable grants included $110,000 to the Heritage Foundation, $100,000 to the La Jolla Historical Society, and $80,000 to Khan Academy.
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2020, the reported shares of grant dollars by recipient state were California, 74%; District of Columbia, 12%; Pennsylvania, 7%; Washington, 6%; and Hawaii, 0%. The listed grants included recipients in California, Washington, D.C., Pennsylvania, Washington state, and Hawaii.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of all 17 itemized 2020 grant dollars.
Cities
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2018 to 2020, annual grant giving ranged from $300K (2018) to $2.1M (2020). In 2020 it made 17 grants totaling $2.1M.
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2020
The largest 2020 recipient was La Jolla Aquatic Complex Foundation ($1.2M). Together the top 10 received $2.0M.
Grant Size Distribution
56 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 38 grants of 56 (68%).
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| La Jolla Aquatic Complex Foundation La Jolla, CA | Athletics | $1,200,000 |
| American Enterprise Institute Washington, DC | Public Policy Reasearch/Education | $150,000 |
| Foundation for Individual Rights IN Philadelphia, PA | Education | $150,000 |
| The Federalist Society Seattle, WA | Reform of American Legal System | $125,000 |
| The Heritage Foundation Washington, DC | Public Policy Research/Ed | $110,000 |
| La Jolla Historical Society La Jolla, CA | Exhibits & Education Programs | $100,000 |
| Kahn Academy Mountain View, CA | Student Training Programs | $80,000 |
| La Jolla High School Alumni Associa La Jolla, CA | Alumni Association | $50,000 |
| Transcendence Theatre Company Sonoma, CA | Summer Camp for Children | $50,000 |
| White Buffalo Land Trust Summerland, CA | Environmental | $25,000 |
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Revenue | Expenses | Grants | Grant count |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | $585,969 | $2,119,353 | $2,115,000 | 17 |
| 2019 | — | — | $850,000 | 20 |
| 2018 | — | — | $300,000 | 19 |
| Metric | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | — | — | — |
| Revenue | $585,969 | — | — |
| Expenses | $2,119,353 | — | — |
| Qualifying Distributions | — | — | — |
| Net Investment Income | $583,566 | — | — |
| Distributable Amount | $43,546 | — | — |
Data update history
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2018–2020
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2020 filing lists David L. Erickson as CEO and Sandra C. Erickson as CFO/Secretary.
Erickson Family Charitable Foundation is led by David L. Erickson, CEO on every filing since 2018; none of the 2 officers listed in 2020 report compensation.
Officers on the 2020 filing
David L. Erickson
CEO
On filings since 2018
No compensation reported
Sandra C. Erickson
CFO & Secretary
On filings since 2018
No compensation reported
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2018–2020. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Contact
Mailing address: 5402 35Th Ave Nw, Gig Harbor, WA 98335
Phone: (858) 945-3738
Frequently asked questions about Erickson Family Charitable Foundation
How much does Erickson Family Charitable Foundation give each year?
Erickson Family Charitable Foundation gave $2.1M across 17 grants in 2020, according to its 2020 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2019 it gave $850K across 20 grants.
What is Erickson Family Charitable Foundation's typical grant size?
Erickson Family Charitable Foundation's median grant in 2020 was $50,000, and its average grant was $124,412, across 17 grants on its 2020 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Erickson Family Charitable Foundation that year got $41K on average.
Where does Erickson Family Charitable Foundation give grants?
Erickson Family Charitable Foundation gives mostly in California: 74% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2020 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest states were District of Columbia (12%) and Pennsylvania (7%). The most frequent recipient cities were La Jolla, CA (3 grants), Washington, DC (2 grants) and Sonoma, CA (2 grants).
Does Erickson Family Charitable Foundation give general operating support?
Not in 2020: none of the 17 grants with a stated purpose on Erickson Family Charitable Foundation's 2020 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support.
Who are Erickson Family Charitable Foundation's largest grantees?
Erickson Family Charitable Foundation's largest 2020 grantees include La Jolla Aquatic Complex Foundation ($1,200,000), American Enterprise Institute ($150,000) and Foundation for Individual Rights IN ($150,000), according to its 2020 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 71% of its itemized 2020 grant dollars.
What does Erickson Family Charitable Foundation fund?
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2020 grants show support for a range of organizations. For example, the La Jolla Aquatic Complex Foundation says its mission is to help cover the aquatic complex’s annual operating expenses and grow its capital reserve and endowment funds. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Erickson Family Charitable Foundation?
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 ↑
How much is Erickson Family Charitable Foundation required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2020, Erickson Family Charitable Foundation reported a distributable amount of $44K on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is Erickson Family Charitable Foundation's EIN?
Erickson Family Charitable Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 33-1184117. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2018–2020.
Does Erickson Family Charitable Foundation accept unsolicited proposals?
No, according to Grantable's research on the foundation's published guidelines. See how to apply ↑
Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
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