Peterson Charitable Foundation
The Peterson Charitable Foundation is a private foundation based in La Jolla, California. Its 2024 filing is marked as the organization’s final return, indicating that it appears to have wound down or stopped grantmaking.
Peterson Charitable Foundation at a glance
In short: Peterson Charitable Foundation gave $24K across 15 grants in 2024 (avg $2K), mostly in Florida. 33% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $23,727
- +249.7% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 15
- +25.0% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $1,582
- +179.8% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $784
- New grantees (estimate)
- 33% first-time grantees (5 of 15, 2024; small sample)
- Primary geography
- Florida (51% 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 Peterson Charitable Foundation
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The 2024 filing states that the foundation made contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests. Because that filing is marked final, this describes the policy reported on the filing, not a current application process.
- Contact
Mailing address: 8333 Paseo Del Ocaso, La Jolla, CA 92037
Phone: (858) 551-2338
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Peterson Charitable Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Wayne W Dyer Family Foundation ($12K). Together the top 10 received $22K.
Grant Size Distribution
68 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 68 grants of 68 (100%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The 2024 grant dollars went primarily to recipients in Florida (51%) and California (26%). Other listed recipient-state shares were Washington, DC (9%), Virginia (5%), and Arizona (5%). Additional listed 2024 recipients were in Massachusetts and Hawaii.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 15 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is Peterson Charitable Foundation open to new grantees?
33%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 5 of 15 grantees (33%) were first-time recipients. With only 15 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 7 points. First grants averaged $3K; repeat grants $738. How we count
Medians: $784 first-time, $750 repeat.
- 53% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2021 to 2024 (−4%). Method
- In 2024 it paid out well above its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). 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 $7K (2022) to $27K (2020). In 2024 it made 15 grants totaling $24K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Wayne W Dyer Family Foundation Boca Raton, FL | General Fund | $12,000 |
| Zozu Project Templeton, CA | General Fund | $2,668 |
| Turning Point USA NFP Phoenix, AZ | General Fund | $1,250 |
| Judicial Watch Inc Washington, DC | General Fund | $1,050 |
| Conservative Partnership Institute Washington, DC | General Fund | $1,000 |
| San Diego County Deputy Sheriffs Foundation Poway, CA | General Fund | $1,000 |
| San Diego Police Foundation San Diego, CA | General Fund | $1,000 |
| The NRA Foundation Fairfax, VA | General Fund | $784 |
| Alice's House Humarock, MA | General Fund | $500 |
| Leadership Institute Arlington, VA | General Fund | $500 |
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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 | — | $4,566 | $28,293 | $23,727 | 15 | $28,293 | — | $329 |
| 2023 | $23,727 | $2,084 | $8,868 | $6,784 | 12 | $8,868 | — | $1,414 |
| 2022 | $30,511 | $3,333 | $10,043 | $6,678 | 16 | $10,043 | — | $1,693 |
| 2021 | $37,221 | $21,600 | $26,372 | $24,802 | 13 | $26,372 | — | $1,951 |
| 2020 | $41,993 | $21,430 | $28,808 | $27,159 | 12 | — | $35 | $2,245 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Peterson Charitable Foundation reported a distributable amount of $329 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 a range of charitable organizations. For example, Judicial Watch Inc. describes its mission as promoting government integrity, transparency, accountability, and fidelity to the rule of law; the San Diego Police Foundation says it supports the San Diego Police Department through community engagement and funding for equipment and training; and the San Diego Museum of Art says it aims to inspire, educate, and cultivate curiosity through art. Leadership Institute describes its mission as educating people for participation in government, politics, and media, while Alice’s House describes itself as a seaside retreat for spiritual and emotional healing. These are the grantees’ descriptions of their own missions.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2024, the foundation made 15 grants totaling $23,727. Grant amounts ranged from $250 to $12,000, with a median grant of $784. Listed among its larger grants were $12,000 to Wayne W Dyer Family Foundation, $2,668 to Zozu Project, $1,250 to Turning Point USA NFP, and $1,050 to Judicial Watch Inc. Other listed grants included $1,000 each to Conservative Partnership Institute, San Diego County Deputy Sheriffs Foundation, and San Diego Police Foundation.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Daniel C. Peterson as president, Andrew G. Peterson as vice president, James F. Peterson as secretary/CFO, and Matthew A. Peterson as vice president.
Peterson Charitable Foundation is led by Daniel C. Peterson, President since 2021 (on filings since 2020); none of the 4 officers listed in 2024 report compensation.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Daniel C. Peterson
President
Secretary & CFO → President, 2021
On filings since 2020
0.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Andrew G. Peterson
Vice President
On filings since 2020
0.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
James F. Peterson
Secretary & CFO
Vice President → Secretary & CFO, 2021
On filings since 2020
0.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Matthew A. Peterson
Vice President
On filings since 2020
0.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (1)
- Former: Paul A. Peterson (2020) — President
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.
Frequently asked questions about Peterson Charitable Foundation
How much does Peterson Charitable Foundation give each year?
Peterson Charitable Foundation gave $24K across 15 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $7K across 12 grants.
What is Peterson Charitable Foundation's typical grant size?
Peterson Charitable Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $784, and its average grant was $1,582, across 15 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Peterson Charitable Foundation that year got $3K on average.
Where does Peterson Charitable Foundation give grants?
Peterson Charitable Foundation gives mostly in Florida: 51% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest states were California (26%) and District of Columbia (9%). The most frequent recipient cities were San Diego, CA (4 grants) and Washington, DC (2 grants).
Does Peterson Charitable Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 100% of Peterson Charitable Foundation's 2024 grants with a stated purpose (15 of 15) were for general or operating support, per its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are Peterson Charitable Foundation's largest grantees?
Peterson Charitable Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include Wayne W Dyer Family Foundation ($12,000), Zozu Project ($2,668) and Turning Point USA NFP ($1,250), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 67% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
What does Peterson Charitable Foundation fund?
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2024 grants show support for a range of charitable organizations. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Peterson Charitable Foundation?
The 2024 filing states that the foundation made contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
How much is Peterson Charitable Foundation required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, Peterson Charitable Foundation reported a distributable amount of $329 on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is Peterson Charitable Foundation's EIN?
Peterson Charitable Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 52-2255789. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Does Peterson Charitable 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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Figures come from Peterson Charitable 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.
Peterson Charitable Foundation down — hundreds of funders to go?