Ying Cai and Wann S Lee Foundation Inc
YING CAI AND WANN S LEE is a private foundation based in Walnut, California. In 2024, it made 27 grants totaling $179,090 to charitable organizations, including arts and cultural organizations, public media, educational institutions, and aquariums. Its 2025 filing, the latest on this page, reports 33 grants totaling $194,870.
Ying Cai and Wann S Lee Foundation Inc at a glance
In short: Ying Cai and Wann S Lee Foundation Inc gave $195K across 33 grants in 2025 (avg $6K), mostly in California. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $194,870
- +8.8% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 33
- +22.2% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $5,905
- -11.0% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $2,000
- Total assets
- $4,921,943
- +12.5% vs 2024
- Primary geography
- California (62% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated November 2026.
How to apply to Ying Cai and Wann S Lee Foundation Inc
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests.
- Contact
Mailing address: 1501 Walnut Vista Way, Walnut, CA 91789
Phone: (909) 451-1219
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Ying Cai and Wann S Lee Foundation Inc funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Grant Size Distribution
129 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 129 grants of 129 (100%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2024, California recipients received 68% of grant dollars and Illinois recipients received 24%. Smaller shares went to recipients in New York (3%), Arizona (1%), and Maryland (1%).
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 33 itemized grants.
States
Cities
How Ying Cai and Wann S Lee Foundation Inc gives
- Giving held roughly steady from 2022 to 2025 (−7%). Method
- In 2025 it paid out 90% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Foundations have until the end of the next year to meet it. Method
From the foundation's IRS Form 990-PF filings. Methodology.
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2020 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $167K (2021) to $209K (2022). In 2025 it made 33 grants totaling $195K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| 33 grants to individuals Recipients not named | — | $194,870 |
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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 | $4,921,943 | $153,648 | $242,947 | $194,870 | 33 | $202,843 | $57,887 | $225,923 |
| 2024 | $4,376,346 | $81,135 | $215,894 | $179,090 | 27 | $186,104 | $90,580 | $208,870 |
| 2023 | $3,917,078 | $48,036 | $216,537 | $180,000 | 27 | $185,486 | $54,803 | $182,473 |
| 2022 | $3,465,820 | $14,905 | $245,401 | $208,500 | 21 | $213,538 | $47,309 | $188,613 |
| 2021 | $4,426,430 | $157,817 | $204,514 | $167,000 | 21 | $173,488 | $126,791 | $210,629 |
| 2020 | $4,035,183 | $-137,856 | $222,908 | $190,000 | 17 | — | $45,643 | $185,340 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Ying Cai and Wann S Lee Foundation Inc reported a distributable amount of $226K 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 mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2024 grants included support for organizations working in arts and music, public media, education, and ocean conservation. For example, Muse/Ique describes its work as creating live music events and outreach programs, while the Monterey Bay Aquarium Foundation says its mission is to inspire ocean conservation.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2024, the foundation reported 27 grants totaling $179,090. Grants ranged from $90 to $40,000, with a median of $2,000. Its largest awards included $40,000 to the University of Illinois Foundation, $36,000 to The Huntington, $25,000 to the Los Angeles Philharmonic, $20,000 to Southern California Public Radio, and $12,000 each to Muse/Ique and Public Media Group of Southern. Its 2025 filing, the latest on this page, reports 33 grants totaling $194,870.
The foundation states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
Ying Cai is president, and Wann S Lee is director, according to the 2024 filing.
Ying Cai and Wann S Lee Foundation Inc is led by Ying Cai, President on every filing since 2020; none of the 2 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Ying Cai
President
On filings since 2020
6 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Wann S. Lee
Director
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/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 Ying Cai and Wann S Lee Foundation Inc
How much does Ying Cai and Wann S Lee Foundation Inc give each year?
Ying Cai and Wann S Lee Foundation Inc gave $195K across 33 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $179K across 27 grants.
What is Ying Cai and Wann S Lee Foundation Inc's typical grant size?
Ying Cai and Wann S Lee Foundation Inc's median grant in 2025 was $2,000, and its average grant was $5,905, across 33 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
Where does Ying Cai and Wann S Lee Foundation Inc give grants?
Ying Cai and Wann S Lee Foundation Inc gives mostly in California: 62% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest states were Illinois (22%) and District of Columbia (10%).
Does Ying Cai and Wann S Lee Foundation Inc give general operating support?
Not in 2025: none of the 33 grants with a stated purpose on Ying Cai and Wann S Lee Foundation Inc's 2025 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Public Support of Org Mission" (33 grants).
How large is Ying Cai and Wann S Lee Foundation Inc?
Ying Cai and Wann S Lee Foundation Inc reported $4.9M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $203K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $226K (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 Ying Cai and Wann S Lee Foundation Inc fund?
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2024 grants included support for organizations working in arts and music, public media, education, and ocean conservation. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Ying Cai and Wann S Lee Foundation Inc?
The foundation makes contributions 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 Ying Cai and Wann S Lee Foundation Inc's EIN?
Ying Cai and Wann S Lee Foundation Inc's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 81-4551982. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.
Does Ying Cai and Wann S Lee Foundation Inc accept unsolicited proposals?
No, according to Grantable's research on the foundation's published guidelines. See how to apply ↑
Data last updated November 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(4)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS November 13, 2024)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS July 26, 2025)
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS September 1, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Live grants for the work Ying Cai and Wann S Lee Foundation Inc funds
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Ying Cai and Wann S Lee Foundation Inc funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/ying-cai-and-wann-s-lee-foundation-inc-morg_74f96cbcef564ceeacb3e3252989d786
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_814551982_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Ying Cai and Wann S Lee Foundation Inc funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/ying-cai-and-wann-s-lee-foundation-inc-morg_74f96cbcef564ceeacb3e3252989d786},
note = {Accessed 2026-11-02. 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 Ying Cai and Wann S Lee Foundation Inc'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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