The William Hall Tippett and Ruth
THE WILLIAM HALL TIPPETT AND RUTH is a private foundation based in Carlsbad, California. Its 2025 grants supported charitable organizations in California, including organizations focused on the arts, education, services for older adults, animal welfare, and support for unhoused people.
Key facts about The William Hall Tippett and Ruth
In short: The William Hall Tippett and Ruth gave $283K across 30 grants in 2025 (avg $9K), mostly in California. 48% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- EIN
- 33-0903811
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025
- Annual giving (2025)
- $283,000
- Grants made (2025)
- 30
- Average grant
- $9,433
- Median grant
- $5,000
- New grantees (estimate)
- 48% first-time grantees (13 of 27, 2025)
- Total assets
- $5,618,866
- Primary geography
- California (100% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to apply
- The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests for funds and states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations. Full details ↓
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated September 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology). Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Financial Overview
From 2025 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$5.6M
+8.7% YoY
Annual Giving
$283K
+23.0% YoY
Grant Count
30
+130.8% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$9K
-46.7% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The William Hall Tippett and Ruth reported a distributable amount of $262K for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Is The William Hall Tippett and Ruth open to new grantees?
48%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 13 of 27 grantees (48%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $10K; repeat grants $11K. How we count
Medians: $5K first-time, $10K repeat.
- 37% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2022 to 2025 (+7%). Method
- In 2025 it paid out 108% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2019–2025). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.
Mission & Focus Areas
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2025 grants show support for organizations working in several fields. For example, Opera Neo says its mission is to train and educate emerging opera singers while producing accessible performances. David’s Harp Foundation describes its work as empowering opportunity youth through music education and multimedia production; Monarch School Project supports a K–12 school for unhoused students in San Diego County; and Outside the Lens uses media arts to help young people pursue creative pathways and social change.
Other 2025 grantees describe work in areas including arts and recreation for people with special needs (Arms Wide Open Corporation), performing arts in North San Diego County (New Village Arts), and services for older adults living in poverty (Serving Seniors). The San Diego Humane Society received a grant to support its kitten program.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2025, the foundation made 30 grants totaling $283,000. Grants ranged from $2,500 to $35,000, with a median grant of $5,000. Notable awards included $35,000 to La Jolla Playhouse for its 2026 Performance Outreach Program tour, $30,000 to Opera Neo for general operating support, and $25,000 to the San Diego Humane Society as a matching grant for its kitten program. Other awards included $20,000 to Timken Museum of Art, $16,000 to David’s Harp Foundation, and $15,000 each to Challenge Center Therapy Center and Lucky Duck Foundation.
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
All grant dollars reported for 2025 went to recipients in California. The listed grants include organizations in San Diego, Carlsbad, La Jolla, and El Cajon.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of all 30 itemized 2025 grant dollars.
States
Cities
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 2025
Grant Size Distribution
84 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| LA JOLLA PLAYHOUSE La Jolla, CA | TO SUPPORT THE 2026 PERFORMANCE OUTREACH PROGRAM (POP) TOUR. | $35,000 |
| OPERA NEO San Diego, CA | TO SUPPORT GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT. | $30,000 |
| THE SAN DIEGO HUMANE SOCIETY San Diego, CA | A MATCHING GRANT TO SUPPORT THE KITTEN PROGRAM. | $25,000 |
| TIMKEN MUSEUM OF ART San Diego, CA | TO SUPPORT ARTSREACH, MEMORIES AT THE MUSEUM, AND ARTS4SCHOOLS YOUTH EDUCATION PROGRAM. | $20,000 |
| DAVID'S HARP FOUNDATION San Diego, CA | TO SUPPORT THE STUDENT STUDIO PROGRAM. | $16,000 |
| CHALLENGE CENTER THERAPY CENTER San Diego, CA | TO SUPPORT THE INCREASE OF HEALTH AND WELLNESS CLASSES FOR SENIORS. | $15,000 |
| LUCKY DUCK FOUNDATION San Diego, CA | TO SUPPORT SENIORS SAFE AT HOME. | $15,000 |
| ARMS WIDE OPEN El Cajon, CA | TO SUPPORT AWOS MUSICAL THEATRE OFFERINGS FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES. | $10,000 |
| LIBERTY SCHOOL NTC FOUNDATION San Diego, CA | TO SUPPORT GENERAL OPERATIONS OF LIBERTY SCHOOL. | $10,000 |
| MONARCH SCHOOL PROJECT San Diego, CA | TO SUPPORT K12 ARTS PROGRAMMING. | $10,000 |
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $5,618,866 | $502,466 | $331,039 | $283,000 |
| 2024 | $5,169,766 | $333,216 | $287,958 | $230,000 |
| 2023 | $4,900,428 | $248,564 | $300,588 | $241,000 |
| Metric | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $5,618,866 | $5,169,766 | $4,900,428 |
| Revenue | $502,466 | $333,216 | $248,564 |
| Expenses | $331,039 | $287,958 | $300,588 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $283,000 | $230,000 | $241,000 |
| Net Investment Income | $483,212 | $299,000 | $212,886 |
| Distributable Amount | $262,419 | $249,745 | $229,068 |
Data update history
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS July 1, 2020)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS April 8, 2021)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS November 15, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS August 28, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS March 11, 2024)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS May 8, 2025)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS May 7, 2026)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS April 8, 2021)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS November 15, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS August 28, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS March 11, 2024)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS May 8, 2025)
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Lexy Harshman as Chief Administrative Officer, Barbara Zobell as President, Karen Zobell as Vice President, and Jeff Dunigan as Secretary/CFO.
The William Hall Tippett and Ruth is led by Barbara Zobell, President on every filing since 2019; all 4 officers listed in 2025 are compensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Barbara Zobell
President
On filings since 2019
0.5 hrs/week
$500 (2019) → $500 (2025)
Jeff Dunigan
Secretary & CFO
On filings since 2019
0.5 hrs/week
$500 (2019) → $500 (2025)
Karen Zobell
Vice President
Trustee → Vice President, 2022
On filings since 2019
0.5 hrs/week
$500 (2019) → $500 (2025)
Lexy Harshman
Chief Administrative Officer
Chief Adm Officer → Chief Administrative Officer, 2023
On filings since 2021
2.5 hrs/week
$5K (2021) → $13K (2025)
Former officers (1)
- Former: Robbin Powell (2019–2021) — Chief Adm Officer
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2019–2025. "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
Contact
Mailing address: 2604-B El Camino Real 356, Carlsbad, CA 92008
Phone: (760) 805-4531
Frequently asked questions about The William Hall Tippett and Ruth
How much does The William Hall Tippett and Ruth give each year?
The William Hall Tippett and Ruth gave $283K across 30 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $230K across 13 grants.
What is The William Hall Tippett and Ruth's typical grant size?
The William Hall Tippett and Ruth's median grant in 2025 was $5,000, and its average grant was $9,433, across 30 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from The William Hall Tippett and Ruth that year got $10K on average.
Where does The William Hall Tippett and Ruth give grants?
The William Hall Tippett and Ruth gives mostly in California: 100% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were San Diego, CA (20 grants), La Jolla, CA (4 grants) and El Cajon, CA (2 grants).
Does The William Hall Tippett and Ruth give general operating support?
Yes: 13% of The William Hall Tippett and Ruth's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (4 of 30) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are The William Hall Tippett and Ruth's largest grantees?
The William Hall Tippett and Ruth's largest 2025 grantees include La Jolla Playhouse ($39,000 across 2 grants), Opera Neo ($30,000) and The San Diego Humane Society ($29,000 across 2 grants), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 35% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is The William Hall Tippett and Ruth?
The William Hall Tippett and Ruth reported $5.6M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $283K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $262K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does The William Hall Tippett and Ruth fund?
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2025 grants show support for organizations working in several fields. For example, Opera Neo says its mission is to train and educate emerging opera singers while producing accessible performances. David’s Harp Foundation describes its work as empowering opportunity youth through music education and multimedia production; Monarch School Project supports a K–12 school for unhoused students in San Diego County; and Outside the Lens uses med…
How do I apply for a grant from The William Hall Tippett and Ruth?
The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests for funds and states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is The William Hall Tippett and Ruth's EIN?
The William Hall Tippett and Ruth's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 33-0903811. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2025.
Does The William Hall Tippett and Ruth accept unsolicited proposals?
No, according to Grantable's research on the foundation's published guidelines. See how to apply ↑
Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
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