THE JOHN H & CYNTHIA LEE is a private foundation based in Manhattan Beach, California. Its 2024 filing describes direct charitable activities supporting reading skills for students in grades K–3 and educational expenses at St. Pius X St. Matthias Academy. Its 2024 grants also supported organizations working in areas including education, housing, and community assistance.
Key facts about The John H & Cynthia Lee
In short: The John H & Cynthia Lee gave $1.4M across 24 grants in 2025 (avg $57K), mostly in California. 21% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- EIN
- 95-4399946
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025
- Annual giving (2025)
- $1,358,769
- Grants made (2025)
- 24
- Average grant
- $56,615
- Median grant
- $27,500
- New grantees (estimate)
- 21% first-time grantees (5 of 24, 2025)
- Total assets
- $297,990,294
- Primary geography
- California (93% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to apply
- The foundation makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds. Full details ↓
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated September 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology). Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Financial Overview
From 2025 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$298.0M
+14.1% YoY
Annual Giving
$1.4M
-5.5% YoY
Grant Count
24
-14.3% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$57K
+10.3% YoY
Is The John H & Cynthia Lee open to new grantees?
21%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 5 of 24 grantees (21%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $32K; repeat grants $63K. How we count
Medians: $25K first-time, $30K repeat.
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2020–2025). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation’s filing describes its direct charitable activity through Onward Readers and Scholars, which helps increase reading skills for students in grades K–3 at selected schools. Funding covers program salaries, books, materials, computers, school construction, and supplies. Another direct activity supports St. Pius X St. Matthias Academy educational expenses, including tuition fees, grants, school construction, and other religious and educational expenses.
Its 2024 grants included support for education and general purposes. Among the recipients, Lincoln County Foundation says it assists Lincoln County residents, particularly young people, through grants and scholarships. Jefferson Scholars Foundation says it provides merit-based scholarships, fellowships, and professorship support to students and faculty at the University of Virginia. Catholic Schools Collaborative says it supports multi-school efforts at Catholic PK–8 schools in lower-income Los Angeles communities. From The Heart Productions says it helps independent filmmakers create and complete films through fiscal sponsorship, grants, education, mentorship, and community support.
Grantmaking
In 2024, the foundation reported 28 grants totaling $1,437,800. Grant amounts ranged from $90 to $459,000, with a median of $13,750. The largest grants included $459,000 to Our Lady Queen of Angels Housing Alliance for general purposes, $167,000 to USOPF for general purposes, $155,390 to California Science Center for education, and $101,533 to American Martyrs Church for general purposes.
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2024, 91% of grant dollars went to recipients in California, 5% to Oregon, and 4% to Virginia.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of all 24 itemized 2025 grant dollars.
Cities
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 2025
Grant Size Distribution
103 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| OUR LADY QUEEN OF ANGELS HOUSING ALLIANCE Newport Beach, CA | GENERAL PURPOSE | $334,000 |
| USOPF Colorado Springs, CA | GENERAL PURPOSE | $167,000 |
| CALIFORNIA SCIENCE CENTER Los Angeles, CA | EDUCATION | $155,717 |
| CATHOLIC SCHOOLS COLLABORATIVE Los Angeles, CA | GENERAL PURPOSE | $125,000 |
| LINCOLN COUNTY FOUNDATION Newport, OR | EDUCATION | $100,000 |
| THE MISSION TOGETHER CHURCH Castro Valley, CA | GENERAL PURPOSE | $100,000 |
| ST MARIA GORETTI CATHOLIC SCHOOL Long Beach, CA | EDUCATION | $100,000 |
| PUEBLO NUEVO EDUCATION AND DEVELOPMENT Los Angeles, CA | EDUCATION | $50,000 |
| VISTAMAR SCHOOL El Segundo, CA | EDUCATION | $40,000 |
| REACH ACADEMY FOR YOUNG MEN Beverly Hills, CA | EDUCATION | $30,000 |
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $261,121,227 | $43,848,016 | $9,428,602 | $1,437,800 |
| 2023 | $193,137,525 | $14,185,856 | $7,337,615 | $856,200 |
| 2022 | $150,545,667 | $8,948,233 | $7,876,503 | $437,559 |
The foundation reported 28 grants in 2024, 7 in 2023, and 16 in 2022.
| Metric | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $297,990,294 | $261,121,227 | $193,137,525 |
| Revenue | $33,746,300 | $43,848,016 | $14,185,856 |
| Expenses | $11,121,807 | $9,428,602 | $7,337,615 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $11,378,998 | $9,118,156 | $3,734,306 |
| Net Investment Income | $31,395,508 | $28,853,674 | $8,486,068 |
| Distributable Amount | — | — | — |
Data update history
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS August 25, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists John H Smet as president and Cynthia Lee Smet as secretary.
The John H & Cynthia Lee is led by John H. Smet, President on every filing since 2020; none of the 2 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
John H. Smet
President
On filings since 2020
30 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Cynthia Lee Smet
Secretary
On filings since 2020
30 hrs/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.
Contact
Mailing address: 1300 Highland Ave 213, Manhattan Beach, CA 90266
Phone: (310) 383-6201
Frequently asked questions about The John H & Cynthia Lee
How much does The John H & Cynthia Lee give each year?
The John H & Cynthia Lee gave $1.4M across 24 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $1.4M across 28 grants.
What is The John H & Cynthia Lee's typical grant size?
The John H & Cynthia Lee's median grant in 2025 was $27,500, and its average grant was $56,615, across 24 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from The John H & Cynthia Lee that year got $32K on average.
Where does The John H & Cynthia Lee give grants?
The John H & Cynthia Lee gives mostly in California: 93% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest state was Oregon (7%). The most frequent recipient cities were Los Angeles, CA (8 grants) and Manhattan Beach, CA (2 grants).
Does The John H & Cynthia Lee give general operating support?
Yes: 46% of The John H & Cynthia Lee's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (11 of 24) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Recurring purposes include "Education" (13 grants).
Who are The John H & Cynthia Lee's largest grantees?
The John H & Cynthia Lee's largest 2025 grantees include Our Lady Queen of Angels Housing Alliance ($334,000), Usopf ($167,000) and California Science Center ($155,717), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 48% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is The John H & Cynthia Lee?
The John H & Cynthia Lee reported $298.0M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Its revenue that year was $33.7M.
What does The John H & Cynthia Lee fund?
The foundation’s filing describes its direct charitable activity through Onward Readers and Scholars, which helps increase reading skills for students in grades K–3 at selected schools. Funding covers program salaries, books, materials, computers, school construction, and supplies. Another direct activity supports St. Pius X St. Matthias Academy educational expenses, including tuition fees, grants, school construction, and other religious and educational expenses. Its 2024 grants included suppo…
How do I apply for a grant from The John H & Cynthia Lee?
The foundation makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is The John H & Cynthia Lee's EIN?
The John H & Cynthia Lee's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 95-4399946. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.
Does The John H & Cynthia Lee accept unsolicited proposals?
No, according to Grantable's research on the foundation's published guidelines. See how to apply ↑
Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
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