The Riordan Foundation
The Riordan Foundation is a 501(c)(3) family foundation established in 1981 and based in the Los Angeles area, with offices in Pasadena and South Pasadena, California. The foundation operates as a public charity focused on educational access and community support.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$23.4M
-2.5% YoY
Annual Giving
$1.6M
+383.4% YoY
Grant Count
7
+40.0% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$233K
+245.3% YoY
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation's mission is to provide all students, especially those in low-income communities, with access to a high-quality education that will prepare them to compete successfully in the 21st century. More broadly, the foundation aims to provide individuals with access to resources that will prepare them to function successfully in society.
Primary funding areas include:
- Education and student services
- Support for students in low-income communities
- Nursing care and nursing education programs
- Philanthropy and grantmaking
The foundation also operates under the name "RX for Reading."
Grantmaking
Recent grants documented include:
Grant Range
s and Patterns:**
Average Grant
amount: Not specified in available data
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation's grantmaking focuses primarily on Los Angeles County and California, with particular emphasis on the greater Los Angeles area.
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
Assets:
- 2024: $23,368,586 to $23,590,918
- 2023: $23,960,411
Annual Revenue and Expenses:
- 2024 Revenue: $1,807,809
- 2024 Expenses: $1,899,028
- 2024 Net Income: -$91,219
- 2023 Total Revenues: $7,751,669
- 2023 Total Expenses: $486,894
Revenue Composition (2024):
- Contributions: $1,306,584
- Program Service Revenue: Included in total
Liabilities:
- 2024: $778,000
Annual Giving:
- Total annual giving reported: $2,508,886
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $23,368,586 | $23,960,411 | $14,464,398 |
| Revenue | $1,807,809 | $7,751,669 | $2,136,955 |
| Expenses | $1,899,028 | $486,894 | $1,259,518 |
| Qualifying Distributions | — | — | — |
| Net Investment Income | $501,225 | $351,137 | $2,036,955 |
| 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 7 recipients in 2024
Grant Size Distribution
52 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include Saint John's Health Center Foundation ($1,316,000), Covenant House California ($150,000), Alliance College Ready Public Schools Foundation ($55,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| SAINT JOHN'S HEALTH CENTER FOUNDATION LOS ANGELES, CA | EDISON HISTROTRIPSY SYSTEM AND GALA SUPPORT | $1,316,000 |
| COVENANT HOUSE CALIFORNIA LOS ANGELES, CA | EDUCATIONAL AND SUPPORTIVE SERVICES PROGRAMMING | $150,000 |
| ALLIANCE COLLEGE READY PUBLIC SCHOOLS FOUNDATION LOS ANGELES, CA | HEROES AMONG US AND ALLIANCE MORGAN MCKINZIE HIGH SSCHOOL | $55,000 |
| MOUNT SAINT MARY'S UNIVERSITY LOS ANGELES, CA | BSN SUMMER IMMERSION PROGRAM | $36,283 |
| LA'S BEST LOS ANGELES, CA | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT AND SPORTS PROGRAMMING | $35,000 |
| GEFFEN PLAYHOUSE LOS ANGELES, CA | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT | $30,000 |
| SISTERS OF SAINT JOSEPH OF CARONDELET LOS ANGELES, CA | RELOCATION COSTS FOR THE SAINT JOSEPH'S WORKER PROGRAM | $10,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
Mary Odell is listed as a principal officer of the foundation.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| ELIZABETH G RIORDAN | PRESIDENT | 1 | — |
| MARY ODELL | CHAIR | 5 | — |
| CARL W MCKINZIE ESQ | SECRETARY & CFO | 5 | — |
Recent News & Activity
Recent developments and announcements
The foundation has made significant grants to educational institutions in recent years, including:
A $2 million grant to Mount Saint Mary's University to support nursing education
Grants and Awards - LMU Newsroom - Loyola Marymount UniversityA $3 million gift to UCLA Anderson for namesake outreach programs
UCLA Anderson receives $3 million from Riordan Foundation for namesake outreachGrants to Loyola Marymount University
Grants and Awards - LMU Newsroom - Loyola Marymount UniversityFrequently Asked Questions
What does The Riordan Foundation fund?
The foundation's mission is to provide all students, especially those in low-income communities, with access to a high-quality education that will prepare them to compete successfully in the 21st century. More broadly, the foundation aims to provide individuals with access to resources that will prepare them to function successfully in society. Primary funding areas include: • Education and student services • Support for students in low-income communities • Nursing care and nursing education pr…
How do I apply for a grant from The Riordan Foundation?
**Grant Sizes and Patterns:** • Typical grant awards range from $6,191 to $1,316,000 • Average grant amount: Not specified in available data • Median grant amount: Not specified in available data **Recent Grant Activity:** Recent grants documented include: • Mount Saint Mary's University: $262,680 for BSN Summer Immersion Program (2023) • The SCGA Foundation: $30,000 for restoration of the Maggie Hathway Golf Course and Fore Youth Golf Foundation (2023) • Puente Learning Center: $25,000 unrestr…
Where does The Riordan Foundation make grants?
The foundation's grantmaking focuses primarily on Los Angeles County and California, with particular emphasis on the greater Los Angeles area.
What size grants does The Riordan Foundation award?
In 2024, The Riordan Foundation awarded 7 grants totaling $1.6M — an average of about $233K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
What is The Riordan Foundation's EIN?
The Riordan Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 95-4240189. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in The Riordan Foundation'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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