Wilson W Phelps Foundation
The Wilson W Phelps Foundation is a private foundation located in Irvine, California. In 2025, it reported 20 grants totaling $662,981, supporting organizations and programs that included schools, youth services, food assistance, housing, and community activities.
Wilson W Phelps Foundation at a glance
In short: Wilson W Phelps Foundation gave $663K across 20 grants in 2025 (avg $33K), mostly in California. 29% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $662,981
- +10.6% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 20
- +5.3% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $33,149
- +5.1% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $25,000
- Total assets
- $5,232,155
- +1.7% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 29% first-time grantees (5 of 17, 2025; small sample)
- Primary geography
- California (100% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to Wilson W Phelps 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: 3153 Scholarship, Irvine, CA 92612
Phone: (949) 752-7401
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Wilson W Phelps Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Fullerton Joint Union High Sch Dist ($130K). Together the top 10 received $529K.
Organizations only. It also paid 1 individual scholarship ($45,000), which are not listed by name.
Grant Size Distribution
96 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 81 grants of 96 (84%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
All grant dollars reported for 2025 went to recipients in California.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 20 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is Wilson W Phelps Foundation open to new grantees?
29%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 5 of 17 grantees (29%) were first-time recipients. With only 17 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 6 points. First grants averaged $14K; repeat grants $34K. How we count
Medians: $10K first-time, $25K repeat.
- 59% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2022 to 2025 (+11%). Method
- In 2025 it paid out 102% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2020–2025). 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 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $469K (2021) to $663K (2025). In 2025 it made 20 grants totaling $663K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Fullerton Joint Union High Sch Dist Fullerton, CA | Classroom Sets Steam Kits, Julie Kim Joy Service Scholarship, cabinetry to house equipment | $129,525 |
| Fullerton School District Fullerton, CA | Books, 6th grade 2 nights science camp, building & learning trades for 2nd Tiny home, develope Culturally responsive Mariachi,Update Media Center, Outdoor Furniture, Various other assistance | $76,556 |
| Community Action Partnership Garden Grove, CA | Orange County Food Bank's Farm to Family Program | $75,000 |
| Boys and Girls Club Fullerton, CA | Scholarship for 25 Students, and 30 Chromebooks | $52,500 |
| Hart Community Homes Inc Fullerton, CA | Fees and Architectural Services, 4 units 8 bedrooms | $50,000 |
| 1 individual scholarship Recipients not named | — | $45,000 |
| Young Lives Redeemed Fullerton, CA | House Homeless Foster Youths | $35,000 |
| SCRPA- Fullerton Train Museum Fullerton, CA | Union Pacific Car Transportation Upgrades | $35,000 |
| Meals on Wheels of Fullerton Inc Fullerton, CA | Meal subsidies for low income homebound individuals | $25,000 |
| Higher Ground Youth Family Services Yorba Linda, CA | Upgrade outdoor space & harm prevention programs | $25,000 |
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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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $5,232,155 | $770,767 | $683,965 | $662,981 | 20 | $663,779 | $763,037 | $651,367 |
| 2024 | $5,145,353 | $721,318 | $620,617 | $599,432 | 19 | $600,616 | $709,073 | $605,136 |
| 2023 | $5,044,652 | $596,391 | $604,615 | $589,788 | 21 | $590,718 | $586,787 | $522,251 |
| 2022 | $5,052,876 | $630,449 | $626,940 | $598,581 | 20 | $598,940 | $625,396 | $523,172 |
| 2021 | $5,049,367 | $931,884 | $477,682 | $469,047 | 16 | $469,641 | $924,237 | $543,207 |
| 2020 | $4,595,165 | $224,688 | $542,083 | $527,110 | 17 | — | $226,204 | $465,428 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Wilson W Phelps Foundation reported a distributable amount of $651K for 2025 — 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 foundation mission statement is provided. Its 2025 grants supported activities including classroom and school resources, scholarships, food assistance, housing for young people, and services for people with special needs.
The organizations it supports describe a range of missions. Fullerton School District’s mission, as stated by the organization, is to advance technology in education within the district. Hart Community Homes says it works to heal, educate, and empower at-risk youth. Tara’s Chance says it promotes the well-being of people with special needs through equine-assisted activities and therapies. Community Action Partnership describes its work as aligning partners and resources around community-led solutions to help families reach their full potential.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2025, the foundation reported 20 grants totaling $662,981. Grants ranged from $1,500 to $129,525, with a median grant of $25,000.
Among its largest 2025 grants were $129,525 to Fullerton Joint Union High School District for classroom sets, STEAM kits, a scholarship, and equipment cabinetry; $76,556 to Fullerton School District for books, science camp, school projects, and other assistance; and $75,000 to Community Action Partnership for the Orange County Food Bank’s Farm to Family Program. Other grants included $52,500 to Boys and Girls Club for student scholarships and Chromebooks, $50,000 to Hart Community Homes for fees and architectural services, and $45,000 to Cal State University Fullerton for scholarships and an emergency fund for two foster youth.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists John W Phelps as CEO; James Phelps as CFO; Louise Shamblen and Carol B Phelps as directors; Marlene McGlensey as secretary; and Becky McGlensey and Torane Phelps as directors.
Wilson W Phelps Foundation is led by John W Phelps, CEO since 2023 (on filings since 2020); none of the 7 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
John W Phelps
CEO
Chair → CEO, 2023
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Becky McGlensey
Director
Trustee → Director, 2023
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Carol B Phelps
Director
Trustee → Director, 2023
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Louise Shamblen
Director
Vice Chair → Director, 2023
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Torane Phelps
Director
Trustee → Director, 2023
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
James Phelps
CFO
Treasurer → CFO, 2023
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Marlene McGlensey
Secretary
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2025. "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 Wilson W Phelps Foundation
How much does Wilson W Phelps Foundation give each year?
Wilson W Phelps Foundation gave $663K across 20 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $599K across 19 grants.
What is Wilson W Phelps Foundation's typical grant size?
Wilson W Phelps Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $25,000, and its average grant was $33,149, across 20 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Wilson W Phelps Foundation that year got $14K on average.
Where does Wilson W Phelps Foundation give grants?
Wilson W Phelps Foundation 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 Fullerton, CA (16 grants).
Does Wilson W Phelps Foundation give general operating support?
Not in 2025: none of the 20 grants with a stated purpose on Wilson W Phelps Foundation's 2025 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support.
Who are Wilson W Phelps Foundation's largest grantees?
Wilson W Phelps Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include Fullerton Joint Union High Sch Dist ($129,525), Fullerton School District ($76,556) and Community Action Partnership ($75,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It also paid 1 individual scholarship ($45,000), which are not listed by name. Together they received 42% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Wilson W Phelps Foundation?
Wilson W Phelps Foundation reported $5.2M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $664K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $651K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does Wilson W Phelps Foundation fund?
No foundation mission statement is provided. Its 2025 grants supported activities including classroom and school resources, scholarships, food assistance, housing for young people, and services for people with special needs. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Wilson W Phelps 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 Wilson W Phelps Foundation's EIN?
Wilson W Phelps Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 33-0743687. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.
Does Wilson W Phelps 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
(2)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS May 8, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Live grants for the work Wilson W Phelps Foundation funds
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Wilson W Phelps Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 21, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/wilson-w-phelps-foundation-morg_b664d34a0d604ceb9a7f634cb9fd34e8
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_330743687_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Wilson W Phelps Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/wilson-w-phelps-foundation-morg_b664d34a0d604ceb9a7f634cb9fd34e8},
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 Wilson W Phelps 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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