Sam Simon Charitable Giving Foundation Inc
The Sam Simon Charitable Giving Foundation Inc is a private foundation based in Los Angeles, California. Funded by Sam Simon’s estate, it supports efforts to improve the treatment and welfare of animals and to provide pathways out of poverty.
Sam Simon Charitable Giving Foundation Inc at a glance
In short: Sam Simon Charitable Giving Foundation Inc gave $17.1M across 56 grants in 2024 (avg $305K), mostly in California. 21% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $17,088,000
- +67.3% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 56
- +5.7% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $305,143
- +58.3% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $150,000
- Total assets
- $283,825,039
- +2.8% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 21% first-time grantees (12 of 56, 2024)
- Primary geography
- California (83% 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 Sam Simon Charitable Giving Foundation Inc
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds.
- Contact
Mailing address: 11444 West Olympic Blvd 11Th Floor, Los Angeles, CA 90064
Phone: (805) 374-8555
Website: https://www.sscgf.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Sam Simon Charitable Giving Foundation Inc funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was The Sam Simon Feeding Families Foundation ($3.5M). Together the top 10 received $10.8M.
Organizations only. It also paid 1 grant to individuals ($135,000), which are not listed by name.
Grant Size Distribution
221 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was in the $100–250K range: 72 grants of 221 (33%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation’s stated poverty-related focus is underserved communities in the Los Angeles region. In 2024, 83% of grant dollars went to recipients in California; other recipient-state shares were Virginia, 6%; Florida, 5%; Connecticut, 2%; and Colorado, 2%.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 56 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is Sam Simon Charitable Giving Foundation Inc open to new grantees?
21%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 12 of 56 grantees (21%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $123K; repeat grants $355K. How we count
Medians: $87K first-time, $200K repeat.
- 64% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving grew 86% from 2021 to 2024. Method
- In 2024 it paid out 133% of 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 $5.1M (2020) to $17.1M (2024). In 2024 it made 56 grants totaling $17.1M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| The Sam Simon Feeding Families Foundation Los Angeles, CA | To support the ongoing charitable, scientific, literary, or educational activities of the grantee. | $3,500,000 |
| The Sam Simon Charitable Foundation Los Angeles, CA | To support the ongoing charitable, scientific, literary, or educational activities of the grantee. | $2,774,000 |
| People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals Norfolk, VA | To support the sam simon animal rescue fund, cruelty investigations and interventions, and organizational capacity building. | $1,000,000 |
| Para Los Ninos Los Angeles, CA | To Support Para Los Ninos Early Education Program. | $600,000 |
| Food Forward North Hollywood, CA | To Support Food Forward's Core Programming. | $580,000 |
| Homeless Health Care Los Angeles Los Angeles, CA | To support THE STREET OUTREACH AND INTEGRATION PROGRAM. | $500,000 |
| Save the Chimps Inc Ft Pierce, FL | To support the emergency rescue and care for chimpanzees. | $500,000 |
| Downtown Women's Center Los Angeles, CA | To Support the Aging in Place Program. | $450,000 |
| Kipp Socal Public Schools Los Angeles, CA | TO SUPPORT creating joyful, academically excellent schools that prepare students with skills and confidence they need to pursue their paths. | $450,000 |
| Mercy for Animals Inc Los Angeles, CA | To Support Investigations Unit. | $400,000 |
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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 | $283,825,039 | $23,410,957 | $18,805,833 | $17,088,000 | 56 | $17,842,896 | $25,371,373 | $13,445,616 |
| 2023 | $275,982,407 | $22,498,976 | $11,722,786 | $10,217,000 | 53 | $10,885,400 | $22,169,536 | $12,591,240 |
| 2022 | $273,015,487 | $32,260,266 | $17,420,163 | $15,807,000 | 44 | $16,395,098 | $31,812,506 | $12,973,719 |
| 2021 | $290,692,369 | $22,102,899 | $10,754,177 | $9,177,000 | 33 | $9,839,958 | $21,525,294 | $13,514,066 |
| 2020 | $260,206,954 | $2,389,385 | $6,394,231 | $5,055,070 | 35 | — | $20,680,022 | $11,497,386 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Sam Simon Charitable Giving Foundation Inc reported a distributable amount of $13.4M 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
The foundation’s mission is to support efforts to improve the treatment and welfare of animals and provide pathways out of poverty. Its two stated focus areas are Compassionate Treatment of Animals and Pathways Out of Poverty. The foundation prioritizes support for mistreated and exploited animals in captivity worldwide, including wild-animal rescue and rehabilitation. For underserved communities in the Los Angeles region, it prioritizes programs that expand access to education, housing, health, and employment. It also says it will respond to urgent situations threatening children’s health and well-being worldwide.
2024 grants show support for organizations working across these areas. For example, Save the Chimps says its mission is to provide sanctuary and exemplary care to chimpanzees in need; Mercy For Animals says it works toward a compassionate food system that protects animals; and People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals received a grant for its animal rescue fund, cruelty investigations and interventions, and organizational capacity building. Among grantees addressing human needs, Para Los Niños says it partners with children, youth, and families through education, wellness, support, and advocacy, while Food Forward says it rescues surplus produce and connects it with people experiencing food insecurity.
Grantmaking
In 2024, the foundation reported 56 grants totaling $17,088,000. Grants ranged from $5,000 to $3,500,000, with a median grant of $150,000. Its largest 2024 grants included:
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Julie Miller as president and director; Robin Paule as secretary and director; Stephanie Wilkinson as treasurer and director; and Stephen Davis as director.
Sam Simon Charitable Giving Foundation Inc is led by Julie Miller, President & Director on every filing since 2020; 1 of 4 officers listed in 2024 is compensated.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Julie Miller
President & Director
On filings since 2020
11 hrs/week
$250K (2020) → $372K (2024)
Robin Paule
Secretary & Director
On filings since 2020
1.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Stephanie Wilkinson
Treasurer & Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Stephen Davis
Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
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 $372K, to Julie Miller (President/Director).
Frequently asked questions about Sam Simon Charitable Giving Foundation Inc
How much does Sam Simon Charitable Giving Foundation Inc give each year?
Sam Simon Charitable Giving Foundation Inc gave $17.1M across 56 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $10.2M across 53 grants.
What is Sam Simon Charitable Giving Foundation Inc's typical grant size?
Sam Simon Charitable Giving Foundation Inc's median grant in 2024 was $150,000, and its average grant was $305,143, across 56 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Sam Simon Charitable Giving Foundation Inc that year got $123K on average.
Where does Sam Simon Charitable Giving Foundation Inc give grants?
Sam Simon Charitable Giving Foundation Inc gives mostly in California: 83% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest state was Virginia (6%). The most frequent recipient cities were Los Angeles, CA (21 grants), Santa Monica, CA (3 grants), New York, NY (3 grants) and North Hollywood, CA (2 grants).
Does Sam Simon Charitable Giving Foundation Inc give general operating support?
Yes: 14% of Sam Simon Charitable Giving Foundation Inc's 2024 grants with a stated purpose (8 of 56) were for general or operating support, per its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are Sam Simon Charitable Giving Foundation Inc's largest grantees?
Sam Simon Charitable Giving Foundation Inc's largest 2024 grantees include The Sam Simon Feeding Families Foundation ($3,500,000), The Sam Simon Charitable Foundation ($2,774,000) and People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals ($1,000,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It also paid 1 grant to individuals ($135,000), which are not listed by name. Together they received 43% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is Sam Simon Charitable Giving Foundation Inc?
Sam Simon Charitable Giving Foundation Inc reported $283.8M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $17.8M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $13.4M (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does Sam Simon Charitable Giving Foundation Inc fund?
The foundation’s mission is to support efforts to improve the treatment and welfare of animals and provide pathways out of poverty. Its two stated focus areas are Compassionate Treatment of Animals and Pathways Out of Poverty. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Sam Simon Charitable Giving Foundation Inc?
The foundation 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 Sam Simon Charitable Giving Foundation Inc's EIN?
Sam Simon Charitable Giving Foundation Inc's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 46-5575133. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Does Sam Simon Charitable Giving Foundation Inc 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
(6)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS November 15, 2021)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS November 14, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS November 13, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS November 14, 2024)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS November 17, 2025)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Sam Simon Charitable Giving Foundation Inc funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 16, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/sam-simon-charitable-giving-foundation-inc-morg_a6dc75f7c7324ae489bb09a1e523cd0d
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_465575133_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Sam Simon Charitable Giving Foundation Inc funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/sam-simon-charitable-giving-foundation-inc-morg_a6dc75f7c7324ae489bb09a1e523cd0d},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-16. 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 Sam Simon Charitable Giving Foundation Inc'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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