Our Little Light Foundation
Our Little Light Foundation is a private foundation based in Roseville, California, founded in 2012 by the Carlsen family of Sacramento. It supports programs intended to promote the health, well-being, and education of children, youth, and families.
Our Little Light Foundation at a glance
In short: Our Little Light Foundation gave $631K across 18 grants in 2025 (avg $35K), mostly in California. 61% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $631,000
- +6.7% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 18
- -21.7% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $35,056
- +36.4% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $20,000
- Total assets
- $9,191,864
- +1.4% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 61% first-time grantees (11 of 18, 2025; small sample)
- Primary geography
- California (83% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to Our Little Light Foundation
- How to Apply
-
The foundation provides application forms for new and returning applicants. Its stated process calls for a grant application and full proposal, including the amount requested, the share for direct services or program support, organizational and program information, the population to be served, goals and objectives, use of funds, and evaluation details. Applicants must be registered IRS-qualified exempt organizations; the foundation requires an operating budget and a proposal stating how and when funds will be spent. At least 90% of awarded funds must go to direct services, with no more than 10% for administration. Applicants must agree to submit periodic recaps, and changes to the proposed use of funds require prior approval. The foundation also says beneficiaries should have an established ethical reputation through community relationships or recommendations and a procedure for ensuring clients meet its criteria.
- Review Cycle
- The 2024 filing lists December 31. The foundation’s website says applications should be submitted in the fourth quarter of the current year for consideration in the following calendar year.
- Deadline
- The 2024 filing lists December 31.
- Contact
Application contact: Kathryn W Carlsen
Mailing address: 1400 Rocky Ridge Drive 280, Roseville, CA 95661
Phone: (916) 295-1633
Website: https://ourlittlelightfoundation.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Our Little Light Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Young Center Immigrant Children's R ($100K). Together the top 10 received $531K.
Grant Size Distribution
82 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 60 grants of 82 (73%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation describes its giving as extending throughout California and occasionally beyond state borders. In 2025, 83% of grant dollars went to recipients in California, 16% to Illinois, and 2% to Virginia.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 18 itemized grants.
Cities
Is Our Little Light Foundation open to new grantees?
61%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 11 of 18 grantees (61%) were first-time recipients. With only 18 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 6 points. First grants averaged $26K; repeat grants $49K. How we count
Medians: $20K first-time, $46K repeat.
- 22% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2022 to 2025 (−1%). Method
- In 2025 it paid out 103% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2019–2025). 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 2019 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $575K (2023) to $668K (2021). In 2025 it made 18 grants totaling $631K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Young Center Immigrant Children's R Chicago, IL | Guardian Scholars Program to support students who have experienced foster care | $100,000 |
| Yolo Crisis Nursery Inc Davis, CA | Funding to support crisis overnight and respite care, wraparound services and specialized infant day care and preschool. | $100,000 |
| The University Foundation at CSUS Sacramento, CA | Guardian Scholars ($50K Scholarships, $50K Programs) | $100,000 |
| California CASA San Diego, CA | Support the expansion of outreach programs to reach a broader audience of child care providers and communities. | $50,000 |
| Growth Factory Rocklin, CA | Student Founder Program | $50,000 |
| UC Regents Sacramento, CA | CIRCLE Clinic Director transition and expansion | $46,000 |
| Inner-City Arts Los Angeles, CA | Support for school-day arts education program for K-8th grade students from underserved neighborhoods in LA | $25,000 |
| Academy STAY Sacramento, CA | Share the Warmth program | $20,000 |
| Standford Sierra Youth Families Sacramento, CA | Provide direct support and resources to families and children in San Gabriel Valley who are experiencing homelessness | $20,000 |
| The Eli Home for Abused Children Anaheim, CA | Provide support to help clean and support families in Oak Park | $20,000 |
Ready to take the next step with Our Little Light 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $9,191,864 | $798,934 | $670,582 | $631,000 | 18 | $634,538 | $764,494 | $615,888 |
| 2024 | $9,063,506 | $233,325 | $630,515 | $591,146 | 23 | $593,811 | $270,809 | $566,430 |
| 2023 | $9,460,999 | $402,897 | $617,113 | $575,000 | 11 | $577,681 | $370,018 | $529,121 |
| 2022 | $9,676,737 | $628,333 | $651,100 | $635,000 | 16 | $637,475 | $628,058 | $614,345 |
| 2021 | $9,699,504 | $707,295 | $700,598 | $667,760 | 14 | — | $677,284 | $592,654 |
| 2019 | $10,205,402 | $554,874 | $619,508 | $585,000 | 10 | — | $527,571 | $533,642 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Our Little Light Foundation reported a distributable amount of $616K for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation’s mission is to “Promote the Health, Wellbeing and Education of Children, Youth and Families.” It primarily supports existing, sustainable programs; new programs or programs not yet able to report measurable results may be considered case by case.
Its 2025 grants illustrate support for work involving children, youth, and families. For example, Yolo Crisis Nursery describes its mission as providing early intervention in a safe environment to nurture children, strengthen parents, and preserve families. Inner-City Arts says it uses arts education to positively affect underserved children, while Union Station Homeless Services describes its work as addressing homelessness through housing solutions, supportive services, and community connection.
Grantmaking
The foundation awarded $631,000 through 18 grants in 2025. Grants ranged from $5,000 to $100,000, with a median of $20,000. Recent totals were $591,146 across 23 grants in 2024 and $575,000 across 11 grants in 2023.
Among the largest 2025 awards were $100,000 each to Young Center Immigrant Children’s R for its Guardian Scholars Program, Yolo Crisis Nursery for crisis overnight and respite care and related services, and The University Foundation at CSUS for Guardian Scholars scholarships and programs. Other notable awards included $50,000 to California CASA for outreach expansion and $50,000 to Growth Factory for its Student Founder Program.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Kathryn W Carlsen as President, Dale R Carlsen as CFO, and Beth M Carlsen as Secretary.
Our Little Light Foundation is led by Kathryn W Carlsen, President on every filing since 2019; none of the 3 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Kathryn W Carlsen
President
On filings since 2019
4 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Beth M Carlsen
Secretary
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Dale R Carlsen
CFO
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2019–2025. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Frequently asked questions about Our Little Light Foundation
How much does Our Little Light Foundation give each year?
Our Little Light Foundation gave $631K across 18 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $591K across 23 grants.
What is Our Little Light Foundation's typical grant size?
Our Little Light Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $20,000, and its average grant was $35,056, across 18 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Our Little Light Foundation that year got $26K on average.
Where does Our Little Light Foundation give grants?
Our Little Light Foundation gives mostly in California: 83% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest state was Illinois (16%). The most frequent recipient cities were Sacramento, CA (5 grants) and Los Angeles, CA (2 grants).
Does Our Little Light Foundation give general operating support?
Not in 2025: none of the 18 grants with a stated purpose on Our Little Light Foundation's 2025 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support.
Who are Our Little Light Foundation's largest grantees?
Our Little Light Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include Young Center Immigrant Children's R ($100,000), Yolo Crisis Nursery Inc ($100,000) and The University Foundation at CSUS ($100,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 48% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Our Little Light Foundation?
Our Little Light Foundation reported $9.2M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $635K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $616K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does Our Little Light Foundation fund?
The foundation’s mission is to “Promote the Health, Wellbeing and Education of Children, Youth and Families.” It primarily supports existing, sustainable programs; new programs or programs not yet able to report measurable results may be considered case by case. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Our Little Light Foundation?
The foundation provides application forms for new and returning applicants. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Our Little Light Foundation's EIN?
Our Little Light Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 46-1544429. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2025.
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(7)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS December 9, 2019)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS March 2, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS February 27, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS December 18, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS February 13, 2025)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS November 17, 2025)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2019–2025
Explore Open Grants
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Our Little Light Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 15, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/our-little-light-foundation-morg_009b9ccbcc7342bd95daeddc72422a1a
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_461544429_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Our Little Light Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/our-little-light-foundation-morg_009b9ccbcc7342bd95daeddc72422a1a},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-15. 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 Our Little Light 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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