Helping Us Help Ourselves
Helping Us Help Ourselves is a private foundation focused on Education, based in Pasadena, CA. IRS filing data is available from 2020 through 2025. As of 2025, the organization holds $2.6M in total assets. In 2025, it awarded 3 grants totaling $125K. Net investment income was $32K.
Helping Us Help Ourselves at a glance
In short: Helping Us Help Ourselves gave $125K across 3 grants in 2025 (avg $42K), mostly in California. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $125,000
- +10.6% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 3
- +50.0% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $41,667
- -26.3% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $20,000
- Total assets
- $2,596,204
- +0.6% 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 Helping Us Help Ourselves funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 3 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Long Beach Community Foundation ($100K). Together the top 3 received $125K.
Grant Size Distribution
19 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 14 grants of 19 (74%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 3 itemized grants.
States
Cities
How Helping Us Help Ourselves gives
- Giving held roughly steady from 2022 to 2025 (−19%). 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 2020 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $113K (2024) to $199K (2021). In 2025 it made 3 grants totaling $125K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Long Beach Community Foundation Long Beach, CA | Education | $100,000 |
| Shacc Laguna Beach, CA | Donation | $20,000 |
| Naples Island Garden Club Long Beach, CA | Donation | $5,000 |
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Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Qualifying Distributions | Net Investment Income |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $2,596,204 | $78,214 | $173,894 | $125,000 | 3 | $125,000 | $32,239 |
| 2024 | $2,580,335 | $279,467 | $146,232 | $113,000 | 2 | $113,000 | $245,200 |
| 2023 | $2,370,431 | $-19,467 | $119,014 | $118,000 | 4 | $118,000 | $49,430 |
| 2022 | $2,275,695 | $-1,544,179 | $156,625 | $155,000 | 5 | $155,000 | $27,314 |
| 2021 | $3,665,328 | $965,577 | $200,449 | $199,000 | 5 | $199,000 | $964,128 |
| 2020 | $3,997,511 | $828,802 | $136,223 | $133,500 | 6 | — | $825,059 |
Leadership & Key People
Officers and directors from IRS filings
Helping Us Help Ourselves is led by Joe Scanlin, CEO on every filing since 2020; none of the 3 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Joe Scanlin
CEO
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
Mike Scanlin
President
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
Suzy Lawrence
Secretary
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 Helping Us Help Ourselves
How much does Helping Us Help Ourselves give each year?
Helping Us Help Ourselves gave $125K across 3 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $113K across 2 grants.
What is Helping Us Help Ourselves's typical grant size?
Helping Us Help Ourselves's median grant in 2025 was $20,000, and its average grant was $41,667, across 3 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
Where does Helping Us Help Ourselves give grants?
Helping Us Help Ourselves 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 Long Beach, CA (2 grants).
Does Helping Us Help Ourselves give general operating support?
Not in 2025: none of the 3 grants with a stated purpose on Helping Us Help Ourselves's 2025 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support.
How large is Helping Us Help Ourselves?
Helping Us Help Ourselves reported $2.6M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Its revenue that year was $78K.
What is Helping Us Help Ourselves?
Helping Us Help Ourselves is a private foundation focused on Education, based in Pasadena, CA. It holds $2.6M in total assets as of 2025.
What is Helping Us Help Ourselves's EIN?
Helping Us Help Ourselves's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 95-4695138. 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.
Data update history
(3)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS December 1, 2025)
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS July 13, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Helping Us Help Ourselves's focus areas in our free grants database
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