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.
Key facts about Ignite Cultural Solutions Foundation
- EIN
- 81-3439501
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024
- Annual giving (2024)
- $4,460,040
- Grants made (2024)
- 28
- Average grant
- $159,287
- Median grant
- $75,500
- New grantees (estimate)
- 26% first-time grantees (7 of 27, 2024)
- Total assets
- $556,402
- Primary geography
- California (88% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated June 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology). Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Ignite Cultural Solutions Foundation funds
By grant dollars, the top recipient states for Ignite Cultural Solutions Foundation's 28 itemized 2024 grants were California (88%). The most frequent recipient cities were Long Beach, CA (7 grants) and Fort Myers, FL (2 grants). None of its 28 grants with a stated purpose were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Societal" (23 grants) and "Educational" (5 grants).
Is Ignite Cultural Solutions Foundation open to new grantees?
26%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 7 of 27 grantees (26%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $154K; repeat grants $169K. How we count
Medians: $100K first-time, $76K repeat.
- 67% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving grew 152% from 2021 to 2024. Method
- In 2024 it paid out well above its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized IRS Form 990-PF grant lists (2020–2024). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.
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
Ready to take the next step with Ignite Cultural Solutions Foundation?
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
Share of all 28 itemized 2024 grant dollars.
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 |
Data update history
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
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 recipients include Winston School ($750,000), 49er Foundation ($696,000), Habitat for Humanity ($691,670 across 2 grants).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| WINSTON SCHOOL DEL MAR, CA | EDUCATIONAL | $750,000 |
| 49ER FOUNDATION LONG BEACH, CA | SOCIETAL | $696,000 |
| HABITAT FOR HUMANITY BELLFLOWER, CA | SOCIETAL | $666,670 |
| LONG BEACH RESCUE MISSION LONG BEACH, CA | SOCIETAL | $540,000 |
| CVC CENTURY VILLAGES OF CABRILLO LONG BEACH, CA | SOCIETAL | $300,000 |
| PATHWAYS TO INDEPENDENCE LOS ALAMITOS, CA | SOCIETAL | $300,000 |
| WORLD HELP FOREST, VA | SOCIETAL | $201,200 |
| BIOLA UNIVERSITY LA MIRADA, CA | EDUCATIONAL | $150,000 |
| LOS ANGELES CHRISTIAN SCHOOL LOS ANGELES, CA | EDUCATIONAL | $100,000 |
| URBAN YOUTH WORKERS INSTUTION SANTA ANA, CA | SOCIETAL | $100,000 |
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 IRS 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.
Does Ignite Cultural Solutions Foundation accept unsolicited proposals?
No, according to Grantable's research on the foundation's published guidelines. See how to apply ↑
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.