The Carol and James Collins Foundation
The Carol and James Collins Foundation is a private grantmaking foundation established in 1985 in California and reincorporated in Delaware in 2002. Based in Los Angeles, California, the foundation operates as a 501(c)(3) organization and maintains a likely staffed structure with dedicated personnel.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$29.7M
+17.4% YoY
Annual Giving
$1.5M
+23.8% YoY
Grant Count
68
+3.0% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$23K
+20.2% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Carol and James Collins Foundation reported a distributable amount of $1.4M for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation's mission is to enrich the lives of children, youth, and families, particularly the underserved, in the Southern California area. The foundation supports groups and institutions that give people the tools to become educated, healthy, self-reliant, and contributing members of society.
Primary funding interests include:
- After-school programs
- Education
- Human Services
- Youth development and family support
Grantmaking
The foundation made 68 grants in its most recent reporting period, with typical award amounts ranging from $170 to $50,000. The median grant size is $30,000.
Grant Range
is $30,000.
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation primarily funds organizations in Southern California, with some grant activity extending to California, New York, and Washington.
Grant Distribution by State
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
As of December 2024:
- Total Assets: $29,742,959
- Total Revenues: $2,493,783
- Total Expenses: $1,701,390
- Total Giving: $1,547,670
The foundation is ranked in the top 10% of foundations by asset size.
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $29,742,959 | $25,341,984 | $24,240,935 |
| Revenue | $2,493,783 | $416,384 | $1,264,164 |
| Expenses | $1,701,390 | $1,466,519 | $1,682,110 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $1,628,744 | $1,365,944 | $1,533,386 |
| Net Investment Income | $2,421,137 | $511,013 | $1,165,440 |
| Distributable Amount | $1,393,859 | $1,256,842 | $1,385,712 |
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
200 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include Para Los Ninos ($45,000), Boys & Girls Club of the LA Harbor ($40,000), Discovery Cube Los Angeles ($40,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| 826LA Los Angeles, CA | General operating support | $30,000 |
| A Place Called Home Los Angeles, CA | General operating support | $30,000 |
| Alliance College-Ready Public Schools Los Angeles, CA | General operating support | $35,000 |
| Angel City Chorale Los Angeles, CA | General operating support | $1,000 |
| Balboa Island Museum Newport Beach Balboa Island, CA | General operating support | $2,500 |
| Bling Bling Irene Cancer Foundation Huntington Beach, CA | General operating support | $2,000 |
| Boys & Girls Club of the LA Harbor San Pedro, CA | General operating support | $40,000 |
| Boys & Girls Club of W San Gabriel Valley and Eastside Monterey Park, CA | To support Power Hour | $30,000 |
| Boys & Girls Clubs of Metro Los Angeles Los Angeles, CA | General operating support | $35,000 |
| California Community Foundation Los Angeles, CA | To support LA Partnership for Early Childhood Investment | $25,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
Key Personnel:
- Cathleen C Hession – President, Secretary, Treasurer (40 hours/week, $60,000 annual compensation)
- James Collins – Founder
- Carol Collins – Founder
- Board Members: Kelly L Collins, Melissa Collins Gudim, Melanie Buswell, Alexander Gudim, Trevor Gudim, Natalie Hession
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| CATHLEEN C HESSION | PRES, SEC, TREAS | 40 | $60,008 |
| JAMES COLLINS | FOUNDER | — | — |
| CAROL COLLINS | FOUNDER | — | — |
| KELLY L COLLINS | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| MELISSA COLLINS GUDIM | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| MELANIE BUSWELL | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| ALEXANDER GUDIM | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| TREVOR GUDIM | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| NATALIE HESSION | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
Contact Information
- Address: 11911 San Vicente Blvd Ste 320, Los Angeles, CA 90049-6621
- Telephone: 310-645-0113
- EIN: 30-0100019
- Tax-Exempt Status: Since October 2002
Subject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Frequently Asked Questions
What does The Carol and James Collins Foundation fund?
The foundation's mission is to enrich the lives of children, youth, and families, particularly the underserved, in the Southern California area. The foundation supports groups and institutions that give people the tools to become educated, healthy, self-reliant, and contributing members of society. Primary funding interests include: • After-school programs • Education • Human Services • Youth development and family support
How do I apply for a grant from The Carol and James Collins Foundation?
**Grant Activity:** The foundation made 68 grants in its most recent reporting period, with typical award amounts ranging from $170 to $50,000. The median grant size is $30,000. **Recent Grants (2024):** • Para Los Ninos: $45,000 (General Operating Support) • The LA Trust: $41,000 (General Operating Support) • Ready To Succeed: $40,000 (General Operating Support) Total giving in 2024 was $1,547,670 across 52 grants.
Where does The Carol and James Collins Foundation make grants?
The foundation primarily funds organizations in Southern California, with some grant activity extending to California, New York, and Washington.
What size grants does The Carol and James Collins Foundation award?
In 2024, The Carol and James Collins Foundation awarded 68 grants totaling $1.5M — an average of about $23K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is The Carol and James Collins Foundation required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, The Carol and James Collins Foundation reported a distributable amount of $1.4M on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is The Carol and James Collins Foundation's EIN?
The Carol and James Collins Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 30-0100019. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2021–2024.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in The Carol and James Collins Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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Data last updated June 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
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