Munger Tolles & Olson Foundation
The Munger Tolles & Olson Foundation is a public charity based in Los Angeles, California. Formed in 1982, it makes donations to organizations described in sections 501(c)(3) and 170(c) of the Internal Revenue Code.
Munger Tolles & Olson Foundation at a glance
In short: Munger Tolles & Olson Foundation gave $3.2M across 54 grants in 2024 (avg $60K), mostly in New York. 20% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $3,245,076
- +88.9% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 54
- -3.6% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $60,094
- +95.9% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $16,500
- Total assets
- $3,383,660
- +38.4% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 20% first-time grantees (11 of 54, 2024)
- Primary geography
- New York (60% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990, 2024 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990, 2024; updated September 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to Munger Tolles & Olson Foundation
- Contact
Mailing address: 350 South Grand Avenue 50Th Floor, Los Angeles, CA 90071
Phone: (213) 683-9100
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Munger Tolles & Olson Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was American Civil Liberties Union Foundation ($1.9M). Together the top 10 received $2.6M.
Grant Size Distribution
292 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 261 grants of 292 (89%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2024, recipients in New York received 60% of grant dollars, California recipients received 32%, and recipients in Washington, D.C., received 8%. Georgia accounted for 0%.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 54 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is Munger Tolles & Olson Foundation open to new grantees?
20%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 11 of 54 grantees (20%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $186K; repeat grants $28K. How we count
Medians: $20K first-time, $15K repeat.
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990 filings (2020–2024). 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 $1.6M (2022) to $3.2M (2024). In 2024 it made 54 grants totaling $3.2M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| American Civil Liberties Union Foundation New York, NY | General Support | $1,883,592 |
| Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights of the San Fra San Francisco, CA | General Support | $242,005 |
| Bet Tzedek Los Angeles, CA | General Support | $100,000 |
| Equal Justice Works Washington, DC | General Support | $93,000 |
| California Changelawyers San Francisco, CA | General Support | $80,000 |
| Legal Aid Foundation of Los Angeles Los Angeles, CA | General Support | $51,000 |
| Western Justice Center Foundation Pasadena, CA | General Support | $35,000 |
| ACLU Foundation of Southern California Los Angeles, CA | General Support | $32,500 |
| City of Hope Duarte, CA | General Support | $25,000 |
| Inner City Law Center Los Angeles, CA | General Support | $25,000 |
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Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Net Investment Income |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $3,383,660 | $4,253,986 | $3,334,340 | $3,245,076 | 54 | $86,278 |
| 2023 | $2,444,230 | $1,839,229 | $1,855,928 | $1,718,283 | 56 | $20,688 |
| 2022 | $2,460,462 | $1,968,598 | $1,670,885 | $1,583,150 | 61 | $23 |
| 2021 | $2,184,507 | $2,176,853 | $1,762,983 | $1,654,160 | 58 | $514 |
| 2020 | $1,770,637 | $1,473,609 | $1,836,360 | $1,690,150 | 63 | $1,641 |
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation’s stated mission is to make donations to organizations described in sections 501(c)(3) and 170(c) of the Internal Revenue Code. Its 2024 grantees included organizations with varied missions. For example, Bet Tzedek says it provides free legal services to people who need them most; Equal Justice Works says it creates opportunities for lawyers to commit to public service; and California ChangeLawyers says it works to build a better justice system for Californians. These are the grantees’ descriptions of their own work, not additional stated priorities of the foundation.
Grantmaking
In 2024, the foundation reported 54 grants totaling $3,245,076. Grant amounts ranged from $5,150 to $1,883,592, with a median of $16,500.
The largest 2024 grant was $1,883,592 to the American Civil Liberties Union Foundation. Other large grants included $242,005 to the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights of the San Francisco Bay Area, $100,000 to Bet Tzedek, $93,000 to Equal Justice Works, and $80,000 to California ChangeLawyers. The listed grants were for general support.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Ginger Anders, Adam Lawton, Ronald Olson, Glenn Pomerantz, Laura Smolowe, and Don Verrilli as directors. Peter Detre was listed as a director through December 1, 2024; Colin Devine, Alan Friedman, and David Fry were listed as directors through April 1, 2024.
Munger Tolles & Olson Foundation is led by Kathleen McDowell, President on every filing since 2020; none of the 22 officers listed in 2024 report compensation.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Kathleen McDowell
President
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
Jennifer Bryan
President
New on the 2024 filing
3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Adam Lawton
Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Alan Friedman
Director
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
Alison Sigurdsson
Director
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
Colin Devine
Director
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
David Fry
Director
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
Don Verrilli
Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Ginger Anders
Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Glenn Pomerantz
Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Laura Smolowe
Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Max Rosen
Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Peter Detre
Director
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
Ronald Olson
Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
April Hu
Director
New on the 2024 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Brad Brian
Director
New on the 2024 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Jacob Krielkamp
Director
New on the 2024 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Joseph Lee
Director
New on the 2024 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Kuru Olasa
Director
New on the 2024 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Peter Gratzinger
Director
New on the 2024 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Brett Rodda
Co-Chair
Director → Co-Chair, 2022
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
Justin Raphael
Co-Chair
New on the 2024 filing
3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (3)
- Former: Misty Sanford (2020–2022) — Director
- Former: Robert Dell Angelo (2020–2022) — Co-President
- Former: Aimee Contreras (2022) — Director
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 Munger Tolles & Olson Foundation
How much does Munger Tolles & Olson Foundation give each year?
Munger Tolles & Olson Foundation gave $3.2M across 54 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990. In 2023 it gave $1.7M across 56 grants.
What is Munger Tolles & Olson Foundation's typical grant size?
Munger Tolles & Olson Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $16,500, and its average grant was $60,094, across 54 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990. Organizations receiving their first grant from Munger Tolles & Olson Foundation that year got $186K on average.
Where does Munger Tolles & Olson Foundation give grants?
Munger Tolles & Olson Foundation gives mostly in New York: 60% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990 went to recipients there. The next largest states were California (32%) and District of Columbia (8%). The most frequent recipient cities were Los Angeles, CA (21 grants), Washington, DC (9 grants), New York, NY (7 grants) and San Francisco, CA (6 grants).
Does Munger Tolles & Olson Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 100% of Munger Tolles & Olson Foundation's 2024 grants with a stated purpose (54 of 54) were for general or operating support, per its 2024 IRS Form 990.
Who are Munger Tolles & Olson Foundation's largest grantees?
Munger Tolles & Olson Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include American Civil Liberties Union Foundation ($1,883,592), Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights of the San Fra ($242,005) and Bet Tzedek ($100,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990. Together they received 69% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is Munger Tolles & Olson Foundation?
Munger Tolles & Olson Foundation reported $3.4M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990. Its revenue that year was $4.3M.
What does Munger Tolles & Olson Foundation fund?
The foundation’s stated mission is to make donations to organizations described in sections 501(c)(3) and 170(c) of the Internal Revenue Code. Its 2024 grantees included organizations with varied missions. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Munger Tolles & Olson Foundation?
Munger Tolles & Olson Foundation has no public application process in the sources Grantable reviewed. Contact the foundation directly before submitting a request.
What is Munger Tolles & Olson Foundation's EIN?
Munger Tolles & Olson Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 95-3793858. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990 filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(6)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS November 15, 2021)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS November 15, 2022)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS November 16, 2023)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS November 15, 2024)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS November 14, 2025)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Live grants for the work Munger Tolles & Olson Foundation funds
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Munger Tolles & Olson Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 17, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/munger-tolles-and-olson-foundation-morg_8b15a55ce0594699a9d57ef2f2939ac4
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_953793858_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Munger Tolles \& Olson Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/munger-tolles-and-olson-foundation-morg_8b15a55ce0594699a9d57ef2f2939ac4},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-17. 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 Munger Tolles & Olson 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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