McKinnon Family Foundation
The McKinnon Family Foundation is a private foundation based in New York, NY. Its 2025 grants supported organizations working in areas including education, scientific research, community services, and the arts.
McKinnon Family Foundation at a glance
In short: McKinnon Family Foundation gave $3.6M across 50 grants in 2025 (avg $72K), mostly in California. 36% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $3,617,213
- +25.2% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 50
- +13.6% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $72,344
- +10.2% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $15,000
- Total assets
- $23,780,733
- +0.2% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 36% first-time grantees (18 of 50, 2025)
- Primary geography
- California (52% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated September 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to McKinnon Family Foundation
- How to Apply
-
The foundation states that it does not restrict giving to preselected organizations. Applications should be submitted in writing and state the organization’s purpose, address, telephone number, and contact person. Applicants should also include a prior-period operating statement and balance sheet, and indicate whether the organization is a 501(c)(3). The filing lists no award restrictions.
- Contact
Application contact: Daniel I Mckinnon
Mailing address: C/O Trebatch 950 Third Avenue, New York, NY 10022
Phone: (203) 295-7703
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who McKinnon Family Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was UCSF Foundation ($1.4M). Together the top 10 received $3.0M.
Grant Size Distribution
163 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 114 grants of 163 (70%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2025, the largest shares of grant dollars went to recipients in California (52%), New Mexico (21%), New York (9%), Rhode Island (8%), and Illinois (4%).
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 50 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is McKinnon Family Foundation open to new grantees?
36%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 18 of 50 grantees (36%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $28K; repeat grants $97K. How we count
Medians: $18K first-time, $15K repeat.
- 64% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2022 to 2025 (+2%). Method
- In 2025 it paid out 197% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2019–2025). 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 2019 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $1.1M (2019) to $5.2M (2020). In 2025 it made 50 grants totaling $3.6M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| UCSF Foundation San Francisco, CA | Education | $1,430,000 |
| Santa Fe Institute Santa Fe, NM | Dedicated to the multidisciplinary study of the fundamental principles of complex adaptive systems, including physical, computational, biological, and social systems. | $500,000 |
| Brown University Providence, RI | Education | $300,000 |
| Roger Federer Charitable Fund New York, NY | Supports educational projects located in the region of southern africa and switzerland. | $197,000 |
| First Serve - New Mexico Santa Fe, NM | To strengthen the lives and enhance the character of santa fe's children through education, life skills, and tennis. | $125,000 |
| Harvard University Cambridge, MA | Education | $100,000 |
| Stinson Beach Volunteer Firefighters Assoc Stinson Beach, CA | Community Services | $100,000 |
| Peoria Riverfront Museum Peoria, IL | ARTS | $100,000 |
| Eat Learn Play Foundation Oakland, CA | Support children's wellbeing through nutrition, education, and safe play opportunities. | $100,000 |
| University of New Mexico Mens Basketball Alburquerque, NM | Raises funds necessary to provide financial support for student-athlete scholarships, facilities, programs that support student-athlete success and operational support | $62,500 |
Ready to take the next step with McKinnon Family 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 | $23,780,733 | $3,618,433 | $3,664,196 | $3,617,213 | 50 | $3,617,213 | $3,243,564 | $1,835,265 |
| 2024 | $23,727,129 | $4,031,514 | $2,917,672 | $2,888,350 | 44 | $2,888,350 | $2,915,010 | $1,588,845 |
| 2023 | $23,100,747 | $-904,930 | $1,616,385 | $1,585,000 | 27 | $1,585,000 | $577,786 | $1,290,760 |
| 2022 | $23,859,235 | $3,878,651 | $3,572,981 | $3,535,000 | 22 | $3,535,000 | $2,464,739 | $1,262,595 |
| 2021 | $24,225,757 | $13,671,253 | $4,225,415 | $4,097,000 | 20 | $4,097,000 | $9,488,730 | $1,055,520 |
| 2020 | $14,870,057 | $9,265,725 | $5,279,505 | $5,203,333 | 21 | — | $6,223,715 | $676,064 |
| 2019 | $11,004,821 | $7,307,331 | $1,188,247 | $1,127,333 | 22 | — | $4,385,193 | $370,635 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, McKinnon Family Foundation reported a distributable amount of $1.8M for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2025 grants included support for universities, research, youth education and wellbeing, community services, and arts organizations. For example, the Santa Fe Institute describes its work as expanding scientific understanding of complex systems, while the Peoria Riverfront Museum says it connects art, history, science, and achievement through collections, exhibitions, and programs. Eat Learn Play Foundation describes its work as supporting children’s wellbeing through a whole-child, whole-school approach.
Grantmaking
The foundation reported 50 grants totaling $3,617,213 in 2025, compared with 44 grants totaling $2,888,350 in 2024 and 27 grants totaling $1,585,000 in 2023. In 2025, grants ranged from $250 to $1,430,000, with a median grant of $15,000.
Notable 2025 grants included $1,430,000 to UCSF Foundation for education; $500,000 to Santa Fe Institute; $300,000 to Brown University for education; $197,000 to Roger Federer Charitable Fund for educational projects in Southern Africa and Switzerland; and $125,000 to First Serve – New Mexico for children’s education, life skills, and tennis.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Daniel I McKinnonn, Sonnet McKinnon, William McKinnon, and Ashley McKinnon as trustees.
McKinnon Family Foundation's 2025 filing lists 4 officers; none of the 4 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Daniel I. McKinnonn
Trustee
On filings since 2019
No compensation reported
Sonnet McKinnon
Trustee
On filings since 2019
No compensation reported
William McKinnon
Trustee
On filings since 2019
No compensation reported
Ashley McKinnon
Trustee
On filings since 2023
No compensation reported
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2019–2025. "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 McKinnon Family Foundation
How much does McKinnon Family Foundation give each year?
McKinnon Family Foundation gave $3.6M across 50 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $2.9M across 44 grants.
What is McKinnon Family Foundation's typical grant size?
McKinnon Family Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $15,000, and its average grant was $72,344, across 50 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from McKinnon Family Foundation that year got $28K on average.
Where does McKinnon Family Foundation give grants?
McKinnon Family Foundation gives mostly in California: 52% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest states were New Mexico (21%) and New York (9%). The most frequent recipient cities were San Francisco, CA (8 grants), New York, NY (8 grants), Albuquerque, NM (4 grants) and Santa Fe, NM (2 grants).
Does McKinnon Family Foundation give general operating support?
Occasionally: 2% of McKinnon Family Foundation's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (1 of 50) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Recurring purposes include "Community Services" (13 grants), "Education" (11 grants) and "Medical" (4 grants).
Who are McKinnon Family Foundation's largest grantees?
McKinnon Family Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include UCSF Foundation ($1,430,000), Santa Fe Institute ($500,000) and Brown University ($300,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 62% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is McKinnon Family Foundation?
McKinnon Family Foundation reported $23.8M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $3.6M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $1.8M (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does McKinnon Family Foundation fund?
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2025 grants included support for universities, research, youth education and wellbeing, community services, and arts organizations. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from McKinnon Family Foundation?
The foundation states that it does not restrict giving to preselected organizations. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is McKinnon Family Foundation's EIN?
McKinnon Family Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 35-7079265. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2025.
Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(7)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS April 21, 2020)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS May 4, 2026)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS May 11, 2021)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS May 5, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS May 10, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS May 13, 2024)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS May 13, 2025)
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in McKinnon Family Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). McKinnon Family Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/mckinnon-family-foundation-morg_36e1733530cc40179fb19b353541f120
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_357079265_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{McKinnon Family Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/mckinnon-family-foundation-morg_36e1733530cc40179fb19b353541f120},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-12. 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 McKinnon Family 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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