The Katie Mcgrath & Jj Abrams Family
The Katie McGrath & J.J. Abrams Family Foundation is a private family foundation established in 2012 in Encino, California. The foundation serves as the philanthropic vehicle for acclaimed filmmaker and television creator J.J. Abrams and his wife Katie McGrath. The foundation maintains a deliberately low public profile and does not accept unsolicited proposals or operate a website.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
—
Annual Giving
$5.3M
-16.4% YoY
Grant Count
76
+13.4% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$70K
-26.3% YoY
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation's grantmaking reflects progressive values and a commitment to social justice. Primary funding areas include:
- Education (particularly higher education and K-12 initiatives, with emphasis on women's colleges)
- Arts and culture (particularly film industry support)
- Racial justice and social justice
- Women and girls
- Health
- Philanthropy, voluntarism, and grantmaking
- Human services
Grantmaking
The foundation does not operate formal grant programs with fixed deadlines or application cycles. It does not accept unsolicited proposals. Grantmaking appears to prioritize ongoing support to a diverse group of preselected grantees, with a tendency to provide multi-year support.
Grant Range
$2,500 to $1,800,000
Average Grant
amount: $25,000
Review Cycle
or application cycles. It does not accept unsolicited proposals. Grantmaking appears to prioritize ongoing support to a diverse group of preselected grantees, with a tendency to provide multi-year support.
How to Apply
**
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation maintains national grantmaking with particular emphasis on:
- Southern California (especially the greater Los Angeles area)
- California
- New York
- Massachusetts
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
As of 2023-2024:
- Total assets: $5,475,153 to $5,603,741
- Total revenues (2023): $7,225,516 to $8,805,361
- Total expenses (2023): $6,815,392
- Number of employees: 1 (plus Executive Director)
Historical Contribution: In 2016, the couple contributed more than $16.8 million to the foundation, demonstrating sustained commitment to strategic philanthropy.
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | — | — | — |
| Revenue | — | — | — |
| Expenses | — | — | — |
| Qualifying Distributions | — | — | — |
| Net Investment Income | — | — | — |
| Distributable Amount | — | — | — |
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
250 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include Hopewell Fund ($1,000,000), Community Coalition ($555,545), Array Alliance ($500,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| ABORTION FREEDOM FUND MIDDLETOWN, MD | UNRESTRICTED SUPPORT | $10,000 |
| ACLU SOCAL LOS ANGELES, CA | UNRESTRICTED SUPPORT | $5,000 |
| ALLIANCE FOR CHILDRENS RIGHTS LOS ANGELES, CA | UNRESTRICTED SUPPORT | $10,000 |
| ARCHER SCHOOL FOR GIRLS LOS ANGELES, CA | UNRESTRICTED SUPPORT | $10,000 |
| ARRAY ALLIANCE LOS ANGELES, CA | UNRESTRICTED SUPPORT | $500,000 |
| BABY2BABY LOS ANGELES, CA | UNRESTRICTED SUPPORT | $10,000 |
| BARNARD COLLEGE NEW YORK, NY | 2024 ATHENA FILM FESTIVAL | $5,000 |
| BIG BROTHERS BIG SISTERS OF GREATER LOS ANGELES LOS ANGELES, CA | UNRESTRICTED SUPPORT | $50,000 |
| CAMDEN PUBLIC LIBRARY CAMDEN, ME | UNRESTRICTED SUPPORT | $5,000 |
| CENTER FOR NON-VIOLENT EDUCATION & PARENTING DBA ECHO TRAINING LOS ANGELES, CA | UNRESTRICTED SUPPORT | $5,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
- Kathleen McGrath — President/Director
- Jeffrey J. Abrams — Secretary/Treasurer/Director
- Anne Watkins — Executive Director
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| KATHLEEN MCGRATH | PRESIDENT/DIRECTOR | 0.5 | — |
| JEFFREY J ABRAMS | SECRETARY/TREASURER/DIRECT | 0.5 | — |
Recent News & Activity
Recent developments and announcements
The foundation, along with Bad Robot Productions, made a significant 5-year pledge of $10 million to organizations advancing anti-racist agendas, reflecting the founders' commitment to racial justice and social equity initiatives.
Bad Robot, Katie McGrath & J.J. Abrams Family Foundation Makes 5-Year PledgeSubject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Frequently Asked Questions
What does The Katie Mcgrath & Jj Abrams Family fund?
The foundation's grantmaking reflects progressive values and a commitment to social justice. Primary funding areas include: • Education (particularly higher education and K-12 initiatives, with emphasis on women's colleges) • Arts and culture (particularly film industry support) • Racial justice and social justice • Women and girls • Health • Philanthropy, voluntarism, and grantmaking • Human services
How do I apply for a grant from The Katie Mcgrath & Jj Abrams Family?
**Grant Activity:** • Annual giving ranges from approximately $5.3 million to $8 million • Total giving in 2024: $5,311,995 across 76 awards • Total giving in 2023: $6,815,392 across 77 grants • Grant range: $2,500 to $1,800,000 • Median grant amount: $10,000 • Average grant amount: $25,000 **Application Process:** The foundation does not operate formal grant programs with fixed deadlines or application cycles. It does not accept unsolicited proposals. Grantmaking appears to prioritize ongoing …
Where does The Katie Mcgrath & Jj Abrams Family make grants?
The foundation maintains national grantmaking with particular emphasis on: • Southern California (especially the greater Los Angeles area) • California • New York • Massachusetts
What size grants does The Katie Mcgrath & Jj Abrams Family award?
In 2024, The Katie Mcgrath & Jj Abrams Family awarded 76 grants totaling $5.3M — an average of about $70K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
What is The Katie Mcgrath & Jj Abrams Family's EIN?
The Katie Mcgrath & Jj Abrams Family's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 45-3682112. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Explore Open Grants
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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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