Lance and Hillary Milken Foundation
The Lance and Hillary Milken Foundation is a private family foundation established in California in 2012, based in Santa Monica. The foundation supports educational community centers, cultural programs, and initiatives across arts and culture, education, and human services sectors.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
—
Annual Giving
$801K
+13.1% YoY
Grant Count
40
+37.9% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$20K
-18.0% YoY
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation's primary purpose is to grant funds for educational community centers and cultural programs. Its focus areas include:
- Arts and culture
- Education
- Human services
Grantmaking
The foundation does not accept unsolicited applications and operates on an invite-only basis.
Grant Range
$5,000–$8,800
Average Grant
$29,200–$102,000
How to Apply
**
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation funds projects across multiple states, with primary geographic focus in:
- California
- New York
- Pennsylvania
- Washington, D.C.
Specific cities where funding has been awarded include Beverly Hills, Los Angeles, New York, and Washington.
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
Assets & Revenue (2023):
- Total assets: $13.4–$13.9 million
- Total revenue: $1,206,415
- Total expenses: $739,732
- Investment income and dividends: $17,358
- Giving rate: 5.1% of assets
| 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
136 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include Jewish Community Foundation ($280,000), Wilshire Boulevard Temple ($107,520), The Jewish Federation of Greater Los Angeles ($100,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| JEWISH COMMUNITY FOUNDATION LOS ANGELES, CA | COMMUNITY CENTERS & PROGRAMS | $280,000 |
| WILSHIRE BOULEVARD TEMPLE LOS ANGELES, CA | PRESCHOOL - 12TH GRADE PROGRAMS | $107,520 |
| THE JEWISH FEDERATION OF GREATER LOS ANGELES LOS ANGELES, CA | COMMUNITY CENTERS & PROGRAMS | $100,000 |
| UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA PHILADELPHIA, PA | HIGHER ED & RESEARCH INST. & PROGS | $83,700 |
| MILKEN INSTITUTE SANTA MONICA, CA | HIGHER ED & RESEARCH INST. & PROGS | $67,000 |
| BRENTWOOD SCHOOL LOS ANGELES, CA | PRESCHOOL - 12TH GRADE PROGRAMS | $55,000 |
| PENN HILLEL PHILADELPHIA, PA | HIGHER ED & RESEARCH INST. & PROGS | $18,000 |
| CALIFORNIA COMMUNITY FOUNDATION LOS ANGELES, CA | COMMUNITY CENTERS & PROGRAMS | $16,000 |
| LOS ANGELES BALLET LOS ANGELES, CA | CULTURAL, LIBRARIES & MUSEUMS | $11,500 |
| UCLA MATTEL CHILDRENS HOSPITAL LOS ANGELES, CA | HEALTH CARE | $10,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
- Lance Milken – President & Director, Chief Executive Officer
- Hillary Milken – Vice President & Director
- Ralph Finerman – Secretary/Treasurer, Director, and Chief Financial Officer
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| LANCE MILKEN | PRESIDENT & DIRECTOR | 10 | — |
| HILLARY MILKEN | VICE PRESIDENT & DIRECTOR | 5 | — |
| RALPH FINERMAN | SECRETARY/TREASURER AND DIRECTOR | 5 | — |
| MICHAEL MILKEN | DIRECTOR | 5 | — |
| LORI MILKEN | DIRECTOR | 5 | — |
Recent News & Activity
Recent developments and announcements
The foundation has been recognized in philanthropic giving lists, including the 2025 Los Angeles Giving List published by Montecito Journal. The foundation maintains active grantmaking operations focused on community centers and cultural programming in the Los Angeles area and beyond.
Giving List Los Angeles 2025 by Montecito Journal - IssuuSubject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Lance and Hillary Milken Foundation fund?
The foundation's primary purpose is to grant funds for educational community centers and cultural programs. Its focus areas include: • Arts and culture • Education • Human services
How do I apply for a grant from Lance and Hillary Milken Foundation?
**Grant Activity:** • Total giving: Approximately $706,000–$801,000 annually (based on most recent filings) • Number of grants: 24–26 grants per year • Median grant size: $5,000–$8,800 • Average grant size: $29,200–$102,000 • Grant range: $1,000–$200,000 **Application Process:** The foundation does not accept unsolicited applications and operates on an invite-only basis. **Recent Grantees (2023):** • The Jewish Community Foundation: $200,000 • Jewish Federation of Greater Los Angeles: $120,000 …
Where does Lance and Hillary Milken Foundation make grants?
The foundation funds projects across multiple states, with primary geographic focus in: • California • New York • Pennsylvania • Washington, D.C. Specific cities where funding has been awarded include Beverly Hills, Los Angeles, New York, and Washington.
What size grants does Lance and Hillary Milken Foundation award?
In 2024, Lance and Hillary Milken Foundation awarded 40 grants totaling $801K — an average of about $20K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
What is Lance and Hillary Milken Foundation's EIN?
Lance and Hillary Milken Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 45-3190486. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
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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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