The Lester Family Foundation
The Lester Family Foundation is a private foundation based in La Jolla, California. It supports charitable organizations selected in advance and, according to its filing, does not accept unsolicited requests for funds.
Key facts about The Lester Family Foundation
In short: The Lester Family Foundation gave $105K across 2 grants in 2025 (avg $53K), mostly in California. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- EIN
- 94-3205279
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025
- Annual giving (2025)
- $105,000
- Grants made (2025)
- 2
- Average grant
- $52,500
- Median grant
- $52,500
- Total assets
- $659,036
- Primary geography
- California (95% 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 ↓
- Deadline
- None stated.
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated September 2026. 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
$659K
-0.8% YoY
Annual Giving
$105K
+320.0% YoY
Grant Count
2
+100.0% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$53K
+110.0% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Lester Family Foundation reported a distributable amount of $37K for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
How The Lester Family Foundation gives
- Giving fell 91% from 2022 to 2025. Method
- In 2025 it paid out 292% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
From the foundation's IRS Form 990-PF filings. Methodology.
Mission & Focus Areas
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2024 grant went to the American Heart Association, which describes its mission as “to be a relentless force for a world of longer, healthier lives.”
Grantmaking
In 2024, the foundation reported one grant totaling $25,000. The sole award was $25,000 to the American Heart Association in Dallas, Texas, for general purposes; thus, the smallest, largest, and median grant that year were each $25,000.
Review Cycle
** None stated.
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
All grant dollars reported for 2024 went to a recipient in Texas.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of all 2 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 2 recipients in 2025
Grant Size Distribution
23 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| SACRED HEART SCHOOL Los Angeles, CA | GENERAL PURPOSE | $100,000 |
| LENITY PROJECT INC Great Falls, VA | GENERAL PURPOSE | $5,000 |
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grant total | Grant count |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $664,335 | $65,895 | $28,362 | $25,000 | 1 |
| 2023 | $626,802 | $15,143 | $246,730 | $235,640 | 9 |
| 2022 | $858,389 | $37,985 | $1,220,134 | $1,200,000 | 3 |
| Metric | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $659,036 | $664,335 | $626,802 |
| Revenue | $112,266 | $65,895 | $15,143 |
| Expenses | $117,565 | $28,362 | $246,730 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $109,375 | $25,000 | $239,215 |
| Net Investment Income | $104,101 | $62,558 | $7,628 |
| Distributable Amount | $37,445 | $38,473 | $38,318 |
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 June 19, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Mary Lester Co Kirk Lester as president and Kirk Lester as treasurer.
The Lester Family Foundation is led by Mary Lester Co Kirk Lester, President on every filing since 2020; none of the 2 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Mary Lester Co Kirk Lester
President
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Kirk Lester
Treasurer
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.
Contact
Application contact: Kirk Lester
Mailing address: PO Box 2089, La Jolla, CA 92038
Phone: (310) 277-3373
Frequently asked questions about The Lester Family Foundation
How much does The Lester Family Foundation give each year?
The Lester Family Foundation gave $105K across 2 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $25K across 1 grant.
How large is The Lester Family Foundation?
The Lester Family Foundation reported $659K in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $109K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $37K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does The Lester Family Foundation fund?
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2024 grant went to the American Heart Association, which describes its mission as “to be a relentless force for a world of longer, healthier lives.”
How do I apply for a grant from The Lester Family Foundation?
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 ↑
Where does The Lester Family Foundation make grants?
All grant dollars reported for 2024 went to a recipient in Texas.
What is The Lester Family Foundation's EIN?
The Lester Family Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 94-3205279. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.
Does The Lester Family Foundation 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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