Gene Chiu Foundation
Gene Chiu Foundation is a private foundation based in Los Altos, California. Its 2024 filing describes charitable activities and grants supporting education, student scholarships, senior welfare, and resources for people with special needs.
Gene Chiu Foundation at a glance
In short: Gene Chiu Foundation gave $460K across 43 grants in 2024 (avg $11K). 56% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $460,149
- +79.7% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 43
- +43.3% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $10,701
- +25.4% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $1,500
- Total assets
- $6,936,374
- -4.7% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 56% first-time grantees (20 of 36, 2024)
- 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 Gene Chiu 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: PO Box 1637, Los Altos, CA 94023
Phone: (650) 858-2734
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Gene Chiu Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was National Taiwan University ($300K). Together the top 10 received $417K.
Organizations only. It also paid 8 individual scholarships ($15,387), which are not listed by name.
Grant Size Distribution
162 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 155 grants of 162 (96%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The listed grants and stated activities identify work in Guizhou, Nanjing, Hubei, and Ningxia in China, and Luodong and Yilan in Taiwan. The foundation also made a grant to National Taiwan University for education development.
Is Gene Chiu Foundation open to new grantees?
56%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 20 of 36 grantees (56%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $6K; repeat grants $21K. How we count
Medians: $1K first-time, $2K repeat.
- 36% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving grew 23% from 2021 to 2024. Method
- In 2024 it paid out 114% 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 $256K (2023) to $460K (2024). In 2024 it made 43 grants totaling $460K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| National Taiwan University | Grants to National Taiwan University for Education Development | $300,000 |
| Chenshi Ltd | Develop software to teach special needs people with good hygene habit, set up classroom teaching for special needs people | $90,000 |
| Guizhou University | GCF Student Scholarship Project in Guizhou, China | $5,555 |
| 8 individual scholarships Recipients not named | — | $15,387 |
| Guizhou Medical University | GCF Student Scholarship Project in Guizhou, China | $5,130 |
| Catholic Marian Long-Term Care Center | Improve Senior Welfare in Yilan, Taiwan | $5,000 |
| Kaili College | GCF Student Scholarship Project in Guizhou, China | $3,190 |
| Nanjing Normal College | GCF Student Scholarship Project in Nanjing, China | $1,980 |
| Hubei San-Shia University | GCF Student Scholarship Project in Hubei, China | $1,910 |
| Guizhou Institute of Technology | GCF Student Scholarship Project in Guizhou, China | $1,877 |
Ready to take the next step with Gene Chiu 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 | $6,936,374 | $234,304 | $667,668 | $460,149 | 43 | $591,162 | $180,389 | $516,892 |
| 2023 | $7,279,738 | $-121,200 | $554,012 | $256,079 | 30 | $459,257 | $209,749 | $631,050 |
| 2022 | $8,034,960 | $417,298 | $580,771 | $359,447 | 29 | $492,401 | $367,851 | $497,822 |
| 2021 | $7,912,459 | $733,849 | $646,965 | $372,645 | 31 | $563,895 | $682,718 | $563,662 |
| 2020 | $7,950,613 | $324,298 | $529,993 | $324,160 | 29 | — | $278,839 | $445,755 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Gene Chiu Foundation reported a distributable amount of $517K 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
No mission statement is provided. The foundation’s stated direct charitable activities include a web reading room that posts fairy tales and folk stories in English and Chinese, a senior welfare project in Luodong, and scholarships for low-income college students in Guizhou Province. Its 2024 grants also include support for education development, student scholarships, senior welfare in Yilan, Taiwan, and software and classroom teaching intended to help people with special needs develop hygiene habits.
Grantmaking
In 2024, the foundation reported 43 grants totaling $460,149. Grant amounts ranged from $350 to $300,000, with a median of $1,500. The largest grants were $300,000 to National Taiwan University for education development and $90,000 to Chenshi Ltd for software and classroom teaching for people with special needs. Other notable grants included $5,555 to Guizhou University and $5,300 to an individual recipient for student scholarships in Guizhou, China, and $5,000 to Catholic Marian Long-Term Care Center to improve senior welfare in Yilan, Taiwan.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
Polly Jan is listed as a director on the 2024 filing.
Gene Chiu Foundation is led by Polly Jan, Director on every filing since 2020 — the only officer listed, and compensated.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Polly Jan
Director
On filings since 2020
10 hrs/week
$38K (2023) → $38K (2024)
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 $38K, to Polly Jan (Director).
Frequently asked questions about Gene Chiu Foundation
How much does Gene Chiu Foundation give each year?
Gene Chiu Foundation gave $460K across 43 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $256K across 30 grants.
What is Gene Chiu Foundation's typical grant size?
Gene Chiu Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $1,500, and its average grant was $10,701, across 43 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Gene Chiu Foundation that year got $6K on average.
Does Gene Chiu Foundation give general operating support?
Not in 2024: none of the 43 grants with a stated purpose on Gene Chiu Foundation's 2024 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "GCF Student Scholarship Project in Guizhou, China" (18 grants), "GCF Student Scholarship Project in Fujian, China" (4 grants) and "GCF Student Scholarship Project in Hubei, China" (3 grants).
Who are Gene Chiu Foundation's largest grantees?
Gene Chiu Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include National Taiwan University ($300,000), Chenshi Ltd ($90,000) and Guizhou University ($5,555), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It also paid 8 individual scholarships ($15,387), which are not listed by name. Together they received 86% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is Gene Chiu Foundation?
Gene Chiu Foundation reported $6.9M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $591K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $517K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does Gene Chiu Foundation fund?
No mission statement is provided. The foundation’s stated direct charitable activities include a web reading room that posts fairy tales and folk stories in English and Chinese, a senior welfare project in Luodong, and scholarships for low-income college students in Guizhou Province. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Gene Chiu 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 ↑
Where does Gene Chiu Foundation make grants?
The listed grants and stated activities identify work in Guizhou, Nanjing, Hubei, and Ningxia in China, and Luodong and Yilan in Taiwan. The foundation also made a grant to National Taiwan University for education development.
What is Gene Chiu Foundation's EIN?
Gene Chiu Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 05-0598399. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Does Gene Chiu 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
Live grants for the work Gene Chiu Foundation funds
Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking Open opportunities, soonest deadline first.
- Nixa Affiliate Grantmaking Program Up to US $10,000 · Due October 19, 2026
- Community and School Grants $28,000 total pool; 10-15 grants expected · Due October 19, 2026
- Mary Pinola/Crescenta Valley Chamber Education Fund $500 - $5,000 for ongoing programs; up to $15,000 for Strategic Initiative Grants · Due October 19, 2026
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Gene Chiu Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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Gene Chiu Foundation down — hundreds of funders to go?