Friese Foundation
The Friese Foundation is a private foundation based in Chatsworth, California. It supports charitable organizations working in areas including veterans support, youth and education, animal welfare, and health services, with a stated commitment to promoting healing and wellness for underserved individuals and communities.
Friese Foundation at a glance
In short: Friese Foundation gave $7.7M across 106 grants in 2024 (avg $72K), mostly in California. 31% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $7,661,900
- +42.5% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 106
- +37.7% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $72,282
- +3.5% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $20,000
- Total assets
- $54,097,005
- -9.6% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 31% first-time grantees (33 of 106, 2024)
- Primary geography
- California (55% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to Friese Foundation
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds.
- Contact
Mailing address: 20021 Northridge Road, Chatsworth, CA 91311
Phone: (310) 282-2296
Website: https://thefriesefoundation.com
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Friese Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Salvation Army ($600K). Together the top 10 received $4.5M.
Grant Size Distribution
380 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 207 grants of 380 (54%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2024, California recipients received 55% of grant dollars, followed by New York at 17%, Washington, DC at 9%, Pennsylvania at 8%, and Virginia at 5%. The listed grants also include support for organizations whose stated work includes services in Israel and wildlife conservation in Kenya.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 106 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is Friese Foundation open to new grantees?
31%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 33 of 106 grantees (31%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $60K; repeat grants $78K. How we count
Medians: $5K first-time, $25K repeat.
- 69% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving grew 51% from 2021 to 2024. Method
- In 2024 it paid out 248% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF 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 $4.2M (2020) to $7.7M (2024). In 2024 it made 106 grants totaling $7.7M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Salvation Army Carson, CA | Aid Veterans with Shelter, Clothing, and Meals | $600,000 |
| Friends of United Hatzalah New York, NY | Community-based volunteer emergency medical services (EMS) organization committed to providing the fastest response to medical emergencies across israel even prior the arrival of ambulances and completely free of charge. | $600,000 |
| Brothers & Sisters in Arms Bryn Mawr, PA | Dedicated to the educating, strengthening and preserving the democratic foundations of the state of israel, and we work closely and support other organizations in their activities that support this important mission. | $600,000 |
| Friends of the Lone Soldiers New York, NY | Raises funds to directly support vetted, mission-aligned organizations that serve the critical needs of lone soldiers in israel. | $600,000 |
| New Life in His Presence Newhall, CA | To Support Local Church in Newall | $400,000 |
| Sheldrick Wildlife Trust Laguna Hills, CA | For support of elephants and wildlife conservation in kenya | $400,000 |
| American Red Cross Washington, DC | Preventing and Alleviating Human Suffering | $350,000 |
| Los Angeles Regional Food Bank Los Angeles, CA | Provided food through the partner agency network and food bank direct distribution programs | $300,000 |
| National Veterans Foundation Los Angeles, CA | To Support Veterans | $300,000 |
| Rancho San Antonio Boys Home Chatsworth, CA | Care and guidance for individuals in their programs, creative and healing arts music program | $300,000 |
Ready to take the next step with Friese Foundation?
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Qualifying Distributions | Net Investment Income | Distributable Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $54,097,005 | $2,265,067 | $8,055,170 | $7,661,900 | 106 | $7,720,486 | $1,900,695 | $3,118,251 |
| 2023 | $59,874,759 | $2,078,999 | $5,780,712 | $5,377,000 | 77 | $5,444,307 | $1,703,183 | $2,983,466 |
| 2022 | $63,465,883 | $2,298,985 | $6,300,486 | $5,776,900 | 77 | $5,844,742 | $1,921,990 | $3,254,010 |
| 2021 | $67,467,384 | $11,212,834 | $5,542,085 | $5,086,000 | 63 | $5,175,649 | $10,767,394 | $3,788,101 |
| 2020 | $61,796,635 | $5,004,117 | $4,731,815 | $4,235,000 | 57 | — | $4,572,902 | $3,389,671 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Friese Foundation reported a distributable amount of $3.1M for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation says it is committed to providing impactful, life-changing opportunities and promoting healing and wellness for underserved individuals and communities. Its stated focus areas include veterans support, youth and education, animal welfare, and health services. It also says it supports organizations serving low-income families, unhoused individuals, and other communities in need.
The grantees’ stated missions illustrate the range of organizations supported. Friends of United Hatzalah says it raises and provides funding for organizations delivering medical and trauma-related first-responder services, with most support focused on United Hatzalah of Israel. The National Veterans Foundation says it serves the crisis-management, information, and referral needs of veterans and their families. The Los Angeles Regional Food Bank says it mobilizes resources to fight hunger. The National Glass Association says it provides member companies with education, training, technical, and business services.
Grantmaking
In 2024, the foundation reported 106 grants totaling $7,661,900. Grant amounts ranged from $1,000 to $600,000, with a median of $20,000.
Among the largest grants were $600,000 each to the Salvation Army, Friends of United Hatzalah, Brothers & Sisters in Arms, and Friends of the Lone Soldiers. Other substantial grants included $400,000 to New Life in His Presence and $400,000 to the Sheldrick Wildlife Trust; $350,000 to the American Red Cross; and $300,000 each to the Los Angeles Regional Food Bank, National Veterans Foundation, and Rancho San Antonio Boys Home. The Investigative Project on Terrorism Foundation received $250,000, and Children’s Hospital Los Angeles received $200,000.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Donald E. Friese as director; Andrea Friese as director and treasurer; and Donald E. Friese Jr. as director and president. The foundation’s website identifies Donald E. Friese Sr. as its founder and Donald “DJ” Friese Jr. as president and CFO.
Friese Foundation is led by Donald E. Friese Jr., Director & President on every filing since 2020; 1 of 3 officers listed in 2024 is compensated.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Donald E. Friese Jr.
Director & President
On filings since 2020
40 hrs/week
$218K (2020) → $200K (2024)
Andrea Friese
Director & Treasurer
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Donald E. Friese
Director
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
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 $200K, to Donald E Friese Jr (Director, President).
Frequently asked questions about Friese Foundation
How much does Friese Foundation give each year?
Friese Foundation gave $7.7M across 106 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $5.4M across 77 grants.
What is Friese Foundation's typical grant size?
Friese Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $20,000, and its average grant was $72,282, across 106 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Friese Foundation that year got $60K on average.
Where does Friese Foundation give grants?
Friese Foundation gives mostly in California: 55% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest states were New York (17%) and District of Columbia (9%). The most frequent recipient cities were Los Angeles, CA (22 grants), Washington, DC (5 grants), Woodland Hills, CA (3 grants) and Northridge, CA (3 grants).
Does Friese Foundation give general operating support?
Occasionally: 4% of Friese Foundation's 2024 grants with a stated purpose (4 of 106) were for general or operating support, per its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are Friese Foundation's largest grantees?
Friese Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include Salvation Army ($600,000), Friends of United Hatzalah ($600,000) and Brothers & Sisters in Arms ($600,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 23% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is Friese Foundation?
Friese Foundation reported $54.1M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $7.7M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $3.1M (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does Friese Foundation fund?
The foundation says it is committed to providing impactful, life-changing opportunities and promoting healing and wellness for underserved individuals and communities. Its stated focus areas include veterans support, youth and education, animal welfare, and health services. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Friese Foundation?
The foundation 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 ↑
What is Friese Foundation's EIN?
Friese Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 83-2753741. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Does Friese Foundation accept unsolicited proposals?
No, according to Grantable's research on the foundation's published guidelines. See how to apply ↑
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(1)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Friese Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 10, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/friese-foundation-morg_a4fbd294c64f4e2d91d13af17bf86ce7
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_832753741_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Friese Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/friese-foundation-morg_a4fbd294c64f4e2d91d13af17bf86ce7},
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 Friese Foundation'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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