Pearlman Geller Family Foundation
The Pearlman Geller Family Foundation is a private foundation based in Pacific Palisades, California. In 2024, it made 25 grants totaling $1,255,000 to charitable organizations, including organizations working in cancer care, research, social services, education, and legal services.
Pearlman Geller Family Foundation at a glance
In short: Pearlman Geller Family Foundation gave $1.3M across 25 grants in 2024 (avg $50K), mostly in California. 5% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $1,255,000
- -8.7% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 25
- -24.2% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $50,200
- +20.5% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $10,000
- Total assets
- $24,610,603
- -8.3% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 5% first-time grantees (1 of 22, 2024; small sample)
- Primary geography
- California (95% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to Pearlman Geller Family Foundation
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds.
- Contact
Mailing address: 15243 La Cruz Drive 190, Pacific Palisades, CA 90272
Phone: (310) 395-4422
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Pearlman Geller Family Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was National Multiple Sclerosis Society ($325K). Together the top 10 received $1.2M.
Grant Size Distribution
151 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 116 grants of 151 (77%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2024, 95% of grant dollars went to recipients in California and 5% to recipients in Connecticut. The filing also lists 0% for Oklahoma.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 25 itemized grants.
Cities
Is Pearlman Geller Family Foundation open to new grantees?
5%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 1 of 22 grantees (5%) were first-time recipients. With only 22 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 5 points. First grants averaged $320K; repeat grants $45K. How we count
Medians: $320K first-time, $10K repeat.
- 95% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2021 to 2024 (−13%). Method
- In 2024 it paid out 99% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Foundations have until the end of the next year to meet it. Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2020–2024). 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 2020 to 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $1.2M (2022) to $1.5M (2020). In 2024 it made 25 grants totaling $1.3M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| National Multiple Sclerosis Society Los Angeles, CA | General Fund | $325,000 |
| City of Hope Duarte, CA | General Fund | $225,000 |
| Cedars Sinai Research Foundation Los Angeles, CA | Research | $200,000 |
| Cedars Sinai Research Foundation Los Angeles, CA | Guerins | $120,000 |
| Beauty Bus Foundation Santa Monica, CA | General Fund | $100,000 |
| Chrysalis Center Hartford, CT | General Fund | $60,000 |
| Palisades Enrichment Programs Pacific Palisades, CA | Security Guard | $45,000 |
| Palisades Enrichment Programs Pacific Palisades, CA | Smart Boards | $20,000 |
| Palisades Enrichment Programs Pacific Palisades, CA | Facilities Aide | $20,000 |
| Sharefest Community Development Torrence, CA | General Fund | $15,000 |
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Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Qualifying Distributions | Net Investment Income | Distributable Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $24,610,603 | $1,350,053 | $1,845,610 | $1,255,000 | 25 | $1,354,784 | $864,136 | $1,370,592 |
| 2023 | $26,844,065 | $1,040,856 | $1,936,180 | $1,375,000 | 33 | $1,473,569 | $573,168 | $1,430,392 |
| 2022 | $27,720,989 | $2,328,515 | $1,888,641 | $1,180,000 | 30 | $1,275,563 | $1,752,156 | $1,396,106 |
| 2021 | $27,281,115 | $1,900,951 | $2,016,537 | $1,450,000 | 32 | $1,532,500 | $1,432,078 | $1,314,261 |
| 2020 | $27,396,701 | $2,308,174 | $2,007,411 | $1,500,000 | 31 | — | $1,917,015 | $1,527,622 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Pearlman Geller Family Foundation reported a distributable amount of $1.4M for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2024 grants show support for organizations with varied activities. For example, City of Hope describes its mission as making hope a reality for people affected by cancer and diabetes; Beauty Bus Foundation says it provides beauty and grooming services to seriously ill patients and caregivers; and Bet Tzedek says it provides free legal services to those who need them most.
Other 2024 grantees describe work that includes helping youth facing barriers achieve economic success (Sharefest Community Development), counseling families and individuals to prevent child abuse and violence (The Richstone Center), and preserving Los Angeles County’s historic architectural and cultural resources (Los Angeles Conservancy).
Grantmaking
In 2024, the foundation made 25 grants totaling $1,255,000. Grant amounts ranged from $5,000 to $325,000, with a median of $10,000. Its largest awards included $325,000 to the National Multiple Sclerosis Society for general fund support, $225,000 to City of Hope for general fund support, and $200,000 to Cedars-Sinai Research Foundation for research. The foundation also gave $120,000 to Cedars-Sinai Research Foundation for “Guerins” and $100,000 to Beauty Bus Foundation for general fund support.
Other 2024 awards included $60,000 to Chrysalis Center, $45,000 to Palisades Enrichment Programs for a security guard, and $20,000 each to that organization for smart boards and a facilities aide.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Jordan Geller as president, Suzanne Geller as secretary, and Charles Pearlman as director.
Pearlman Geller Family Foundation is led by Jordan Geller, President on every filing since 2020; 1 of 3 officers listed in 2024 is compensated.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Jordan Geller
President
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
Charles Pearlman
Director
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
Suzanne Geller
Secretary
On filings since 2020
10 hrs/week
$120K (2020) → $199K (2024)
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2024. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2024 filing was $199K, to Suzanne Geller (Secretary).
Frequently asked questions about Pearlman Geller Family Foundation
How much does Pearlman Geller Family Foundation give each year?
Pearlman Geller Family Foundation gave $1.3M across 25 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $1.4M across 33 grants.
What is Pearlman Geller Family Foundation's typical grant size?
Pearlman Geller Family Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $10,000, and its average grant was $50,200, across 25 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Pearlman Geller Family Foundation that year got $320K on average.
Where does Pearlman Geller Family Foundation give grants?
Pearlman Geller Family Foundation gives mostly in California: 95% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Los Angeles, CA (11 grants), Santa Monica, CA (3 grants) and Pacific Palisades, CA (3 grants).
Does Pearlman Geller Family Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 80% of Pearlman Geller Family Foundation's 2024 grants with a stated purpose (20 of 25) were for general or operating support, per its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are Pearlman Geller Family Foundation's largest grantees?
Pearlman Geller Family Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include National Multiple Sclerosis Society ($325,000), Cedars Sinai Research Foundation ($320,000 across 2 grants) and City of Hope ($225,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 69% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is Pearlman Geller Family Foundation?
Pearlman Geller Family Foundation reported $24.6M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $1.4M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $1.4M (roughly 5% of its investment assets). Falling short in one year is not a violation: foundations have until the end of the next year to meet the minimum.
What does Pearlman Geller Family Foundation fund?
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2024 grants show support for organizations with varied activities. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Pearlman Geller Family Foundation?
The foundation states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Pearlman Geller Family Foundation's EIN?
Pearlman Geller Family Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 95-4261597. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Does Pearlman Geller Family Foundation accept unsolicited proposals?
No, according to Grantable's research on the foundation's published guidelines. See how to apply ↑
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(1)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Pearlman Geller Family Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 17, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/pearlman-geller-family-foundation-morg_fd8a6d34677d4fdc884b1e1d4cd44cc1
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_954261597_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Pearlman Geller Family Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/pearlman-geller-family-foundation-morg_fd8a6d34677d4fdc884b1e1d4cd44cc1},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-17. 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 Pearlman Geller Family 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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