Garen Family Foundation

Private foundation · Grantmaker Los Angeles, CA EIN: 95-4621093

Garen Family Foundation is a private foundation based in Los Angeles, California. In filing year 2025, it reported 14 grants totaling $117,255, including grants to organizations in California, Utah, West Virginia, Missouri, and New York.

Garen Family Foundation at a glance

In short: Garen Family Foundation gave $117K across 14 grants in 2025 (avg $8K), mostly in California. 7% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.

Annual giving (2025)
$117,255
-33.3% vs 2024
Grants made (2025)
14
-17.6% vs 2024
Average grant
$8,375
-19.0% vs 2024
Median grant
$2,779
Total assets
$4,092,543
+14.8% vs 2024
New grantees (estimate)
7% first-time grantees (1 of 14, 2025; small sample)
Primary geography
California (66% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
Latest 990 filing
Form 990-PF, 2025 View filing

Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).

How to apply to Garen Family Foundation

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.

Contact

Mailing address: 11100 Santa Monica Blvd Suite 600, Los Angeles, CA 90025
Phone: (310) 806-4000

Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.

Who Garen Family Foundation funds

How this funder distributes its grants

Top Recipients

Top 10 recipients in 2025

Harvard Westlake School: $60KHarvard Westlake School$60KMuseique: $15KMuseique$15KNational Ability Center: $10KNational Ability Center$10KPioneer Theatre: $10KPioneer Theatre$10KHigh Rocks: $5KHigh Rocks$5KUtah Symphony: $4KUtah Symphony$4KMicrofinancing Partners in Africa: $3KMicrofinancing Partners inAfrica$3KThe Huntington: $3KThe Huntington$3KClimate Science Legal Defense Fund: $2KClimate Science Legal DefenseFund$2KNova Chamber Music Series: $2KNova Chamber Music Series$2K

The largest 2025 recipient was Harvard Westlake School ($60K). Together the top 10 received $114K.

Grant Size Distribution

74 grants across all recorded years

66<$50K7$50–100K1$100–250K$250–500K$500K–1M$1–5M$5M+

The most common grant size was under $50K: 66 grants of 74 (89%).

Geographic Focus

Where this funder awards grants

In 2025, 66% of grant dollars went to recipients in California, 25% to Utah, 4% to West Virginia, 3% to Missouri, and 2% to New York.

Grant Distribution by State

8states

Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 14 itemized grants.

Cities

Park CityPasadenaSLCSaint LouisSan MarinoHillsboroLos AngelesNew YorkStudio CityWashingtonAlexandriaOrlandoPomonaSalt Lake City

Is Garen Family Foundation open to new grantees?

7%

first-time grantees, 2025

In 2025, 1 of 14 grantees (7%) were first-time recipients. With only 14 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 7 points. First grants averaged $10K; repeat grants $8K. How we count

Medians: $10K first-time, $3K repeat.

  • 93% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
  • Giving fell 41% from 2022 to 2025. Method
  • In 2025 it paid out 68% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Foundations have until the end of the next year to meet it. Method

Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2020–2025). 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

$0$50K$100K$150K$200K14 grants2020 12 grants2021 15 grants2022 16 grants2023 17 grants2024 14 grants2025

From 2020 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $117K (2025) to $197K (2022). In 2025 it made 14 grants totaling $117K.

Grants by year

Grant recipients and amounts by year

RecipientPurposeAmount
Harvard Westlake School Studio City, CAUnrestricted$60,000
Museique Pasadena, CAUnrestricted$15,000
National Ability Center Park City, UTUnrestricted$10,000
Pioneer Theatre SLC, UTUnrestricted$10,000
High Rocks Hillsboro, WVUnrestricted$5,000
Utah Symphony SLC, UTUnrestricted$4,348
Microfinancing Partners in Africa Saint Louis, MOUnrestricted$3,000
The Huntington San Marino, CAUnrestricted$2,557
Climate Science Legal Defense Fund New York, NYUnrestricted$2,000
Nova Chamber Music Series SLC, UTUnrestricted$2,000
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Financial History

Multi-year comparison from IRS filings

Figures from IRS filings, by filing year
Filing yearTotal AssetsRevenueExpensesGrants paidGrantsQualifying DistributionsNet Investment IncomeDistributable Amount
2025$4,092,543$280,718$143,695$117,25514$125,443$266,205$185,574
2024$3,565,987$282,544$205,690$175,71317$190,429$269,025$172,229
2023$3,401,873$137,975$170,592$148,77716$157,020$125,314$159,240
2022$3,129,420$78,348$219,270$197,23615$204,514$65,511$165,715
2021$3,793,140$151,004$178,437$158,30712$164,391$138,062$182,303
2020$3,534,549$90,955$160,597$139,47814—$79,408$157,368

Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Garen Family Foundation reported a distributable amount of $186K for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.

Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.

Mission & Focus Areas

No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2025 grants included organizations whose stated work spans music and arts, disability-inclusive recreation and education, microfinance, scientific legal protections, and non-motorized trails. These are grantees’ described missions, not stated priorities of the foundation.

Grantmaking

In filing year 2025, the foundation made 14 grants totaling $117,255. Grant amounts ranged from $350 to $60,000, with a median of $2,778. The largest grants included $60,000 to Harvard Westlake School in Studio City, California; $15,000 to MuseIque in Pasadena, California; $10,000 each to National Ability Center in Park City, Utah, and Pioneer Theatre in Salt Lake City, Utah; and $5,000 to High Rocks in Hillsboro, West Virginia. The listed grants were designated unrestricted.

Among the other 2025 recipients, MuseIque describes its work as creating curated live music events and outreach programs. National Ability Center says it empowers individuals with disabilities through sport, recreation, and educational programs. Microfinancing Partners in Africa describes providing grants to strengthen and expand microfinancing programs in Africa. Climate Science Legal Defense Fund says it provides legal expertise and educational resources to protect scientists’ rights and scientific integrity. Mountain Trails Foundation describes building, maintaining, and advocating for non-motorized trails in Park City and around Utah.

Leadership & Key People

Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings

The 2025 filing lists Eric R. Garen and Nancy J. Garen as trustees.

Garen Family Foundation's 2025 filing lists 2 officers; none of the 2 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.

Officers on the 2025 filing

  • Eric R. Garen

    Trustee

    On filings since 2020

    No compensation reported

  • Nancy J. Garen

    Trustee

    On filings since 2020

    No compensation reported

Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2025. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.

Frequently asked questions about Garen Family Foundation

How much does Garen Family Foundation give each year?

Garen Family Foundation gave $117K across 14 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $176K across 17 grants.

What is Garen Family Foundation's typical grant size?

Garen Family Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $2,779, and its average grant was $8,375, across 14 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Garen Family Foundation that year got $10K on average.

Where does Garen Family Foundation give grants?

Garen Family Foundation gives mostly in California: 66% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest state was Utah (25%). The most frequent recipient cities were Park City, UT (5 grants) and SLC, UT (3 grants).

Does Garen Family Foundation give general operating support?

Yes: 100% of Garen Family Foundation's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (14 of 14) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.

Who are Garen Family Foundation's largest grantees?

Garen Family Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include Harvard Westlake School ($60,000), Museique ($15,000) and National Ability Center ($10,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 72% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.

How large is Garen Family Foundation?

Garen Family Foundation reported $4.1M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $125K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $186K (roughly 5% of its investment assets). Falling short in one year is not a violation: foundations have until the end of the next year to meet the minimum.

What does Garen Family Foundation fund?

No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2025 grants included organizations whose stated work spans music and arts, disability-inclusive recreation and education, microfinance, scientific legal protections, and non-motorized trails. See mission & focus areas ↑

How do I apply for a grant from Garen Family 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 ↑

What is Garen Family Foundation's EIN?

Garen Family Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 95-4621093. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.

Does Garen Family 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

(2)

When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable

  1. Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS May 12, 2026)
  2. IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024

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Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking

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The foundation supports education, arts and culture, scholarships, and general operations, with 2024 grants ranging from $2,500 to $100,000 (median $17,466). It funded organizations in Utah, Wisconsin, and Virginia, with most giving in Utah. It does not accept unsolicited requests from outside organizations.

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Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking

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Total Given

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Cite this profile

Grantable. (2026). Garen Family Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 10, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/garen-family-foundation-morg_bb4c5f89a6a04215978033dc33d2494c

BibTeX
@misc{grantable_954621093_2026,
  author       = {{Grantable}},
  title        = {{Garen Family Foundation funder profile}},
  howpublished = {GrantGraph},
  year         = {2026},
  url          = {https://grantable.co/funders/garen-family-foundation-morg_bb4c5f89a6a04215978033dc33d2494c},
  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 Garen Family 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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