Syzygy Foundation Inc

SHAWNEE MISSION, KS EIN: 48-1250583

Syzygy Foundation Inc is a private family foundation based in Shawnee Mission, Kansas. Established in 2001, the foundation is affiliated with the Guest family and focuses on philanthropic initiatives across arts and culture, education, and health sectors.

Financial Overview

From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing

Total Assets

$602K

+2.2% YoY

Annual Giving

$411K

-73.0% YoY

Grant Count

-47.8% YoY

Avg Grant Size

$34K

-48.3% YoY

Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Syzygy Foundation Inc reported a distributable amount of $131K for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.

Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated April 2026.

Mission & Focus Areas

The foundation primarily funds charitable initiatives in the following areas:

Arts and culture
Education
Health

Grantmaking

Grant Range

$5,000 to $1,000,000

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Geographic Focus

Where this funder awards grants

The foundation supports projects across multiple states and cities throughout the United States, including:

California (Los Angeles, San Francisco, Torrance)
Colorado (Denver)
New York (New York City)
Idaho (Hailey)
Washington, D.C.
Texas, Florida, Illinois, Maryland

Grant Distribution by State

California $1.8M (59%)

District of Columbia $315K (10%)

New York $301K (10%)

Idaho $161K (5%)

Oklahoma $145K (5%)

Colorado $100K (3%)

Minnesota $70K (2%)

New Mexico $50K (2%)

+8 more states

States

California Colorado Connecticut District of Columbia Georgia Idaho Massachusetts Michigan Minnesota North Carolina New Mexico New York Oklahoma Rhode Island Virginia Washington

Cities

AlexandriaBattle CreekBeverly HillsBoiseBostonBoyle HeightsCalhounCamarilloCharlotteCranstonDenverEl SegundoExcelsiorFairfieldHaileyKetchumLong BeachLos AngelesMedinaNew York

Financial History

Multi-year comparison from IRS filings

2024 Financial Summary:

Total assets: $589,000
Total revenue: $450,120
Total expenses: $437,212
Total giving: $1,500,000

2023 Financial Summary:

Total assets: $1,100,000
Total revenue: $998,252
Total expenses: $461,000

2022 Financial Summary:

Total assets: $1,200,000

Revenue Sources (2024):

Investment income and dividends: $53,168
Net gain from sale of non-inventory assets: $396,952

Tax Status:

501(c)(3) organization
Tax-exempt since February 2002
EIN: 48-1250583

Revenue

Expenses

Qualifying Distributions

Net Investment Income

Metric	2024	2023	2022
Total Assets	$602,000	$589,193	$1,089,708
Revenue	$450,120	$1,035,880	$398,485
Expenses	$437,212	$1,536,352	$465,936
Qualifying Distributions	$411,000	$1,525,000	$461,000
Net Investment Income	$445,371	$968,843	$393,549
Distributable Amount	$131,171	$67,799	$142,047

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

101 grants across all recorded years

Giving History

Grant recipients and amounts by year

Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include American Film Institute ($146,000), People for the American Way ($100,000), The Shelter Fund Community Foundation of Lincoln County ($50,000).

Recipient	Purpose	Amount
ADVOCATES FOR TRANS EQUALITY WASHINGTON DC, DC	CHARITABLE	$10,000
AMERICAN FILM INSTITUTE LOS ANGELES, CA	CHARITABLE	$146,000
EVERYTOWN FOR GUN SAFETY SUPPORT FUND NEW YORK, NY	CHARITABLE	$10,000
FREE MOM HUGS OKLAHOMA CITY, OK	CHARITABLE	$10,000
IDAHO RIVERS UNITED BOISE, ID	CHARITABLE	$20,000
KCRW FOUNDATION SANTA MONICA, CA	CHARITABLE	$10,000
PEOPLE FOR THE AMERICAN WAY WASHINGTON, DC	CHARITABLE	$100,000
PERFECT PET RESCUE BEVERLY HILLS, CA	CHARITABLE	$10,000
RHODE ISLAND DREAM CENTER CRANSTON, RI	CHARITABLE	$10,000
STREAM FOR A CAUSE BATTLE CREEK, MI	CHARITABLE	$25,000

Leadership & Key People

Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings

Jamie Lee Curtis Guest - President and Treasurer (serves without compensation)
Christopher Guest - Secretary (serves without compensation)

The foundation was founded by John C. Kornitzer, Jamie Lee Curtis, and Christopher Guest.

Compensation Overview

From 2024 IRS filing

From 2024 filing

Name	Title	Hours	Compensation
JAMIE LEE CURTIS GUEST	PRESIDENT/TREASURER	—	—
CHRISTOPHER GUEST	SECRETARY	—	—

Subject Areas

Focus areas based on grantmaking activity

Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking

Frequently Asked Questions

What does Syzygy Foundation Inc fund?

The foundation primarily funds charitable initiatives in the following areas: • Arts and culture • Education • Health

How do I apply for a grant from Syzygy Foundation Inc?

**Grant Activity:** • 2024: 23 grants totaling $1.5 million • 2023: 22 grants totaling $461,000 • 2022: 15 grants totaling $244,000 • 2021: 29 grants totaling $406,000 • 2020: 21 grants totaling $203,000 **Grant Characteristics:** • Grant range: $5,000 to $1,000,000 • Median grant size: $10,000 (2024) • Does not accept unsolicited applications **Recent Grant Recipients (2023-2024):** • Rise to the Challenge - Project Angel Food ($1,000,000) • The American Film Institute ($146,000) • New York Pu…

Where does Syzygy Foundation Inc make grants?

The foundation supports projects across multiple states and cities throughout the United States, including: • California (Los Angeles, San Francisco, Torrance) • Colorado (Denver) • New York (New York City) • Idaho (Hailey) • Washington, D.C. • Texas, Florida, Illinois, Maryland

What size grants does Syzygy Foundation Inc award?

In 2024, Syzygy Foundation Inc awarded 12 grants totaling $411K — an average of about $34K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.

How much is Syzygy Foundation Inc required to give away each year?

Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, Syzygy Foundation Inc reported a distributable amount of $131K on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.