Noblelight Foundation
NobleLight Foundation is a private foundation based in Sherman Oaks, California. It supports charitable organizations and social entrepreneurs working on social and environmental challenges, and describes its approach as applying a venture-capital model to philanthropy with compassion.
Noblelight Foundation at a glance
In short: Noblelight Foundation gave $368K across 21 grants in 2024 (avg $18K), top state California. 10% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $367,530
- -35.3% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 21
- -12.5% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $17,501
- -26.1% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $5,000
- Total assets
- $25,915,686
- -12.3% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 10% first-time grantees (2 of 21, 2024; small sample)
- Primary geography
- California (31% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to Noblelight Foundation
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds.
- Contact
Mailing address: 3900 Kilroy Airport Way Ste 213, Long Beach, CA 90806
Phone: (818) 493-6650
Website: https://noblelight.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Noblelight Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Hope Opportunity Meaning and Equality Ghana LBG (Home) ($113K). Together the top 10 received $313K.
Grant Size Distribution
110 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 82 grants of 110 (75%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The 2024 grant-dollar distribution lists California at 31%, New York at 24%, Minnesota at 4%, Virginia at 4%, and about 31% to a recipient in Ghana.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 21 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is Noblelight Foundation open to new grantees?
10%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 2 of 21 grantees (10%) were first-time recipients. With only 21 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 5 points. First grants averaged $8K; repeat grants $19K. How we count
Medians: $8K first-time, $5K repeat.
- 90% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving fell 51% from 2021 to 2024. Method
- In 2024 it paid out 328% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF 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 $368K (2024) to $807K (2020). In 2024 it made 21 grants totaling $368K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Hope Opportunity Meaning and Equality Ghana LBG (Home) | To complete construction on both a school and skill center and support operational expenses in 2024. | $112,530 |
| Blankets of Hope Brooklyn, NY | To support providing needed physical and emotional support to the homeless population. | $50,000 |
| Surfrider Foundation San Clemente, CA | To support the protection and enjoyment of the world's ocean, waves and beaches. | $50,000 |
| Village School Pacific Palisades, CA | To support providing educational services from transitional kindergarten through 6th grade. | $50,000 |
| Doctors Without Borders New York, NY | To support assisting victims of disasters and conflicts worldwide. | $20,000 |
| American Bandy Association Arden Hills, MN | To support promoting participation in the sport of bandy | $10,000 |
| 350ORG Brooklyn, NY | To support ending the era of fossil fuels and creating renewable energy future | $5,000 |
| Conservation International Arlington, VA | To support creating a healthier world where people and nature thrive together | $5,000 |
| Environmental Defense Fund New York, NY | To support preserving the natural systems on which all life depends. | $5,000 |
| Greenpeace Fund Seattle, WA | To Support Protecting and Preserving the Environment | $5,000 |
Ready to take the next step with Noblelight 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $25,915,686 | $1,797,743 | $5,560,716 | $367,530 | 21 | $4,977,558 | $1,457,735 | $1,517,187 |
| 2023 | $29,559,889 | $609,114 | $1,936,843 | $568,330 | 24 | $1,463,136 | $373,412 | $1,590,046 |
| 2022 | $30,860,613 | $-1,828,089 | $2,941,544 | $470,000 | 19 | $2,336,008 | $354,798 | $1,731,231 |
| 2021 | $35,778,997 | $17,067,187 | $2,548,812 | $748,256 | 21 | $1,858,804 | $8,273,046 | $1,736,102 |
| 2020 | $28,639,886 | $8,681,690 | $1,687,444 | $806,870 | 25 | — | $3,708,295 | $1,316,658 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Noblelight Foundation reported a distributable amount of $1.5M 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
NobleLight’s stated aim is “to bring more light into this world.” Its website describes a focus on identifying and supporting social entrepreneurs addressing major global challenges, then highlighting their work to encourage collective giving.
The foundation’s 2024 grants included support for education, homelessness services, environmental and conservation work, disaster and conflict assistance, and bandy participation. Examples include Village School, which describes itself as an inclusive learning community serving students from transitional kindergarten through sixth grade, and Blankets of Hope, whose stated mission is to provide physical and emotional support to people experiencing homelessness. The League to Save Lake Tahoe describes its mission as protecting and restoring the Lake Tahoe Basin’s environmental health, sustainability, and scenic beauty.
Grantmaking
In 2024, NobleLight reported 21 grants totaling $367,530. Grants ranged from $5,000 to $112,530, with a median grant of $5,000.
The largest 2024 grants included $112,530 to Hope Opportunity Meaning and Equality Ghana (HOME) for construction of a school and skill center and operational expenses; $50,000 each to Blankets of Hope, Surfrider Foundation, and Village School; and $20,000 to Doctors Without Borders. Other listed recipients included the American Bandy Association ($10,000) and several environmental organizations that received $5,000 each.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Todd Chaffee as chairman, secretary, and treasurer; Kathryn Smith and Brandon Chaffee as vice presidents; Brianna Scherer as administrative assistant; and Daniel Hill as RISE CEO.
Noblelight Foundation is led by Daniel Hill, Rise CEO on the 2024 filing; 2 of 5 officers listed in 2024 are compensated.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Daniel Hill
Rise CEO
New on the 2024 filing
40 hrs/week
$314K (2024)
Todd Chaffee
Chairman, Secretary & Treasurer
On filings since 2020
10 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Brianna Scherer
Administrative Assistant
New on the 2024 filing
40 hrs/week
$85K (2024)
Brandon Chaffee
Vice President
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Kathryn Smith
Vice President
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.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2024 filing was $314K, to Daniel Hill (Rise CEO). 2 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Frequently asked questions about Noblelight Foundation
How much does Noblelight Foundation give each year?
Noblelight Foundation gave $368K across 21 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $568K across 24 grants.
What is Noblelight Foundation's typical grant size?
Noblelight Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $5,000, and its average grant was $17,501, across 21 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Noblelight Foundation that year got $8K on average.
Where does Noblelight Foundation give grants?
Noblelight Foundation's top state is California, with 31% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. The next largest state was New York (24%). The most frequent recipient cities were New York, NY (3 grants), Brooklyn, NY (2 grants), Arlington, VA (2 grants) and San Francisco, CA (2 grants).
Does Noblelight Foundation give general operating support?
Occasionally: 5% of Noblelight Foundation's 2024 grants with a stated purpose (1 of 21) were for general or operating support, per its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are Noblelight Foundation's largest grantees?
Noblelight Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include Hope Opportunity Meaning and Equality Ghana LBG (Home) ($112,530), Blankets of Hope ($50,000) and Surfrider Foundation ($50,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 58% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is Noblelight Foundation?
Noblelight Foundation reported $25.9M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $5.0M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $1.5M (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does Noblelight Foundation fund?
NobleLight’s stated aim is “to bring more light into this world.” Its website describes a focus on identifying and supporting social entrepreneurs addressing major global challenges, then highlighting their work to encourage collective giving. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Noblelight Foundation?
The foundation states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Noblelight Foundation's EIN?
Noblelight Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 26-3449464. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Does Noblelight Foundation accept unsolicited proposals?
No, according to Grantable's research on the foundation's published guidelines. See how to apply ↑
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). Noblelight Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/noblelight-foundation-morg_8cee1c1b2d1c4f4cb7d1e94653357b7c
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_263449464_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Noblelight Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/noblelight-foundation-morg_8cee1c1b2d1c4f4cb7d1e94653357b7c},
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 Noblelight 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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