Ornest Family Foundation
The Ornest Family Foundation is a private philanthropic organization based in Santa Monica, California. Established in August 1994, the foundation operates as a grantmaking entity focused on supporting nonprofit organizations across multiple sectors.
Key facts about Ornest Family Foundation
- EIN
- 95-4436139
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025
- Annual giving (2025)
- $393,850
- Grants made (2025)
- 48
- Average grant
- $8,205
- Median grant
- $5,500
- New grantees (estimate)
- 35% first-time grantees (17 of 48, 2025)
- Total assets
- $4,039,776
- Primary geography
- California (61% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to apply
- The foundation operates on an invite-only basis and does not accept unsolicited applications. Full details ↓
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated September 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology). Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Ornest Family Foundation funds
By grant dollars, the top recipient states for Ornest Family Foundation's 48 itemized 2025 grants were California (61%), District of Columbia (7%) and Maine (7%). The most frequent recipient cities were Los Angeles, CA (17 grants), New York, NY (3 grants), Wiscasset, ME (3 grants) and Beverly Hills, CA (2 grants). 2% of grants with a stated purpose were for general or operating support.
Is Ornest Family Foundation open to new grantees?
35%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 17 of 48 grantees (35%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $8K; repeat grants $8K. How we count
Medians: $7K first-time, $5K repeat.
- 63% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2022 to 2025 (+3%). Method
- In 2025 it paid out 114% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized IRS Form 990-PF grant lists (2020–2025). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.
Next steps with Ornest Family Foundation
- How to evaluate Ornest Family Foundation as a funder
Our grant prospecting guide: read the 990-PF, check fit, and decide whether to apply.
- Draft an LOI to Ornest Family Foundation with AI
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- Track this opportunity in a free grant tracker
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Financial Overview
From 2025 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$4.0M
-20.1% YoY
Annual Giving
$394K
-24.3% YoY
Grant Count
48
-36.0% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$8K
+18.3% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Ornest Family Foundation reported a distributable amount of $369K for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation's grantmaking priorities include:
- Education and higher education
- Health and diseases/conditions
- Human services, family services, and child welfare
- Child development
- Philanthropy and voluntarism
- Religion, specifically Judaism
Grantmaking
Grant Range
$3,000–$5,000
How to Apply
**
Ready to take the next step with Ornest Family Foundation?
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation supports organizations across multiple U.S. locations, with particular emphasis on:
- California
- Florida
- Maine
- New York
- Washington, D.C.
Additional states served include Georgia, Indiana, North Carolina, and Utah.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of all 48 itemized 2025 grant dollars.
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
Most Recent Data (2024):
- Total assets: $5.1 million
- Total annual giving: $512,000
- Giving rate: 10.1% of assets
Historical Assets:
- 2022: $5.7 million
- Earlier filings show assets ranging from $4.0 million to $9.5 million
Annual Expenses:
- Approximately $524,550 (based on available data)
Annual Revenue:
- Approximately $403,660 (based on available data)
| Metric | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $4,039,776 | $5,054,521 | $5,547,701 |
| Revenue | $3,142,508 | $160,329 | $403,660 |
| Expenses | $528,081 | $653,509 | $524,550 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $421,736 | $591,913 | $443,262 |
| Net Investment Income | $3,010,491 | $153,290 | $330,472 |
| Distributable Amount | $369,295 | $499,821 | $489,229 |
Data update history
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2025
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 2025
Grant Size Distribution
298 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2025 grants, the largest recipients include Jewish Federation ($45,000), Cedars Sinai Cardiology ($35,000), Ucsb ($26,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| JEWISH FEDERATION Los Angeles, CA | SUPPORT OF AMERICAN JEWISH ACTIVITIES | $45,000 |
| CEDARS SINAI CARDIOLOGY Los Angeles, CA | SUPPORT CARDIOLOGY RESEARCH | $35,000 |
| UCSB Santa Barbara, CA | SUPPORT FOR THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, SANTA BARBARA | $26,000 |
| BEVERLY HILLS ATHLETIC ALUMNI ASSOCIATION Beverly Hills, CA | TO SUPPORT HIGH SCHOOL ATHLETICS | $25,000 |
| FRIENDS OF VANCOUVER FOUNDATION Seattle, WA | TO SUPPORT CREATING HEALTHY, VIBRANT, EQUITABLE, AND INCLUSIVE COMMUNITIES. | $20,000 |
| HILLEL Washington, DC | TO SUPPORT JEWISH STUDENTS | $18,000 |
| CHEWONKI FOUNDATION Wiscasset, ME | SUPPORT ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION | $14,000 |
| SAINT JOHN'S HEALTH CENTER FOUNDATION Santa Monica, CA | SUPPORT FOR SAINT JOHN'S HEALTH CENTER | $11,500 |
| THE FOUNDATION FOR ART & HEALING Brighton, MA | TO SUPPORT THE IMPROVEMENT OF PERSONAL AND PUBLIC HEALTH. | $10,500 |
| ACLU FOUNDATION Los Angeles, CA | SUPPORT OF PHUMAN RIGHTS THROUGH LEGAL ADVOCACY | $10,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
- Laura Ornest — President, CFO, and Director (8 hours per week; $18,000 compensation)
- Cindy Ornest — Director (2 hours per week; $12,000 compensation)
- Michael Ornest — Director (2 hours per week; $12,000 compensation)
Compensation Overview
From 2025 IRS filing
From 2025 IRS filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Laura Ornest | President, CFO, Director | 8 | $18,000 |
| Cindy Ornest | Director | 2 | $12,000 |
| Michael Ornest Resigned 53124 | Director | 2 | $3,000 |
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Ornest Family Foundation fund?
The foundation's grantmaking priorities include: • Education and higher education • Health and diseases/conditions • Human services, family services, and child welfare • Child development • Philanthropy and voluntarism • Religion, specifically Judaism
How do I apply for a grant from Ornest Family Foundation?
The foundation operates on an invite-only basis and does not accept unsolicited applications. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
Where does Ornest Family Foundation make grants?
The foundation supports organizations across multiple U.S. locations, with particular emphasis on: • California • Florida • Maine • New York • Washington, D.C. Additional states served include Georgia, Indiana, North Carolina, and Utah.
What size grants does Ornest Family Foundation award?
In 2025, Ornest Family Foundation awarded 48 grants totaling $394K — an average of about $8K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is Ornest Family Foundation required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2025, Ornest Family Foundation reported a distributable amount of $369K on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is Ornest Family Foundation's EIN?
Ornest Family Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 95-4436139. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.
Does Ornest Family Foundation accept unsolicited proposals?
No, according to Grantable's research on the foundation's published guidelines. See how to apply ↑
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Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.