The Muriel Pollia Foundation
The Muriel Pollia Foundation is a private foundation based in Fillmore, California. It is dedicated to furthering activism, social justice, equity, education, and the arts.
The Muriel Pollia Foundation at a glance
In short: The Muriel Pollia Foundation gave $955K across 54 grants in 2025 (avg $18K), top state California. 31% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $954,500
- +13.2% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 54
- +3.8% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $17,676
- +9.0% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $5,000
- Total assets
- $11,695,515
- +2.0% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 31% first-time grantees (17 of 54, 2025)
- Primary geography
- California (32% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to The Muriel Pollia Foundation
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds.
- Contact
Mailing address: PO Box 1127, Fillmore, CA 93016-1127
Phone: (323) 656-7006
Website: https://murielpolliafoundation.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who The Muriel Pollia Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was People for the American Way ($175K). Together the top 10 received $648K.
Grant Size Distribution
212 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 187 grants of 212 (88%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2025, recipients in California received 32% of grant dollars, followed by recipients in Washington, DC (20%), New York (14%), Tennessee (10%), and Texas (10%).
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 54 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is The Muriel Pollia Foundation open to new grantees?
31%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 17 of 54 grantees (31%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $7K; repeat grants $23K. How we count
Medians: $3K first-time, $5K repeat.
- 65% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving grew 52% from 2022 to 2025. Method
- In 2025 it paid out 90% 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 (2021–2025). 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 2021 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $400K (2021) to $955K (2025). In 2025 it made 54 grants totaling $955K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| People for the American Way Washington, DC | General Fund Grant | $175,000 |
| Vanderbilt University Nashville, TN | Funding for Innovative and Creative Projects | $100,000 |
| Library Foundation Los Angeles, CA | General Fund Grant | $85,000 |
| New York Live Arts New York, NY | General Fund Grant | $60,000 |
| Humanitas Santa Monica, CA | General Fund Grant | $55,000 |
| Houston Food Bank Houston, TX | General Fund | $53,000 |
| Goodman Theatre Chicago, IL | General Fund Grant | $45,000 |
| The Rothko Chapel Houston, TX | General Fund Grand | $25,000 |
| For Freedoms San Francisco, CA | General Fund Grant | $25,000 |
| Intersection for the Arts San Francisco, CA | General Fund Grant | $25,000 |
Ready to take the next step with The Muriel Pollia 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 | $11,695,515 | $1,777,702 | $1,552,991 | $954,500 | 54 | $1,290,692 | $1,362,795 | $1,438,581 |
| 2024 | $11,460,801 | $1,617,719 | $1,356,624 | $843,500 | 52 | $1,173,810 | $1,436,486 | $1,310,622 |
| 2023 | $11,096,287 | $1,514,209 | $1,144,500 | $647,500 | 42 | $961,227 | $1,336,803 | $1,268,915 |
| 2022 | $10,695,854 | $1,645,923 | $1,067,760 | $626,700 | 36 | $916,839 | $1,583,887 | $831,162 |
| 2021 | $10,109,170 | $943,072 | $708,661 | $400,000 | 28 | — | $806,412 | $776,661 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Muriel Pollia Foundation reported a distributable amount of $1.4M 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 foundation states that it is dedicated to furthering activism, social justice, equity, education, and the arts. Its grants include general fund support and funding for innovative and creative projects.
Grantees describe a range of activities. People for the American Way says it mobilizes members and activists to advance public policies reflecting freedom, fairness, and equal opportunity. New York Live Arts says it supports dance and movement-based artists through producing, presenting, and education. Intersection for the Arts describes its work as consulting and presenting opportunities for artists, using creative expression for reflection, celebration, economic growth, and addressing community challenges. Other 2025 grantees include the New Georgia Project, which describes its mission as building power and civic participation among historically marginalized communities, and Daraja Education Fund, which advocates for accessible quality education.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2025, the foundation reported 54 grants totaling $954,500. Grants ranged from $500 to $175,000, with a median of $5,000.
Among the largest grants were $175,000 to People for the American Way, $100,000 to Vanderbilt University for innovative and creative projects, $85,000 to Library Foundation, and $60,000 to New York Live Arts. Other notable awards included $55,000 to Humanitas, $53,000 to Houston Food Bank, and $45,000 to Goodman Theatre.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Michael B. Keegan as chairman-president and Colleen M. Keegan as vice chair-vice president.
The Muriel Pollia Foundation is led by Michael B. Keegan, Chairman-President since 2022 (on filings since 2021); all 2 officers listed in 2025 are compensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Michael B. Keegan
Chairman-President
Chairman → Chairman-President, 2022
On filings since 2021
$30K (2021) → $120K (2025)
Colleen M. Keegan
Vice Chair-Vice President
Director → Vice Chair-Vice President, 2022
On filings since 2021
$8K (2021) → $120K (2025)
Former officers (1)
- Former: Atsuko Kikuchi (2021–2023) — Secretary
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2021–2025. "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 $120K, to Michael B Keegan (Chairman-President). 2 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Frequently asked questions about The Muriel Pollia Foundation
How much does The Muriel Pollia Foundation give each year?
The Muriel Pollia Foundation gave $955K across 54 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $844K across 52 grants.
What is The Muriel Pollia Foundation's typical grant size?
The Muriel Pollia Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $5,000, and its average grant was $17,676, across 54 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from The Muriel Pollia Foundation that year got $7K on average.
Where does The Muriel Pollia Foundation give grants?
The Muriel Pollia Foundation's top state is California, with 32% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. The next largest states were District of Columbia (20%) and New York (14%). The most frequent recipient cities were New York, NY (8 grants), Los Angeles, CA (7 grants), Houston, TX (5 grants) and Brooklyn, NY (5 grants).
Does The Muriel Pollia Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 96% of The Muriel Pollia Foundation's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (52 of 54) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are The Muriel Pollia Foundation's largest grantees?
The Muriel Pollia Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include People for the American Way ($175,000), Vanderbilt University ($100,000) and Library Foundation ($85,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 38% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is The Muriel Pollia Foundation?
The Muriel Pollia Foundation reported $11.7M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $1.3M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $1.4M (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 Muriel Pollia Foundation fund?
The foundation states that it is dedicated to furthering activism, social justice, equity, education, and the arts. Its grants include general fund support and funding for innovative and creative projects. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The Muriel Pollia 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 ↑
What is The Muriel Pollia Foundation's EIN?
The Muriel Pollia Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 95-4111302. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2021–2025.
Does The Muriel Pollia Foundation accept unsolicited proposals?
No, according to Grantable's research on the foundation's published guidelines. See how to apply ↑
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(1)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2021–2025
Live grants for the work The Muriel Pollia Foundation funds
Education Open opportunities, soonest deadline first.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in The Muriel Pollia Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). The Muriel Pollia Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 18, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/the-muriel-pollia-foundation-morg_18702d1486054fdda3148f89f6743a4d
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_954111302_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{The Muriel Pollia Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/the-muriel-pollia-foundation-morg_18702d1486054fdda3148f89f6743a4d},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-18. 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 Muriel Pollia 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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