Zachary Woodard Foundation
The Zachary Woodard Foundation is a 501(c)(3) private independent foundation located in Santa Rosa Beach, Florida (EIN 84-3775200). The foundation operates under the brand name "LightZ of Hope" and provides color-changing LED party lights with Bluetooth speakers to children facing serious illness and disabilities. The foundation was established in 2019 and is headquartered in Irvine, California.
Key facts about Zachary Woodard Foundation
- EIN
- 84-3775200
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024
- Annual giving (2024)
- $266,916
- Grants made (2024)
- 67
- Average grant
- $3,984
- Median grant
- $1,500
- Total assets
- $799,835
- Primary geography
- Texas (22% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated September 2026.
Who Zachary Woodard Foundation funds
By grant dollars, the top recipient states for Zachary Woodard Foundation's 67 itemized 2024 grants were Texas (22%), Tennessee (20%) and Florida (19%). The most frequent recipient cities were Houston, TX (5 grants), Saint Paul, MN (3 grants), El Segundo, CA (2 grants) and Dallas, TX (2 grants). None of its 67 grants with a stated purpose were described as general or operating support.
How Zachary Woodard Foundation gives
- Giving grew 277% from 2021 to 2024. Method
- In 2024 it paid out well above its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
From the foundation's IRS Form 990-PF filings. Methodology.
Next steps with Zachary Woodard Foundation
- How to evaluate Zachary Woodard Foundation as a funder
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Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$800K
+22.2% YoY
Annual Giving
$267K
+17.9% YoY
Grant Count
67
-47.7% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$4K
+125.2% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Zachary Woodard Foundation reported a distributable amount of $36K for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation's mission is to bring comfort, joy, and light to children facing serious illness and disabilities by gifting LightZ to brighten their days. The foundation's focus is not diagnosis-specific; rather, it aims to brighten the day of any child living with long-term illness or disability. The foundation believes that the combination of light (colored LED moving lights) and sound (Bluetooth speaker) instantly shifts the energy in a child's space.
Grantmaking
The foundation distributes LightZ of Hope packages directly to children in hospitals and at home. Children can be nominated for a LightZ of Hope package through the foundation's website.
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation serves children throughout the continental United States, with particular activity in California hospitals and partnerships.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of all 67 itemized 2024 grant dollars.
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
The foundation reported assets of $500,000 or more and income of $500,000 or more as of its most recent filing. Form 990 revenue was reported as $0.
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $799,835 | $654,764 | $423,724 |
| Revenue | $914,950 | $998,685 | $590,845 |
| Expenses | $782,589 | $763,973 | $368,988 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $610,515 | $652,751 | $277,765 |
| Net Investment Income | — | — | $1 |
| Distributable Amount | $36,408 | $36,358 | $15,278 |
Data update history
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
Grant Size Distribution
246 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest recipients include The Brett Boyer Foundation ($50,000), Financial Medical Assistance 100000 ($41,752), Beloved and Beyond ($30,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| THE BRETT BOYER FOUNDATION Brentwood, TN | FINANCIAL AND MEDICAL ASSISTANCE FOR SPECIAL NEEDS CHILDREN AND FAMILIES | $50,000 |
| FINANCIAL MEDICAL ASSISTANCE 100000 Santa Rosa Beach, FL | FINANCIAL AND MEDICAL ASSISTANCE FOR SPECIAL NEEDS CHILDREN AND FAMILIES | $41,752 |
| BELOVED AND BEYOND Rosebud, TX | FINANCIAL AND MEDICAL ASSISTANCE FOR SPECIAL NEEDS CHILDREN AND FAMILIES | $30,000 |
| MURIEL ENOS Rancho Santa Margarita, CA | FINANCIAL AND MEDICAL ASSISTANCE FOR SPECIAL NEEDS CHILDREN AND FAMILIES | $25,000 |
| DESTIN CHARITY WINE AUCTION FOUNDATION Miramar Beach, FL | FINANCIAL AND MEDICAL ASSISTANCE FOR SPECIAL NEEDS CHILDREN AND FAMILIES | $10,000 |
| HOLY PURSUIT'S DREAM FOUNDATION Morgantown, WV | FINANCIAL AND MEDICAL ASSISTANCE FOR SPECIAL NEEDS CHILDREN AND FAMILIES | $10,000 |
| JACK STEVENS Trabuco Canyon, CA | FINANCIAL AND MEDICAL ASSISTANCE FOR SPECIAL NEEDS CHILDREN AND FAMILIES | $5,000 |
| KELLY SATTER Lincoln, NE | FINANCIAL AND MEDICAL ASSISTANCE FOR SPECIAL NEEDS CHILDREN AND FAMILIES | $4,000 |
| ROWE FUNERAL HOME Grand Rapids, MN | FINANCIAL AND MEDICAL ASSISTANCE FOR SPECIAL NEEDS CHILDREN AND FAMILIES | $3,594 |
| HAREL AVRUTSKY Saint Louis, MO | FINANCIAL AND MEDICAL ASSISTANCE FOR SPECIAL NEEDS CHILDREN AND FAMILIES | $3,372 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
Brent Woodard — Founder & CEO
Susan Woodard — Founder
Brent and Susan Woodard are the parents of Zachary Woodard, who passed away on May 30, 2019, at age 16. They also have a daughter, Grace.
Zachary Woodard Foundation is led by Brent Woodard, President on every filing since 2020; none of the 6 officers listed in 2024 report compensation.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Brent Woodard
President
On filings since 2020
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Gary Fitzpatrick
Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Rob Gerard
Director
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Jim Ervin
Treasurer
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
John Caldera
Secretary
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Susan Woodard
Vice President
On filings since 2020
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (1)
- Former: Dionne Petzold (2020–2021) — 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.
Subject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Zachary Woodard Foundation fund?
The foundation's mission is to bring comfort, joy, and light to children facing serious illness and disabilities by gifting LightZ to brighten their days. The foundation's focus is not diagnosis-specific; rather, it aims to brighten the day of any child living with long-term illness or disability. The foundation believes that the combination of light (colored LED moving lights) and sound (Bluetooth speaker) instantly shifts the energy in a child's space.
How do I apply for a grant from Zachary Woodard Foundation?
The foundation distributes LightZ of Hope packages directly to children in hospitals and at home. Children can be nominated for a LightZ of Hope package through the foundation's website. The foundation has partnered with more than 40 nonprofits and children's hospitals, including Children's Hospital of Orange County (CHOC), Ronald McDonald House Orange County, Loma Linda University Medical Center, and Miller Children's Hospital Long Beach. Since inception in 2019, the foundation has distributed…
Where does Zachary Woodard Foundation make grants?
The foundation serves children throughout the continental United States, with particular activity in California hospitals and partnerships.
What size grants does Zachary Woodard Foundation award?
In 2024, Zachary Woodard Foundation awarded 67 grants totaling $267K — an average of about $4K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is Zachary Woodard Foundation required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, Zachary Woodard Foundation reported a distributable amount of $36K on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is Zachary Woodard Foundation's EIN?
Zachary Woodard Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 84-3775200. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
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Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.