Tsao Family Foundation
The Tsao Family Foundation is a private foundation based in Corona Del Mar, California. It supports charitable organizations whose work aligns with its focus areas, including health and well-being, education, and arts and culture, with an emphasis on vulnerable or at-risk children, youth, women, and families.
Tsao Family Foundation at a glance
In short: Tsao Family Foundation gave $5.1M across 22 grants in 2024 (avg $233K), mostly in California. 50% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $5,134,835
- +33.1% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 22
- +4.8% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $233,402
- +27.0% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $42,500
- Total assets
- $122,862,380
- +40.4% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 50% first-time grantees (11 of 22, 2024; small sample)
- Primary geography
- California (93% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to Tsao Family Foundation
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- Invitation Only
-
The foundation awards grants by invitation only, contributes only to preselected charitable organizations, and does not accept unsolicited requests. It partners with 501(c)(3) organizations aligned with its focus areas.
- Contact
Mailing address: PO Box 1115, Corona Del Mar, CA 92625
Phone: (949) 706-3355
Website: https://tsaofamilyfoundation.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Tsao Family Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Choc Foundation ($1.6M). Together the top 10 received $4.9M.
Grant Size Distribution
99 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 38 grants of 99 (38%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The 2024 grant dollars were reported as 93% to recipients in California and 7% to recipients in New York. The listed grants also included recipients in Illinois and Tennessee.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 22 itemized grants.
Cities
Is Tsao Family Foundation open to new grantees?
50%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 11 of 22 grantees (50%) were first-time recipients. With only 22 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 5 points. First grants averaged $44K; repeat grants $423K. How we count
Medians: $10K first-time, $200K repeat.
- 45% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving grew 120% from 2021 to 2024. Method
- In 2024 it paid out 106% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2020–2024). 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 $1.7M (2020) to $5.1M (2024). In 2024 it made 22 grants totaling $5.1M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Choc Foundation Orange, CA | Support Charitable Organizations Exempt Purpose | $1,640,000 |
| Orange County Community Foundation Newport Beach, CA | Support Charitable Organizations Exempt Purpose | $1,320,000 |
| The Purpose of Recovery Tustin, CA | Support Charitable Organizations Exempt Purpose | $606,700 |
| China Institute in America New York, NY | Support Charitable Organizations Exempt Purpose | $340,000 |
| Renewal Foundation Diamond Bar, CA | Support Charitable Organizations Exempt Purpose | $261,335 |
| Hoag Hospital Foundation Newport Beach, CA | Support Charitable Organizations Exempt Purpose | $200,000 |
| South Coast Chinese Culture Assoc Irvine, CA | Support Charitable Organizations Exempt Purpose | $200,000 |
| Charitable Ventures of Orange Cnty Santa Ana, CA | Suport Charitable Organizations Exempt Purposes | $157,500 |
| Irvine Canaan Christian Comm Church Irvine, CA | Support Charitable Organizations Exempt Purpose | $138,000 |
| Pepperdine University Malibu, CA | Support Charitable Organizations Exempt Purpose | $75,000 |
Ready to take the next step with Tsao Family 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $122,862,380 | $41,341,465 | $7,179,533 | $5,134,835 | 22 | $5,147,755 | $14,706,864 | $4,870,069 |
| 2023 | $87,539,098 | $3,520,915 | $4,364,472 | $3,858,500 | 21 | $4,217,875 | $3,284,777 | $4,364,832 |
| 2022 | $84,460,412 | $11,410,781 | $4,567,564 | $3,284,900 | 20 | $3,447,639 | $1,960,262 | $3,854,011 |
| 2021 | $90,369,192 | $35,157,700 | $2,829,158 | $2,336,000 | 19 | $2,436,312 | $10,112,924 | $3,355,210 |
| 2020 | $51,069,839 | $12,281,587 | $1,865,050 | $1,724,202 | 17 | — | $2,164,134 | $2,296,951 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Tsao Family Foundation reported a distributable amount of $4.9M 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
The foundation’s stated focus areas are:
- Health & well-being: Mental and physical well-being of children, perinatal women, and babies, with attention to the natural world, environment, food, and nutrition. Other interests include addiction recovery and support services, holistic health and healing, faith and spirituality, and mentoring.
- Education: Academic achievement for children overcoming poverty; specialized education for children with learning differences; education enhancements, music education, and healthy school environments free of bullying.
- Arts & culture: Chinese culture and heritage, community cultural institutions and museums, and artists and exhibits related to the foundation’s interests.
The foundation partners with 501(c)(3) organizations whose missions align with its focus. It seeks organizations demonstrating financial viability, healthy organizational practices, specific and measurable project plans, and strong leadership.
Its 2024 grantees illustrate a range of supported work. CHOC Foundation says it supports clinical and nonclinical services, medical education, research, and other pediatric fields. China Institute in America says it advances understanding of China through education, culture, business, and art. Project Kinship says it supports and trains people affected by incarceration, gangs, and violence through hope, healing, and transformation.
Grantmaking
In 2024, the foundation reported 22 grants totaling $5,134,835. Grants ranged from $2,500 to $1,640,000, with a median of $42,500. The largest awards included $1,640,000 to CHOC Foundation, $1,320,000 to Orange County Community Foundation, $606,700 to The Purpose of Recovery, $340,000 to China Institute in America, and $261,335 to Renewal Foundation. The filing listed the purposes as support for charitable organizations’ exempt purposes.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing listed:
- Micheael Liyoung Tsao — President
- Steven Tsao — CFO
- Janie Tsao — Foundation Manager
Tsao Family Foundation is led by Micheael Liyoung Tsao, President on every filing since 2020; none of the 3 officers listed in 2024 report compensation.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Micheael Liyoung Tsao
President
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Steven Lidah Tsao
CFO
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Janie Tsao
Foundation Manager
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
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 Tsao Family Foundation
How much does Tsao Family Foundation give each year?
Tsao Family Foundation gave $5.1M across 22 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $3.9M across 21 grants.
What is Tsao Family Foundation's typical grant size?
Tsao Family Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $42,500, and its average grant was $233,402, across 22 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Tsao Family Foundation that year got $44K on average.
Where does Tsao Family Foundation give grants?
Tsao Family Foundation gives mostly in California: 93% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest state was New York (7%). The most frequent recipient cities were Irvine, CA (3 grants), Santa Ana, CA (3 grants), Orange, CA (2 grants) and Newport Beach, CA (2 grants).
Who are Tsao Family Foundation's largest grantees?
Tsao Family Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include Choc Foundation ($1,640,000), Orange County Community Foundation ($1,320,000) and The Purpose of Recovery ($606,700), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 69% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is Tsao Family Foundation?
Tsao Family Foundation reported $122.9M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $5.1M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $4.9M (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does Tsao Family Foundation fund?
The foundation’s stated focus areas are: See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Tsao Family Foundation?
The foundation awards grants by invitation only, contributes only to preselected charitable organizations, and does not accept unsolicited requests. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Tsao Family Foundation's EIN?
Tsao Family Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 20-2043022. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Does Tsao Family 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 Tsao Family Foundation funds
Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking Open opportunities, soonest deadline first.
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Browse active grant opportunities in Tsao Family Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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Sisters of St Joseph Healthcare Foundation
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Tsao Family Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 21, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/tsao-family-foundation-morg_e37f83a11af1491599d4c4ea0ad6d476
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_202043022_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Tsao Family Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/tsao-family-foundation-morg_e37f83a11af1491599d4c4ea0ad6d476},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-21. 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 Tsao Family 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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