The Nicholas Endowment is a private foundation established in 2002 by Dr. Henry T. Nicholas III and Stacey Nicholas. Based in Irvine, California, the organization operates as a 501(c)(3) charitable foundation dedicated to enriching communities through philanthropic support of selected causes.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
—
Annual Giving
$2.0M
+0.3% YoY
Grant Count
31
-11.4% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$63K
+13.2% YoY
Mission & Focus Areas
The Nicholas Endowment's mission is to enrich the community and the world by supporting the performing and visual arts, assisting in the advancement of science and education, and engaging other charities to make a difference in people's lives.
The foundation accomplishes its mission by partnering with charitable organizations, providing leadership, direction and accountability, and giving meaningful support to selected causes. The organization's objective is to enable charitable organizations to build their programs and strengthen their infrastructure to more effectively deliver charitable services.
Primary funding focus areas include:
- Performing and visual arts
- Science and education advancement
- Health care
- Workforce development
- Professional development
- Youth education (particularly mathematics)
- Vision care services
Grantmaking
Grant Range
s:** Typical awards range from $4,000 to $200,000.
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation primarily funds organizations in California, with particular emphasis on the Orange County and Los Angeles regions. The foundation is a supporting organization of institutions including The Bowers Museum in Santa Ana, CHOC Foundation, Pacific Symphony Association, South Coast Repertory, UCI Foundation, UCLA Foundation, and the University of California system.
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
Assets: $44.2 million (2024)
Total Giving: $1.97 million (2024)
Annual Revenue: $2.7 million (2024)
Annual Expenses: $2.21 million (2024)
Giving Rate: Approximately 5.0% of assets
Total Liabilities: $127,000 (2024)
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | — | — | — |
| Revenue | — | — | — |
| Expenses | — | — | — |
| Qualifying Distributions | — | — | — |
| Net Investment Income | — | — | — |
| Distributable Amount | — | — | — |
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
171 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include South Coast Repertory ($175,000), Ocean Institute ($150,000), Pacific Symphony ($150,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| BOWERS MUSEUM SANTA ANA, CA | PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT | $4,000 |
| BOWERS MUSEUM SANTA ANA, CA | ART ACCESS PROGRAM | $115,000 |
| CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL OF ORANGE COUNTY ORANGE, CA | PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT | $4,000 |
| CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL OF ORANGE COUNTY ORANGE, CA | CHILD PROTECTION TEAM EXPANSION | $115,000 |
| MISSION SAN JUAN CAPISTRANO SAN JUAN CAPISTRANO, CA | PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT | $4,000 |
| MISSION SAN JUAN CAPISTRANO SAN JUAN CAPISTRANO, CA | PROGRAM SUPPORT | $115,000 |
| OCEAN INSTITUTE DANA POINT, CA | PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT | $4,000 |
| OCEAN INSTITUTE DANA POINT, CA | PROGRAM SUPPORT | $150,000 |
| ORANGE COUNTY COMMUNITY FOUNDATION NEWPORT BEACH, CA | PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT | $4,000 |
| ORANGE COUNTY COMMUNITY FOUNDATION NEWPORT BEACH, CA | TRUSTEE RECOMMENDED GRANTS | $122,400 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
Daniel T. Stetson – Trustee and Executive Director (30 hours/week, $78,621 compensation)
Claudia Sangster – Trustee and Chair (2 hours/week)
Paula Tomei – Trustee (2 hours/week)
Robert Feller – Trustee (2 hours/week)
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| DANIEL T STETSON | TRUSTEE AND EXECUTIVE DIRE | 30 | $83,000 |
| CLAUDIA SANGSTER | TRUSTEE AND CHAIR | 2 | — |
| PAULA TOMEI | TRUSTEE | 2 | — |
| ROBERT FELLER | TRUSTEE | 2 | — |
Recent News & Activity
Recent developments and announcements
The Nicholas Endowment has funded several notable initiatives:
Nicholas Endowment funds Veterans Legal Institute fellowship for ...Supported UCLA's Division of Undergraduate Education with funds for virtual onboarding of 9,000 students
UCI\u2019s Division of Undergraduate Education Receives Funds from The Nicholas\Funded the UCLA Social Enterprise Academy, a six-month program that has helped over 40 local nonprofits develop social enterprises since 2011
UCI School of Social Sciences Grant Activity 2018-2025 - ResearchProvided support for the Veterans Legal Institute fellowship program at UCI School of Law
Nicholas Endowment funds Veterans Legal Institute fellowship for ...Funded initiatives within UCI's School of Social Sciences
UCI School of Social Sciences Grant Activity 2018-2025 - ResearchThe foundation maintains current financial statements available on its website, with the most recent filings from 2023 and 2024.
Subject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Nicholas Endowment fund?
The Nicholas Endowment's mission is to enrich the community and the world by supporting the performing and visual arts, assisting in the advancement of science and education, and engaging other charities to make a difference in people's lives. The foundation accomplishes its mission by partnering with charitable organizations, providing leadership, direction and accountability, and giving meaningful support to selected causes. The organization's objective is to enable charitable organizations t…
How do I apply for a grant from Nicholas Endowment?
**Grant Ranges:** Typical awards range from $4,000 to $200,000. **Recent Grant Activity:** The foundation awarded 42 grants in its most recent reporting period, with a median grant amount of $67,500. **Grant Programs:** The foundation operates several named grant programs, including: • Professional Development (averaging $4,286 per grant) • Program Support (averaging $133,750 per grant) • Mobile Eye Clinic (averaging $70,000 per grant) • Math CEO (averaging $50,000 per grant) • Core Support (av…
Where does Nicholas Endowment make grants?
The foundation primarily funds organizations in California, with particular emphasis on the Orange County and Los Angeles regions. The foundation is a supporting organization of institutions including The Bowers Museum in Santa Ana, CHOC Foundation, Pacific Symphony Association, South Coast Repertory, UCI Foundation, UCLA Foundation, and the University of California system.
What size grants does Nicholas Endowment award?
In 2024, Nicholas Endowment awarded 31 grants totaling $2.0M — an average of about $63K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
What is Nicholas Endowment's EIN?
Nicholas Endowment's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 46-6117991. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Nicholas Endowment's focus areas in our free grants database
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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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