The Zemeckis Charitable Foundation
The Zemeckis Charitable Foundation is a private foundation based in Encino, California. It reported 24 grants totaling $55,840 in 2024, supporting charitable organizations including a school, youth programs, arts organizations, and organizations working on ocean health, health research, and other causes.
The Zemeckis Charitable Foundation at a glance
In short: The Zemeckis Charitable Foundation gave $56K across 24 grants in 2024 (avg $2K), top state District of Columbia. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $55,840
- -22.3% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 24
- -7.7% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $2,327
- -15.8% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $1,000
- Total assets
- $175,562
- +33.5% vs 2023
- Primary geography
- District of Columbia (45% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated October 2026.
How to apply to The Zemeckis Charitable Foundation
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds.
- Contact
Mailing address: 15821 Ventura Blvd Ste 270, Encino, CA 91436
Phone: (818) 783-9200
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who The Zemeckis Charitable Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Oceana ($25K). Together the top 10 received $48K.
Grant Size Distribution
53 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 50 grants of 53 (94%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2024, grant dollars were reported across recipient states as follows: DC, 45%; California, 34%; North Carolina, 9%; Maryland, 6%; and New York, 3%.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 24 itemized grants.
States
Cities
How The Zemeckis Charitable Foundation gives
- 75% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2021 to 2024 (−13%). Method
- In 2024 it paid out well above its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2024). 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 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $56K (2024) to $108K (2020). In 2024 it made 24 grants totaling $56K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Oceana Washington, DC | 501(C)(3) | $25,000 |
| Laguna Blanca School Santa Barbara, CA | 501(C)(3) | $5,000 |
| Beloved Asheville Ashville, NC | 501(C)(3) | $5,000 |
| USC Shoah Foundation Los Angeles, CA | 501(C)(3) | $3,000 |
| Aha Attitude Harmony Achievement Santa Barbara, CA | 501(C)(3) | $2,500 |
| International Dyslexia Association Riverside, CA | 501(C)(3) | $2,500 |
| Breakthrough T1D (Formerly JDRF) Hagerstown, MD | 501(C)(3) | $2,000 |
| American Jewish Committee New York, NY | 501(C)(3) | $1,000 |
| Dream Foundation Santa Barbara, CA | 501(C)(3) | $1,000 |
| Michael Patterson Foundation Towson, MD | 501(C)(3) | $1,000 |
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Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Qualifying Distributions | Net Investment Income | Distributable Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $175,562 | $100,005 | $55,935 | $55,840 | 24 | $55,840 | — | $4,190 |
| 2023 | $131,493 | $100,006 | $71,884 | $71,834 | 26 | $71,834 | — | $6,179 |
| 2022 | $103,371 | $50,005 | $87,928 | $87,833 | 1 | $87,833 | — | $4,470 |
| 2021 | $141,294 | $100,006 | $64,333 | $64,308 | 1 | $64,308 | — | $5,929 |
| 2020 | $104,521 | $80,057 | $107,830 | $107,800 | 1 | — | $37 | $6,649 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Zemeckis Charitable Foundation reported a distributable amount of $4K for 2024 — 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 for the foundation is provided. Its 2024 grantees include Laguna Blanca School, whose stated purpose is to operate and provide education through a college-preparatory school; AHA Attitude Harmony Achievement, which says it empowers youth, schools, and families through courage and connection; and State Street Ballet, which says it educates and inspires audiences through classes and performances.
Other examples include Heal the Ocean, which says it works to reduce ocean pollution and improve ocean health and coastal resilience, and the Sarcoma Foundation of America, which says it advocates for sarcoma patients through research funding, awareness, education, and advocacy.
Grantmaking
In 2024, the foundation reported 24 grants totaling $55,840. Grant amounts ranged from $300 to $25,000, with a median of $1,000.
The largest reported grant was $25,000 to Oceana. Other notable grants included $5,000 each to Laguna Blanca School and Beloved Asheville; $3,000 to USC Shoah Foundation; $2,500 each to AHA Attitude Harmony Achievement and International Dyslexia Association; and $2,000 to Breakthrough T1D (formerly JDRF).
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Robert Zemeckis as president, Leslie Zemeckis as director, and Cary MacMiller as secretary.
The Zemeckis Charitable Foundation is led by Robert Zemeckis, President on every filing since 2020; none of the 3 officers listed in 2024 report compensation.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Robert Zemeckis
President
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
Leslie Zemeckis
Director
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
Cary Macmiller
Secretary
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2024. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Frequently asked questions about The Zemeckis Charitable Foundation
How much does The Zemeckis Charitable Foundation give each year?
The Zemeckis Charitable Foundation gave $56K across 24 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $72K across 26 grants.
What is The Zemeckis Charitable Foundation's typical grant size?
The Zemeckis Charitable Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $1,000, and its average grant was $2,327, across 24 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
Where does The Zemeckis Charitable Foundation give grants?
The Zemeckis Charitable Foundation's top state is District of Columbia, with 45% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. The next largest states were California (34%) and North Carolina (9%). The most frequent recipient cities were Santa Barbara, CA (6 grants) and New York, NY (2 grants).
Does The Zemeckis Charitable Foundation give general operating support?
Not in 2024: none of the 24 grants with a stated purpose on The Zemeckis Charitable Foundation's 2024 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "501(C)(3)" (24 grants).
Who are The Zemeckis Charitable Foundation's largest grantees?
The Zemeckis Charitable Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include Oceana ($25,000), Laguna Blanca School ($5,000) and Beloved Asheville ($5,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 63% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is The Zemeckis Charitable Foundation?
The Zemeckis Charitable Foundation reported $176K in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $56K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $4K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does The Zemeckis Charitable Foundation fund?
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The Zemeckis Charitable Foundation?
The foundation states that it 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 Zemeckis Charitable Foundation's EIN?
The Zemeckis Charitable Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 95-4678226. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Does The Zemeckis Charitable 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 2020–2024
Live grants for the work The Zemeckis Charitable Foundation funds
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). The Zemeckis Charitable Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 22, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/the-zemeckis-charitable-foundation-morg_b3ff222f940c4ed3bd350b29e0af2338
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_954678226_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{The Zemeckis Charitable Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/the-zemeckis-charitable-foundation-morg_b3ff222f940c4ed3bd350b29e0af2338},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-22. 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 Zemeckis Charitable 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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