Lee Oceans Foundation

Private foundation · Grantmaker Wilmington, DE EIN: 87-0885641

Lee Oceans Foundation is a private foundation, based in Wilmington, DE. IRS filing data is available from 2021 through 2025. As of 2025, the organization holds $3.0M in total assets. In 2025, it awarded 3 grants totaling $106K. Net investment income was $138K.

Lee Oceans Foundation at a glance

In short: Lee Oceans Foundation gave $106K across 3 grants in 2025 (avg $35K), mostly in New York. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.

Annual giving (2025)
$106,000
+3.5% vs 2024
Grants made (2025)
3
+0.0% vs 2024
Average grant
$35,333
+3.5% vs 2024
Median grant
$15,000
Total assets
$2,962,912
-0.9% vs 2024
Primary geography
New York (85% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
Latest 990 filing
Form 990-PF, 2025 View filing

Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated November 2026.

Who Lee Oceans Foundation funds

How this funder distributes its grants

Top Recipients

Top 3 recipients in 2025

Morgan Stanley Global Impact Funding Trust Inc: $90KMorgan Stanley Global ImpactFunding Trust Inc$90KCordell Marine Sanctuary Foundation: $15KCordell Marine SanctuaryFoundation$15KMonterey Bay Aquarium Foundation: $1KMonterey Bay AquariumFoundation$1K

The largest 2025 recipient was Morgan Stanley Global Impact Funding Trust Inc ($90K). Together the top 3 received $106K.

Grant Size Distribution

7 grants across all recorded years

4<$50K3$50–100K$100–250K$250–500K$500K–1M$1–5M$5M+

The most common grant size was under $50K: 4 grants of 7 (57%).

Geographic Focus

Where this funder awards grants

Grant Distribution by State

2states

Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 3 itemized grants.

Cities

MontereyPetalumaSan FranciscoPurchase

How Lee Oceans Foundation gives

  • In 2025 it paid out 96% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Foundations have until the end of the next year to meet it. Method

From the foundation's IRS Form 990-PF filings. Methodology.

Giving History

Giving Over Time

Total grant dollars and number of grants per year

$0$50K$100K$150K0 grants2021 0 grants2022 1 grant2023 3 grants2024 3 grants2025

From 2023 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $84K (2023) to $106K (2025). In 2025 it made 3 grants totaling $106K.

Grants by year

Grant recipients and amounts by year

RecipientPurposeAmount
Morgan Stanley Global Impact Funding Trust Inc Purchase, NYGeneral & Unrestricted$90,000
Cordell Marine Sanctuary Foundation Petaluma, CAGeneral & Unrestricted$15,000
Monterey Bay Aquarium Foundation Monterey, CAGeneral & Unrestricted$1,000
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Financial History

Multi-year comparison from IRS filings

Figures from IRS filings, by filing year
Filing yearTotal AssetsRevenueExpensesGrants paidGrantsQualifying DistributionsNet Investment IncomeDistributable Amount
2025$2,962,912$140,837$168,208$106,0003$163,713$138,142$169,762
2024$2,990,283$115,288$147,115$102,4273$143,137$112,795$161,535
2023$3,005,096$92,053$135,642$83,6141$131,961$99,616$144,932
2022$3,047,372$92,723$46,871——$43,060$91,660$141,149
2021$3,001,520$3,054,554$53,034——$10,592$3,035,032$40,355

Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Lee Oceans Foundation reported a distributable amount of $170K for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.

Leadership & Key People

Officers and directors from IRS filings

Lee Oceans Foundation is led by Robert Lee, Director, President, Secretary & Treasurer on every filing since 2021; none of the 2 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.

Officers on the 2025 filing

  • Robert Lee

    Director, President, Secretary & Treasurer

    On filings since 2021

    1 hr/week

    No compensation reported

  • Allison Lee

    Director

    On filings since 2021

    1 hr/week

    No compensation reported

Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2021–2025. "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 Lee Oceans Foundation

How much does Lee Oceans Foundation give each year?

Lee Oceans Foundation gave $106K across 3 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $102K across 3 grants.

What is Lee Oceans Foundation's typical grant size?

Lee Oceans Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $15,000, and its average grant was $35,333, across 3 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.

Where does Lee Oceans Foundation give grants?

Lee Oceans Foundation gives mostly in New York: 85% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest state was California (15%).

Does Lee Oceans Foundation give general operating support?

Yes: 100% of Lee Oceans Foundation's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (3 of 3) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.

How large is Lee Oceans Foundation?

Lee Oceans Foundation reported $3.0M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $164K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $170K (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 is Lee Oceans Foundation's EIN?

Lee Oceans Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 87-0885641. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2021–2025.

Data last updated November 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings.

Data update history

(2)

When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable

  1. Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS September 1, 2026)
  2. IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2021–2024

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The filing figures on this page are open data under CC BY 4.0. About GrantGraph Open

Figures come from Lee Oceans 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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