Focusing Philanthropy Inc
Focusing Philanthropy Inc is a Santa Monica, California-based public charity formed in 2011. It supports nonprofit implementing partners addressing serious human challenges through programs it describes as effective and scalable, with ongoing monitoring and reporting.
Focusing Philanthropy Inc at a glance
In short: Focusing Philanthropy Inc gave $31.9M across 18 grants in 2024 (avg $1.8M), top state New York. 6% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $31,944,925
- +25.9% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 18
- -5.3% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $1,774,718
- +32.9% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $1,041,796
- Total assets
- $6,037,673
- -27.1% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 6% first-time grantees (1 of 18, 2024; small sample)
- Primary geography
- New York (42% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990, 2024 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990, 2024; updated September 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to Focusing Philanthropy Inc
- Contact
Mailing address: 1637 16Th Street, Santa Monica, CA 90404
Phone: (310) 399-3300
Website: https://focusingphilanthropy.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Focusing Philanthropy Inc funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was One Acre Fund ($8.6M). Together the top 10 received $28.6M.
Grant Size Distribution
108 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was in the $1–5M range: 43 grants of 108 (40%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2024, grant dollars by recipient state were reported as 42% to New York, 31% to California, 10% to Massachusetts, 7% to Colorado, and 5% to Illinois. The listed grants also include a recipient in Pennsylvania. The organization says its programs and partners may be in the United States or internationally.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 18 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is Focusing Philanthropy Inc open to new grantees?
6%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 1 of 18 grantees (6%) were first-time recipients. With only 18 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 6 points. First grants averaged $289K; repeat grants $1.9M. How we count
Medians: $289K first-time, $1.1M repeat.
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990 filings (2020–2024). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2020 to 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $21.7M (2022) to $31.9M (2024). In 2024 it made 18 grants totaling $31.9M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| One Acre Fund Brooklyn, NY | Agriculture Program | $8,592,415 |
| Per Scholas Bronx, NY | Job Training | $4,913,336 |
| Vision to Learn Los Angeles, CA | Eye Care | $3,747,892 |
| Muso San Francisco, CA | Health Clinic | $2,604,889 |
| Water for People Greenwood Village, CO | Clean Water and Sanitation | $2,077,817 |
| Refugepoint Boston, MA | Refugee Affairs | $1,607,400 |
| Onegoal Chicago, IL | Education/College | $1,511,685 |
| JVS Boston Boston, MA | Healthcare Workforce Training | $1,460,764 |
| CASA of San Diego San Diego, CA | Foster Care | $1,052,517 |
| Opportunity Finance Network Philadelphia, PA | Access to Credit | $1,031,075 |
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Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Net Investment Income |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $6,037,673 | $35,282,387 | $33,129,864 | $31,944,925 | 18 | $491,556 |
| 2023 | $8,283,735 | $24,595,098 | $26,326,197 | $25,363,776 | 19 | $184,912 |
| 2022 | $6,815,328 | $23,626,590 | $22,751,956 | $21,719,847 | 21 | $200,663 |
| 2021 | $5,232,649 | $21,857,695 | $26,491,086 | $25,646,577 | 23 | $649,232 |
| 2020 | $10,509,100 | $30,714,024 | $25,063,378 | $24,029,531 | 27 | $437,824 |
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
Focusing Philanthropy says it seeks to address root causes of human need, identify interventions that can make a substantial difference, and work with capable implementing partners. Its screening criteria include demonstrated impact, measurement and reporting, ability to scale, strong leadership and governance, and capacity to use additional funding effectively. It reports monitoring partners through methods including check-in calls or visits, review of management reports and independent research, and program-site visits.
The 2024 grants show support for organizations working in areas including agriculture, job training, eye care, health care, clean water and sanitation, refugee support, education, foster care, and access to credit. These are areas reflected in the listed grants, not a complete statement of the funder’s focus.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2024, Focusing Philanthropy reported 18 grants totaling $31,944,925. Grant amounts ranged from $10,000 to $8,592,415, with a median of $1,041,796.
The largest reported grants included $8,592,415 to One Acre Fund for an agriculture program; $4,913,336 to Per Scholas for job training; $3,747,892 to Vision To Learn for eye care; $2,604,889 to Muso for a health clinic; and $2,077,817 to Water For People for clean water and sanitation.
Among other 2024 recipients, RefugePoint received $1,607,400 and OneGoal received $1,511,685. RefugePoint describes its work as expanding lasting solutions for refugees, including self-reliance and resettlement. OneGoal describes its work as providing underserved students resources and support to earn a postsecondary degree. Seva Foundation received $564,821; it says it partners worldwide to preserve and restore sight. CASA of Los Angeles received $539,433; it describes its mission as mobilizing volunteers to advocate for children who have experienced abuse and neglect.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Lawrence Gilson as chairman and director; Elliott Gilson, John Weissenbach, Diana Lidow, Dewey Corley, Ian Schapiro, and Lisa Schapiro as directors; Catherine Pedersen as secretary; Jason Windebank as treasurer; and Whitney Schaefer as communications manager.
Focusing Philanthropy Inc is led by Lawrence Gilson, Chairman & Director on every filing since 2020; 4 of 10 officers listed in 2024 are compensated.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Lawrence Gilson
Chairman & Director
On filings since 2020
20 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Elliott Gilson
Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
$52K (2022) → $75K (2024)
Dewey Corley
Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Diana Lidow
Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
John Weissenbach
Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Ian Schapiro
Director
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Lisa Schapiro
Director
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Catherine Pedersen
Secretary
On filings since 2020
20 hrs/week
$43K (2020) → $32K (2024)
Jason Windebank
Treasurer
On filings since 2020
20 hrs/week
$102K (2020) → $131K (2024)
Whitney Schaefer
Communications Manager
On filings since 2023
40 hrs/week
$133K (2023) → $158K (2024)
Former officers (2)
- Former: Teresa Burton (2023) — Executive Director
- Former: Keith Ennis (2020) — Vice Chairman & Director
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
The highest reported compensation on the 2024 filing was $158K, to Whitney Schaefer (Communications Manager). 4 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Frequently asked questions about Focusing Philanthropy Inc
How much does Focusing Philanthropy Inc give each year?
Focusing Philanthropy Inc gave $31.9M across 18 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990. In 2023 it gave $25.4M across 19 grants.
What is Focusing Philanthropy Inc's typical grant size?
Focusing Philanthropy Inc's median grant in 2024 was $1,041,796, and its average grant was $1,774,718, across 18 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990. Organizations receiving their first grant from Focusing Philanthropy Inc that year got $289K on average.
Where does Focusing Philanthropy Inc give grants?
Focusing Philanthropy Inc's top state is New York, with 42% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990. The next largest states were California (31%) and Massachusetts (10%). The most frequent recipient cities were Boston, MA (3 grants) and San Francisco, CA (2 grants).
Does Focusing Philanthropy Inc give general operating support?
Not in 2024: none of the 18 grants with a stated purpose on Focusing Philanthropy Inc's 2024 IRS Form 990 were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Foster Care" (3 grants).
Who are Focusing Philanthropy Inc's largest grantees?
Focusing Philanthropy Inc's largest 2024 grantees include One Acre Fund ($8,592,415), Per Scholas ($4,913,336) and Vision to Learn ($3,747,892), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990. Together they received 54% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is Focusing Philanthropy Inc?
Focusing Philanthropy Inc reported $6.0M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990. Its revenue that year was $35.3M.
What does Focusing Philanthropy Inc fund?
Focusing Philanthropy says it seeks to address root causes of human need, identify interventions that can make a substantial difference, and work with capable implementing partners. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Focusing Philanthropy Inc?
Focusing Philanthropy Inc has no public application process in the sources Grantable reviewed. Check focusingphilanthropy.org for current guidelines, or contact the foundation directly before submitting a request.
What is Focusing Philanthropy Inc's EIN?
Focusing Philanthropy Inc's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 45-2405071. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990 filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(6)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS November 15, 2021)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS July 22, 2022)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS June 16, 2023)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS June 5, 2024)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS July 22, 2025)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Focusing Philanthropy Inc's focus areas in our free grants database
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Focusing Philanthropy Inc funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 10, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/focusing-philanthropy-inc-morg_76c427968f3c499c8d35cded7f61b90a
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_452405071_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Focusing Philanthropy Inc funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/focusing-philanthropy-inc-morg_76c427968f3c499c8d35cded7f61b90a},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-10. 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 Focusing Philanthropy Inc'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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