The John and Mary Tu Foundation is a private grantmaking foundation based in Fountain Valley, California. Established in 2010, it operates as a 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to philanthropic giving across multiple focus areas and geographic regions.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$10.1M
-64.9% YoY
Annual Giving
$19.7M
+396.0% YoY
Grant Count
11
+22.2% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$1.8M
+305.8% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Tu Foundation reported a distributable amount of $1.0M for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation does not maintain a publicly available website and has not published a formal mission statement. However, based on its grantmaking activity, the foundation supports initiatives in the following areas:
- Education and educational research
- Performing arts
- Youth sports
- Wildlife conservation
- Support for the homeless
- Arts and culture
- Public media
Grantmaking
The foundation is open to new applicants. Specific application procedures or deadlines are not publicly documented.
Grant Range
approximately $357,100
Average Grant
approximately $357,100
Review Cycle
are not publicly documented.
How to Apply
**
Ready to take the next step with The Tu Foundation?
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation supports initiatives across multiple states, including:
- California
- Connecticut
- Iowa
- Oregon
- Texas
- Virginia
Grant Distribution by State
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
As of 2023:
- Total Assets: $28.9 million
- Total Revenue: $3.07 million
- Total Expenses: $1.9 million
- Total Liabilities: $5.41 million
- Expense Ratio: 61.8% of total revenue spent on programs
Tax Status:
- EIN: 27-1598417
- Tax-exempt since June 2010
- Required to file Form 990-PF annually
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $10,124,995 | $28,873,171 | $25,177,943 |
| Revenue | $929,031 | $3,065,092 | $1,651,712 |
| Expenses | $3,395,950 | $1,895,593 | $10,652,057 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $6,476,611 | $3,979,281 | $4,667,891 |
| Net Investment Income | $2,106,627 | $3,055,858 | $1,636,553 |
| Distributable Amount | $1,025,168 | $1,225,913 | $1,373,777 |
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
54 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include American Endowment Foundation Fbo Mt Onward Charitable Fund ($13,224,815), Global Gifted Foundation ($4,683,062), Uc-irvine Foundation ($800,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| FREEDOM WRITERS FOUNDATION LONG BEACH, CA | SUPPORT FOR EDUCATION | $3,000 |
| GLOBAL GIFTED FOUNDATION HUNTINGTON BEACH, CA | SUPPORT FOR EDUCATION AND RESEARCH | $4,683,062 |
| INTERNATIONAL BIRD RESCUE SAN PEDRO, CA | SUPPORT FOR WILDLIFE CONSERVATION | $20,000 |
| SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA PUBLIC RADIO PASADENA, CA | SUPPORT FOR PUBLIC MEDIA | $250,000 |
| UC-IRVINE FOUNDATION IRVINE, CA | SUPPORT FOR EDUCATION AND RESEARCH | $800,000 |
| WESTERN IOWA JOURNALISM FOUNDATION BREDA, IA | SUPPORT FOR THE ARTS - PUBLIC NEWS | $100,000 |
| OPERATION MOBILIZATION TYRONE, GA | SUPPORT FOR RELIGION | $119,062 |
| PACIFIC SYMPHONY IRVINE, CA | SUPPORT FOR THE ARTS - MUSIC | $350,000 |
| SAN MUSAE CULTURAL CENTER CITY OF INDUSTRY, CA | SUPPORT FOR THE ARTS - MUSIC | $30,000 |
| BRIGHTER UKRAINE FOUNDATION MANHATTAN BEACH, CA | SUPPORT FOR THE HUMANITARIAN AID | $100,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
- John Tu – Chairman (serves without compensation)
- Mary Tu – Director (serves without compensation)
- Albert Kong – Director (serves without compensation)
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| JOHN TU | CHAIRMAN | 1 | — |
| JONATHAN TU | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| ALBERT KONG | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
Contact Information
Address: 17600 Newhope Street Fountain Valley, CA 92708-4220
Phone: 714-435-2640
Subject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Frequently Asked Questions
What does The Tu Foundation fund?
The foundation does not maintain a publicly available website and has not published a formal mission statement. However, based on its grantmaking activity, the foundation supports initiatives in the following areas: • Education and educational research • Performing arts • Youth sports • Wildlife conservation • Support for the homeless • Arts and culture • Public media
How do I apply for a grant from The Tu Foundation?
**Grant Activity & Amounts:** • Total annual giving ranges from approximately $1.9 million to $4.6 million in recent years • Average grant size: approximately $357,100 • Median grant size: $100,000 • The foundation made 19 grants in 2023 and 9 grants in 2024 **Recent Notable Grants (2023):** • Global Gifted Foundation: $2,000,000 (Support for Education and Research) • Charles W Bowers Museum Corporation: $1,000,000 (Support for Arts) • Southern California Public Radio: $350,000 (Support for Pub…
Where does The Tu Foundation make grants?
The foundation supports initiatives across multiple states, including: • California • Connecticut • Iowa • Oregon • Texas • Virginia
What size grants does The Tu Foundation award?
In 2024, The Tu Foundation awarded 11 grants totaling $19.7M — an average of about $1.8M per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is The Tu Foundation required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, The Tu Foundation reported a distributable amount of $1.0M on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is The Tu Foundation's EIN?
The Tu Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 27-1598417. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in The Tu 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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