The Jay DeFeo Foundation
The Jay DeFeo Foundation is a private foundation, based in San Francisco, CA. IRS filing data is available from 2020 through 2025. As of 2025, the organization holds $22.1M in total assets. In 2025, it awarded 9 grants totaling $39K. Net investment income was $831K.
The Jay DeFeo Foundation at a glance
In short: The Jay DeFeo Foundation gave $39K across 9 grants in 2025 (avg $4K), mostly in California. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $39,000
- -87.7% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 9
- +0.0% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $4,333
- -87.7% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $5,000
- Total assets
- $22,063,016
- +1.4% vs 2024
- Primary geography
- California (64% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated September 2026.
Who The Jay DeFeo Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 8 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Getty Museum ($10K). Together the top 8 received $34K.
Organizations only. It also paid 1 grant to individuals ($5,000), which are not listed by name.
Grant Size Distribution
48 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 43 grants of 48 (90%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 9 itemized grants.
Cities
How The Jay DeFeo Foundation gives
- Giving fell 83% from 2022 to 2025. Method
- In 2025 it paid out 96% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Foundations have until the end of the next year to meet it. Method
From the foundation's IRS Form 990-PF filings. Methodology.
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2020 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $30K (2023) to $317K (2024). In 2025 it made 9 grants totaling $39K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Getty Museum Los Angeles, CA | LA Arts Fire Relief Fund | $10,000 |
| Oakland Museum of California Art Oakland, CA | Mildred Howard exhibition catalogue | $5,000 |
| Berkeley Art Museum UC Regents Berkeley, CA | Fellowship Theresa Hak Kyung Cha exhibit | $5,000 |
| The Drawing Center New York, NY | Trisha Donnelly exhibit | $5,000 |
| 1 grant to individuals Recipients not named | — | $5,000 |
| California College of the Arts Oakland, CA | WattisSTEADY exhibit | $2,500 |
| Rockefeller Philanthropy New York, NY | Further Triennial | $2,500 |
| SFAI Legacy Foundation and Archive San Francisco, CA | SFAI Legacy Foundation and Archive | $2,500 |
| The Aspen Institute Washington, DC | Aspen Institute AEFI | $1,500 |
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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 | $22,063,016 | $892,349 | $787,835 | $39,000 | 9 | $723,100 | $831,355 | $756,355 |
| 2024 | $21,750,730 | $305,260 | $1,016,713 | $317,000 | 9 | $958,384 | $249,266 | $267,798 |
| 2023 | $22,467,729 | $767,071 | $860,566 | $30,250 | 8 | $891,562 | $697,717 | $458,783 |
| 2022 | $22,393,855 | $1,870,039 | $957,634 | $235,200 | 11 | $947,463 | $1,781,381 | $213,445 |
| 2021 | $21,461,108 | $756,455 | $563,132 | $43,250 | 11 | $510,720 | $706,581 | $159,267 |
| 2020 | $21,267,385 | $382,492 | $570,526 | $39,620 | 7 | — | $337,542 | $313,125 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Jay DeFeo Foundation reported a distributable amount of $756K for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Leadership & Key People
Officers and directors from IRS filings
The Jay DeFeo Foundation's 2025 filing lists 3 officers; 1 of 3 officers listed in 2025 is compensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Leah Levy
Trustee & Director
On filings since 2020
45 hrs/week
$200K (2020) → $221K (2025)
Diane Frankel
Trustee
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Jane Green
Trustee
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2025. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Compensation Overview
From 2025 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2025 filing was $221K, to Leah Levy (Trustee/Dir.).
Frequently asked questions about The Jay DeFeo Foundation
How much does The Jay DeFeo Foundation give each year?
The Jay DeFeo Foundation gave $39K across 9 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $317K across 9 grants.
What is The Jay DeFeo Foundation's typical grant size?
The Jay DeFeo Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $5,000, and its average grant was $4,333, across 9 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
Where does The Jay DeFeo Foundation give grants?
The Jay DeFeo Foundation gives mostly in California: 64% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest state was New York (32%). The most frequent recipient cities were Oakland, CA (2 grants) and New York, NY (2 grants).
Does The Jay DeFeo Foundation give general operating support?
Not in 2025: none of the 9 grants with a stated purpose on The Jay DeFeo Foundation's 2025 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support.
Who are The Jay DeFeo Foundation's largest grantees?
The Jay DeFeo Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include Getty Museum ($10,000), Oakland Museum of California Art ($5,000) and Berkeley Art Museum UC Regents ($5,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It also paid 1 grant to individuals ($5,000), which are not listed by name. Together they received 51% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is The Jay DeFeo Foundation?
The Jay DeFeo Foundation reported $22.1M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $723K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $756K (roughly 5% of its investment assets). Falling short in one year is not a violation: foundations have until the end of the next year to meet the minimum.
What is The Jay DeFeo Foundation's EIN?
The Jay DeFeo Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 94-6642644. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.
Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings.
Data update history
(6)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS May 14, 2021)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS May 16, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS May 15, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS May 15, 2024)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS May 14, 2025)
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS May 14, 2026)
Live grants for the work The Jay DeFeo Foundation funds
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