Koh-Lee Foundation
Koh-Lee Foundation is a private foundation based in Seattle, Washington. It reported 20 grants totaling $9,000 in 2024, supporting organizations working in areas including housing, health, civil rights, public information, and emergency relief.
Koh-Lee Foundation at a glance
In short: Koh-Lee Foundation gave $9K across 20 grants in 2024 (avg $450), top state Washington. 50% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $9,000
- -76.3% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 20
- +0.0% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $450
- -76.3% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $300
- Total assets
- $360,527
- +1.5% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 50% first-time grantees (10 of 20, 2024; small sample)
- Primary geography
- Washington (44% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to Koh-Lee Foundation
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- Yes
- How to Apply
-
The foundation accepts unsolicited requests. Its filing instructs applicants to send an authentic letter explaining their reasons for seeking support through unsolicited correspondence to the foundation, with Christopher Koh listed as the contact. No award restrictions are specified.
- Contact
Application contact: Christopher Koh
Mailing address: 4223 12Th Ave Ne, Seattle, WA 98105
Phone: (206) 633-0424
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Koh-Lee Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Low Income Housing Initiative ($1K). Together the top 10 received $7K.
Grant Size Distribution
97 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 96 grants of 97 (99%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The 2024 grant dollars went to recipients in multiple states. The largest shares were directed to Washington (44%), California (17%), and New York (11%), followed by Massachusetts (10%) and Connecticut (10%). The filing also lists grants to organizations in Washington, DC.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 20 itemized grants.
Cities
Is Koh-Lee Foundation open to new grantees?
50%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 10 of 20 grantees (50%) were first-time recipients. With only 20 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 5 points. First grants averaged $585; repeat grants $315. How we count
Medians: $500 first-time, $200 repeat.
- 45% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving fell 98% from 2021 to 2024. Method
- In 2024 it paid out 33% 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 (2020–2024). 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 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $8K (2020) to $522K (2021). In 2024 it made 20 grants totaling $9K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Low Income Housing Initiative Seattle, WA | Support | $1,000 |
| Mary's Place Seattle, WA | Support | $1,000 |
| Planned Parenthood New York, NY | Support | $1,000 |
| Oxfam - Children of Gaza and Israel Emergency Appeal Boston, MA | Support | $900 |
| Save the Children (To Gaza Crisis) Fairfield, CT | Support | $900 |
| Center for Investigative Reporting San Fransisco, CA | Support | $500 |
| Chinese for Affirmative Action San Francisco, CA | Support | $500 |
| Democracy Forward Washington, DC | Support | $500 |
| International Medical Corps Los Angeles, CA | Support | $500 |
| Seattle University Family Business School Seattle, WA | Support | $400 |
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Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Qualifying Distributions | Net Investment Income | Distributable Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $360,527 | $17,786 | $11,951 | $9,000 | 20 | $9,000 | $17,195 | $27,350 |
| 2023 | $355,202 | $10,733 | $46,283 | $38,000 | 20 | $38,000 | $10,400 | $24,754 |
| 2022 | $390,981 | $9,536 | $8,812 | $8,000 | 18 | $8,000 | $8,909 | $24,815 |
| 2021 | $576,112 | $20,023 | $523,117 | $522,000 | 21 | $522,000 | $20,023 | $40,012 |
| 2020 | $483,845 | $8,607 | $15,516 | $8,000 | 18 | — | $8,607 | — |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Koh-Lee Foundation reported a distributable amount of $27K for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2024 grants show support for a range of organizations. For example, International Medical Corps describes its mission as saving lives and relieving suffering through health interventions and related activities in communities affected by conflict, natural disasters, and disease outbreaks. Chinese for Affirmative Action describes itself as a community-based civil rights organization conducting community service, policy advocacy, and movement building. KUOW Puget Sound Public Radio says it provides news, information, and cultural programming to the greater Seattle area.
Grantmaking
In 2024, the foundation reported 20 grants totaling $9,000. Grants ranged from $150 to $1,000, with a median grant of $300.
The largest listed grants included $1,000 each to Low Income Housing Initiative and Mary’s Place, both in Seattle, and Planned Parenthood in New York. Other notable grants included $900 to Oxfam’s Children of Gaza and Israel Emergency Appeal and $900 to Save the Children’s Gaza Crisis effort. The filing also listed $500 grants to Center for Investigative Reporting, Chinese for Affirmative Action, Democracy Forward, and International Medical Corps. Separately, a grantee description identifies Maris Place for the Arts as receiving $1,000 in 2024; it describes its mission as fostering creativity and self-confidence among low-income and BIPOC children and teens through arts and culture programs.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists David Koh as treasurer, Barbara Koh as secretary, Audrey S Koh as president, and Christopher J Koh as vice president.
Koh-Lee Foundation is led by Audrey S. Koh, President on every filing since 2020; none of the 4 officers listed in 2024 report compensation.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Audrey S. Koh
President
On filings since 2020
20 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Barbara E. Koh
Secretary
On filings since 2020
10 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Christopher J. Koh
Vice President
Vice President President → Vice President, 2022
On filings since 2020
15 hrs/week
No compensation reported
David Koh
Treasurer
On filings since 2020
10 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2024. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Frequently asked questions about Koh-Lee Foundation
How much does Koh-Lee Foundation give each year?
Koh-Lee Foundation gave $9K across 20 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $38K across 20 grants.
What is Koh-Lee Foundation's typical grant size?
Koh-Lee Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $300, and its average grant was $450, across 20 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Koh-Lee Foundation that year got $585 on average.
Where does Koh-Lee Foundation give grants?
Koh-Lee Foundation's top state is Washington, with 44% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. The next largest states were California (17%) and New York (11%). The most frequent recipient cities were Seattle, WA (8 grants) and Bellevue, WA (4 grants).
Does Koh-Lee Foundation give general operating support?
Not in 2024: none of the 20 grants with a stated purpose on Koh-Lee Foundation's 2024 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Support" (20 grants).
Who are Koh-Lee Foundation's largest grantees?
Koh-Lee Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include Low Income Housing Initiative ($1,000), Mary's Place ($1,000) and Planned Parenthood ($1,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 33% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is Koh-Lee Foundation?
Koh-Lee Foundation reported $361K in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $9K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $27K (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 Koh-Lee Foundation fund?
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2024 grants show support for a range of organizations. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Koh-Lee Foundation?
The foundation accepts unsolicited requests. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Koh-Lee Foundation's EIN?
Koh-Lee Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 91-1922008. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Does Koh-Lee Foundation accept unsolicited proposals?
Yes, 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
(1)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
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