Lyons Share Foundation
Lyons Share Foundation is a private foundation based in Newport Beach, California, that reported making 10 grants totaling $3,943,000 in filing year 2025. Its listed grants supported performing arts and arts education organizations, as well as organizations working on public high school programs, taxpayer advocacy, and airport-impact advocacy.
Lyons Share Foundation at a glance
In short: Lyons Share Foundation gave $3.9M across 10 grants in 2025 (avg $394K), mostly in California. 0% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $3,943,000
- +341.5% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 10
- +11.1% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $394,300
- +297.4% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $42,500
- Total assets
- $15,960,676
- -8.0% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 0% first-time grantees (0 of 10, 2025; small sample)
- Primary geography
- California (98% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to Lyons Share Foundation
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds.
- Contact
Mailing address: 36 Harbor Island, Newport Beach, CA 92660
Phone: (949) 474-5500
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Lyons Share Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Segerstrom Center for the Arts ($3.5M). Together the top 10 received $3.9M.
Grant Size Distribution
51 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 34 grants of 51 (67%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In filing year 2025, 98% of grant dollars went to recipients in California and 2% to recipients in Washington, D.C. Listed California recipients include organizations in Costa Mesa, Irvine, Newport Beach, and Los Angeles.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 10 itemized grants.
Cities
Is Lyons Share Foundation open to new grantees?
0%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 0 of 10 grantees (0%) were first-time recipients. With only 10 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 10 points. How we count
- 80% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving grew 473% from 2022 to 2025. Method
- In 2025 it paid out 553% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2020–2025). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2020 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $615K (2023) to $3.9M (2025). In 2025 it made 10 grants totaling $3.9M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Segerstrom Center for the Arts Costa Mesa, CA | Support of Performances | $3,501,000 |
| Pacific Symphony Irvine, CA | Underwrite Concerts and Operating Expenses | $150,000 |
| Arts Orange County Irvine, CA | Support of Arts Programs | $115,000 |
| Pacific Chorale Costa Mesa, CA | Support of National Presentations/Concerts | $75,000 |
| Chorus America Washington, DC | Support of National Concerts & Presentations | $65,000 |
| Arts Learning Conservatory Costa Mesa, CA | Support Educational and Arts Programs | $20,000 |
| Philharmonic Society of Orange Coun Irvine, CA | Support Concert Programing | $10,000 |
| Newport Harbor Educational Foundati Newport Beach, CA | Support of Public High School Programs | $5,000 |
| Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Foundation Los Angeles, CA | Legal Aid to Taxpayer Advocacy Organizations | $1,000 |
| Airport Working Group of Orange COU Newport Beach, CA | Support of Community Advocacy Re Airport Impact | $1,000 |
Ready to take the next step with Lyons Share Foundation?
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Qualifying Distributions | Net Investment Income | Distributable Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $15,960,676 | $1,455,789 | $4,023,180 | $3,943,000 | 10 | $3,943,000 | $1,325,451 | $713,258 |
| 2024 | $17,355,811 | $2,195,073 | $979,553 | $893,000 | 9 | $893,000 | $2,922,161 | $790,172 |
| 2023 | $16,140,291 | $824,361 | $659,675 | $615,000 | 11 | $615,000 | $1,132,928 | $696,155 |
| 2022 | $13,811,955 | $130,517 | $722,672 | $688,000 | 9 | $688,000 | $935,143 | $892,113 |
| 2021 | $18,155,862 | $2,134,899 | $776,412 | $732,000 | 12 | $732,000 | $616,433 | $741,516 |
| 2020 | $14,008,211 | $3,181,668 | $674,437 | $644,000 | 7 | — | $385,467 | $517,235 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Lyons Share Foundation reported a distributable amount of $713K for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated October 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2025 grants show support for arts and cultural organizations, including performing arts, concerts, presentations, and arts education, alongside several grants for education and community or taxpayer advocacy.
Grantees describe their own work in varied terms. Pacific Symphony says it serves Orange County through orchestral performances, chamber music, opera, choral music, and education and community engagement. Arts Orange County describes its role as building appreciation of, participation in, and support for arts and arts education in the county. Pacific Chorale says it fosters choral artistry, community unity, and learning through artistic expression. Chorus America says it strengthens singing communities through advocacy, connections, and resources. The Philharmonic Society of Orange County says it presents national and international performances and provides music education.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2025, the foundation reported 10 grants totaling $3,943,000. Grant amounts ranged from $1,000 to $3,501,000, with a median of $42,500. The largest awards were $3,501,000 to Segerstrom Center for the Arts for support of performances, $150,000 to Pacific Symphony to underwrite concerts and operating expenses, $115,000 to Arts Orange County for arts programs, $75,000 to Pacific Chorale for national presentations and concerts, and $65,000 to Chorus America for national concerts and presentations.
Other 2025 grants included $20,000 to Arts Learning Conservatory for educational and arts programs; $10,000 to the Philharmonic Society of Orange County for concert programming; $5,000 to Newport Harbor Educational Foundation for public high school programs; and $1,000 each to Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Foundation for legal aid to taxpayer advocacy organizations and Airport Working Group of Orange County for community advocacy regarding airport impact.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Mary A. Lyons as President and Phillip N. Lyons as Secretary.
Lyons Share Foundation is led by Mary A. Lyons, President on every filing since 2020; none of the 2 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Mary A. Lyons
President
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Phillip N. Lyons
Secretary
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
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.
Frequently asked questions about Lyons Share Foundation
How much does Lyons Share Foundation give each year?
Lyons Share Foundation gave $3.9M across 10 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $893K across 9 grants.
What is Lyons Share Foundation's typical grant size?
Lyons Share Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $42,500, and its average grant was $394,300, across 10 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
Where does Lyons Share Foundation give grants?
Lyons Share Foundation gives mostly in California: 98% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Costa Mesa, CA (3 grants), Irvine, CA (3 grants) and Newport Beach, CA (2 grants).
Does Lyons Share Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 10% of Lyons Share Foundation's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (1 of 10) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are Lyons Share Foundation's largest grantees?
Lyons Share Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include Segerstrom Center for the Arts ($3,501,000), Pacific Symphony ($150,000) and Arts Orange County ($115,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 96% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Lyons Share Foundation?
Lyons Share Foundation reported $16.0M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $3.9M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $713K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does Lyons Share Foundation fund?
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2025 grants show support for arts and cultural organizations, including performing arts, concerts, presentations, and arts education, alongside several grants for education and community or taxpayer advocacy. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Lyons Share Foundation?
The foundation states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Lyons Share Foundation's EIN?
Lyons Share Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 33-0622707. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.
Does Lyons Share Foundation accept unsolicited proposals?
No, according to Grantable's research on the foundation's published guidelines. See how to apply ↑
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated October 2026.
Data update history
(2)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS May 15, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Lyons Share Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Lyons Share Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 10, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/lyons-share-foundation-morg_0aec2ce8fb384d58ba57d43b18ed8095
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_330622707_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Lyons Share Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/lyons-share-foundation-morg_0aec2ce8fb384d58ba57d43b18ed8095},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-10. Data licensed CC BY 4.0}
}The figures on this page are open data under CC BY 4.0: reuse them with credit to Grantable and a link. Download the data.
Figures come from Lyons Share 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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