Ignite Cultural Solutions Foundation
Ignite Cultural Solutions Foundation is a private family foundation based in Long Beach, California. Established in 2017, the foundation operates as a 501(c)(3) organization with a focus on philanthropic giving to support educational and societal initiatives across the United States.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$556K
-35.3% YoY
Annual Giving
$4.5M
+114.7% YoY
Grant Count
28
+12.0% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$159K
+91.7% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Ignite Cultural Solutions Foundation reported a distributable amount of $48K for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation's mission is to transform the lives of disadvantaged and underserved populations through education, training, and mentoring—empowering others to find their path to become productive, engaged, and successful members of society.
Primary funding focus areas include:
- Education
- Societal initiatives
- Human services
- Housing and supportive housing
- Philanthropy and grantmaking
Grantmaking
The foundation does not accept unsolicited applications and operates on an invite-only basis.
Grant Range
(2023): $28,000
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation supports organizations across multiple states, with primary activity in:
- California
- Colorado
- Florida
- Georgia
- New Jersey
- New York
- South Carolina
- Virginia
Specific cities supported include Los Angeles, New York, Orlando, Bonita Springs, and Greer, among others.
Grant Distribution by State
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
Most Recent Financial Data (2024):
- Total Assets: $556,402
- Total Revenues: $4,227,437
- Total Expenses: $4,530,858
- Total Giving: $4,460,040
Prior Year Data (2023):
- Total Assets: $860,000
- Total Revenues: $2,585,251
- Total Expenses: $2,108,967
- Total Giving: $2,076,400
The foundation maintains a giving rate exceeding 100% of assets, indicating significant philanthropic activity relative to its asset base.
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $556,402 | $859,823 | $383,539 |
| Revenue | $4,227,437 | $2,585,251 | $1,531,423 |
| Expenses | $4,530,858 | $2,108,967 | $1,233,263 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $4,509,215 | $2,093,524 | $1,231,896 |
| Net Investment Income | $162,884 | $457,705 | $528,245 |
| Distributable Amount | $47,931 | $116,778 | $50,896 |
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 2024
Grant Size Distribution
103 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include Winston School ($750,000), 49er Foundation ($696,000), Habitat for Humanity ($666,670).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| 49ER FOUNDATION LONG BEACH, CA | SOCIETAL | $696,000 |
| ADVENTURES IN MISSIONS GAINSVILLE, GA | SOCIETAL | $51,000 |
| AMIGOS DE LOS NINOS BREA, CA | SOCIETAL | $10,000 |
| BETHANY CHURCH LONG BEACH, CA | SOCIETAL | $12,000 |
| BIOLA UNIVERSITY LA MIRADA, CA | EDUCATIONAL | $150,000 |
| CITY TO CITY LOS ANGELES PASADENA, CA | SOCIETAL | $25,000 |
| CVC CENTURY VILLAGES OF CABRILLO LONG BEACH, CA | SOCIETAL | $300,000 |
| DAYS LONG BEACH LONG BEACH, CA | SOCIETAL | $10,000 |
| HABITAT FOR HUMANITY FORT MYERS, FL | SOCIETAL | $25,000 |
| LONG BEACH RESCUE MISSION LONG BEACH, CA | SOCIETAL | $540,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
Louise S. Ukleja – Founder and President
Louise Ukleja founded Ignite Cultural Solutions Foundation in 2017. She is also the Co-Founder of the Ukleja Center for Ethical Leadership at California State University, Long Beach (CSULB), and previously founded Opportunity Schools in 2000, an educational nonprofit that provided programming and professional development to private schools serving students with learning and social challenges. Over her 30+ year career in education, thousands of students achieved academic competency through her initiatives.
Other Key Personnel:
- Carol M. Tambellini – Treasurer
- Jeff Schoenfeld – Vice President
- Cathy Hollenbeck – Secretary
All key personnel serve on a volunteer basis without compensation.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| LOUISE S UKLEJA | CHAIRMAN/PRESIDENT | 25 | — |
| CAROL M TAMBELLINI | TREASURER | 0.1 | — |
| JEFF SCHOENFELD | VICE PRESIDENT | 0.1 | — |
| CATHY HOLLENBECK | SECRETARY | 25 | $34,246 |
Subject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Ignite Cultural Solutions Foundation fund?
The foundation's mission is to transform the lives of disadvantaged and underserved populations through education, training, and mentoring—empowering others to find their path to become productive, engaged, and successful members of society. Primary funding focus areas include: • Education • Societal initiatives • Human services • Housing and supportive housing • Philanthropy and grantmaking
How do I apply for a grant from Ignite Cultural Solutions Foundation?
**Grant Activity:** • Made 19 grants in 2024, totaling approximately $4.2 million • Made 24 grants in 2023, totaling approximately $2.1 million • Typical award range: $500,000–$750,000 • Median grant size (2023): $28,000 • Grant range: $5,000–$750,000 **Recent Notable Grants (2024):** • The Winston School of San Diego: $750,000 (Educational) • CSULB 49er Foundation: $696,000 (Societal) • Habitat for Humanity of Greater Los Angeles: $666,670 (Societal) • Pathways To Independence: $300,000 (Socie…
Where does Ignite Cultural Solutions Foundation make grants?
The foundation supports organizations across multiple states, with primary activity in: • California • Colorado • Florida • Georgia • New Jersey • New York • South Carolina • Virginia Specific cities supported include Los Angeles, New York, Orlando, Bonita Springs, and Greer, among others.
What size grants does Ignite Cultural Solutions Foundation award?
In 2024, Ignite Cultural Solutions Foundation awarded 28 grants totaling $4.5M — an average of about $159K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is Ignite Cultural Solutions Foundation required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, Ignite Cultural Solutions Foundation reported a distributable amount of $48K on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is Ignite Cultural Solutions Foundation's EIN?
Ignite Cultural Solutions Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 81-3439501. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Ignite Cultural Solutions 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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