The James Irvine Foundation
The James Irvine Foundation is a private foundation based in an individual recipient, California. Its mission is to expand opportunity for people in California, with a focus on helping low-income workers advance economically.
The James Irvine Foundation at a glance
In short: The James Irvine Foundation gave $154.1M across 654 grants in 2024 (avg $236K), mostly in California. 29% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $154,135,132
- -11.4% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 654
- -4.7% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $235,681
- -7.1% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $10,000
- Total assets
- $3,386,135,557
- +2.6% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 29% first-time grantees (157 of 534, 2024)
- Primary geography
- California (89% 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 The James Irvine Foundation
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests for funds and states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations. Its website also says it is not accepting unsolicited inquiries for its initiatives or current grantmaking.
- Contact
Mailing address: One Bush Street Suite 800, San Francisco, CA 94104
Phone: (415) 777-2244
Website: https://irvine.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who The James Irvine Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Tides Center ($16.6M across 5 grants). Together the top 10 received $59.0M.
Organizations only. It also paid 3 grants to individuals ($34,830), which are not listed by name.
Grant Size Distribution
3,082 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 1,947 grants of 3,082 (63%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation says it focuses specifically on California. In 2024, 89% of grant dollars went to recipients in California; the reported shares for other recipient states were New York 6%, Washington, D.C. 2%, Minnesota 2%, and Washington 0%.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 654 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is The James Irvine Foundation open to new grantees?
29%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 157 of 534 grantees (29%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $136K; repeat grants $352K. How we count
Medians: $5K first-time, $11K repeat.
- 58% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2021 to 2024 (−1%). Method
- In 2024 it paid out 114% 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 $117.6M (2020) to $189.6M (2022). In 2024 it made 654 grants totaling $154.1M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Tides Center Los Angeles, CA | To support Fair Work in California | $11,150,000 |
| Inland Empire Community Foundation Riverside, CA | To support Priority Communities in California | $8,000,000 |
| San Francisco Foundation San Francisco, CA | To support Housing Affordability in CA | $7,550,000 |
| Foundation for California Community Colleges Sacramento, CA | To support Better Careers in California | $4,400,000 |
| Movement Innovation Collaborative Oakland, CA | To support Research and Development in CA | $4,000,000 |
| National Domestic Workers Alliance Inc New York, NY | To support Fair Work in California | $3,600,000 |
| Community Foundation for Monterey County Monterey, CA | To support Priority Communities in California | $3,350,000 |
| Tides Center Los Angeles, CA | To support Better Careers in California | $3,050,000 |
| Regents of the University of California Berkeley, CA | To support Priority Communities in California | $2,750,000 |
| Borealis Philanthropy Minneapolis, MN | To support Research and Development in CA | $2,500,000 |
Ready to take the next step with The James Irvine 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 | $3,386,135,557 | $350,154,179 | $196,024,014 | $154,135,132 | 654 | $180,202,824 | $325,612,797 | $158,351,994 |
| 2023 | $3,300,619,484 | $219,761,840 | $224,641,319 | $174,060,247 | 686 | $203,756,889 | $171,566,189 | $157,203,212 |
| 2022 | $3,245,582,018 | $222,104,580 | $215,346,999 | $189,617,733 | 577 | $215,239,563 | $92,553,834 | $172,922,880 |
| 2021 | $4,085,262,775 | $499,578,433 | $167,571,242 | $155,587,188 | 557 | $175,166,541 | $532,186,464 | $177,122,968 |
| 2020 | $3,607,350,903 | $217,446,676 | $151,831,522 | $117,639,983 | 608 | — | $224,040,704 | $126,920,638 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The James Irvine Foundation reported a distributable amount of $158.4M for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation’s singular goal is a California where all low-income workers have the power to advance economically. Its initiatives are Better Careers, connecting low-income Californians to good jobs with family-sustaining wages and advancement opportunities; Fair Work, engaging low-wage workers to secure wages, rights, and protections; Just Prosperity, advancing policies that reflect the priorities of low-income workers and their families; and Priority Communities, partnering with local leaders and organizations to create good jobs and inclusive economies. Additional grantmaking includes investments that complement the initiatives, such as housing affordability and Leadership Awards, as well as exploratory grantmaking.
The foundation describes its initiative grants as multiyear, flexible investments in a select group of core grantees, alongside complementary investments identified with those grantees. Its recipients include community and philanthropic organizations. For example, the Inland Empire Community Foundation describes its mission as “Strengthening the Inland Empire through Philanthropy,” while the Community Foundation for Monterey County says it works to inspire philanthropy and strengthen communities throughout Monterey County. The National Domestic Workers Alliance describes itself as a voice for domestic workers that works to win them respect, dignity, and labor protections.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2024, the foundation reported 654 grants totaling $154,135,132. Grant amounts ranged from $150 to $11,150,000, with a median grant of $10,000.
Among the largest reported grants were $11,150,000 to Tides Center to support Fair Work in California; $8,000,000 to Inland Empire Community Foundation for Priority Communities in California; $7,550,000 to San Francisco Foundation for housing affordability in California; $4,400,000 to Foundation for California Community Colleges for Better Careers in California; and $4,000,000 to Movement Innovation Collaborative for research and development in California.
Leadership & Key People
Officers and directors from IRS filings
The James Irvine Foundation is led by Donald J. Howard, President, CEO & Director on every filing since 2020; 15 of 17 officers listed in 2024 are compensated.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Donald J. Howard
President, CEO & Director
On filings since 2020
50 hrs/week
$645K (2020) → $929K (2024)
Ultiminio Rios
Chair
Director → Chair, 2023
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
$10K (2020) → $18K (2024)
Eliseo V. Medina
Director
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
$10K (2020) → $10K (2024)
Goodwin Liu
Director
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
$10K (2020) → $10K (2024)
Kafi D. Blumenfield
Director
Chair → Director, 2023
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
$10K (2020) → $10K (2024)
Maria Anguiano
Director
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
$10K (2020) → $10K (2024)
Michael Chui
Director
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
$10K (2020) → $10K (2024)
Paulette Brown-Hinds
Director
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
$10K (2020) → $18K (2024)
Brenna Butler Garcia
Director
On filings since 2022
2 hrs/week
$1K (2023) → $12K (2024)
Teresa Matsui Schneider
Director
On filings since 2022
2 hrs/week
$10K (2022) → $10K (2024)
Sheri Dunn Berry
Director
New on the 2024 filing
2 hrs/week
$10K (2024)
Sara Recktenwald
Director
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Marc Morris
Director
New on the 2024 filing
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Casey Budesilich
Corp Secretary & COO
Assistant Corp Secretary & COO → Corp Secretary & COO, 2021
On filings since 2020
50 hrs/week
$272K (2020) → $492K (2024)
John B. Frank
Vice Chair
Director → Vice Chair, 2024
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
$10K (2020) → $10K (2024)
Timothy Recker
Treasurer & CIO
On filings since 2020
50 hrs/week
$1.2M (2020) → $2.5M (2024)
Danielle Edmonds Taylor
Assistant Corporate Secretary
On filings since 2021
50 hrs/week
$172K (2021) → $216K (2024)
Former officers (3)
- Former: Robert E. Denham (2020–2023) — Vice Chair
- Former: Daniel O. Silverman (2020–2021) — Former Corp Secretary & Vice President for Strategic Service
- Former: Virgil Roberts (2020–2021) — 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 $2.5M, to Timothy Recker (Treasurer & CIO). 15 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Frequently asked questions about The James Irvine Foundation
How much does The James Irvine Foundation give each year?
The James Irvine Foundation gave $154.1M across 654 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $174.1M across 686 grants.
What is The James Irvine Foundation's typical grant size?
The James Irvine Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $10,000, and its average grant was $235,681, across 654 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from The James Irvine Foundation that year got $136K on average.
Where does The James Irvine Foundation give grants?
The James Irvine Foundation gives mostly in California: 89% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest state was New York (6%). The most frequent recipient cities were Los Angeles, CA (131 grants), San Francisco, CA (108 grants), Oakland, CA (62 grants) and Berkeley, CA (20 grants).
Does The James Irvine Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 28% of The James Irvine Foundation's 2024 grants with a stated purpose (181 of 654) were for general or operating support, per its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Recurring purposes include "For support of California activities" (72 grants), "To support Better Careers in California" (48 grants) and "To support Just Prosperity in California" (40 grants).
Who are The James Irvine Foundation's largest grantees?
The James Irvine Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include Tides Center ($16,571,750 across 5 grants), San Francisco Foundation ($8,550,000 across 2 grants) and Inland Empire Community Foundation ($8,044,959 across 4 grants), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It also paid 3 grants to individuals ($34,830), which are not listed by name. Together they received 22% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is The James Irvine Foundation?
The James Irvine Foundation reported $3.4B in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $180.2M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $158.4M (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does The James Irvine Foundation fund?
The foundation’s singular goal is a California where all low-income workers have the power to advance economically. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The James Irvine Foundation?
The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests for funds and states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is The James Irvine Foundation's EIN?
The James Irvine Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 94-1236937. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Does The James Irvine 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 September 2026.
Data update history
(1)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). The James Irvine Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 16, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/the-james-irvine-foundation-morg_ce630497c7294c5d926ca5352d29513f
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_941236937_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{The James Irvine Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/the-james-irvine-foundation-morg_ce630497c7294c5d926ca5352d29513f},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-16. 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 James Irvine 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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