Samueli Foundation
The Samueli Foundation is a private foundation based in Corona del Mar, California. Founded by Henry and Susan Samueli in 1999, it supports community well-being, with a primary focus on Orange County and a substantial portion of its work supporting safe and thriving Jewish life in Orange County and Israel.
Samueli Foundation at a glance
In short: Samueli Foundation gave $80.6M across 366 grants in 2024 (avg $220K), mostly in California. 60% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $80,597,050
- +133.3% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 366
- +80.3% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $220,211
- +29.4% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $39,470
- Total assets
- $62,247,674
- +36.7% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 60% first-time grantees (164 of 273, 2024)
- Primary geography
- California (63% 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 Samueli Foundation
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests for its strategic grantmaking. It has also offered application-based open initiatives through its website; check the foundation’s grant-seeker information for future cycles and program requirements.
- Contact
Mailing address: 2101 E Coast Highway 300, Corona Del Mar, CA 92625
Phone: (949) 760-4300
Website: https://samueli.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Open Grants
1 open opportunity from Samueli Foundation
Who Samueli Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was University of California Irvine Foundation ($12.2M across 6 grants). Together the top 10 received $34.3M.
Grant Size Distribution
979 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 550 grants of 979 (56%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation says its primary focus is Orange County, California, and that it hopes its work there can serve as a model for other communities. It also says a substantial portion of its work supports Jewish life in Orange County and Israel. In filing year 2024, 63% of grant dollars went to recipients in California, 15% to New York, 6% to Virginia, 5% to the District of Columbia, and 4% to Florida.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 366 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is Samueli Foundation open to new grantees?
60%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 164 of 273 grantees (60%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $245K; repeat grants $371K. How we count
Medians: $15K first-time, $100K repeat.
- 35% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving grew 912% from 2021 to 2024. 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 $6.6M (2020) to $80.6M (2024). In 2024 it made 366 grants totaling $80.6M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| University of California Irvine Foundation Irvine, CA | UCI Samueli School of Engineering | $9,698,874 |
| Global Impact Alexandria, VA | Healing Works Foundation-Program & Operations | $4,800,000 |
| Orange County United Way Irvine, CA | United Ways United to End Homelessness Initiative | $2,500,000 |
| Dream Machine Innovation so Inc Los Angeles, CA | Exodus Initiative | $2,000,000 |
| Abound Food Care Santa Ana, CA | Program support to strengthen ochas work affordable food access for all | $1,550,000 |
| Friends of Ir David Inc New York, NY | Cornerstone excavation project at city of david in israel | $1,500,000 |
| The American Committee for the TEL Aviv Foundation New York, NY | Development & naming of tel aviv museum of math | $1,500,000 |
| The Rinks Foundation Irvine, CA | General Operations | $1,500,000 |
| University of California Irvine Foundation Irvine, CA | General operations for the susan samueli integrative health institute | $1,400,000 |
| Foundation for Jewish Camp New York, NY | Need-Based Scholarships for Jewish Campers from Orange County | $1,200,000 |
Ready to take the next step with Samueli Foundation?
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 | $62,247,674 | $104,281,760 | $89,164,156 | $80,597,050 | 366 | $85,860,872 | $103,332,782 | $3,419,931 |
| 2023 | $45,536,119 | $53,953,464 | $38,090,975 | $34,546,542 | 203 | $37,304,144 | $53,236,569 | $136,894 |
| 2022 | $29,675,140 | $53,122,892 | $25,679,096 | $18,888,994 | 205 | $23,926,703 | $52,142,989 | $130,947 |
| 2021 | $2,231,119 | $11,104,070 | $12,490,560 | $7,967,569 | 114 | $11,729,887 | $10,534,383 | $260,161 |
| 2020 | $3,615,809 | $11,058,173 | $7,841,974 | $6,583,781 | 91 | — | $10,616,358 | $34,650 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Samueli Foundation reported a distributable amount of $3.4M for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated October 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation’s current focus is to support catalytic community forces whose innovations can improve quality of life and contribute to a more sustainable future, and to cultivate cooperation that advances lasting, equitable community well-being. It says Orange County is its primary focus and that a substantial portion of its work supports safe and thriving Jewish life in Orange County and Israel.
Its 2024 grants show support for a range of organizations and activities. For example, the University of California, Irvine Foundation received grants for the UCI Samueli School of Engineering and for general operations of the Susan Samueli Integrative Health Institute. Abound Food Care describes its mission as bringing nonprofit, public, and private partners together to address food waste and food insecurity. The Rinks Foundation says it works to develop hockey in Orange County and San Diego communities. Other 2024 grants included support for homelessness initiatives, Jewish camp scholarships, a museum of mathematics, and nursing credentials.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2024, the foundation reported 366 grants totaling $80,597,050. Grant amounts ranged from $500 to $9,698,874, with a median of $39,470.
The largest reported grant was $9,698,874 to the University of California, Irvine Foundation for the UCI Samueli School of Engineering. Other large grants included $4,800,000 to Global Impact for Healing Works Foundation program and operations; $2,500,000 to Orange County United Way for its United to End Homelessness initiative; and $2,000,000 to Dream Machine Innovation for the Exodus Initiative. The Rinks Foundation received $1,500,000 for general operations, and Golden West College Foundation received $1,170,000 to expand access to affordable credentials and address Orange County’s nursing shortage.
The foundation’s website describes Breakaway, Build OC, and OC+ as open initiatives developed in response to nonprofit needs in Orange County. Breakaway offers one-year grants of $50,000–$100,000 for projects in specified categories. OC+ supports nonprofit collaborations working on implementation in areas such as joint program delivery, shared services, and organizational integration. The website says strategic grantmaking is based on referrals to a limited number of mission- and values-aligned organizations and that the foundation does not accept unsolicited applications for that grantmaking. The 2026 application periods described for Breakaway and OC+ have passed; the website directs readers to check back for information about the 2027 Breakaway cycle.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Susan Samueli as president; Henry Samueli as vice president; Michael Schulman as CFO and secretary; and Lindsey Spindle, Erin Samueli, Gordon Greenberg, and Shaista Malik as directors.
Samueli Foundation is led by Susan Samueli, President on every filing since 2020; 1 of 7 officers listed in 2024 is compensated.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Susan Samueli
President
On filings since 2020
10 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Lindsey Spindle
Director
On filings since 2022
65 hrs/week
$494K (2022) → $1.1M (2024)
Erin Samueli
Director
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Gordon Greenberg
Director
New on the 2024 filing
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Shaista Malik
Director
New on the 2024 filing
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Henry Samueli
Vice President
On filings since 2020
10 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Michael Schulman
CFO & Secretary
Secretary & CFO → CFO, 2022
CFO → CFO & Secretary, 2023
On filings since 2020
10 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (2)
- Former: Michelle Freeman (2021) — Interim Executive Director
- Former: Gerald Solomon (2020) — Executive Director
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 $1.1M, to Lindsey Spindle (Director).
Frequently asked questions about Samueli Foundation
How much does Samueli Foundation give each year?
Samueli Foundation gave $80.6M across 366 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $34.5M across 203 grants.
What is Samueli Foundation's typical grant size?
Samueli Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $39,470, and its average grant was $220,211, across 366 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Samueli Foundation that year got $245K on average.
Where does Samueli Foundation give grants?
Samueli Foundation gives mostly in California: 63% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest states were New York (15%) and Virginia (6%). The most frequent recipient cities were Irvine, CA (58 grants), New York, NY (47 grants), Santa Ana, CA (25 grants) and Los Angeles, CA (20 grants).
Does Samueli Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 51% of Samueli Foundation's 2024 grants with a stated purpose (187 of 366) were for general or operating support, per its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are Samueli Foundation's largest grantees?
Samueli Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include University of California Irvine Foundation ($12,196,638 across 6 grants), Global Impact ($4,800,000) and Orange County United Way ($3,440,000 across 4 grants), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 25% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is Samueli Foundation?
Samueli Foundation reported $62.2M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $85.9M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $3.4M (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does Samueli Foundation fund?
The foundation’s current focus is to support catalytic community forces whose innovations can improve quality of life and contribute to a more sustainable future, and to cultivate cooperation that advances lasting, equitable community well-being. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Samueli Foundation?
The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests for its strategic grantmaking. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Samueli Foundation's EIN?
Samueli Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 33-0758237. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Does Samueli 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 October 2026.
Data update history
(1)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Samueli Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
Similar Funders
Funders with grantees in common, and similar funders in California
Silicon Valley Community Foundation
Mountain View, CA
Silicon Valley Community Foundation funds work in areas such as housing, economic security, education, health, the environment, arts and culture, and civic engagement, with Community Action Grants supporting local, community-led organizations in San Mateo and Santa Clara counties. Its 2024 grants had a median of $51,716, though amounts varied widely; applications depend on the program, and SVCF states that it does not accept unsolicited proposals for advised funds.
Assets
$12.3B
Grants
3,576
Total Given
$3.2B
Orange County Community Foundation
Irvine, CA
The Orange County Community Foundation supports a wide range of causes, including human services, education, health, arts, the environment, and community development, primarily in Orange County and also beyond. Its 2025 grants had a median of $25,000, though amounts varied widely; it does not accept unsolicited requests.
Assets
$743.6M
Grants
975
Total Given
$120.4M
California Community Foundation
Los Angeles, CA
The California Community Foundation supports nonprofits through discretionary and donor-directed grants, with discretionary priorities including education, health, housing and immigration, alongside other areas such as arts, civic engagement and economic opportunity. Its 2025 grants had a median of $50,000, and its work is focused on Los Angeles County; prospective discretionary applicants are asked to contact the relevant program officer before submitting a letter of intent.
Assets
$2.3B
Grants
2,174
Total Given
$326.6M
The William & Flora Hewlett Foundation
Menlo Park, CA
The William & Flora Hewlett Foundation funds education, climate and conservation, the arts, democracy, gender equity, racial justice, and efforts to strengthen nonprofits and philanthropy, with work spanning the San Francisco Bay Area, the U.S. West, and locations including East and West Africa and Mexico. Its 2024 grants had a median award of $150,000, though amounts varied widely. It generally does not accept unsolicited requests, but sometimes invites proposals through open processes.
Assets
$14.2B
Grants
2,001
Total Given
$625.0M
Marin Community Foundation
Novato, CA
Marin Community Foundation funds work in affordable housing and homelessness, community resilience and power, as well as social services, education, arts and conservation, with a focus on marginalized Marin County residents and some broader U.S. and international grantmaking. Its 2025 grants had a median of $25,000, though amounts varied widely. The profile does not state whether it accepts unsolicited requests.
Assets
$1.3B
Grants
1,573
Total Given
$186.1M
Direct Relief
Santa Barbara, CA
Direct Relief supports healthcare providers serving people affected by poverty or emergencies, including community health centers, clinics, and grassroots organizations, with medicines, supplies, and funding for health access and equity. In 2025, its grants had a median award of about $65,000, and its work spans all 50 U.S. states and countries around the world; the profile does not state whether it accepts unsolicited requests.
Assets
$1.3B
Grants
1,367
Total Given
$337.4M
More similar funders
More Funders in California
Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Samueli Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 11, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/samueli-foundation-morg_9157b0faabb14b399a437530f18f7250
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_330758237_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Samueli Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/samueli-foundation-morg_9157b0faabb14b399a437530f18f7250},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-11. 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 Samueli 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.
Samueli Foundation down — hundreds of funders to go?