The Cygnet Foundation
The Cygnet Foundation is a private foundation based in Pasadena, California. It reported 10 grants totaling $134,000 in 2025, with grants going primarily to California organizations.
The Cygnet Foundation at a glance
In short: The Cygnet Foundation gave $134K across 10 grants in 2025 (avg $13K), mostly in California. 30% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $134,000
- +0.8% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 10
- +0.0% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $13,400
- +0.8% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $2,000
- Total assets
- $1,548,146
- +16.4% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 30% first-time grantees (3 of 10, 2025; small sample)
- Primary geography
- California (99% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to The Cygnet Foundation
- How to Apply
-
The 2025 filing lists Karen Steen as the contact. It specifies no application form or materials, deadline, or award restrictions. The filing states that the foundation does not restrict giving to preselected organizations.
- Contact
Application contact: Karen Steen
Mailing address: 1289 S Oak Knoll Ave, Pasadena, CA 91106
Phone: (626) 441-8512
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who The Cygnet Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Laguna Ocean Foundation ($100K). Together the top 10 received $134K.
Grant Size Distribution
47 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 42 grants of 47 (89%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2025, 99% of grant dollars went to recipients in California and 1% to recipients in Oregon. The listed grants show awards to organizations in both states.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 10 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is The Cygnet Foundation open to new grantees?
30%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 3 of 10 grantees (30%) were first-time recipients. With only 10 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 10 points. First grants averaged $38K; repeat grants $3K. How we count
Medians: $13K first-time, $2K repeat.
- 50% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving fell 41% from 2022 to 2025. Method
- In 2025 it paid out 104% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2018–2025). 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 2018 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $78K (2018) to $226K (2022). In 2025 it made 10 grants totaling $134K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Laguna Ocean Foundation Laguna Beach, CA | General Support | $100,000 |
| Build It Green Oakland, CA | General Support | $13,000 |
| Sustainable Conservation San Francisco, CA | General Support | $10,000 |
| Crystal Cove Conservancy Newport Coast, CA | General Support | $2,000 |
| La Compost Los Angeles, CA | General Support | $2,000 |
| University of California Davis Davis, CA | Education | $2,000 |
| California Trout San Francisco, CA | General Support | $2,000 |
| Arroyos Foothills Conservancy Pasadena, CA | General Support | $1,000 |
| Clockshop Los Angeles, CA | General Support | $1,000 |
| Xerces Society Portland, OR | General Support | $1,000 |
Ready to take the next step with The Cygnet 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $1,548,146 | $373,446 | $157,692 | $134,000 | 10 | $136,950 | $321,472 | $131,831 |
| 2024 | $1,329,469 | $81,103 | $154,032 | $133,000 | 10 | $135,975 | $32,720 | $129,999 |
| 2023 | $1,404,285 | $159,397 | $135,562 | $115,000 | 12 | $117,945 | $129,502 | $101,018 |
| 2022 | $1,380,375 | $229,964 | $246,925 | $226,000 | 15 | $228,950 | $199,208 | $108,077 |
| 2021 | $1,395,524 | $58,451 | $14,963 | — | — | $2,875 | $26,126 | $110,416 |
| 2020 | $1,352,036 | $38,539 | $100,746 | $88,000 | 7 | — | $27,768 | $86,412 |
| 2019 | $1,414,243 | $59,863 | $97,804 | $85,000 | 7 | — | $30,014 | $85,241 |
| 2018 | $1,452,184 | $559,198 | $89,185 | $78,000 | 4 | — | $30,579 | $76,465 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Cygnet Foundation reported a distributable amount of $132K for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2025 grantees include organizations with varied missions: Build It Green says it connects and nurtures changemakers working toward affordable, equitable, and healthy California communities; Sustainable Conservation describes its work as advancing collaborative stewardship of California’s land, air, and water; and California Trout says its mission is to ensure healthy water and resilient wild fish.
Other grantee missions include Crystal Cove Conservancy’s educational, scientific, and restoration work at Crystal Cove State Park; LA Compost’s work to expand local compost access and community engagement; and ClockShop’s collaboration with artists to connect communities and public land.
Grantmaking
In 2025, the foundation reported 10 grants totaling $134,000. Grant amounts ranged from $1,000 to $100,000, with a median of $2,000. The largest grants were $100,000 to Laguna Ocean Foundation, $13,000 to Build It Green, and $10,000 to Sustainable Conservation. Other grants included $2,000 each to Crystal Cove Conservancy, LA Compost, University of California Davis, and California Trout, and $1,000 each to Arroyos Foothills Conservancy, ClockShop, and the Xerces Society.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Karen A. Steen as President; Sara E. Swan as Vice President; Philip A. Swan as Treasurer; and Eric K. Steen, Bridget K. Wexman, Emily L. Steen, Audrey M. Steen, Madeline L. Steen, Peter B. Yould, and Roy F. Wexman as directors.
The Cygnet Foundation is led by Karen A. Steen, President on every filing since 2018; none of the 10 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Karen A. Steen
President
On filings since 2018
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Audrey M. Steen
Director
On filings since 2018
No compensation reported
Bridget K. Wexman
Director
On filings since 2018
No compensation reported
Emily L. Steen
Director
On filings since 2018
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Eric K. Steen
Director
On filings since 2018
No compensation reported
Madeline L. Steen
Director
On filings since 2018
No compensation reported
Peter B. Yould
Director
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
Roy F. Wexman
Director
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
Philip A. Swan
Treasurer
On filings since 2018
No compensation reported
Sara E. Swan
Vice President
On filings since 2018
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2018–2025. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Frequently asked questions about The Cygnet Foundation
How much does The Cygnet Foundation give each year?
The Cygnet Foundation gave $134K across 10 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $133K across 10 grants.
What is The Cygnet Foundation's typical grant size?
The Cygnet Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $2,000, and its average grant was $13,400, across 10 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from The Cygnet Foundation that year got $38K on average.
Where does The Cygnet Foundation give grants?
The Cygnet Foundation gives mostly in California: 99% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were San Francisco, CA (2 grants) and Los Angeles, CA (2 grants).
Does The Cygnet Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 90% of The Cygnet Foundation's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (9 of 10) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are The Cygnet Foundation's largest grantees?
The Cygnet Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include Laguna Ocean Foundation ($100,000), Build It Green ($13,000) and Sustainable Conservation ($10,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 92% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is The Cygnet Foundation?
The Cygnet Foundation reported $1.5M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $137K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $132K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does The Cygnet Foundation fund?
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The Cygnet Foundation?
The 2025 filing lists Karen Steen as the contact. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is The Cygnet Foundation's EIN?
The Cygnet Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 91-2172710. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2018–2025.
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(8)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS November 14, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS May 10, 2024)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS June 9, 2025)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS May 7, 2026)
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2018 (received by the IRS May 14, 2019)
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS May 21, 2020)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS June 10, 2021)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS May 11, 2022)
Live grants for the work The Cygnet Foundation funds
Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking Open opportunities, soonest deadline first.
- Nixa Affiliate Grantmaking Program Up to US $10,000 · Due October 19, 2026
- Community and School Grants $28,000 total pool; 10-15 grants expected · Due October 19, 2026
- Mary Pinola/Crescenta Valley Chamber Education Fund $500 - $5,000 for ongoing programs; up to $15,000 for Strategic Initiative Grants · Due October 19, 2026
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in The Cygnet Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). The Cygnet Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 18, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/the-cygnet-foundation-morg_77c5e5b4d9334fd39bf6a983eda54cd1
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_912172710_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{The Cygnet Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/the-cygnet-foundation-morg_77c5e5b4d9334fd39bf6a983eda54cd1},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-18. 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 The Cygnet 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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