Wm Keck Foundation
The W.M. Keck Foundation is a private foundation based in Los Angeles, California, established in 1954. It supports basic science research, engineering, and medical research nationwide, as well as arts and culture, education, health, and community service projects in Southern California.
Wm Keck Foundation at a glance
In short: Wm Keck Foundation gave $69.7M across 260 grants in 2024 (avg $268K), mostly in California. 46% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $69,656,739
- +8.0% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 260
- +9.2% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $267,911
- -1.1% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $10,000
- Total assets
- $1,651,776,277
- +6.6% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 46% first-time grantees (114 of 246, 2024)
- Primary geography
- California (58% 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 Wm Keck Foundation
- Invitation Only
-
The Research Program requires applications to go through the institution’s designated liaison. Its application process has two phases, with up to three applications per institution per cycle; the Foundation says it will not fund more than one project in the same field from the same institution in a cycle. Initial submissions do not require a budget. The Southern California Program process includes an optional concept review, an application, and an invitation-only site visit. Research awards do not include indirect costs, and the institution is expected to waive them. The Foundation makes grants to eligible institutions, not individuals.
- Review Cycle
- The Foundation awards grants twice annually, in June and December. Its Research Program describes submission deadlines in those months.
- Deadline
- The Foundation awards grants twice annually, in June and December.
- Contact
Application contact: Httpswwwwmkeckorg
Mailing address: 515 South Flower Street Suite 800, Los Angeles, CA 90071
Phone: (213) 612-2000
Website: https://wmkeck.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Open Grants
2 open opportunities from Wm Keck Foundation
Who Wm Keck Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was University of Southern California ($7.7M across 2 grants). Together the top 10 received $28.6M.
Grant Size Distribution
1,237 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 729 grants of 1,237 (59%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The Research Program funds projects nationwide at eligible U.S. institutions. The Foundation states that it does not make grants to organizations outside the United States, although up to 10% of a requested amount may go to a collaborator outside the country.
The Southern California Program focuses on the region, with the program description emphasizing communities in Los Angeles County. In filing year 2024, 58% of grant dollars went to California recipients. Other leading recipient states were Massachusetts (6%), Oregon (5%), New York (5%), and Colorado (3%).
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 260 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is Wm Keck Foundation open to new grantees?
46%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 114 of 246 grantees (46%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $267K; repeat grants $297K. How we count
Medians: $10K first-time, $10K repeat.
- 39% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2021 to 2024 (−6%). Method
- In 2024 it paid out 99% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Foundations have until the end of the next year to meet it. 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 $61.9M (2020) to $73.8M (2021). In 2024 it made 260 grants totaling $69.7M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| University of Southern California Los Angeles, CA | To accelerate groundbreaking medical, clinical and translational research and education | $7,500,000 |
| Chapman University Orange, CA | To enhance and elevate chapman universitys science and engineering | $4,000,000 |
| Claremont McKenna College Claremont, CA | To enhance claremont mckenna college's interdiciplinary science research and education | $4,000,000 |
| Linfield University McMinnville, OR | To enhance linfield university's interdiciplinary science research and education | $2,000,000 |
| Museum Associates Los Angeles, CA | To Improve Access to Art and Art Education | $2,000,000 |
| The Colburn School Los Angeles, CA | To support the for the new colburn center and endow the youth ensemble | $2,000,000 |
| Salk Institute for Biological Studies La Jolla, CA | To Develop Mapping Methods with Generative Manifold Networks | $1,600,000 |
| Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution Woods Hole, MA | To construct and field a self-deploying autonomous mooring system | $1,600,000 |
| Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center New York, NY | To understand how a neuronal communication pathway also functions in the immune system | $1,500,000 |
| University of Oregon Foundation Eugene, OR | To understand parameters that govern transcriptional adaptation to enable novel rna-based therapeutics | $1,500,000 |
Ready to take the next step with Wm Keck Foundation?
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
The filing states an annual grantmaking budget of $76 million for 2025.
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Qualifying Distributions | Net Investment Income | Distributable Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $1,651,776,277 | $220,502,754 | $82,687,983 | $69,656,739 | 260 | $76,520,071 | $225,444,627 | $77,095,770 |
| 2023 | $1,550,102,225 | $74,686,983 | $78,668,053 | $64,486,669 | 238 | $70,546,991 | $76,616,569 | $70,708,247 |
| 2022 | $1,370,447,360 | $52,701,006 | $78,262,167 | $67,830,470 | 259 | $73,822,315 | $34,417,881 | $76,059,565 |
| 2021 | $1,878,594,082 | $132,529,748 | $99,211,131 | $73,780,948 | 228 | $79,390,428 | $183,863,180 | $80,967,491 |
| 2020 | $1,638,138,521 | $69,852,668 | $72,945,021 | $61,861,593 | 252 | — | $93,312,080 | $65,914,193 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Wm Keck Foundation reported a distributable amount of $77.1M for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated October 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The Foundation’s stated purpose is to provide far-reaching benefits for humanity. Its Research Program supports pioneering discoveries in biological and physical science and engineering, including promising technologies, instrumentation, and methodologies. The Foundation’s website describes its research interests as fundamental basic science and emphasizes projects that question prevailing paradigms or open new territory in a field. Its research funding excludes, among other things, clinical trials, therapies and procedures, drug discovery or delivery, and projects focused solely on engineering equipment, tools, or materials.
The Southern California Program supports projects in arts and culture, civic and community services, early childhood care and education, health care, and precollegiate education. The Foundation highlights work that promotes children’s and youths’ healthy development, strengthens families, and enriches lives in the region. It also supports undergraduate education through board-initiated transformative special projects rather than accepting applications to an undergraduate education program.
Its grantees include universities, research institutions, and cultural organizations. For example, Chapman University describes its mission as providing personalized education of distinction, while The Colburn School describes its work as performance-centered education that advances access to excellence in the performing arts. These are the grantees’ stated missions, not the Foundation’s.
Grantmaking
The Foundation reported 260 grants totaling $69,656,739 in filing year 2024. Individual grants ranged from $26 to $7.5 million, with a median grant of $10,000. For Research Program applicants, the Foundation’s prospective applicant information describes typical awards of $1 million to $1.3 million over three years.
Among the largest reported 2024 grants were $7.5 million to the University of Southern California for medical, clinical, and translational research and education; $4 million each to Chapman University for science and engineering and Claremont McKenna College for interdisciplinary science research and education; and $2 million each to Linfield University for interdisciplinary science research and education, Museum Associates to improve access to art and art education, and The Colburn School for its new center and youth ensemble. Other substantial grants included $1.6 million to the Salk Institute for Biological Studies and $1.6 million to Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Joseph Day and Stephen M. Keck as co-CEOs and co-chairs. It also lists Stephanie Argyros, James A. Baker III, Peter K. Barker, Todd Barker, Robert Bradway, Dr. Willam R. Brody, Peter Carlton, and Dorothy W. Day as members/directors.
Wm Keck Foundation is led by Stephen M. Keck, Co-Ceo, Co-Chair, Member & Director since 2024 (on filings since 2020); 11 of 31 officers listed in 2024 are compensated.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Stephen M. Keck
Co-Ceo, Co-Chair, Member & Director
Co-President, Member & Director → Co-Ceo, Member & Director, 2022
Co-Ceo, Member & Director → Co-Ceo, Co-Chair, Member & Director, 2024
On filings since 2020
12 hrs/week
$100K (2020) → $300K (2024)
Joseph Day
Co-Ceo, Co-Chair, Member & Director
Co-President, Member & Director → Co-Ceo, Member & Director, 2022
Co-Ceo, Member & Director → Co-Ceo, Co-Chair, Member & Director, 2024
On filings since 2021
12 hrs/week
$100K (2021) → $300K (2024)
Allison M. Keller
President & CFO
Senior Vice President, CFO & Executive Director → COO, CFO & Executive Director, 2021
COO, CFO & Executive Director → President & CFO, 2024
On filings since 2020
40 hrs/week
$475K (2020) → $578K (2024)
Edward M. Stolper
Member & Director
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
$40K (2020) → $60K (2024)
James S. Economou
Member & Director
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
$40K (2020) → $60K (2024)
Lucinda Day Fournier
Vice President, Member & Director
Member & Director → Vice President, Member & Director, 2021
On filings since 2020
2.5 hrs/week
$20K (2020) → $60K (2024)
Peter K. Barker
Member & Director
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
$20K (2020) → $60K (2024)
Richard N. Foster
Member & Director
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
$20K (2020) → $60K (2024)
Ronald P. Spogli
Member & Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
$20K (2024)
Willam R. Brody
Member & Director
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
$80K (2021) → $80K (2024)
Bradford Freeman
Member & Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Brian A. Finch
Member & Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Brighton Keck
Member & Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Dorothy W. Day
Member & Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
James A. Baker III
Member & Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Jonathon S. Day
Member & Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Kent Kresa
Member & Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Maria Hummer-Tuttle
Member & Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Matt Day Jr.
Member & Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Matt Day Sr.
Vice Chair, Member & Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Peter Carlton
Member & Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Sherry Lansing
Member & Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Theodore J. Keck
Member & Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Thomas E. Everhart
Member & Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Christopher Hopkins
Member & Director
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Mark C. Holscher
Member & Director
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Robert Bradway
Member & Director
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Stephanie Argyros
Member & Director
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Kelsey Martin
Director
Member & Director → Director, 2024
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Todd Barker
Member & Director
New on the 2024 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Stephanie L. Garacochea
Corporate Secretary
On filings since 2020
40 hrs/week
$140K (2020) → $242K (2024)
Former officers (8)
- Former: Maria Pellegrini (2020–2023) — Executive Director of Programs
- Former: Robert A. Day (2020–2023) — Chairman, Member & Director
- Former: Edward C. Stone Jr. (2020–2022) — Member & Director
- Former: Nelson Rising (2020–2021) — Member & Director
- Former: James R. Ukropina (2020) — Member & Director
- Former: Jerry Carlton (2020) — Member & Director
- Former: Joseph Deegan-Day (2020) — Co-President, Member & Director
- Former: Vernon E. Jordan Jr. (2020) — Member & Director
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.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2024 filing was $578K, to Allison M Keller (President and CFO). 11 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Frequently asked questions about Wm Keck Foundation
How much does Wm Keck Foundation give each year?
Wm Keck Foundation gave $69.7M across 260 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $64.5M across 238 grants.
What is Wm Keck Foundation's typical grant size?
Wm Keck Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $10,000, and its average grant was $267,911, across 260 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Wm Keck Foundation that year got $267K on average.
Where does Wm Keck Foundation give grants?
Wm Keck Foundation gives mostly in California: 58% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest states were Massachusetts (6%) and Oregon (5%). The most frequent recipient cities were Los Angeles, CA (58 grants), New York, NY (15 grants), Pasadena, CA (11 grants) and Washington, DC (9 grants).
Does Wm Keck Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 80% of Wm Keck Foundation's 2024 grants with a stated purpose (207 of 260) were for general or operating support, per its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are Wm Keck Foundation's largest grantees?
Wm Keck Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include University of Southern California ($7,731,250 across 2 grants), Claremont McKenna College ($4,165,000 across 2 grants) and Chapman University ($4,000,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 23% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is Wm Keck Foundation?
Wm Keck Foundation reported $1.7B in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $76.5M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $77.1M (roughly 5% of its investment assets). Falling short in one year is not a violation: foundations have until the end of the next year to meet the minimum.
What does Wm Keck Foundation fund?
The Foundation’s stated purpose is to provide far-reaching benefits for humanity. Its Research Program supports pioneering discoveries in biological and physical science and engineering, including promising technologies, instrumentation, and methodologies. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Wm Keck Foundation?
The Research Program requires applications to go through the institution’s designated liaison. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Wm Keck Foundation's EIN?
Wm Keck Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 95-6092354. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated October 2026.
Data update history
(1)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Wm Keck Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
Similar Funders
Funders with grantees in common, and similar funders in California
California Community Foundation
Los Angeles, CA
The California Community Foundation supports nonprofits through discretionary and donor-directed grants, with discretionary priorities including education, health, housing and immigration, alongside other areas such as arts, civic engagement and economic opportunity. Its 2025 grants had a median of $50,000, and its work is focused on Los Angeles County; prospective discretionary applicants are asked to contact the relevant program officer before submitting a letter of intent.
Assets
$2.3B
Grants
2,174
Total Given
$326.6M
Silicon Valley Community Foundation
Mountain View, CA
Silicon Valley Community Foundation funds work in areas such as housing, economic security, education, health, the environment, arts and culture, and civic engagement, with Community Action Grants supporting local, community-led organizations in San Mateo and Santa Clara counties. Its 2024 grants had a median of $51,716, though amounts varied widely; applications depend on the program, and SVCF states that it does not accept unsolicited proposals for advised funds.
Assets
$12.3B
Grants
3,576
Total Given
$3.2B
Conrad N Hilton Foundation
Westlake Village, CA
The Conrad N. Hilton Foundation funds nonprofits working to improve lives and alleviate poverty, with initiatives including early childhood development, homelessness, refugees, safe water, and support for foster and opportunity youth. Its work is global, and its 2024 grants had a median award of $76,000. It generally does not accept unsolicited requests, except through its Good Neighbor Program for eligible local nonprofits and Title 1 schools.
Assets
$7.4B
Grants
1,339
Total Given
$287.7M
The William & Flora Hewlett Foundation
Menlo Park, CA
The William & Flora Hewlett Foundation funds education, climate and conservation, the arts, democracy, gender equity, racial justice, and efforts to strengthen nonprofits and philanthropy, with work spanning the San Francisco Bay Area, the U.S. West, and locations including East and West Africa and Mexico. Its 2024 grants had a median award of $150,000, though amounts varied widely. It generally does not accept unsolicited requests, but sometimes invites proposals through open processes.
Assets
$14.2B
Grants
2,001
Total Given
$625.0M
Marin Community Foundation
Novato, CA
Marin Community Foundation funds work in affordable housing and homelessness, community resilience and power, as well as social services, education, arts and conservation, with a focus on marginalized Marin County residents and some broader U.S. and international grantmaking. Its 2025 grants had a median of $25,000, though amounts varied widely. The profile does not state whether it accepts unsolicited requests.
Assets
$1.3B
Grants
1,573
Total Given
$186.1M
Direct Relief
Santa Barbara, CA
Direct Relief supports healthcare providers serving people affected by poverty or emergencies, including community health centers, clinics, and grassroots organizations, with medicines, supplies, and funding for health access and equity. In 2025, its grants had a median award of about $65,000, and its work spans all 50 U.S. states and countries around the world; the profile does not state whether it accepts unsolicited requests.
Assets
$1.3B
Grants
1,367
Total Given
$337.4M
More similar funders
More Funders in California
Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Wm Keck Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 11, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/wm-keck-foundation-morg_66534373522a40e8ad68c12a9c8c42e6
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_956092354_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Wm Keck Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/wm-keck-foundation-morg_66534373522a40e8ad68c12a9c8c42e6},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-11. 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 Wm Keck 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.
Wm Keck Foundation down — hundreds of funders to go?