The Richard C Seaver Charitable Trust 12-28-78 is a private family foundation established on December 28, 1978, and granted tax-exempt status in June 2007. Located in Los Angeles, California, the trust is a 501(c)(3) organization classified as a private independent foundation. Named for Richard Carlton Seaver (1922-2007), a prominent Los Angeles attorney and oil field equipment executive, the trust continues his family's philanthropic legacy.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$28.6M
+59.2% YoY
Annual Giving
$1.3M
+2.1% YoY
Grant Count
43
+10.3% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$31K
-7.4% YoY
Mission & Focus Areas
The trust focuses on arts and education grantmaking across the United States. Richard Carlton Seaver held significant leadership roles in cultural and educational institutions, including service as vice chairman of the board of directors of the Seaver Institute, trustee at the Los Angeles County Museum of Natural History, trustee at Pomona College, trustee at California Institute of the Arts, and board director and president of the Los Angeles Music Center Opera Association. These affiliations reflect the trust's commitment to supporting arts and educational institutions.
Grantmaking
The trust has awarded a cumulative total of 39 grants. Annual giving amounts to approximately $1.3 million to $1.41 million. The trust operates with no public application process; grantmaking decisions are made at the discretion of the trustees. Specific grant sizes are not publicly disclosed.
Grant Range
s are not publicly disclosed.
How to Apply
; grantmaking decisions are made at the discretion of the trustees. Specific grant sizes are not publicly disclosed.
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The trust maintains a national geographic focus with particular emphasis on Los Angeles, New York, and San Francisco.
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
Assets: $28.6 million (2024)
Annual Giving: $1.3 million to $1.41 million
Revenue: $1.45 million (2023)
Expenses: $1.41 million (2023)
Total Assets: $18 million (2023)
Total Liabilities: $0 (2023)
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $28,585,600 | $17,961,391 | $17,898,329 |
| Revenue | $12,118,563 | $1,451,078 | $850,857 |
| Expenses | $1,513,859 | $1,410,510 | $1,780,841 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $1,334,500 | $1,300,000 | $1,632,925 |
| Net Investment Income | $11,960,905 | $1,340,668 | $734,618 |
| Distributable Amount | $1,279,228 | $1,293,960 | $1,326,850 |
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
217 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
No grants recorded for .
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The trust is managed by Richard Carlton Seaver's five children, who serve as trustees.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| VICTORIA S DEAN | Trustee | — | — |
| R CARLTON SEAVER | Trustee | — | — |
| PATRICK T SEAVER | Trustee | — | — |
| CHRISTOPHER SEAVER | Trustee | — | — |
| MARTHA SEAVER | Trustee | — | — |
Contact Information
Address: 12400 Wilshire Blvd, Suite 1240, Los Angeles, CA 90025-1058
Phone: 310-979-0298
Website: None
The trust does not maintain a public website and does not accept unsolicited applications.
Subject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
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Data last updated April 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
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