Harold Mcalister Charitable Foundation
The Harold McAlister Charitable Foundation is a private family foundation established in 1959 and based in Beverly Hills, California. The foundation supports public charities across healthcare, education, social services, animal welfare, arts & culture, and environmental protection, with a particular emphasis on organizations serving the Los Angeles community and beyond.
Financial Overview
From 2025 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$21.8M
+0.9% YoY
Annual Giving
$1.2M
+91.5% YoY
Grant Count
29
+52.6% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$43K
+25.5% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Harold Mcalister Charitable Foundation reported a distributable amount of $1.2M for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation's guiding principle is reflected in the James Baldwin quote: "We are responsible for the world in which we find ourselves, if only because we are the only sentient force which can change it."
The foundation primarily focuses on:
- Healthcare — Medical services, hospitals, cancer research, and specialized medical initiatives
- Education — Public education support, scholarships, and research universities
- Social Services — Programs supporting children, families, and therapeutic services
- Animal Welfare — Animal rescue and disaster response programs
- Arts & Culture — Cultural preservation and community arts organizations
- Environment — Environmental protection initiatives
The foundation emphasizes "extreme effectiveness" and "pronounced impact on the communities they serve" as core selection criteria for grantmaking.
Grantmaking
Organizations must submit a formal grant request that includes:
Grant Range
s & Activity:**
Average Grant
amount: $34,000
How to Apply
**
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation primarily supports organizations working in California, with a specific focus on the Los Angeles community. Current grantmaking is limited to organizations that either work entirely in California or operate programs within the state.
Grant Distribution by State
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
As of Fiscal Year Ending May 2024:
- Total Assets: $21.6–$21.8 million
- Total Revenue: $1.7 million
- Total Expenses: $1.16 million
- Total Liabilities: $0
- Number of Employees: 1
Tax Status:
- Designated as a 501(c)(3) organization
- Tax-exempt since July 1966
- EIN: 95-6050036
| Metric | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $21,837,493 | $21,640,701 | $21,100,746 |
| Revenue | $1,974,535 | $1,704,065 | $1,140,768 |
| Expenses | $1,777,744 | $1,164,110 | $997,367 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $1,634,865 | $1,020,035 | $875,533 |
| Net Investment Income | $1,850,156 | $1,505,709 | $1,039,073 |
| Distributable Amount | $1,151,394 | $1,067,178 | $1,040,408 |
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
Grant Size Distribution
114 grants across all recorded years
Open Grants
1 open opportunity from Harold Mcalister Charitable Foundation
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2025 grants, the largest include Santa Barbara Humane ($250,000), Casa Del Herrero ($200,000), Boys and Girls Club of Santa Barbara ($100,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| BEVERLY HILLS EDUCATION FOUNDATION BEVERLY HILLS, CA | CHARITABLE-UNRESTRICTED | $35,000 |
| BOYS AND GIRLS CLUB OF SANTA BARBARA SANTA BARBARA, CA | CHARITABLE-UNRESTRICTED | $100,000 |
| CALIFORNIA COMMUNITY FOUNDATION LOS ANGELES, CA | CHARITABLE-UNRESTRICTED | $25,000 |
| CALIFORNIA MISSIONS FOUNDATION SANTA BARBARA, CA | CHARITABLE-UNRESTRICTED | $25,000 |
| CASA DEL HERRERO MONTECITO, CA | CHARITABLE-UNRESTRICTED | $200,000 |
| CATALINA ISLAND CONSERVANCY LONG BEACH, CA | CHARITABLE-UNRESTRICTED | $100,000 |
| CENTRAL COAST OCEAN ADVENTURES FOUNDATION SANTA BARBARA, CA | CHARITABLE-UNRESTRICTED | $15,000 |
| COTTAGE HEALTH SANTA BARBARA, CA | CHARITABLE-UNRESTRICTED | $100,000 |
| EL MONTECITO PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH MONTECITO, CA | CHARITABLE-UNRESTRICTED | $2,500 |
| FOOD FROM THE HEART SANTA BARBARA, CA | CHARITABLE-UNRESTRICTED | $10,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
James Patrick McAlister — President and Trustee (20 hours per week, $24,800 compensation)
Other Trustees:
- Lauren McAlister
- Mari McAlister
- Megan McAlister
- Michael McAlister
- Sean McAlister
- Christian J. Vanderwall
The foundation is managed as a family-run organization with multiple McAlister family members serving as trustees.
Compensation Overview
From 2025 IRS filing
From 2025 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| JAMES PATRICK MCALISTER | PRESIDENT/TRUSTEE | 20 | $24,000 |
| LAUREN MCALISTER | TRUSTEE | 3 | $24,000 |
| MARI MCALISTER | TRUSTEE | 3 | $24,000 |
| MEGAN MCALISTER | TRUSTEE | 3 | $24,000 |
| MICHAEL MCALISTER | TRUSTEE | 3 | $24,000 |
| SEAN MCALISTER | TRUSTEE | 3 | $24,000 |
| CHRISTIAN J VANDERWALL | TRUSTEE | 3 | $24,000 |
Contact Information
- Website: mcalisterfoundation.org
- Phone: 310-288-4391
- Email: McAlisterFoundation@gmail.com
- Address: 499 North Canon Drive, Suite 211, Beverly Hills, CA 90210-1761
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Harold Mcalister Charitable Foundation fund?
The foundation's guiding principle is reflected in the James Baldwin quote: "We are responsible for the world in which we find ourselves, if only because we are the only sentient force which can change it." The foundation primarily focuses on: • **Healthcare** — Medical services, hospitals, cancer research, and specialized medical initiatives • **Education** — Public education support, scholarships, and research universities • **Social Services** — Programs supporting children, families, and th…
How do I apply for a grant from Harold Mcalister Charitable Foundation?
**Grant Sizes & Activity:** • Average grant amount: $34,000 • Grant range: $10,000–$250,000 • Total giving (2024): $646,000–$1,237,000 across 19–29 grants • Total assets: $21.6–$21.8 million **Application Process:** Organizations must submit a formal grant request that includes: • Organization's mission and overview • Programs, services, and numbers served • Specific amount requested and intended use • Financial information and current funding sources The Board reviews grant requests monthly. A…
Where does Harold Mcalister Charitable Foundation make grants?
The foundation primarily supports organizations working in California, with a specific focus on the Los Angeles community. Current grantmaking is limited to organizations that either work entirely in California or operate programs within the state.
What size grants does Harold Mcalister Charitable Foundation award?
In 2025, Harold Mcalister Charitable Foundation awarded 29 grants totaling $1.2M — an average of about $43K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is Harold Mcalister Charitable Foundation required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2025, Harold Mcalister Charitable Foundation reported a distributable amount of $1.2M on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is Harold Mcalister Charitable Foundation's EIN?
Harold Mcalister Charitable Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 95-6050036. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2021–2025.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Harold Mcalister Charitable Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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Data last updated June 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
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