Paramitas Foundation
Paramitas Foundation is a private foundation established in California in 1991 as a nonprofit public benefit corporation with 501(c)(3) status. Based in Saratoga, California, the foundation operates with no employees and maintains total assets of approximately $25.5 million. The foundation's name derives from Buddhist philosophy, reflecting its commitment to the six tenets of Paramitas as a path to eliminating greed, anger, and delusion.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$24.1M
-5.6% YoY
Annual Giving
$2.1M
+10.6% YoY
Grant Count
14
-6.7% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$151K
+18.5% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Paramitas Foundation reported a distributable amount of $2.1M for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation supports a diverse range of causes aligned with Buddhist philosophies and humanitarian values:
- Education: K-12 through university-level initiatives, including approximately 30 endowed graduate and undergraduate scholarships and fellowships
- Science and Medicine: Discoveries at the forefront of scientific and medical research
- Community Services: Support for local community organizations
- Religious Services: Buddhist temples and organizations
- Environmental and Wildlife Sustainability: Conservation efforts
- Economic and Political Policies: Research and programs addressing policy issues
Grantmaking
The foundation made 20 grants in 2023, with total giving of approximately $2.1 million. Recent notable grants include:
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation funds organizations across multiple states including California, Massachusetts, Missouri, New York, Washington, and the District of Columbia.
Grant Distribution by State
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
As of December 2023:
- Total Assets: $25,546,667
- Total Expenses: $2,077,303
- Total Revenues: -$35,999
- Investment Income and Dividends: $868,814 (4.8% increase from 2022)
Annual Giving:
- 2023 Total Giving: $2,108,540
The foundation's revenue is primarily derived from investment income rather than contributions.
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $24,109,455 | $25,546,667 | $27,755,120 |
| Revenue | $874,680 | $-35,999 | $829,135 |
| Expenses | $2,310,116 | $2,077,303 | $1,857,299 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $2,280,446 | $2,056,558 | $1,758,000 |
| Net Investment Income | $910,823 | $848,069 | $829,135 |
| Distributable Amount | $2,135,597 | $1,907,448 | — |
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
88 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include Stanford University ($1,820,000), Columbia University ($150,000), University of Washington Foundation ($50,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| BUDDHIST SOCIETY OF AMERICA San Jose, CA | Contribute AND support Religious Activities | $2,000 |
| COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY New York, NY | Contribute and Promote Higher Education | $150,000 |
| GLOBAL PARTNERSHIP SEATTLE, WA | TO PROMOTE COMMUNITY SERVICE | $8,000 |
| LAKESIDE SCHOOL Seattle, WA | FUNDING FOR PROMOTE HIGH SCHOOL EDUCATION | $10,000 |
| NORTHWEST HARVEST SEATTLE, WA | PROVIDE FUNDING TO SHELTER POORS | $10,000 |
| STANFORD UNIVERSITY PALO ALTO, CA | CONTRIBUTE AND PROMOTE EDUCATION and support research activities | $1,820,000 |
| Taiwanese Alliance of Interculture San Jose, CA | To collect, preserve and display historical documents and artifacts pertaining to the history of the Taiwanese American Ethic Group | $5,000 |
| TREEHOUSE FOR KIDS SEATTLE, WA | FUNDING FOR underprivileged children | $10,000 |
| University of Washington Foundation Seattle, WA | CONTRIBUTE AND PROMOTE EDUCATION | $50,000 |
| UNIVERSITY OF CENTRAL MISSOURI WARRENBURG, MO | CONTRIBUTE AND PROMOTE EDUCATION | $20,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
- Winston Chen: Chairman
- Alex Chen: Secretary
- Phyllis Huang: Chief Financial Officer (compensation: $36,000)
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| WINSTON CHEN | Chairman | 15 | — |
| ALEX CHEN | Secretary | 3 | — |
| PHYLLIS HUANG | CFO | 10 | $36,000 |
Recent News & Activity
Recent developments and announcements
The foundation has published progress reports documenting its impact, including:
Chen Family Impact Report
Chen-Huang Center for EGFR-Mutant Lung Cancers progress updates
Chen-Huang Center for EGFR Mutant Lung CancersHarvard John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences reports (2021-2022)
The foundation continues to support major research institutions and educational programs, with ongoing commitments to cancer research, Buddhist organizations, and policy research initiatives.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Paramitas Foundation fund?
The foundation supports a diverse range of causes aligned with Buddhist philosophies and humanitarian values: • **Education**: K-12 through university-level initiatives, including approximately 30 endowed graduate and undergraduate scholarships and fellowships • **Science and Medicine**: Discoveries at the forefront of scientific and medical research • **Community Services**: Support for local community organizations • **Religious Services**: Buddhist temples and organizations • **Environmental…
How do I apply for a grant from Paramitas Foundation?
The foundation made 20 grants in 2023, with total giving of approximately $2.1 million. Recent notable grants include: • Columbia University: $150,000 (Higher Education) • University of Washington Foundation: $50,000 (Education) • Taiwanese Alliance for Interculture: $23,000 (Historical preservation and cultural documentation) The foundation has partnered with seven universities across various efforts and has funded projects in multiple U.S. cities including Berkeley, New York, Palo Alto, San J…
Where does Paramitas Foundation make grants?
The foundation funds organizations across multiple states including California, Massachusetts, Missouri, New York, Washington, and the District of Columbia.
What size grants does Paramitas Foundation award?
In 2024, Paramitas Foundation awarded 14 grants totaling $2.1M — an average of about $151K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is Paramitas Foundation required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, Paramitas Foundation reported a distributable amount of $2.1M on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is Paramitas Foundation's EIN?
Paramitas Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 77-0295773. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Paramitas Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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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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