The Neilan Foundation
The Neilan Foundation is a private foundation based in Pasadena, California. In 2025, it gave $1,230,184 through 10 grants to charitable organizations, including organizations working in health care, food security, research, youth services, and the arts.
The Neilan Foundation at a glance
In short: The Neilan Foundation gave $1.2M across 10 grants in 2025 (avg $123K), mostly in California. 0% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $1,230,184
- +33.7% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 10
- -16.7% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $123,018
- +60.5% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $37,500
- Total assets
- $3,097,206
- -0.6% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 0% first-time grantees (0 of 10, 2025; small sample)
- Primary geography
- California (94% 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 Neilan 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: 531 South Marengo Avenue, Pasadena, CA 91101
Phone: (323) 501-6706
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who The Neilan Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Huntington Health ($486K). Together the top 10 received $1.2M.
Grant Size Distribution
83 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 61 grants of 83 (73%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2025, 94% of grant dollars went to recipients in California. Florida, Virginia, and New York each received 2%.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 10 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is The Neilan Foundation open to new grantees?
0%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 0 of 10 grantees (0%) were first-time recipients. With only 10 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 10 points. How we count
- 100% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving grew 103% from 2022 to 2025. Method
- In 2025 it paid out 106% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2020–2025). 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 2020 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $519K (2020) to $1.2M (2025). In 2025 it made 10 grants totaling $1.2M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Huntington Health Los Angeles, CA | To supportprograms athuntingtonhospital servingthe health careneeds of ourlocal community. | $486,000 |
| Pasadena Senior Center Pasadena, CA | To address the food security needs of the pasadena senior population. | $209,184 |
| USC Norris Comprehensive Cancer Cen Los Angeles, CA | To fund a research assistant for operation of the hyperion xti systemand support an immunology research study. | $200,000 |
| The Huntington Library Art Museum Pasadena, CA | To support conservation of rare plants, care for the orchid collection,and exhibition of the stories from the library exhibition. | $185,000 |
| California Institute of Technology Pasadena, CA | To Supportresearch Intothe Causes Ofneurologicaldisease. | $50,000 |
| Emergency Assistance Foundation Inc West Palm Beach, FL | To Support Thereliance Steel &Aluminum Coemployee Relieffund. | $25,000 |
| Quilts for Kids Nepal Rockbridge Baths, VA | To Support Thequilts for Kidsprogram. | $25,000 |
| Boys Republic Chino Hills, CA | To support programs providing services to address the needs of young people. | $20,000 |
| Tunnels to Towers Staten Island, NY | To Support Homeless Veterans' Program. | $20,000 |
| Classical Kusc Los Angeles, CA | To supportclassical kusc'smission to makea positiveimpact onindividuals andcommunities bychampioning thepower ofclassical music. | $10,000 |
Ready to take the next step with The Neilan 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 | $3,097,206 | $1,259,047 | $1,277,414 | $1,230,184 | 10 | $1,230,184 | $1,237,817 | $1,161,756 |
| 2024 | $3,115,573 | $676,888 | $950,944 | $920,000 | 12 | $920,000 | $667,944 | $1,230,140 |
| 2023 | $3,388,837 | $377,481 | $1,057,580 | $992,836 | 12 | $992,836 | $340,737 | $1,100,953 |
| 2022 | $4,068,936 | $1,197,840 | $638,340 | $605,000 | 20 | $605,000 | $1,164,500 | $865,179 |
| 2021 | $3,466,485 | $492,128 | $724,438 | $647,797 | 29 | $647,797 | $415,921 | $737,004 |
| 2020 | $3,660,395 | $412,735 | $531,937 | $518,824 | 18 | — | $400,056 | $627,337 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Neilan Foundation reported a distributable amount of $1.2M 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
No mission statement is provided. The 2025 grants show support for varied activities, including local hospital programs, food security for Pasadena seniors, cancer and neurological disease research, conservation and exhibitions, youth services, and classical music.
Among its 2025 grantees, Pasadena Senior Center says it aims to support older adults’ health, reduce social isolation, and help them live independently. Boys Republic describes its work as providing residential and non-residential services to disadvantaged and at-risk young people in California. Emergency Assistance Foundation says it provides financial assistance after disasters and personal hardships, including through employee relief funds.
Grantmaking
In 2025, the foundation made 10 grants totaling $1,230,184. Grants ranged from $10,000 to $486,000, with a median of $37,500. Major grants included $486,000 to Huntington Health for programs serving the local community’s health care needs; $209,184 to Pasadena Senior Center for food security for Pasadena seniors; $200,000 to USC Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center for research support; and $185,000 to The Huntington Library Art Museum for plant conservation, orchid collection care, and an exhibition.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Michael Whalen as President, and Gail Gimbel and Thomas Gimbel as Directors.
The Neilan Foundation is led by Michael Whalen, President on every filing since 2020; 1 of 3 officers listed in 2025 is compensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Michael Whalen
President
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
$20K (2021) → $26K (2025)
Thomas Gimbel
Director
On filings since 2020
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Gail Gimbel
Director
On filings since 2022
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (1)
- Former: Barbara Cox-Winter (2020–2021) — Treasurer
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.
Compensation Overview
From 2025 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2025 filing was $26K, to Michael Whalen (President).
Frequently asked questions about The Neilan Foundation
How much does The Neilan Foundation give each year?
The Neilan Foundation gave $1.2M across 10 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $920K across 12 grants.
What is The Neilan Foundation's typical grant size?
The Neilan Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $37,500, and its average grant was $123,018, across 10 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
Where does The Neilan Foundation give grants?
The Neilan Foundation gives mostly in California: 94% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Los Angeles, CA (3 grants) and Pasadena, CA (3 grants).
Does The Neilan Foundation give general operating support?
Not in 2025: none of the 10 grants with a stated purpose on The Neilan Foundation's 2025 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support.
Who are The Neilan Foundation's largest grantees?
The Neilan Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include Huntington Health ($486,000), Pasadena Senior Center ($209,184) and USC Norris Comprehensive Cancer Cen ($200,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 73% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is The Neilan Foundation?
The Neilan Foundation reported $3.1M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $1.2M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $1.2M (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does The Neilan Foundation fund?
No mission statement is provided. The 2025 grants show support for varied activities, including local hospital programs, food security for Pasadena seniors, cancer and neurological disease research, conservation and exhibitions, youth services, and classical music. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The Neilan 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 Neilan Foundation's EIN?
The Neilan Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 20-5481398. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.
Does The Neilan 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
(6)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS May 11, 2021)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS May 13, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS September 24, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS May 16, 2024)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS June 4, 2025)
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS May 7, 2026)
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in The Neilan Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). The Neilan Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/the-neilan-foundation-morg_c7954dcdb6164bf298dddb13721abeb1
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_205481398_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{The Neilan Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/the-neilan-foundation-morg_c7954dcdb6164bf298dddb13721abeb1},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-12. 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 Neilan 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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