The Kai Family Foundation
The Kai Family Foundation is a private foundation based in Tucson, Arizona. Its 2025 grants supported organizations working in areas including health, education, culture, human services, and community programs, with most grant dollars going to Arizona recipients.
The Kai Family Foundation at a glance
In short: The Kai Family Foundation gave $193K across 40 grants in 2025 (avg $5K), mostly in Arizona. 32% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $192,980
- +20.0% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 40
- +25.0% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $4,825
- -4.0% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $2,750
- Total assets
- $4,811,578
- +17.4% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 32% first-time grantees (12 of 38, 2025)
- Primary geography
- Arizona (97% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated September 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to The Kai Family Foundation
- How to Apply
-
The foundation does not restrict giving to preselected organizations. The filing requests a short written narrative with a copy of the applicant’s IRS exemption letter. Preference is given to exempt organizations in Tucson, Pima County, Arizona.
- Review Cycle
- October 31, for the foundation year ending the succeeding December 31 in Arizona.
- Deadline
- October 31, for the foundation year ending the succeeding December 31 in Arizona.
- Contact
Application contact: The Kai Family Foundation Co Sidne
Mailing address: 7440 N Oracle Rd Building 2, Tucson, AZ 85704
Phone: (520) 742-0440
Email: slfelker@slfpc.com
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who The Kai Family Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Tucson Medical Center Health Foundation ($25K). Together the top 10 received $111K.
Organizations only. It also paid 3 grants to individuals ($7,500), which are not listed by name.
Grant Size Distribution
156 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 156 grants of 156 (100%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2025, Arizona recipients received 97% of grant dollars and California recipients received 3%. The foundation’s filing states a preference for exempt organizations in Tucson, Pima County, Arizona.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 40 itemized grants.
Cities
Is The Kai Family Foundation open to new grantees?
32%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 12 of 38 grantees (32%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $5K; repeat grants $5K. How we count
Medians: $4K first-time, $3K repeat.
- 63% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving grew 27% from 2022 to 2025. Method
- In 2025 it paid out 97% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Foundations have until the end of the next year to meet it. Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2019–2025). 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 2019 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $100K (2019) to $193K (2025). In 2025 it made 40 grants totaling $193K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Tucson Medical Center Health Foundation Tucson, AZ | Support to improving the health and quality of life in Tucson. | $25,000 |
| Tucson Chinese Cultural Center Tucson, AZ | Promote, sponsor and educate the community relating to chinese culture and heritage. | $25,000 |
| University of Arizona College of Agriculture Tucson, AZ | To produce employable graduates, advance purpose driven science, and work alongside communities to improve lives and livelihoods. | $12,500 |
| U of A Foundation AG 100 Tucson, AZ | To advance the University of Arizona through philanthropy supported by building relationships, securing philanthropic support, and stewarding assets. | $10,000 |
| Caring Ministries Inc Tucson, AZ | Support local communities by providing food, clothing, and other resources while sharing the love and salvation of Jesus Christ to everyone we serve | $9,000 |
| Ironwood Ridge High School PTO Oro Calley, AZ | To promote an educational experience that inspires and prepares learners to realize their unique potential. | $7,500 |
| The Marshall Home for Men Tucson, AZ | Provide lodging, food, and care for elderly infirm men. | $6,000 |
| Friends of Hubbell Trading Post Scottsdale, AZ | Aid and promote the management of programs and objectives of the historic site | $5,500 |
| Douglas High School Douglas, AZ | Provide support for academic growth of its students. | $5,000 |
| Center for Neurosciences foundation Tucson, AZ | Support research and education in neurosciences and to raise awareness of diseases of the nervous system. | $5,000 |
Ready to take the next step with The Kai Family 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 | $4,811,578 | $284,905 | $224,872 | $192,980 | 40 | $209,108 | $269,323 | $215,546 |
| 2024 | $4,098,227 | $338,459 | $187,189 | $160,750 | 32 | $174,520 | $189,709 | $188,964 |
| 2023 | $3,488,328 | $299,990 | $177,184 | $150,586 | 31 | $164,853 | $150,539 | $160,745 |
| 2022 | $3,248,849 | $164,235 | $179,702 | $152,250 | 28 | $165,580 | $92,735 | $164,339 |
| 2021 | $3,631,373 | $197,918 | $151,403 | $132,000 | 25 | $142,165 | $128,886 | $165,435 |
| 2020 | $3,043,230 | $160,180 | $141,556 | $124,900 | 24 | — | $92,510 | $132,941 |
| 2019 | $3,062,367 | $173,544 | $117,809 | $100,166 | 21 | — | $106,807 | $137,099 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Kai Family Foundation reported a distributable amount of $216K 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
The available information does not state an overall foundation mission. Its grants include support for health and neuroscience, education, Chinese culture and heritage, food and clothing distribution, services for older adults, and community programs.
Grantees’ own descriptions illustrate the range of work supported. Caring Ministries Inc says it distributes food and clothing along the Arizona–Mexico border and in southern Arizona, provides living quarters for volunteer missionaries, and supports orphanages. Friends of Hubbell Trading Post says it serves and promotes Native Americans and maintains the historic value of the trading post. Youth On Their Own says it supports the graduation and continued success of youth experiencing homelessness in Pima County.
Grantmaking
In 2025, the foundation awarded 40 grants totaling $192,980. Individual grants ranged from $1,000 to $25,000, with a median of $2,750. It awarded 32 grants totaling $160,750 in 2024 and 31 grants totaling $150,586 in 2023.
Among its largest 2025 awards were $25,000 to Tucson Medical Center Health Foundation to support health and quality of life in Tucson, and $25,000 to Tucson Chinese Cultural Center to promote and educate the community about Chinese culture and heritage. Other grants included $12,500 to the University of Arizona College of Agriculture and $10,000 to U of A Foundation AG 100. Additional recipients included Caring Ministries Inc ($9,000), Ironwood Ridge High School PTO ($7,500), The Marshall Home for Men ($6,000), and Friends of Hubbell Trading Post ($5,500). The foundation also awarded $3,000 to Youth On Their Own and $2,000 to Mobile Meals of Southern Arizona Inc.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Herbert Kai and John Kai Jr as directors, and Sidney Lex Felker as managing director.
The Kai Family Foundation is led by Sidney Lex Felker, Managing Director on every filing since 2019; 1 of 3 officers listed in 2025 is compensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Sidney Lex Felker
Managing Director
On filings since 2019
0.8 hrs/week
$13K (2019) → $25K (2025)
Herbert Kai
Director
On filings since 2019
No compensation reported
John Kai Jr.
Director
On filings since 2019
No compensation reported
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2019–2025. "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 $25K, to Sidney Lex Felker (Managing Director).
Frequently asked questions about The Kai Family Foundation
How much does The Kai Family Foundation give each year?
The Kai Family Foundation gave $193K across 40 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $161K across 32 grants.
What is The Kai Family Foundation's typical grant size?
The Kai Family Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $2,750, and its average grant was $4,825, across 40 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from The Kai Family Foundation that year got $5K on average.
Where does The Kai Family Foundation give grants?
The Kai Family Foundation gives mostly in Arizona: 97% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Tucson, AZ (24 grants), Marana, AZ (3 grants) and Oro Valley, AZ (2 grants).
Does The Kai Family Foundation give general operating support?
Not in 2025: none of the 40 grants with a stated purpose on The Kai Family Foundation's 2025 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support.
Who are The Kai Family Foundation's largest grantees?
The Kai Family Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include Tucson Medical Center Health Foundation ($25,000), Tucson Chinese Cultural Center ($25,000) and University of Arizona College of Agriculture ($12,500), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It also paid 3 grants to individuals ($7,500), which are not listed by name. Together they received 32% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is The Kai Family Foundation?
The Kai Family Foundation reported $4.8M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $209K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $216K (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 does The Kai Family Foundation fund?
The available information does not state an overall foundation mission. Its grants include support for health and neuroscience, education, Chinese culture and heritage, food and clothing distribution, services for older adults, and community programs. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The Kai Family Foundation?
The foundation does not restrict giving to preselected organizations. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
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 2019–2025.
Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(7)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS May 15, 2025)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS May 13, 2026)
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS July 8, 2020)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS May 5, 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 25, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS August 2, 2024)
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). The Kai Family Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 6, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/the-kai-family-foundation-morg_c7d03180e0e64aaca4a8314578a864ee
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_860767197_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{The Kai Family Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/the-kai-family-foundation-morg_c7d03180e0e64aaca4a8314578a864ee},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-06. 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 Kai Family 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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