Lightspark Foundation
Lightspark Foundation is a private foundation focused on Civil Rights, Social Action & Advocacy, based in Salt Lake Cty, UT. IRS filing data is available from 2020 through 2024. As of 2024, the organization holds $6.5M in total assets. In 2024, it awarded 38 grants totaling $328K. Net investment income was $222K.
Key facts about Lightspark Foundation
- EIN
- 81-3990658
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024
- Annual giving (2024)
- $327,667
- Grants made (2024)
- 38
- Average grant
- $8,623
- Median grant
- $5,000
- Total assets
- $6,508,252
- Primary geography
- Utah (54% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated April 2026.
Who Lightspark Foundation funds
By grant dollars, the top recipient states for Lightspark Foundation's 38 itemized 2024 grants were Utah (54%), California (24%) and District of Columbia (11%). The most frequent recipient cities were Salt Lake City, UT (27 grants), Beverly Hills, CA (2 grants) and Washington, DC (2 grants). None of its 38 grants with a stated purpose were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Education" (4 grants) and "Environmental advocacy" (3 grants).
How Lightspark Foundation gives
- 66% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving fell 40% from 2021 to 2024. Method
- In 2024 it paid out 116% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized IRS Form 990-PF grant lists (2024). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.
Next steps with Lightspark Foundation
- How to evaluate Lightspark Foundation as a funder
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Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$6.5M
+1.9% YoY
Annual Giving
$328K
+3.3% YoY
Grant Count
38
+0.0% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$9K
+3.3% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Lightspark Foundation reported a distributable amount of $314K for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
About Lightspark Foundation
Based on IRS filings
Lightspark Foundation is a private foundation focused on Civil Rights, Social Action & Advocacy, based in Salt Lake Cty, UT. IRS filing data is available from 2020 through 2024. As of 2024, the organization holds $6.5M in total assets. In 2024, it awarded 38 grants totaling $328K. Net investment income was $222K.
Focus Areas
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
Grant Distribution by State
Share of all 38 itemized 2024 grant dollars.
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $6,508,252 | $6,384,000 | $6,154,978 |
| Revenue | $564,953 | $563,419 | $-32,959 |
| Expenses | $439,993 | $338,218 | $371,204 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $365,499 | $320,205 | $345,835 |
| Net Investment Income | $222,271 | $200,250 | $68,306 |
| Distributable Amount | $314,340 | $311,441 | $302,184 |
Data update history
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
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
107 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest recipients include Ashlee Preston ($42,500), Boys and Girls Club ($25,000), Focus on Democracy Fund ($25,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Ashlee Preston Beverly Hills, CA | Human Rights | $42,500 |
| Boys and Girls Club Murray, UT | Youth services | $25,000 |
| Focus on Democracy Fund Washington, DC | Democracy Advocacy | $25,000 |
| Impact Guild Beverly Hills, CA | Prosocial advocacy | $25,000 |
| Strategic Victory Fund IE PAC Raleigh, NC | Democracy Advocacy | $25,000 |
| Better Utah Salt Lake City, UT | Social services | $20,000 |
| Waste Less Solutions Salt Lake City, UT | Food rescue | $15,000 |
| Ignite Utah Salt Lake City, UT | Youth Advocacy | $15,000 |
| Women of the World Salt Lake City, UT | Refugee support | $10,000 |
| Patriotic Millionaires Washington, DC | Equality Advocacy | $10,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Officers and directors from IRS filings
Compensation Overview
No officer or director reported compensation in the available filings.
From 2024 IRS filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jonathan M Ruga | Director | 5 | — |
| Scott F Young | Director | 1 | — |
| Jared M Ruga | Director | 5 | — |
Subject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Lightspark Foundation?
Lightspark Foundation is a private foundation focused on Civil Rights, Social Action & Advocacy, based in Salt Lake Cty, UT. It holds $6.5M in total assets as of 2024.
How large is Lightspark Foundation?
As of 2024, Lightspark Foundation holds $6.5M in total assets with $565K in annual revenue. It awarded 38 grants totaling $328K in 2024.
Where does Lightspark Foundation operate?
Lightspark Foundation has awarded grants in California, District of Columbia, Florida, Illinois, Missouri, North Carolina, New Jersey, New York, Rhode Island, Utah, Virginia.
What size grants does Lightspark Foundation award?
In 2024, Lightspark Foundation awarded 38 grants totaling $328K — an average of about $9K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is Lightspark Foundation required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, Lightspark Foundation reported a distributable amount of $314K on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is Lightspark Foundation's EIN?
Lightspark Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 81-3990658. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
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Data last updated April 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings.