Sun Family Foundation
The Sun Family Foundation is a private foundation based in Fountain Valley, California. Established by David and Diana Sun in 1999, it supports organizations and community-driven efforts in Orange County, with an emphasis on educational opportunity, well-being, and strengthening local communities.
Sun Family Foundation at a glance
In short: Sun Family Foundation gave $5.0M across 51 grants in 2024 (avg $97K), mostly in California. 18% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $4,954,250
- -12.2% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 51
- +0.0% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $97,142
- -12.2% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $50,000
- Total assets
- $91,847,351
- +30.9% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 18% first-time grantees (9 of 51, 2024)
- Primary geography
- California (97% 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 Sun Family Foundation
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests. It makes grants only to organizations it approaches; its website invites interested people to send a brief message through its contact form.
- Contact
Mailing address: 17600 Newhope Street, Fountain Valley, CA 92708
Phone: (714) 435-2640
Website: https://sunfamilyfoundation.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Sun Family Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Simon Foundation for Education ($1.5M). Together the top 10 received $3.1M.
Grant Size Distribution
294 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 148 grants of 294 (50%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation’s website says it supports organizations serving Orange County, California. It highlights Anaheim, Garden Grove, Santa Ana, and Westminster as places where it invests. In 2024, 97% of grant dollars went to recipients in California.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 51 itemized grants.
Cities
Is Sun Family Foundation open to new grantees?
18%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 9 of 51 grantees (18%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $23K; repeat grants $113K. How we count
Medians: $20K first-time, $70K repeat.
- 67% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2021 to 2024 (+0%). Method
- In 2024 it paid out 132% 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 $4.5M (2022) to $6.5M (2020). In 2024 it made 51 grants totaling $5.0M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Simon Foundation for Education Newport Beach, CA | Education | $1,537,000 |
| Community Action Partnership of Orange County Garden Grove, CA | Community Services | $500,000 |
| Uc Irvine Foundation Irvine, CA | Education | $252,000 |
| Above & Beyond Teaching San Rafael, CA | 2023-2026 Teacher Leadership Academy | $160,000 |
| Tiyya Foundation Inc Santa Ana, CA | Community Services | $150,000 |
| Breakthrough San Juan Capistrano San Juan Capistrano, CA | Education | $120,000 |
| Orange County Communities Organized for Responsible Development (Occord) Santa Ana, CA | Citizenship Program | $120,000 |
| Asian American Senior Citizen Service Ctr Brea, CA | SOCIAL | $100,000 |
| Bracken's Kitchen Garden Grove, CA | Community Services | $100,000 |
| CASA Oc Orange, CA | Community Services | $100,000 |
Ready to take the next step with Sun Family 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 | $91,847,351 | $24,074,638 | $7,158,982 | $4,954,250 | 51 | $5,233,167 | $7,998,270 | $3,967,034 |
| 2023 | $70,175,059 | $3,227,488 | $7,664,567 | $5,642,935 | 51 | $5,725,244 | $2,509,112 | $3,377,425 |
| 2022 | $68,524,709 | $3,609,101 | $5,122,586 | $4,476,585 | 53 | $4,553,427 | $2,963,158 | $3,780,238 |
| 2021 | $86,773,160 | $4,384,118 | $5,983,886 | $4,934,198 | 60 | $4,994,020 | $4,263,672 | $3,653,303 |
| 2020 | $87,809,263 | $19,284,518 | $7,041,291 | $6,451,750 | 79 | — | $560,289 | $2,855,119 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Sun Family Foundation reported a distributable amount of $4.0M 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 stated mission is to advance educational opportunities and the well-being of underserved people. Its website also describes a vision of vibrant communities where joy and opportunity flourish for all.
The foundation’s website names education, youth development, human services, and philanthropy and social innovation as its main funding areas. Its current initiatives emphasize four Orange County communities—Anaheim, Garden Grove, Santa Ana, and Westminster—as well as elders, teachers, and Asian American and Pacific Islander communities.
Examples of organizations it supported in 2024 illustrate the range of work among its grantees. Community Action Partnership of Orange County says its mission is to address poverty and promote self-sufficiency. Tiyya Foundation says it organizes access to economic opportunities and resources for immigrants, refugees, and displaced Indigenous communities. Dreams for Schools says it works to build students’ STEM and STEAM literacy. Other 2024 grantees describe work with youth, people affected by incarceration and violence, food rescue and culinary training, and families experiencing homelessness.
Grantmaking
In 2024, the foundation reported 51 grants totaling $4,954,250. Grant amounts ranged from $500 to $1,537,000, with a median of $50,000.
Its largest reported 2024 grant was $1,537,000 to Simon Foundation for Education for education. Other large grants included $500,000 to Community Action Partnership of Orange County for community services, $252,000 to UC Irvine Foundation for education, and $160,000 to Above & Beyond Teaching for a 2023–2026 Teacher Leadership Academy. The foundation also gave $150,000 to Tiyya Foundation for community services and $120,000 each to Breakthrough San Juan Capistrano for education and Orange County Communities Organized for Responsible Development for a citizenship program.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists David Sun as president and chairman, Diana Sun as vice president, Dara Mullarkey as treasurer, Diana Kong as secretary, and Mei Hua Wong as director.
Sun Family Foundation is led by David Sun, President & Chairman since 2024 (on filings since 2020); 1 of 5 officers listed in 2024 is compensated.
Officers on the 2024 filing
David Sun
President & Chairman
President → President & Chairman, 2024
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Mei Hua Wong
Director
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Dara Mullarkey
Treasurer
Treasurer → Treasurer & Director of Philanthropic Values, 2023
Treasurer & Director of Philanthropic Values → Treasurer, 2024
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
$14K (2024)
Diana Kong
Secretary
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Diana Sun
Vice President
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (2)
- Former: Daniel Mullarkey (2020–2022) — Director of Investments
- Former: Joanna Kong (2020–2022) — Director of Programs
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 $14K, to Dara Mullarkey (Treasurer).
Frequently asked questions about Sun Family Foundation
How much does Sun Family Foundation give each year?
Sun Family Foundation gave $5.0M across 51 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $5.6M across 51 grants.
What is Sun Family Foundation's typical grant size?
Sun Family Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $50,000, and its average grant was $97,142, across 51 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Sun Family Foundation that year got $23K on average.
Where does Sun Family Foundation give grants?
Sun Family Foundation gives mostly in California: 97% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Irvine, CA (15 grants), Santa Ana, CA (10 grants), Garden Grove, CA (5 grants) and Newport Beach, CA (4 grants).
Does Sun Family Foundation give general operating support?
Not in 2024: none of the 51 grants with a stated purpose on Sun Family Foundation's 2024 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Community Services" (21 grants), "Education" (12 grants) and "Human Services" (4 grants).
Who are Sun Family Foundation's largest grantees?
Sun Family Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include Simon Foundation for Education ($1,537,000), Community Action Partnership of Orange County ($500,000) and Uc Irvine Foundation ($252,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 46% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is Sun Family Foundation?
Sun Family Foundation reported $91.8M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $5.2M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $4.0M (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does Sun Family Foundation fund?
The foundation’s stated mission is to advance educational opportunities and the well-being of underserved people. Its website also describes a vision of vibrant communities where joy and opportunity flourish for all. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Sun Family Foundation?
The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Sun Family Foundation's EIN?
Sun Family Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 33-0868088. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Does Sun 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 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 Sun Family Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Sun Family Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 15, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/sun-family-foundation-morg_7a8d68b4ee3343068345f26b47121125
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_330868088_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Sun Family Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/sun-family-foundation-morg_7a8d68b4ee3343068345f26b47121125},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-15. 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 Sun 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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