Help Better Lives Inc

Private foundation · Grantmaker Seal Beach, CA EIN: 45-3309167

Help Better Lives Inc is a private foundation focused on International, Foreign Affairs & National Security, based in Seal Beach, CA. IRS filing data is available from 2020 through 2025. As of 2025, the organization holds $437K in total assets. In 2025, it awarded 9 grants totaling $194K. Net investment income was $18K.

Key facts about Help Better Lives Inc

In short: Help Better Lives Inc gave $194K across 9 grants in 2025 (avg $22K). Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.

EIN
45-3309167
Latest 990 filing
Form 990-PF, 2025
Annual giving (2025)
$193,607
Grants made (2025)
9
Average grant
$21,512
Median grant
$10,974
Total assets
$436,618

Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated September 2026.

Financial Overview

From 2025 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing

Total Assets

$437K

-2.8% YoY

Annual Giving

$194K

+1.2% YoY

Grant Count

9

+0.0% YoY

Avg Grant Size

$22K

+1.2% YoY

Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Help Better Lives Inc reported a distributable amount of $5K for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.

How Help Better Lives Inc gives

  • Giving grew 31% from 2022 to 2025. Method
  • In 2025 it paid out well above its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method

From the foundation's IRS Form 990-PF filings. Methodology.

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Geographic Focus

Where this funder awards grants

Grant Distribution by State

2states

Cities

Los AlamitosDenver

Giving Over Time

Total grant dollars and number of grants per year

$0$50K$100K$150K$200K10 grants2020 10 grants2021 11 grants2022 9 grants2023 9 grants2024 9 grants2025

From 2020 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $148K (2022) to $194K (2025). In 2025 it made 9 grants totaling $194K.

Grant Insights

How this funder distributes its grants

Top Recipients

Top 9 recipients in 2025

Tupendane Company: $93KTupendane Company$93KPeaksneng Thormacheat Shop: $31KPeaksneng Thormacheat Shop$31KSoda Trust: $24KSoda Trust$24KKikundi Cha Mafanikio: $11KKikundi Cha Mafanikio$11KWamukisa Support Organization: $11KWamukisa Support Organization$11KUpendo Agribusiness: $9KUpendo Agribusiness$9KLishe Bora Garden Shop: $7KLishe Bora Garden Shop$7KHealthy Life Reinforcement: $4KHealthy Life Reinforcement$4KSunrise Organic Agri-Shop: $3KSunrise Organic Agri-Shop$3K

The largest 2025 recipient was Tupendane Company ($93K). Together the top 9 received $194K.

Grant Size Distribution

48 grants across all recorded years

43<$50K5$50–100K$100–250K$250–500K$500K–1M$1–5M$5M+

The most common grant size was under $50K: 43 grants of 48 (90%).

Giving History

Grant recipients and amounts by year

RecipientPurposeAmount
Tupendane Company Assist Schools to Feed Students and Improve Facilities.$92,520
Peaksneng Thormacheat Shop Assist families living in rural poverty to become food and income self-reliant.$30,873
Soda Trust Assist Schools to Feed Students and Improve Facilities.$24,007
Kikundi Cha Mafanikio Assist families living in rural poverty to become food and income self-reliant.$11,274
Wamukisa Support Organization Assist families living in rural poverty to become food and income self-reliant.$10,974
Upendo Agribusiness Distributing Grants and Providing Program Management Services.$9,389
Lishe Bora Garden Shop Assist families living in rural poverty to become food and income self-reliant.$7,136
Healthy Life Reinforcement Assist families living in poverty to become food and income self-reliant.$4,283
Sunrise Organic Agri-Shop Assist families living in rural poverty to become food and income self-reliant$3,151

Financial History

Multi-year comparison from IRS filings

Revenue
Expenses
Qualifying Distributions
Net Investment Income
$0$100K$200K$300K$400K2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025
Metric202520242023
Total Assets$436,618$448,968$424,921
Revenue$187,867$249,927$236,116
Expenses$200,217$225,880$160,499
Qualifying Distributions$232,740$288,155$177,974
Net Investment Income$18,334$17,430$37,351
Distributable Amount$5,343$5,811$476

Data update history

When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable

  1. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS September 28, 2021)
  2. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS November 2, 2022)
  3. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS May 15, 2023)
  4. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS October 12, 2024)
  5. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS November 17, 2025)
  6. Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS August 19, 2026)
  7. IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024

Leadership & Key People

Officers and directors from IRS filings

Help Better Lives Inc is led by Christopher Wade, President & CEO on every filing since 2020; none of the 4 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.

Officers on the 2025 filing

  • Christopher Wade

    President & CEO

    On filings since 2020

    20 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Clive Perry

    Director

    On filings since 2020

    1 hr/week

    No compensation reported

  • Gillian Perry

    Secretary

    On filings since 2020

    3 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Jeffrey Shaw

    Treasurer & CFO

    On filings since 2020

    10 hrs/week

    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 Help Better Lives Inc

How much does Help Better Lives Inc give each year?

Help Better Lives Inc gave $194K across 9 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $191K across 9 grants.

What is Help Better Lives Inc's typical grant size?

Help Better Lives Inc's median grant in 2025 was $10,974, and its average grant was $21,512, across 9 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.

Does Help Better Lives Inc give general operating support?

Not in 2025: none of the 9 grants with a stated purpose on Help Better Lives Inc's 2025 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support.

Who are Help Better Lives Inc's largest grantees?

Help Better Lives Inc's largest 2025 grantees include Tupendane Company ($92,520), Peaksneng Thormacheat Shop ($30,873) and Soda Trust ($24,007), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 76% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.

How large is Help Better Lives Inc?

Help Better Lives Inc reported $437K in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $233K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $5K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).

What is Help Better Lives Inc?

Help Better Lives Inc is a private foundation focused on International, Foreign Affairs & National Security, based in Seal Beach, CA. It holds $437K in total assets as of 2025.

Where does Help Better Lives Inc operate?

Help Better Lives Inc has awarded grants in California, Colorado.

What is Help Better Lives Inc's EIN?

Help Better Lives Inc's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 45-3309167. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.

Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings.

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