Yagan Family Foundation

BOULDER, CO EIN: 81-6993547

The Yagan Family Foundation is a private grantmaking foundation established in December 2017 and based in Boulder, Colorado. It operates as an independent 501(c)(3) organization classified under the NTEE code T20 (Private Grantmaking Foundations).

Financial Overview

From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing

Total Assets

$50.7M

+2.9% YoY

Annual Giving

$2.0M

-0.4% YoY

Grant Count

23

+4.5% YoY

Avg Grant Size

$88K

-4.8% YoY

Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Yagan Family Foundation reported a distributable amount of $2.3M for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.

Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated April 2026.

Mission & Focus Areas

The foundation supports causes in education, philanthropy and grantmaking, and human services. The foundation operates a Chicago Community Trust Donor Advised Fund as part of its grantmaking strategy.

Grantmaking

The foundation does not respond to unsolicited applications. Grantmaking is invitation-only, and the foundation does not accept unsolicited grant proposals.

Grant Range

$100,000

How to Apply

**

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Geographic Focus

Where this funder awards grants

The foundation's grantmaking focuses primarily on Illinois, the District of Columbia, and Massachusetts.

Grant Distribution by State

12states
+4 more states

Cities

AltonBethesdaBostonBridgetonCambridgeChicagoDenverFlorenceGonfreyHaverfordHinsdaleJerseyvilleLake ForestMadisonMilwaukeeNew HavenNew YorkOaklandOttervilleSan Francisco

Financial History

Multi-year comparison from IRS filings

As of December 2024:

  • Total assets: $50.7 million
  • Total revenue: $4.11 million
  • Total expenses: $2.7 million
  • Total liabilities: $0

As of December 2023:

  • Total assets: $49.3 million
  • Total revenue: $1.39 million
  • Total expenses: $2.55 million
  • Investment income and dividends: $788,802
  • Net gain from sale of non-inventory assets: $504,186

Giving rate: Approximately 4.1% of assets annually

Revenue
Expenses
Qualifying Distributions
Net Investment Income
$0$8M$16M$24M$31M20202021202220232024
Metric202420232022
Total Assets$50,662,430$49,253,554$50,472,128
Revenue$4,112,858$1,394,374$7,073,476
Expenses$2,703,982$2,553,545$2,160,861
Qualifying Distributions$2,525,316$2,234,000$2,364,000
Net Investment Income$3,434,192$874,829$6,574,948
Distributable Amount$2,278,911$2,163,969$2,248,578

Giving Over Time

Total grant dollars and number of grants per year

$0$509K$1M$2M$2M34 grants202018 grants202121 grants202222 grants202323 grants2024

Grant Insights

How this funder distributes its grants

Top Recipients

Top 10 recipients in 2024

University of Chicago Ce…$300KThe Institute for Politi…$250KYale University$200KHarvard University-Oppor…$200KLawndale Christian Legal…$150KThe Honeycomb Project$129KRepresent US$100KStart Early FKA Ounce of…$100KUrban Initiatives$100KUnite America Institute …$100K

Grant Size Distribution

118 grants across all recorded years

69<$50K7$50–100K39$100–250K3$250–500K$500K–1M$1–5M$5M+

Giving History

Grant recipients and amounts by year

Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include University of Chicago Center for Free Expression ($300,000), The Institute for Political Innovation ($250,000), Yale University ($200,000).

RecipientPurposeAmount
Social Ventures Partners Chicago Chicago, ILPublic charity support$35,000
Rush University Medical Center Chicago, ILMedical$50,000
Represent US Florence, MAEducation$100,000
One Goal Chicago, ILEducation$50,000
Start Early FKA Ounce of Prevention Chicago, ILEducation$100,000
The Honeycomb Project Chicago, ILVolunteer support$128,820
#TeamSeas - Ocean Conservancy Washington, DCEnvironmental support$75
Overdose Crisis Response Fund Hinsdale, ILHumanitarian aid$79,921
The Institute for Political Innovation Milwaukee, WICivic Engagement$250,000
National Center for Family Philanthropy Washington, DCPublic charity support$1,500

Leadership & Key People

Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings

  • Sam Yagan – Trustee (Co-founder and CEO of OKCupid)
  • Jessica Droste Yagan – Trustee

Compensation Overview

From 2024 IRS filing

From 2024 filing

NameTitleHoursCompensation
Sam Droste YaganTrustee1
Jessica Droste YaganTrustee1

Subject Areas

Focus areas based on grantmaking activity

Frequently Asked Questions

What does Yagan Family Foundation fund?

The foundation supports causes in education, philanthropy and grantmaking, and human services. The foundation operates a Chicago Community Trust Donor Advised Fund as part of its grantmaking strategy.

How do I apply for a grant from Yagan Family Foundation?

**Grant Activity:** • Annual giving: approximately $2.0–$2.7 million • Number of grants: 22–34 grants annually (varies by year) • Median grant size: $100,000 • Grant range: $5,000–$300,000 • Typical awards: $75,000–$300,000 **Application Process:** The foundation does not respond to unsolicited applications. Grantmaking is invitation-only, and the foundation does not accept unsolicited grant proposals. **Recent Grant Examples (2023):** • Start Early: $220,000 (Education) • Lawndale Christian Le…

Where does Yagan Family Foundation make grants?

The foundation's grantmaking focuses primarily on Illinois, the District of Columbia, and Massachusetts.

What size grants does Yagan Family Foundation award?

In 2024, Yagan Family Foundation awarded 23 grants totaling $2.0M — an average of about $88K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.

How much is Yagan Family Foundation required to give away each year?

Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, Yagan Family Foundation reported a distributable amount of $2.3M on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.

What is Yagan Family Foundation's EIN?

Yagan Family Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 81-6993547. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.

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Data last updated June 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.

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