The Michelson 20mm Foundation Inc
Michelson 20MM Foundation is a private, nonprofit operating foundation headquartered in Culver City, California. The organization was founded in 2010 by Dr. Gary K. Michelson and Alya Michelson and received tax-exempt status in September 2012. The foundation is part of the broader Michelson Philanthropies network and focuses on expanding educational and employment opportunities for underserved and historically underrepresented communities.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$4.4M
-9.3% YoY
Annual Giving
$1.3M
+52.9% YoY
Grant Count
55
+22.2% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$23K
+25.1% YoY
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation's mission is to work toward equity for underserved and historically underrepresented communities by expanding access to educational and employment opportunities, increasing affordability of educational programs, and ensuring the necessary supports are in place for individuals to thrive.
The foundation operates across five primary focus areas:
Digital Equity — Improving access to devices, broadband connectivity, and digital literacy resources throughout California.
Intellectual Property — Spearheading a movement to spread IP awareness and ensure equitable knowledge of IP rights across U.S. institutions of higher learning.
Open Educational Resources (OER) — Removing the financial barrier of textbooks and other instructional materials for college students, including support for implementation of California's $115 million Zero-Textbook-Cost investment.
Smart Justice — Leveraging higher education as a catalytic force for transforming the lives of individuals involved with the justice system.
Student Basic Needs — Eliminating basic needs challenges (food, housing, financial insecurity) as a barrier to student success.
Grantmaking
The foundation offers grant programs including the Michelson Spark Grants, which are available across multiple focus areas: Digital Equity, Open Educational Resources, Student Basic Needs, and Smart Justice.
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation's work is primarily concentrated in California, with particular emphasis on digital equity initiatives throughout the state. The foundation also supports initiatives at U.S. institutions of higher learning, particularly regarding intellectual property education.
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
2023 Financial Summary:
- Total Revenue: $3,467,142
- Total Expenses: $3,855,726
- Total Assets: $4,879,691
- Total Liabilities: $645,000
Staffing: The foundation employs 11 staff members as of 2023.
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $4,424,534 | $4,879,691 | $4,374,656 |
| Revenue | $4,477,890 | $3,467,142 | $3,228,591 |
| Expenses | $4,884,094 | $3,855,726 | $2,496,495 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $4,726,344 | $2,543,331 | $2,618,024 |
| Net Investment Income | $12,755 | $50,210 | $405,732 |
| 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
220 grants across all recorded years
Open Grants
4 open opportunities from The Michelson 20mm Foundation Inc
Michelson Spark Grants - Open Educational Resources (OER)
THE MICHELSON 20MM FOUNDATION INC
Amount
Up to US $25,000
Deadline
Rolling / Open
Michelson Spark Grants: Digital Equity Focus Area
THE MICHELSON 20MM FOUNDATION INC
Amount
Up to US $25,000
Deadline
Rolling / Open
Michelson Spark Grants: Student Basic Needs Funding Cycle
THE MICHELSON 20MM FOUNDATION INC
Amount
Up to US $25,000
Deadline
Rolling / Open
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include California State University Foundation ($125,000), Generation Hope ($100,000), California Community Foundation ($90,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Campaign for College Opportunity Los Angeles, CA | Education Access & Affordability | $15,000 |
| the College of the Canyons Foundation Santa Clarita, CA | Education Access & Affordability | $1,500 |
| Foundation for California Community Colleges Sacramento, CA | Resources for People Impacted by Mass IncarceratioN | $5,000 |
| The Mirman School for Gifted Children Los Angeles, CA | Resources for People Impacted by Mass IncarceratioN | $25,000 |
| Pukuu Cultural Community Services San Fernando, CA | Digital Services Access & Affordability | $4,000 |
| Southern California Grantmakers Los Angeles, CA | Education Access & Affordability | $5,000 |
| California Community Foundation Los Angeles, CA | Education Access & Affordability | $90,000 |
| City Heights Community Development Corporation San Diego, CA | Intellectual Property Education/Support | $25,000 |
| Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights Los Angeles, CA | Education Access & Affordability | $25,000 |
| Destination Crenshaw Los Angeles, CA | Education Access & Affordability | $25,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
Phillip Kim — Chief Executive Officer
Alya Michelson — Co-chair and funder
Dr. Gary K. Michelson — Co-chair and founder
Mayra Lombera — Chief Operating Officer
Miguel Leon — Managing Director
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gary K Michelson M D | Director, President, & Chair | 1 | — |
| PHIL KIM | CEO | 20 | $128,574 |
| DAVID COHEN | Secretary & Treasurer | — | — |
| Alya Michelson | CO-CHAIR | — | — |
| Brett Yates | CFO | — | — |
| Mayra Lombera | COO | 40 | $180,034 |
Recent News & Activity
Recent developments and announcements
The foundation announced 2025 Student Basic Needs Spark Grantees, indicating ongoing active grantmaking in this focus area. The foundation continues to support implementation of California's Zero-Textbook-Cost investment through its Open Educational Resources programming and has convened Smart Justice champions as part of its initiative work in that focus area.
Announcing the 2025 Student Basic Needs Spark Grantees - Michelson 20MMSubject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Frequently Asked Questions
What does The Michelson 20mm Foundation Inc fund?
The foundation's mission is to work toward equity for underserved and historically underrepresented communities by expanding access to educational and employment opportunities, increasing affordability of educational programs, and ensuring the necessary supports are in place for individuals to thrive. The foundation operates across five primary focus areas: **Digital Equity** — Improving access to devices, broadband connectivity, and digital literacy resources throughout California. **Intellect…
How do I apply for a grant from The Michelson 20mm Foundation Inc?
The foundation offers grant programs including the Michelson Spark Grants, which are available across multiple focus areas: Digital Equity, Open Educational Resources, Student Basic Needs, and Smart Justice. Recent grant activity includes awards to organizations such as NextGen Policy ($50,000 for Digital Services Access & Affordability in 2023). The foundation has also facilitated collaborative initiatives, including a Digital Equity Pooled Fund through which Southern California funders pooled…
Where does The Michelson 20mm Foundation Inc make grants?
The foundation's work is primarily concentrated in California, with particular emphasis on digital equity initiatives throughout the state. The foundation also supports initiatives at U.S. institutions of higher learning, particularly regarding intellectual property education.
What size grants does The Michelson 20mm Foundation Inc award?
In 2024, The Michelson 20mm Foundation Inc awarded 55 grants totaling $1.3M — an average of about $23K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
What is The Michelson 20mm Foundation Inc's EIN?
The Michelson 20mm Foundation Inc's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 27-2898736. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in The Michelson 20mm Foundation Inc'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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