Karisma Foundation
Karisma Foundation is a private foundation based in Los Angeles, California. It is a family enterprise that provides grants to charitable, nonprofit organizations and projects, with an emphasis on impacting youth. Its stated priorities are programs in Southern California serving disadvantaged children and organizations working to improve the lives of disadvantaged people in Armenia.
Karisma Foundation at a glance
In short: Karisma Foundation gave $398K across 15 grants in 2025 (avg $27K), mostly in California. 27% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $397,500
- +3.5% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 15
- +0.0% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $26,500
- +3.5% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $25,000
- Total assets
- $6,890,467
- -0.6% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 27% first-time grantees (4 of 15, 2025; small sample)
- Primary geography
- California (78% 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 Karisma Foundation
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests and says it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations. Its 2024 filing says written applications should state the purpose of the activity and include the entity’s financial information, biographical information on key individuals, and an explanation of how the foundation will receive reports on the use of proceeds. The filing listed no defined restrictions on awards.
- Review Cycle
- The 2024 filing listed no deadlines.
- Deadline
- The 2024 filing listed no deadlines.
- Contact
Application contact: Karen Bedrosian Coyne
Mailing address: 2934 1/2 Beverly Glen Circle 347, Los Angeles, CA 90077
Phone: (818) 342-3022
Website: https://www.karisma-foundation.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Karisma Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was PEACE4KIDS ($50K). Together the top 10 received $370K.
Grant Size Distribution
73 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 44 grants of 73 (60%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation identifies Southern California, particularly Los Angeles County, as a priority, and also names organizations serving disadvantaged people in Armenia as a funding priority. In 2025, 78% of grant dollars went to California recipients; the filing also reports shares for Massachusetts (13%), Washington, DC (4%), Texas (3%), and Nevada (3%).
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 15 itemized grants.
Cities
Is Karisma Foundation open to new grantees?
27%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 4 of 15 grantees (27%) were first-time recipients. With only 15 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 7 points. First grants averaged $8K; repeat grants $33K. How we count
Medians: $8K first-time, $50K repeat.
- 67% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2022 to 2025 (−3%). 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 (2019–2025). 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 2019 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $384K (2024) to $468K (2023). In 2025 it made 15 grants totaling $398K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| PEACE4KIDS Los Angeles, CA | To Support Established Charity | $50,000 |
| The Painted Turtle Santa Monica, CA | To Support Established Charity | $50,000 |
| 826LA Venice, CA | To Support Established Charity | $50,000 |
| Perkins School for the Blind Watertown, MA | To Support Established Charities | $50,000 |
| Youth Emerging Stronger Los Angeles, CA | To Support Established Charities | $50,000 |
| Hope the Mission North Hills, CA | To Support Established Charities | $50,000 |
| Facing History and Ourselves Los Angeles, CA | To Suppot Established Charities | $25,000 |
| Regents of University of California Oakland, CA | To Support Established Charities | $25,000 |
| First Liberty Institute Plano, TX | To Support Established Chraties | $10,000 |
| The Children's Cabinet Reno, NV | To Support Established Charities | $10,000 |
Ready to take the next step with Karisma 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 | $6,890,467 | $625,814 | $670,706 | $397,500 | 15 | $470,852 | $458,463 | $508,138 |
| 2024 | $6,935,359 | $810,812 | $628,381 | $384,000 | 15 | $424,494 | $698,389 | $448,158 |
| 2023 | $6,752,928 | $458,469 | $742,027 | $467,500 | 14 | $508,757 | $339,380 | $424,028 |
| 2022 | $7,036,486 | $642,574 | $680,843 | $410,000 | 15 | $441,207 | $488,708 | $489,900 |
| 2021 | $7,074,755 | $813,963 | $643,897 | $400,000 | 14 | — | $670,313 | $457,527 |
| 2020 | $6,919,272 | $359,562 | $656,773 | $421,808 | 16 | — | $239,514 | $413,214 |
| 2019 | $7,201,900 | $379,235 | $700,905 | $441,500 | 14 | — | $237,852 | $415,397 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Karisma Foundation reported a distributable amount of $508K 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 describes its purpose as funding worthy charitable, nonprofit organizations and projects, with an emphasis on youth. Its two stated funding priorities are institutions or programs in Southern California serving disadvantaged children at risk of not reaching their full potential because of economic or social conditions, and organizations working to improve the lives of disadvantaged people in Armenia.
Its 2025 grants included organizations with varied missions. For example, 826LA describes its work as supporting students ages 6 to 18 with creative and expository writing; Perkins School for the Blind serves children and young adults with multiple disabilities, their families, educators, researchers, and professionals; and The Painted Turtle provides a camp environment for children with life-threatening diseases and their families. Hope the Mission says it assists hungry and homeless people in the Valley, while The Children’s Cabinet says it provides services and resources to keep children safe and families together.
Grantmaking
In 2025, the foundation awarded 15 grants totaling $397,500. Grants ranged from $2,500 to $50,000, with a median grant of $25,000. The foundation’s website describes two grant levels: $25,000 per year and $50,000 per year, each for terms of one to three years. It lists unrestricted, program-restricted, capital, operating, and challenge grants as possible forms of giving.
Among the 2025 grants were $50,000 each to Peace4Kids, The Painted Turtle, 826LA, Perkins School for the Blind, Youth Emerging Stronger, and Hope the Mission; $25,000 each to Facing History and Ourselves and the Regents of the University of California; and $10,000 each to First Liberty Institute, The Children’s Cabinet, and Citizens United Foundation.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists John C Bedrosian as Director/PR, Ted Coyne as Director/SEC, and Karen Bedrosian Coyne as CFO.
Karisma Foundation is led by John C. Bedrosian, Director & President on every filing since 2019; 1 of 3 officers listed in 2025 is compensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
John C. Bedrosian
Director & President
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Ted Coyne
Director & Secretary
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Karen Bedrosian Coyne
CFO
On filings since 2019
10 hrs/week
$70K (2019) → $80K (2025)
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2019–2025. "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 $80K, to Karen Bedrosian Coyne (CFO).
Frequently asked questions about Karisma Foundation
How much does Karisma Foundation give each year?
Karisma Foundation gave $398K across 15 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $384K across 15 grants.
What is Karisma Foundation's typical grant size?
Karisma Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $25,000, and its average grant was $26,500, across 15 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Karisma Foundation that year got $8K on average.
Where does Karisma Foundation give grants?
Karisma Foundation gives mostly in California: 78% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest state was Massachusetts (13%). The most frequent recipient cities were Los Angeles, CA (4 grants) and Washington, DC (2 grants).
Does Karisma Foundation give general operating support?
Not in 2025: none of the 15 grants with a stated purpose on Karisma Foundation's 2025 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "To Support Established Charities" (9 grants) and "To Support Established Charity" (4 grants).
Who are Karisma Foundation's largest grantees?
Karisma Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include PEACE4KIDS ($50,000), The Painted Turtle ($50,000) and 826LA ($50,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 38% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Karisma Foundation?
Karisma Foundation reported $6.9M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $471K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $508K (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 Karisma Foundation fund?
The foundation describes its purpose as funding worthy charitable, nonprofit organizations and projects, with an emphasis on youth. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Karisma Foundation?
The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests and says it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Karisma Foundation's EIN?
Karisma Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 20-1982120. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2025.
Does Karisma 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
(7)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS May 10, 2025)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS May 15, 2026)
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS May 15, 2020)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS May 11, 2021)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS May 16, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS May 14, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS May 15, 2024)
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Karisma Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 11, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/karisma-foundation-morg_58d300af70d54013b4f8331dbccd308b
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_201982120_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Karisma Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/karisma-foundation-morg_58d300af70d54013b4f8331dbccd308b},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-11. 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 Karisma 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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