M & I Pfister Foundation
M & I Pfister Foundation is a private foundation based in La Jolla, California. In 2024, it awarded 11 grants totaling $748,250, all to recipients in California.
M & I Pfister Foundation at a glance
In short: M & I Pfister Foundation gave $748K across 11 grants in 2024 (avg $68K), mostly in California. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $748,250
- +36.6% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 11
- +0.0% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $68,023
- +36.6% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $38,000
- Total assets
- $22,055,536
- +4.5% vs 2023
- Primary geography
- California (100% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated October 2026.
How to apply to M & I Pfister Foundation
- How to Apply
-
The filing lists Maryanne Pfister as the application contact and calls for a general application with a determination letter. It lists no restrictions on awards.
- Review Cycle
- None listed.
- Deadline
- None listed.
- Contact
Application contact: Maryanne Pfister
Mailing address: 862 Prospect St Suite A, La Jolla, CA 92037
Phone: (858) 551-8785
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who M & I Pfister Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was The New Children's Museum ($225K). Together the top 10 received $738K.
Grant Size Distribution
38 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 24 grants of 38 (63%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
All 11 grants listed for 2024 went to organizations in California.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 11 itemized grants.
Cities
How M & I Pfister Foundation gives
- 64% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving grew 155% from 2021 to 2024. Method
- In 2024 it paid out 76% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Foundations have until the end of the next year to meet it. Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2024). 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 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $150 (2020) to $748K (2024). In 2024 it made 11 grants totaling $748K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| The New Children's Museum San Diego, CA | General Support | $225,000 |
| Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego La Jolla, CA | General Support | $170,250 |
| Library Association of La Jolla La Jolla, CA | General Support | $100,000 |
| La Jolla Playhouse La Jolla, CA | General Support | $50,000 |
| San Diego Symphony Orchestra San Diego, CA | General Support | $50,000 |
| The Athenaeum La Jolla, CA | General Support | $38,000 |
| La Jolla Historical Society La Jolla, CA | General Support | $35,000 |
| Planned Parenthood San Diego, CA | General Support | $30,000 |
| San Diego Humane Society San Diego, CA | General Support | $30,000 |
| San Diego Parks Foundation San Diego, CA | General Support | $10,000 |
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Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Qualifying Distributions | Net Investment Income | Distributable Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $22,055,536 | $2,406,077 | $929,948 | $748,250 | 11 | $841,249 | $1,290,462 | $1,105,821 |
| 2023 | $21,096,365 | $9,823,854 | $782,862 | $547,800 | 11 | $587,589 | $8,483,020 | $889,769 |
| 2022 | $18,567,369 | $8,587,013 | $677,750 | $613,835 | 7 | $615,652 | $524,530 | $767,608 |
| 2021 | $14,994,207 | $911,593 | $387,442 | $293,150 | 8 | $295,958 | $429,648 | $627,130 |
| 2020 | $12,157,813 | $7,250,810 | $3,022 | $150 | 1 | — | $3,197,499 | $405,499 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, M & I Pfister Foundation reported a distributable amount of $1.1M for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The filing does not state a mission. Its 2024 grants supported organizations including museums, a library association, a playhouse, a symphony orchestra, a historical society, Planned Parenthood, a humane society, a parks foundation, and a zoo wildlife alliance. The largest grants went to arts and cultural organizations.
Among the grantees, The New Children’s Museum says its mission is to stimulate imagination, creativity, and critical thinking in children and families through contemporary art. The Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego says it invites audiences to experience the world, the region, and themselves through contemporary art. The Library Association of La Jolla says it provides library resources in music and arts and offers cultural programs, classes, concerts, and exhibitions. The La Jolla Historical Society says it celebrates regional history and culture through programs, exhibitions, and research. The San Diego Parks Foundation says it works to improve quality of life through investments in parks, greenspace, and recreation.
Grantmaking
In 2024, the foundation made 11 grants totaling $748,250. Grant amounts ranged from $10,000 to $225,000, with a median of $38,000. Notable awards included $225,000 to The New Children’s Museum, $170,250 to the Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego, and $100,000 to the Library Association of La Jolla. The foundation also awarded $50,000 each to La Jolla Playhouse and San Diego Symphony Orchestra.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Maryanne Pfister as president and Irwin Pfister as treasurer/secretary.
M & I Pfister Foundation is led by Maryanne Pfister, President on every filing since 2020; none of the 2 officers listed in 2024 report compensation.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Maryanne Pfister
President
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Irwin Pfister
Treasurer & Secretary
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2024. "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 M & I Pfister Foundation
How much does M & I Pfister Foundation give each year?
M & I Pfister Foundation gave $748K across 11 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $548K across 11 grants.
What is M & I Pfister Foundation's typical grant size?
M & I Pfister Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $38,000, and its average grant was $68,023, across 11 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
Where does M & I Pfister Foundation give grants?
M & I Pfister Foundation gives mostly in California: 100% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were San Diego, CA (6 grants) and La Jolla, CA (5 grants).
Does M & I Pfister Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 100% of M & I Pfister Foundation's 2024 grants with a stated purpose (11 of 11) were for general or operating support, per its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are M & I Pfister Foundation's largest grantees?
M & I Pfister Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include The New Children's Museum ($225,000), Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego ($170,250) and Library Association of La Jolla ($100,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 66% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is M & I Pfister Foundation?
M & I Pfister Foundation reported $22.1M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $841K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $1.1M (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 does M & I Pfister Foundation fund?
The filing does not state a mission. Its 2024 grants supported organizations including museums, a library association, a playhouse, a symphony orchestra, a historical society, Planned Parenthood, a humane society, a parks foundation, and a zoo wildlife alliance. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from M & I Pfister Foundation?
The filing lists Maryanne Pfister as the application contact and calls for a general application with a determination letter. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is M & I Pfister Foundation's EIN?
M & I Pfister Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 20-5994513. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(1)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). M & I Pfister Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 14, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/m-and-i-pfister-foundation-morg_b10761a08e884c96a8c250fb07ee872b
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_205994513_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{M \& I Pfister Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/m-and-i-pfister-foundation-morg_b10761a08e884c96a8c250fb07ee872b},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-14. 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 M & I Pfister 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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