Mark and Carolyn Guidry Foundation
The Mark and Carolyn Guidry Foundation is a private foundation established in 1994 and based in Los Altos, California. The foundation was created by Mark and Carolyn Guidry to support education and the arts, reflecting their personal values and lived experiences as engineering graduates who came from underserved schools.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$2.1M
+5.0% YoY
Annual Giving
$538K
-2.7% YoY
Grant Count
10
-9.1% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$54K
+7.0% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Mark and Carolyn Guidry Foundation reported a distributable amount of $276K for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation's primary purpose is to hold fundraising events for causes it supports. Its giving focuses primarily on:
- Higher education, particularly engineering and veterinary medicine education
- Education and the arts
- STEAM learning and hands-on educational resources
- Support for underserved schools and students
The foundation emphasizes providing meaningful resources and opportunities for students, particularly those from underserved communities.
Grantmaking
The foundation does not accept unsolicited applications.
Grant Range
$2,000–$400,000
How to Apply
**
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation funds organizations primarily in California, Washington, and Louisiana, with a notable concentration in California.
Grant Distribution by State
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
As of 2024:
- Total assets: $2,148,649
- Total revenues: $648,271
- Total expenses: $546,243
- Total giving: $538,000–$553,000
Historical Assets:
- 2024: $2,148,649
- 2023: $2.0 million
- 2022: $2.4 million
- 2021: $2.3 million
- 2020: $2.4 million
- 2019: $2.3 million
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2021 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $2,148,649 | $2,046,721 | $2,367,368 |
| Revenue | $648,271 | $459,487 | $307,589 |
| Expenses | $546,243 | $562,161 | $259,466 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $539,040 | $554,767 | $255,807 |
| Net Investment Income | $648,011 | $457,717 | $307,411 |
| Distributable Amount | $275,516 | $234,403 | $285,519 |
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
51 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include Sierra Nevada Children's Museum ($400,000), San Jose State University ($75,000), Cal Poly San Luis Obispo ($25,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| BITTERWATER TULLY SCHOOL KING CITY, CA | CHARITABLE GRANT | $3,000 |
| CAL POLY SAN LUIS OBISPO SAN LUIS OBISPO, CA | CHARITABLE GRANT | $25,000 |
| CHILDREN'S DISCOVERY MUSEUM SAN JOSE, CA | CHARITABLE GRANT | $2,000 |
| IOWA STATE UNIVERSITY AMES, IA | CHARITABLE GRANT | $10,000 |
| KING CITY HIGH SCHOOL KING CITY, CA | CHARITABLE GRANT | $3,000 |
| LAFOURCHE PARISH SCHOOLS THIBODAUX, LA | CHARITABLE GRANT | $5,000 |
| RAFT SAN JOSE, CA | CHARITABLE GRANT | $5,000 |
| SAN JOSE STATE UNIVERSITY SAN JOSE, CA | CHARITBALE GRANT | $75,000 |
| SIERRA NEVADA CHILDREN'S MUSEUM TRUCKEE, CA | CHARITABLE GRANT | $400,000 |
| UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON SEATTLE, WA | CHARITABLE GRANT | $10,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The foundation is currently managed by the Guidry family's second generation:
- Gayle Dilley (daughter of Mark and Carolyn)
- David Guidry (son)
- Mike Guidry (son)
Founders:
- Mark Guidry (1937–2020), electrical engineering graduate from Louisiana State University
- Carolyn Guidry (1937–2009), electrical engineering graduate from Louisiana State University who later earned a Master's degree in Computer Engineering from San Jose State University
Mark and Carolyn were both engineering graduates who came from underserved schools. They founded two successful companies in semiconductor design software and semiconductor product development before establishing the foundation in 1994.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| GAYLE G DILLEY | PRESIDENT & SECRETARY | 1 | — |
| DAVID GUIDRY | TREASURER | 1 | — |
| MIKE GUIDRY | VICE PRESIDENT | 1 | — |
Recent News & Activity
Recent developments and announcements
The foundation established the Carolyn Guidry Professor of Engineering Education at San Jose State University through a $2.5 million gift commitment to support groundbreaking approaches to teaching engineering.
Robert J. Guidry Family Foundation Grant Enables Sunshine Kids To Ride In\The foundation serves as a major sponsor of Women in Engineering at San Jose State University, supporting programs that connect future women innovators with leading professionals in Silicon Valley.
[PDF] DECIDE - The Future - Chico StateThe foundation established a named endowment fund with RAFT (an organization supporting hands-on STEAM learning) to honor Mark and Carolyn's legacy. This endowment provides sustained support for professional development, classroom materials, and hands-on STEAM learning, particularly for schools and districts with the greatest need.
Endowments | Charles W. Davidson College of EngineeringFrequently Asked Questions
What does Mark and Carolyn Guidry Foundation fund?
The foundation's primary purpose is to hold fundraising events for causes it supports. Its giving focuses primarily on: • Higher education, particularly engineering and veterinary medicine education • Education and the arts • STEAM learning and hands-on educational resources • Support for underserved schools and students The foundation emphasizes providing meaningful resources and opportunities for students, particularly those from underserved communities.
How do I apply for a grant from Mark and Carolyn Guidry Foundation?
**Grant Activity:** • Made 16 grants in 2023 and 11 grants in 2024 • Grant range: $2,000–$400,000 • Median grant size: $10,000 (2024) • Total giving: $553,000 (2024) **Recent Grant Recipients (2023-2024):** • Kidzone Museum: $400,000 • Sierra Nevada Children's Museum: $400,000 • San Jose State University: $75,000 • Psi Chi - Cal Poly State University San Luis Obispo: $25,000 • Chico State University: $25,000 • Cal Poly San Luis Obispo: $15,000 • Iowa State University: $10,000 • University of Wa…
Where does Mark and Carolyn Guidry Foundation make grants?
The foundation funds organizations primarily in California, Washington, and Louisiana, with a notable concentration in California.
What size grants does Mark and Carolyn Guidry Foundation award?
In 2024, Mark and Carolyn Guidry Foundation awarded 10 grants totaling $538K — an average of about $54K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is Mark and Carolyn Guidry Foundation required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, Mark and Carolyn Guidry Foundation reported a distributable amount of $276K on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is Mark and Carolyn Guidry Foundation's EIN?
Mark and Carolyn Guidry Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 94-3185161. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
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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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