James Lee Sorenson Family Foundation
The James Lee Sorenson Family Foundation is a private foundation based in Salt Lake City, Utah, established in 2012. The foundation operates as a 501(c)(3) organization and focuses on grantmaking across multiple sectors including education, human services, philanthropy, and community engagement.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
—
Annual Giving
$2.6M
+74.8% YoY
Grant Count
31
+6.9% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$83K
+63.5% YoY
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation's primary funding areas include:
- General support
- Impact investing initiatives
- Field building
- Education
- Philanthropy, voluntarism, and grantmaking
- Human services
- Community and civic engagement
- Community and school gardens
- Environmental initiatives
Grantmaking
The foundation made four grants in 2023, with recent recipients including:
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation primarily funds organizations in Utah, New York, and California, with some activity in the District of Columbia.
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
As of December 2023:
- Total assets: $58,441,836
- Total revenues: $3,135,946
- Total expenses: $1,942,724
- Investment income and dividends: $1,053,056
As of 2024:
- Total assets: $60,604,336
- Total giving: $2,580,040
The foundation has no employees and operates as a private foundation.
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | — | — | — |
| Revenue | — | — | — |
| Expenses | — | — | — |
| Qualifying Distributions | — | — | — |
| Net Investment Income | — | — | — |
| Distributable Amount | — | — | — |
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
111 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include The Church of Jesus Christ of LDS ($1,592,540), University of Utah ($250,000), University of Utah ($250,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| 826 Valencia San Francisco, CA | Education assistance for underserved populations | $500 |
| Amanaki Fo'ou Holladay, UT | Diabetes education and prevention | $500 |
| Amnesty International New York, NY | Support for human rights issues | $500 |
| Best Friends Animal Society Salt Lake City, UT | Rescue and foster services for animals | $500 |
| Choice Humanitarian Draper, UT | Fundraising Event Sponsorship | $2,500 |
| Choice Humanitarian Draper, UT | Charitable event fundraising | $5,000 |
| Danielle Byron Henry Migraine Foundation Salt Lake City, UT | Research and support for migraine prgrams | $500 |
| Educate Girls Forest Hills, NY | Equitable access to quality education | $500 |
| Friends of the Coalition Provo, UT | Alleviation of hunger and poverty for unhoused populations | $500 |
| Habitat for Humanity Salt Lake City, UT | General support for housing needs | $500 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
James Lee Sorenson is identified as a principal officer of related Sorenson family philanthropic entities.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| James Lee Sorenson | Trustee | 5 | — |
Contact Information
- Address: 6330 S 3000 E, Suite 630, Salt Lake City, UT 84121
- Telephone: 801-490-1013
- EIN: 45-6794415
Subject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Frequently Asked Questions
What does James Lee Sorenson Family Foundation fund?
The foundation's primary funding areas include: • General support • Impact investing initiatives • Field building • Education • Philanthropy, voluntarism, and grantmaking • Human services • Community and civic engagement • Community and school gardens • Environmental initiatives
How do I apply for a grant from James Lee Sorenson Family Foundation?
**Grant Activity:** The foundation made four grants in 2023, with recent recipients including: • New Venture Fund: $100,000 (Economic Innovation) • Rise Culinary Institute: $25,000 (Providing Refugees With Culinary Job Skills Training) • Salt Contemporary Dance: $25,000 (Support for Art Programming) **Grant Characteristics:** • Typical award range: $500 to $1,700,000 • Total giving in recent years: $2,580,040 (2024) • The foundation has made 17 additional grants beyond those listed above
Where does James Lee Sorenson Family Foundation make grants?
The foundation primarily funds organizations in Utah, New York, and California, with some activity in the District of Columbia.
What size grants does James Lee Sorenson Family Foundation award?
In 2024, James Lee Sorenson Family Foundation awarded 31 grants totaling $2.6M — an average of about $83K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
What is James Lee Sorenson Family Foundation's EIN?
James Lee Sorenson Family Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 45-6794415. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in James Lee Sorenson Family 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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