OTEFE Foundation Inc is a private foundation based in Los Angeles, California, dedicated to providing educational scholarships to Korean American and Korean students pursuing higher education in the United States. The organization operates as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit and has been tax-exempt since August 2013.
Key facts about Otefe Foundation Inc
- EIN
- 46-1628941
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024
- Annual giving (2024)
- $315,700
- Grants made (2024)
- 180
- Average grant
- $1,754
- Median grant
- $2,000
- Primary geography
- California (59% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- How to apply
- Annual scholarship application deadline: May 23, 2025. Full details ↓
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated September 2026. Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Otefe Foundation Inc funds
By grant dollars, the top recipient states for Otefe Foundation Inc's 180 itemized 2024 grants were California (59%), Virginia (6%) and Texas (6%). The most frequent recipient cities were Los Angeles, CA (32 grants), Fullerton, CA (7 grants), La Crescenta, CA (5 grants) and Fairfax, VA (4 grants). None of its 180 grants with a stated purpose were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Scholarship" (177 grants) and "Donation" (3 grants).
How Otefe Foundation Inc gives
- Giving fell 28% from 2021 to 2024. Method
From the foundation's IRS Form 990-PF filings. Methodology.
Next steps with Otefe Foundation Inc
- How to evaluate Otefe Foundation Inc as a funder
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Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
—
Annual Giving
$316K
-11.4% YoY
Grant Count
180
+17900.0% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$2K
-99.5% YoY
Mission & Focus Areas
Mission Statement: The primary purpose of OTEFE Foundation, Inc. is to assist financially needy Korean American students (regardless of citizenship status), overseas Korean students, or other students (non-Korean students who have shown a strong commitment to the betterment of the Korean community) who are faced with financial hardships to pursue their educational dreams at U.S. universities (4-year) or U.S. graduate and professional schools so they can later give back to and better their respective Korean communities.
Philosophy: OTEFE was founded on the belief that education is a stepping stone for individuals to succeed in life. The foundation emphasizes that what one does with their education is as important as obtaining a top-notch education itself. Commitment to community and "giving back to the community" are key goals of OTEFE's educational drive. Through education, individuals can develop and maximize their intellect, knowledge, wisdom, and skills to help community members and mankind in general.
Grantmaking
Average Grant
amount varies by year; median grant amounts have been reported at $357,000 in some years, reflecting the foundation's scholarship distribution model
Review Cycle
May 23, 2025
How to Apply
**
Ready to take the next step with Otefe Foundation Inc?
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation's grantmaking focuses primarily on California, New York, and Virginia.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of all 180 itemized 2024 grant dollars.
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
Assets & Giving (as of most recent filings):
- Total assets: $7,403,838 (2024)
- Total revenues: $331,848 (2024)
- Total expenses: $360,379 (2024)
- Total giving: $315,700 (2024)
Staffing: The foundation operates with zero paid employees, relying on volunteer leadership.
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | — | — | — |
| Revenue | — | — | — |
| Expenses | — | — | — |
| Qualifying Distributions | — | — | — |
| Net Investment Income | — | — | — |
| Distributable Amount | — | — | — |
Data update history
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
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
184 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest recipients include Lao Lions Club Foundation ($10,000), Ethan Choi ($3,000), Hayoung Ahn ($3,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| LAO LIONS CLUB FOUNDATION Los Angeles, CA | DONATION | $10,000 |
| ETHAN CHOI Los Angeles, CA | SCHOLARSHIP | $3,000 |
| HAYOUNG AHN Los Angeles, CA | SCHOLARSHIP | $3,000 |
| JOANNA G CHOI La Palma, CA | SCHOLARSHIP | $3,000 |
| JOSEPH JUNGKYU CHOI Fullerton, CA | SCHOLARSHIP | $3,000 |
| JOSHUA HAEAN PARK Annandale, VA | SCHOLARSHIP | $3,000 |
| JOYCE CHO Rowland Heights, CA | SCHOLARSHIP | $3,000 |
| YEOUNG EUN KIM Baltimore, MD | SCHOLARSHIP | $3,000 |
| SPECTRUM OF HOPE Fullerton, CA | DONATION | $3,000 |
| ANDY EUNSOO PARK Covina, CA | SCHOLARSHIP | $2,500 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
- Alex Ko – Chief Executive Officer
- John Y Kim – Secretary
- Richard Kim – Chief Financial Officer
All leadership members serve without compensation.
Compensation Overview
No officer or director reported compensation in the available filings.
From 2024 IRS filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Richard Kim | CFO | 10 | — |
| John Y Kim | Secretary | 10 | — |
| Alex Ko | CEO | 10 | — |
Recent News & Activity
Recent developments and announcements
The foundation continues to actively award scholarships annually. Recent grant recipients have included organizations such as the Lao Lions Club Foundation, The Chris Lee Charitable Trust, and Friends of Caroline Park. The foundation maintains an active website and scholarship application process, with annual scholarship banquets held to recognize recipients.
OTEFE Foundation, Inc. \u2013 The Korean American Scholarship ...Subject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Otefe Foundation Inc fund?
**Mission Statement:** The primary purpose of OTEFE Foundation, Inc. is to assist financially needy Korean American students (regardless of citizenship status), overseas Korean students, or other students (non-Korean students who have shown a strong commitment to the betterment of the Korean community) who are faced with financial hardships to pursue their educational dreams at U.S. universities (4-year) or U.S. graduate and professional schools so they can later give back to and better their r…
How do I apply for a grant from Otefe Foundation Inc?
Annual scholarship application deadline: May 23, 2025. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
Where does Otefe Foundation Inc make grants?
The foundation's grantmaking focuses primarily on California, New York, and Virginia.
What size grants does Otefe Foundation Inc award?
In 2024, Otefe Foundation Inc awarded 180 grants totaling $316K — an average of about $2K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
What is Otefe Foundation Inc's EIN?
Otefe Foundation Inc's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 46-1628941. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
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Browse active grant opportunities in Otefe Foundation Inc's focus areas in our free grants database
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Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.