The Kai Family Foundation
The Kai Family Foundation is a private family foundation established in 1995 and based in Tucson, Arizona. The foundation operates as a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization dedicated to philanthropic giving across multiple states, with a particular focus on the southwestern United States.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$4.1M
+17.5% YoY
Annual Giving
$161K
+6.7% YoY
Grant Count
32
+3.2% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$5K
+3.4% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Kai Family Foundation reported a distributable amount of $189K for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation's primary stated purpose is to promote, sponsor, and educate the community relating to Chinese culture and heritage. Beyond this cultural focus, the foundation supports charitable causes across several areas including:
- Community health and medical services
- Education and school health initiatives
- Human services
- Philanthropy and voluntarism
- Support for U.S. military veterans in northern Pima County
- Healthcare facility improvements
- Special diet meal delivery to homebound adults
- General operations of charitable organizations
Grantmaking
Notable recent grants include:
Grant Range
approximately $17,000
Average Grant
approximately $17,000
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation supports organizations in:
- Arizona (primary focus, particularly Tucson and Phoenix)
- California (including Los Angeles)
- Iowa (including Des Moines)
Grant Distribution by State
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
Assets & Revenue:
- Total assets: $4,098,227 (2024)
- Total assets: $3,488,328 (2023)
- Total revenue: $338,459 (2024)
- Total revenue: $299,990 (2023)
Expenses & Distributions:
- Total expenses: $187,189 (2024)
- Total expenses: $177,184 (2023)
- Total grants awarded: $160,750 (2024)
- Total grants awarded: $151,000 (2023)
Revenue Sources:
- Contributions received: $139,000
- Interest income
- Dividend income
- Capital gains
- Rents and royalties
Asset Growth: The foundation has demonstrated consistent asset growth, increasing 2.6% year-over-year.
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $4,098,227 | $3,488,328 | $3,248,849 |
| Revenue | $338,459 | $299,990 | $164,235 |
| Expenses | $187,189 | $177,184 | $179,702 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $174,520 | $164,853 | $165,580 |
| Net Investment Income | $189,709 | $150,539 | $92,735 |
| Distributable Amount | $188,964 | $160,745 | $164,339 |
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
140 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include Tucson Symphony Orchestra ($25,000), Tucson Medical Center Health Foundation ($15,000), Tucson Chinese Cultural Center ($12,500).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Project Graduation IRHS Oro Valley, AZ | To save young lives by providing safe and sober graduation night celebrations at each of the Amphi high school campuses. | $7,500 |
| Pan Asian Community Alliance Tucson, AZ | Promote and develop asian American native Hawaiian and pacific islander education. | $2,000 |
| Pinal county Junior Livestock Casa Granda, AZ | Provide many worthwhile experiences for pinal county junior livestock exhibitors. | $1,750 |
| Mt View High School Grad Night Tucson, AZ | Provide safe and fun activities for high school seniors. | $2,500 |
| Oro Valley Optimist Club Oro Valley, AZ | Promote good health, positive citizenship, and lifestyle in the youth of northwest Pima County | $2,500 |
| Arizona Veterans' Memorial Cemetary Foundation Marana, AZ | Provide interment for qualified veterans at no cost. | $2,500 |
| Douglas High School Douglas, AZ | Provide support for academic growth of its students. | $5,000 |
| Friends of Hubbell Trading Post Scottsdale, AZ | Aid and promote the management of programs and objectives of the historic site | $5,500 |
| Center for Neurosciences foundation Tucson, AZ | Support research and education in neurosciences and to raise awareness of diseases of the nervous system. | $5,000 |
| Canyon Del Oro Spirit line Oro valley, AZ | Support cheerleading and dance at canyon del oro high school | $1,500 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
- Herbert Kai — Director (serves without compensation)
- John Kai Jr. — Director (serves without compensation)
- Sidney Lex Felker — Managing Director (part-time, receives compensation)
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Herbert Kai | Director | — | — |
| John Kai Jr | Director | — | — |
| Sidney Lex Felker | Managing Director | 0.75 | $19,500 |
Contact Information
Address: 7440 N Oracle Rd Building 2 Tucson, AZ 85704-6385
Phone: 520-742-0440
Tax ID (EIN): 86-0767197
Frequently Asked Questions
What does The Kai Family Foundation fund?
The foundation's primary stated purpose is to promote, sponsor, and educate the community relating to Chinese culture and heritage. Beyond this cultural focus, the foundation supports charitable causes across several areas including: • Community health and medical services • Education and school health initiatives • Human services • Philanthropy and voluntarism • Support for U.S. military veterans in northern Pima County • Healthcare facility improvements • Special diet meal delivery to homebou…
How do I apply for a grant from The Kai Family Foundation?
**Grant Characteristics:** • Typical grant awards range from $1,000 to $25,000 • Average grant size: approximately $17,000 • The foundation awarded 31 grants in 2024 totaling $160,750 • Made 28 grants in 2023 • Approximately 12% of new applicants receive funding • Open to new applicants **Recent Grant Activity:** Notable recent grants include: • $25,000 to Tucson Symphony Orchestra (2023) for providing live musical experiences • $25,000 to Tucson Medical Center Foundation (2023) for supporting …
Where does The Kai Family Foundation make grants?
The foundation supports organizations in: • Arizona (primary focus, particularly Tucson and Phoenix) • California (including Los Angeles) • Iowa (including Des Moines)
What size grants does The Kai Family Foundation award?
In 2024, The Kai Family Foundation awarded 32 grants totaling $161K — an average of about $5K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is The Kai Family Foundation required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, The Kai Family Foundation reported a distributable amount of $189K on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is The Kai Family Foundation's EIN?
The Kai Family Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 86-0767197. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in The Kai Family 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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