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.
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
The foundation operates on an invite-only basis and does not accept unsolicited applications.
Grant Range
$3,000–$5,000
How to Apply
**
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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
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 |
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
248 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2025 grants, the largest include Jewish Federation ($45,000), Cedars Sinai Cardiology ($35,000), Ucsb ($26,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| ACLU FOUNDATION LOS ANGELES, CA | SUPPORT OF PHUMAN RIGHTS THROUGH LEGAL ADVOCACY | $10,000 |
| AMERICAN JEWISH JOINT DISTRIBUTION COMMITTEE INC NEW YORK, NY | TO PROVIDE SUPPORT AND ASSISTANCE TO THE JEWISH POPULATION IN NEED. | $10,000 |
| BAR ILAN UNIVERSITY BEVERLY HILLS, CA | SUPPORT UNIVERSITY PROGRAMS AND PUBLIC EDUCATION | $10,000 |
| BEIT T'SHUVAH LOS ANGELES, CA | TO SUPPORT ADDICTION TREATMENT | $7,000 |
| BEN-GURION UNIVERSITY NEW YORK, NY | SUPPORT UNIVERSITY PROGRAMS AND PUBLIC EDUCATION | $5,000 |
| BEVERLY HILLS ATHLETIC ALUMNI ASSOCIATION BEVERLY HILLS, CA | TO SUPPORT HIGH SCHOOL ATHLETICS | $25,000 |
| CEDARS SINAI CARDIOLOGY LOS ANGELES, CA | SUPPORT CARDIOLOGY RESEARCH | $35,000 |
| CENTER FOR SPIRITUAL LIVING LOS ANGELES WEST HOLLYWOOD, CA | TO SUPPORT PERSONAL GROWTH AND SPIRITUAL UNDERSTANDING. | $500 |
| CHEWONKI FOUNDATION WISCASSET, ME | SUPPORT ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION | $14,000 |
| CONGREGATION BETH ISRAEL LOS ANGELES, CA | TO SUPPORT THE JEWISH SYNAGOGUE. | $2,100 |
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 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?
**Grant Activity:** • Annual giving ranges from approximately $375,000 to $512,000 • Distributes between 50 and 68 grants annually • Median grant size: $3,000–$5,000 • Grant range: $1,000–$45,000 **Application Process:** The foundation operates on an invite-only basis and does not accept unsolicited applications.
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.
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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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