Lily Lai Foundation is a private foundation based in San Diego, California. The foundation was established in California and received its IRS tax-exempt ruling in February 2011. It operates as a 501(c)(3) charitable organization classified under the category of Philanthropy, Voluntarism and Grantmaking Foundations.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$31.7M
+28.2% YoY
Annual Giving
$1.4M
+36.0% YoY
Grant Count
26
+8.3% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$54K
+25.5% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Lily Lai Foundation reported a distributable amount of $1.4M for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation's stated purpose is to support public libraries, schools, and the voice of children.
Primary funding focus areas include:
- Education
- Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking
- Human Services
- Nonprofit Human Services
- Poverty Alleviation
- Reproductive Health
- Human Rights
Grantmaking
The foundation typically selects grantees rather than accepting unsolicited proposals. It only makes contributions to preselected charitable organizations.
Average Grant
amount: $39,000
How to Apply
**
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
Grantmaking is concentrated in California and Pennsylvania.
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
Assets:
- Total assets: $31,653,160 (as of 2024)
- Total assets have grown from $9.1 million in 2011 to $31.7 million in 2024
Annual Activity:
- Total giving: $1,405,000 (most recent filing)
- Annual income: $9.7 million
- Revenue (2023): $1.9 million
- Expenses (2023): $1.06 million
- Total liabilities (2023): $9,750
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $31,653,160 | $24,698,011 | $15,219,191 |
| Revenue | $3,040,996 | $1,895,150 | $1,873,418 |
| Expenses | $1,451,587 | $1,063,482 | $1,038,776 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $1,405,000 | $1,033,000 | $1,008,000 |
| Net Investment Income | $3,037,008 | $1,890,667 | $1,868,360 |
| Distributable Amount | $1,381,471 | $1,004,695 | $886,931 |
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
124 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include California CASA Association ($150,000), UC San Diego Foundation ($100,000), Library Foundation SD ($100,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| UC San Diego Foundation San Diego, CA | Moores Cancer Center Program | $100,000 |
| Library Foundation SD San Diego, CA | Program/General Support | $100,000 |
| Monarch School Project San Diego, CA | Program/General Support | $40,000 |
| YWCA of San Diego County San Diego, CA | Program/General Support | $70,000 |
| Feeding San Diego San Diego, CA | Program/General Support | $100,000 |
| Children's Alopecia Project Wyomissing, PA | Program/General Support | $5,000 |
| Casa de Amparo San Marcos, CA | Program/General Support | $60,000 |
| Just in Time for Foster Youth San Diego, CA | Program/General Support | $50,000 |
| A Reason to Survive National City, CA | Program/General Support | $50,000 |
| Century Club of San Diego La Jolla, CA | FBO Reality Changers | $20,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
Principal Officer: Philip J Sullivan
The foundation is governed by 5 officers and trustees.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| George Lai | President | 5 | — |
| Edwin Luwa | Secretary | 1 | — |
| Doreen Young | Treasurer | 1 | — |
| Antoinette Haskel | Director | 1 | — |
| Ching Huang | Director | 1 | — |
Contact Information
Address: 4227 Mancilla Court, San Diego, CA 92130-2203
Phone: (858) 537-7130
Subject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Lily Lai Foundation fund?
The foundation's stated purpose is to support public libraries, schools, and the voice of children. Primary funding focus areas include: • Education • Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking • Human Services • Nonprofit Human Services • Poverty Alleviation • Reproductive Health • Human Rights
How do I apply for a grant from Lily Lai Foundation?
**Grant Characteristics:** • Typical award range: $3,000–$150,000 • Average grant amount: $39,000 • Median grant amount: $30,000 • Individual grants have ranged from $3,000 to $130,000 **Grantmaking Activity:** • The foundation has made 99 grants totaling $3.9 million across available records • Annual giving has grown from $808,000 in 2020 to $1 million in 2023 • Highest grantmaking activity occurred in 2022 with $2 million distributed across 52 grants • The foundation has supported 28 unique o…
Where does Lily Lai Foundation make grants?
Grantmaking is concentrated in California and Pennsylvania.
What size grants does Lily Lai Foundation award?
In 2024, Lily Lai Foundation awarded 26 grants totaling $1.4M — an average of about $54K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is Lily Lai Foundation required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, Lily Lai Foundation reported a distributable amount of $1.4M on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is Lily Lai Foundation's EIN?
Lily Lai Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 27-1159623. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Lily Lai Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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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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