John R Peterson Foundation
The John R Peterson Foundation is a private foundation based in San Diego, California. Established in 2020, it states that its mission is to ensure better, longer lives for companion animals by addressing conditions that lead animals to be placed in shelters and rescues.
John R Peterson Foundation at a glance
In short: John R Peterson Foundation gave $984K across 18 grants in 2025 (avg $55K), top state Hawaii. 56% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $984,449
- -4.7% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 18
- +50.0% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $54,692
- -36.5% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $2,291
- Total assets
- $24,968,616
- +6.0% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 56% first-time grantees (10 of 18, 2025; small sample)
- Primary geography
- Hawaii (46% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to John R Peterson Foundation
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests. It states that contributions go only to preselected charitable organizations and that it collaborates with grantees and partners to develop proposals aligned with its strategies.
- Contact
Mailing address: 2475 Loring Street, San Diego, CA 92109
Phone: (858) 204-6627
Website: https://www.jrpetersonfoundation.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who John R Peterson Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was San Diego Humane Society ($232K). Together the top 10 received $972K.
Grant Size Distribution
51 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 24 grants of 51 (47%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The 2025 filing reports that grant dollars went primarily to organizations in Hawaii (46%) and California (42%), followed by Virginia (11%). Florida and South Carolina each accounted for 0% of grant dollars as reported.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 18 itemized grants.
Cities
Is John R Peterson Foundation open to new grantees?
56%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 10 of 18 grantees (56%) were first-time recipients. With only 18 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 6 points. First grants averaged $12K; repeat grants $108K. How we count
Medians: $2K first-time, $112K repeat.
- 39% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2022 to 2025 (+8%). Method
- In 2025 it paid out 93% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Foundations have until the end of the next year to meet it. Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2020–2025). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2020 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $622K (2020) to $1.2M (2021). In 2025 it made 18 grants totaling $984K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| San Diego Humane Society San Diego, CA | Animal Welfare Grant | $231,500 |
| PetFix Spay and Neuter Waikoloa Village, HI | Animal Welfare Grant/IT | $194,608 |
| Los Angeles County Animal Care Foundation Long Beach, CA | Animal Welfare Grant | $173,000 |
| Aloha lio Rescue Keaau, HI | Animal Welfare Grant | $115,011 |
| Lucky Dog Animal Rescue Arlington, VA | Animal Welfare Grant | $108,000 |
| Good Cat Network Makawao, HI | Animal Welfare Grant | $100,832 |
| Kauai Humane Society Lihue, HI | Animal Welfare Grant | $38,000 |
| Kauai SPCA Kilauea, HI | Animal Welfare Grant/IT | $6,195 |
| HIT Living Dog Rescue Van Nuys, CA | Animal Welfare Grant | $2,521 |
| California Doodle Huntington Beach, CA | Animal Welfare Grant | $2,060 |
Ready to take the next step with John R Peterson Foundation?
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Qualifying Distributions | Net Investment Income | Distributable Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $24,968,616 | $728,170 | $1,166,774 | $984,449 | 18 | $1,122,384 | $728,132 | $1,203,331 |
| 2024 | $23,552,441 | $489,232 | $1,207,672 | $1,033,040 | 12 | $1,164,349 | $576,073 | $1,121,692 |
| 2023 | $20,716,761 | $411,193 | $1,092,361 | $906,657 | 7 | $1,050,101 | $555,665 | $989,979 |
| 2022 | $20,205,721 | $475,112 | $1,087,408 | $912,526 | 7 | $1,043,582 | $526,124 | $1,007,838 |
| 2021 | $23,602,425 | $566,614 | $1,360,282 | $1,194,000 | 7 | $1,319,025 | $562,516 | $1,052,100 |
| 2020 | $20,104,920 | $18,344,493 | $716,698 | $621,500 | 13 | — | $245,086 | $947,445 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, John R Peterson Foundation reported a distributable amount of $1.2M for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation identifies spay and neuter programs, preventive veterinary services, and community support as focus areas. It says it supports efforts to increase community participation in spay and neuter programs, prevent and treat disease, and help people keep their pets and provide necessary care.
Its 2025 grants include animal-welfare support for shelters, rescue organizations, and spay-and-neuter programs. For example, PetFix Spay and Neuter describes its mission as conducting free spay-and-neuter clinics for pets and free-roaming cats in low-income areas. Good Cat Network says it educates the public about humane approaches to reducing feline populations in Hawaii. Lucky Dog Animal Rescue describes its work as rescuing homeless, neglected, and abandoned animals and educating pet owners about responsible care.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2025, the foundation gave $984,449 through 18 grants. Grant amounts ranged from $524 to $231,500, with a median grant of $2,290.
Largest reported grants included $231,500 to San Diego Humane Society, $194,608 to PetFix Spay and Neuter, $173,000 to Los Angeles County Animal Care Foundation, $115,011 to Aloha lio Rescue, $108,000 to Lucky Dog Animal Rescue, and $100,832 to Good Cat Network.
The foundation says it defines annual priorities before allocating funds, then collaborates with grantee and partner organizations on proposals aligned with those strategies, including how success will be defined and measured. It says it does not make grants outside its focus areas or directly to individuals.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Catherine Chow as President/CEO; Dr Stanley Perkins as Secretary; and Dr Jeffery Zuba, Ann Springgate, and Leda Chong as directors.
John R Peterson Foundation is led by Catherine Chow, President & CEO on every filing since 2020; 1 of 5 officers listed in 2025 is compensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Catherine Chow
President & CEO
On filings since 2020
40 hrs/week
$65K (2020) → $130K (2025)
Jeffery Zuba
Board of Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Ann Springgate
Board of Director
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Stanley Perkins
Secretary
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Leda Chong
Board of Direcror
On filings since 2024
1 hr/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.
Compensation Overview
From 2025 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2025 filing was $130K, to Catherine Chow (President/CEO).
Frequently asked questions about John R Peterson Foundation
How much does John R Peterson Foundation give each year?
John R Peterson Foundation gave $984K across 18 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $1.0M across 12 grants.
What is John R Peterson Foundation's typical grant size?
John R Peterson Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $2,291, and its average grant was $54,692, across 18 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from John R Peterson Foundation that year got $12K on average.
Where does John R Peterson Foundation give grants?
John R Peterson Foundation's top state is Hawaii, with 46% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. The next largest states were California (42%) and Virginia (11%). The most frequent recipient cities were San Diego, CA (2 grants).
Does John R Peterson Foundation give general operating support?
Not in 2025: none of the 18 grants with a stated purpose on John R Peterson Foundation's 2025 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Animal Welfare Grant" (16 grants).
Who are John R Peterson Foundation's largest grantees?
John R Peterson Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include San Diego Humane Society ($231,500), PetFix Spay and Neuter ($194,608) and Los Angeles County Animal Care Foundation ($173,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 61% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is John R Peterson Foundation?
John R Peterson Foundation reported $25.0M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $1.1M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $1.2M (roughly 5% of its investment assets). Falling short in one year is not a violation: foundations have until the end of the next year to meet the minimum.
What does John R Peterson Foundation fund?
The foundation identifies spay and neuter programs, preventive veterinary services, and community support as focus areas. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from John R Peterson Foundation?
The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is John R Peterson Foundation's EIN?
John R Peterson Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 84-4820511. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.
Does John R Peterson Foundation accept unsolicited proposals?
No, according to Grantable's research on the foundation's published guidelines. See how to apply ↑
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(2)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS May 2, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). John R Peterson Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 16, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/john-r-peterson-foundation-morg_123999beb1814bba8b977f245bf4102b
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_844820511_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{John R Peterson Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/john-r-peterson-foundation-morg_123999beb1814bba8b977f245bf4102b},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-16. Data licensed CC BY 4.0}
}The figures on this page are open data under CC BY 4.0: reuse them with credit to Grantable and a link. Download the data.
Figures come from John R Peterson Foundation's IRS filings (methodology). AI-written summaries, news items and logos are not covered by the open licence. Spot an error? Email hello@grantable.co.
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