Lingnan Foundation

Private foundation · Grantmaker Costa Mesa, CA EIN: 13-6400470
EducationHigher educationSocial sciencesInterdisciplinary studiesInternational studies

Lingnan Foundation is a private foundation focused on Education, based in Costa Mesa, CA. IRS filing data is available from 2020 through 2025. As of 2025, the organization holds $21.7M in total assets. In 2025, it awarded 5 grants totaling $761K. Net investment income was $762K.

Key facts about Lingnan Foundation

In short: Lingnan Foundation gave $761K across 5 grants in 2025 (avg $152K), mostly in California. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.

EIN
13-6400470
Latest 990 filing
Form 990-PF, 2025
Annual giving (2025)
$760,575
Grants made (2025)
5
Average grant
$152,115
Median grant
$161,654
Total assets
$21,702,773
Primary geography
California (79% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)

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

Financial Overview

From 2025 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing

Total Assets

$21.7M

+4.2% YoY

Annual Giving

$761K

-23.8% YoY

Grant Count

5

+0.0% YoY

Avg Grant Size

$152K

-23.8% YoY

Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Lingnan Foundation reported a distributable amount of $1.0M for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.

How Lingnan Foundation gives

  • Giving held roughly steady from 2022 to 2025 (+16%). Method
  • In 2025 it paid out 132% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method

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

Open Grants

1 open opportunity from Lingnan Foundation

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Geographic Focus

Where this funder awards grants

Grant Distribution by State

2states

Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 5 itemized grants.

Cities

BerkeleyLos AngelesNew York

Giving Over Time

Total grant dollars and number of grants per year

$0$250K$500K$750K$1M5 grants2020 7 grants2021 6 grants2022 4 grants2023 5 grants2024 5 grants2025

From 2020 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $609K (2020) to $998K (2024). In 2025 it made 5 grants totaling $761K.

Grant Insights

How this funder distributes its grants

Top Recipients

Top 5 recipients in 2025

Uc Berkeley Cal Corps: $197KUc Berkeley Cal Corps$197KWT Chan USC: $165KWT Chan USC$165KLingnan University Hong Kong: $162KLingnan University Hong Kong$162KWT Chan Fellowships: $138KWT Chan Fellowships$138KSysu - Citris Collaboration in Health Data (Implementation): $100KSysu - Citris Collaboration inHealth Data (Implementation)$100K

The largest 2025 recipient was Uc Berkeley Cal Corps ($197K). Together the top 5 received $761K.

Grant Size Distribution

27 grants across all recorded years

3<$50K5$50–100K13$100–250K6$250–500K$500K–1M$1–5M$5M+

The most common grant size was in the $100–250K range: 13 grants of 27 (48%).

Giving History

Grant recipients and amounts by year

RecipientPurposeAmount
Uc Berkeley Cal Corps Berkeley, CAStudent Educational Advancement$196,798
WT Chan USC Los Angeles, CAStudent Educational Advancement$164,525
Lingnan University Hong Kong Student Educational Advancement$161,654
WT Chan Fellowships Los Angeles, CAStudent Educational Advancement$137,598
Sysu - Citris Collaboration in Health Data (Implementation) Berkeley, CAStudent Educational Advancement$100,000

Financial History

Multi-year comparison from IRS filings

Revenue
Expenses
Qualifying Distributions
Net Investment Income
$0$1M$2M$3M2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025
Metric202520242023
Total Assets$21,702,773$20,824,759$20,023,860
Revenue$998,373$1,104,516$277,007
Expenses$2,364,372$801,108$1,145,669
Qualifying Distributions$1,348,261$1,540,062$1,165,039
Net Investment Income$761,695$792,181$603,853
Distributable Amount$1,020,269$951,631$920,704

Data update history

When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable

  1. IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2025

Leadership & Key People

Officers and directors from IRS filings

Lingnan Foundation is led by Ding-Jo Currie, President on every filing since 2020; 1 of 18 officers listed in 2025 is compensated.

Officers on the 2025 filing

  • Ding-Jo Currie

    President

    On filings since 2020

    20 hrs/week

    $110K (2020) → $142K (2025)

  • Leighton Chan

    Chair

    Secretary → Chair, 2022

    On filings since 2020

    4 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Chui L. Tsang

    Trustee

    Chair → Trustee, 2022

    On filings since 2020

    4 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Denzil Suite

    Trustee

    On filings since 2020

    4 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Gary Zeng

    Trustee

    On filings since 2020

    4 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Henry Yu

    Trustee

    On filings since 2020

    4 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Kenyon Chan

    Trustee

    On filings since 2020

    4 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Ling Li

    Trustee

    On filings since 2020

    4 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Lynn Pasqurella

    Trustee

    On filings since 2020

    4 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Madeline Y. Hsu

    Trustee

    On filings since 2020

    4 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Michael Woo

    Trustee

    On filings since 2020

    4 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Michael Z. Qiu

    Trustee

    On filings since 2020

    4 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Shenyu Belsky

    Trustee

    On filings since 2020

    4 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Sikee Louie

    Trustee

    On filings since 2020

    4 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Tommy Woo

    Trustee

    New on the 2025 filing

    4 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Chi-Chao Chan

    Vice Chair

    On filings since 2020

    4 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Harold Hewitt

    Treasurer

    Trustee → Treasurer, 2022

    On filings since 2020

    4 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Leslie Les Wong

    Secretary

    Trustee → Secretary, 2022

    On filings since 2020

    4 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

Former officers (2)
  • Former: Albert Chen (2020–2021) — Trustee
  • Former: Alex Banker (2020–2021) — Treasurer

Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2025. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.

Compensation Overview

From 2025 IRS filing

Ding-Jo Currie — President: $142KDing-Jo CurriePresident$142K

The highest reported compensation on the 2025 filing was $142K, to Ding-Jo Currie (President).

Frequently asked questions about Lingnan Foundation

How much does Lingnan Foundation give each year?

Lingnan Foundation gave $761K across 5 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $998K across 5 grants.

What is Lingnan Foundation's typical grant size?

Lingnan Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $161,654, and its average grant was $152,115, across 5 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.

Where does Lingnan Foundation give grants?

Lingnan Foundation gives mostly in California: 79% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Los Angeles, CA (2 grants) and Berkeley, CA (2 grants).

Does Lingnan Foundation give general operating support?

Not in 2025: none of the 5 grants with a stated purpose on Lingnan Foundation's 2025 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Student Educational Advancement" (5 grants).

Who are Lingnan Foundation's largest grantees?

Lingnan Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include Uc Berkeley Cal Corps ($196,798), WT Chan USC ($164,525) and Lingnan University Hong Kong ($161,654), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 69% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.

How large is Lingnan Foundation?

Lingnan Foundation reported $21.7M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $1.3M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $1.0M (roughly 5% of its investment assets).

What is Lingnan Foundation?

Lingnan Foundation is a private foundation focused on Education, based in Costa Mesa, CA. It holds $21.7M in total assets as of 2025.

What is Lingnan Foundation's EIN?

Lingnan Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 13-6400470. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.

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

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