Hams Foundation
Hams Foundation is a private foundation, based in Palo Alto, CA. IRS filing data is available from 2023 through 2025. As of 2025, the organization holds $6.4M in total assets. In 2025, it awarded 5 grants totaling $234K. Net investment income was $3.5M.
Hams Foundation at a glance
In short: Hams Foundation gave $234K across 5 grants in 2025 (avg $47K), mostly in California. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $234,400
- +241.4% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 5
- +150.0% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $46,880
- +36.6% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $12,800
- Total assets
- $6,408,154
- +51.4% vs 2024
- Primary geography
- California (100% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated September 2026.
Who Hams Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 5 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Buddhist TZU Chi Foundation ($186K). Together the top 5 received $234K.
Grant Size Distribution
7 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 5 grants of 7 (71%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 5 itemized grants.
States
Cities
How Hams Foundation gives
- In 2025 it paid out 137% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
From the foundation's IRS Form 990-PF filings. Methodology.
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2024 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $69K (2024) to $234K (2025). In 2025 it made 5 grants totaling $234K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Buddhist TZU Chi Foundation San Jose, CA | To Support Education and the Exchange of Knowledge | $185,600 |
| Wildcare Eastern Sierra Bishop, CA | To Support Education and the Exchange of Knowledge | $17,000 |
| Palo Alto Partners in Education Palo Alto, CA | To Support Education and the Exchange of Knowledge | $12,800 |
| Friends of the Library of Los Alto Los Altos, CA | To Support Education and the Exchange of Knowledge | $11,000 |
| Friends of Palo Alto Junior Musium Palo Alto, CA | To Support Education and the Exchange of Knowledge | $8,000 |
Ready to take the next step with Hams 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $6,408,154 | $5,014,086 | $272,690 | $234,400 | 5 | $272,690 | $3,529,017 | $199,519 |
| 2024 | $4,232,338 | $2,962,332 | $86,665 | $68,650 | 2 | $86,665 | $1,303,383 | $55,847 |
| 2023 | $687,182 | $668,370 | $8,295 | — | — | $8,295 | $31,462 | $8,185 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Hams Foundation reported a distributable amount of $200K for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Leadership & Key People
Officers and directors from IRS filings
Hams Foundation is led by Hwong-Kwo Lin, CEO since 2025 (on filings since 2023); none of the 4 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Hwong-Kwo Lin
CEO
Chief Executive Officer → CEO, 2025
On filings since 2023
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Chyong Yau Lin
Vice President
On filings since 2023
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Moonway Lin
Chief Financial Officer
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Sarah Lin
Secretary
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2023–2025. "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 Hams Foundation
How much does Hams Foundation give each year?
Hams Foundation gave $234K across 5 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $69K across 2 grants.
What is Hams Foundation's typical grant size?
Hams Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $12,800, and its average grant was $46,880, across 5 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
Where does Hams Foundation give grants?
Hams Foundation gives mostly in California: 100% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Palo Alto, CA (2 grants).
Does Hams Foundation give general operating support?
Not in 2025: none of the 5 grants with a stated purpose on Hams Foundation's 2025 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "To Support Education and the Exchange of Knowledge" (5 grants).
Who are Hams Foundation's largest grantees?
Hams Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include Buddhist TZU Chi Foundation ($185,600), Wildcare Eastern Sierra ($17,000) and Palo Alto Partners in Education ($12,800), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 92% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Hams Foundation?
Hams Foundation reported $6.4M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $273K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $200K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What is Hams Foundation's EIN?
Hams Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 93-1846107. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2023–2025.
Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings.
Data update history
(4)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS May 2, 2024)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS June 12, 2025)
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS May 6, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2023–2024
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Hams Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
Similar Funders
Funders with grantees in common
Agilent Technologies Foundation
Santa Clara, CA
Agilent Technologies Foundation funds environmental work on safe water, air quality, food supplies and climate change, as well as STEM education and economic opportunity for underrepresented communities. Its 2025 grants had a median of $25,000 and ranged from $5,000 to $2,166,500; most grant dollars went to Delaware, with some support elsewhere in the U.S. and internationally. It funds only preselected organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests.
Assets
$596K
Grants
20
Total Given
$5.0M
Lin Family Charitable Foundation
Los Altos, CA
Assets
$145K
Grants
1
Total Given
$5K
Wang & Wu Foundation
Fremont, CA
Assets
$659K
Grants
1
Total Given
$120
Hsing-Ming Chang Charitable Foundation
Los Altos, CA
Assets
$6.0M
Grants
2
Total Given
$830K
JOU & Family Foundation
Fremont, CA
Assets
$65K
Grants
2
Total Given
$4K
Jiao and Liqing Sun Foundation
Irvine, CA
Assets
$70K
Grants
3
Total Given
$3K
More similar funders
More Funders in California
The filing figures on this page are open data under CC BY 4.0. About GrantGraph Open
Figures come from Hams 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.
Hams Foundation down — hundreds of funders to go?