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Jason Family Foundation is a private corporation based in IRVINE, CA. The foundation received its IRS ruling in 1998. The principal officer is W Mackall Jason. It holds total assets of $1.4M. Annual income is reported at $519K. The foundation is governed by 4 officers and trustees. Tax records are available from 2015 to 2024. Grantmaking is concentrated in California. According to available records, Jason Family Foundation has made 260 grants totaling $327K, with a median grant of $1K. Annual giving has grown from $73K in 2020 to $177K in 2022. Individual grants have ranged from $100 to $8K, with an average award of $1K. The foundation has supported 87 unique organizations. The foundation primarily supports organizations in California, New York, Colorado, which account for 90% of all grants. Grantmaking reaches organizations across 11 states. Contributions to this foundation are tax-deductible.
The Jason Family Foundation is a private family foundation based in Irvine, California that makes annual charitable grants funded entirely through investment returns from its endowment portfolio. The foundation is governed by family members — Elizabeth Jason Adams, Marianne Jason Walters, William G. Jason, and Madelyn Jason Cobb — all serving as unpaid officers. No public website with grant guidelines has been identified; the website listed in IRS records (jason.org) belongs to JASON Learning, an unrelated STEM education nonprofit. This pattern is consistent with a closely-held family foundation that makes grants through personal relationships and family priorities rather than open competitive processes. The foundation's approach is to disburse a consistent annual amount (roughly 6-7% of assets) to selected charities, maintaining a stable endowment while supporting charitable causes meaningful to the Jason family of Irvine, California. Revenue is derived entirely from dividends and stock sales rather than ongoing family contributions.
The Jason Family Foundation has maintained active and consistent grantmaking based on IRS Form 990-PF filings: $72,500 (FY2020), $76,150 (FY2021), $88,500 (FY2022), $87,550 (FY2023), and $78,350 (FY2024). Charitable disbursements represent approximately 68-74% of annual total expenses. Revenue fluctuates significantly based on investment returns: $30,612 (2020), $77,543 (2021), $40,895 (2022), $424,978 (2023, exceptional year from asset sales), and $275,000 estimated for 2024. Total assets grew from approximately $1.0 million in 2020-2022 to $1.4 million in 2024 following strong investment performance. The foundation carries no liabilities. Grants appear to be made in round numbers ($5,000, $10,000, $15,000 increments are typical for foundations of this size), suggesting a portfolio of approximately 5-15 grantees per year. No specific grantees are identifiable from public sources.
The Jason Family Foundation is a typical small-to-mid-size Southern California private family foundation. Comparable foundations in Orange County and the broader Southern California region include:
| Foundation | Location | Total Assets | Annual Disbursements | Key Focus Areas |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jason Family Foundation | Irvine, CA | $1.40M | ~$78,000-$88,000/year | Undisclosed |
| Weingart Foundation | Los Angeles, CA | ~$600M | Multi-million | Southern CA nonprofits, underserved communities |
| Ahmanson Foundation | Los Angeles, CA | ~$1B | Multi-million | Education, arts, medicine |
| Orange County Community Foundation | Irvine, CA | ~$500M+ | Multi-million | Orange County broad community |
| Samueli Foundation | Newport Beach, CA | ~$50M+ | Millions | STEM education, community health |
| Small OC family foundations | Orange County, CA | $500K-$3M | $25,000-$150,000 | Family-selected priorities |
The Jason Family Foundation is similar in scale and structure to hundreds of private family foundations in Orange County, California. It lacks the public visibility and open grant programs of larger Southern California foundations.
In fiscal year 2024, the Jason Family Foundation disbursed $78,350 in charitable grants, slightly lower than the $87,550 distributed in FY2023. Total assets grew to approximately $1.40 million in FY2024 from $1.23 million in FY2023, reflecting continued strong investment performance. Revenue in FY2023 was exceptionally high at $424,978 primarily due to large asset sales ($394,477), enabling significant asset accumulation. Officers — Elizabeth Jason Adams, Marianne Jason Walters, William G. Jason, and Madelyn Jason Cobb — have continued serving without compensation. A 990-PF filing was submitted on February 17, 2025 for fiscal year 2024. The foundation has operated continuously since at least 2011 based on ProPublica records, maintaining a consistent pattern of $72,000-$90,000 in annual charitable disbursements.
The Jason Family Foundation operates as a closed, invitation-only grantmaker with no public application process. To pursue funding from this foundation: (1) Identify personal connections to the Jason family of Irvine, California — the foundation is named for the Jason family and all officers bear the Jason surname or appear to be family members; (2) Research which Orange County or Southern California nonprofit organizations have received Jason Family Foundation grants by consulting the foundation's 990-PF schedules of grants on ProPublica or Candid databases; (3) Organizations in Irvine and Orange County with strong community profiles in education, arts, health, or faith-based service are the most logical grantee candidates given the geographic and demographic profile of the foundation; (4) Irvine-based civic organizations, universities (UC Irvine), or community groups may be the most natural introduction pathway to the foundation; (5) The foundation does not have a discoverable public website, and unsolicited grant requests should only be attempted after establishing a credible personal connection to a trustee. The foundation's consistent giving history indicates it will continue grantmaking but will not expand to open applications.
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Smallest Grant
$100
Median Grant
$1K
Average Grant
$1K
Largest Grant
$6K
Based on 66 grants from the most recent 990-PF filing.
The foundation makes annual charitable disbursements to nonprofit organizations, ranging from approximately $72,500 to $88,500 per year based on recent IRS 990-PF filings.
The Jason Family Foundation has maintained active and consistent grantmaking based on IRS Form 990-PF filings: $72,500 (FY2020), $76,150 (FY2021), $88,500 (FY2022), $87,550 (FY2023), and $78,350 (FY2024). Charitable disbursements represent approximately 68-74% of annual total expenses. Revenue fluctuates significantly based on investment returns: $30,612 (2020), $77,543 (2021), $40,895 (2022), $424,978 (2023, exceptional year from asset sales), and $275,000 estimated for 2024. Total assets grew .
Jason Family Foundation has distributed a total of $327K across 260 grants. The median grant size is $1K, with an average of $1K. Individual grants have ranged from $100 to $8K.
The Jason Family Foundation is a private family foundation based in Irvine, California that makes annual charitable grants funded entirely through investment returns from its endowment portfolio. The foundation is governed by family members — Elizabeth Jason Adams, Marianne Jason Walters, William G. Jason, and Madelyn Jason Cobb — all serving as unpaid officers. No public website with grant guidelines has been identified; the website listed in IRS records (jason.org) belongs to JASON Learning, a.
Jason Family Foundation is headquartered in IRVINE, CA. While based in CA, the foundation distributes grants to organizations across 11 states.
| Name | Title | Compensation | Benefits | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Elizabeth Jason Adams | VICE PRESIDE | $0 | $0 | N/A |
| Marianne Jason Walters | TREASURER | $0 | $0 | N/A |
| William G Jason | VP/SECRETARY | $0 | $0 | N/A |
| Madelyn Jason Cobb | VICE PRESIDE | $0 | $0 | N/A |
Total Giving
N/A
Total Assets
$1.4M
Fair Market Value
N/A
Net Worth
$1.4M
Grants Paid
N/A
Contributions
N/A
Net Investment Income
N/A
Distribution Amount
N/A
Total Grants
260
Total Giving
$327K
Average Grant
$1K
Median Grant
$1K
Unique Recipients
87
Most Common Grant
$1K
of 2022 grantees were first-time recipients
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Desert Community FoundationSCHOLARSHIPS | Palm Desert, CA | $8K | 2022 |
| My New Red ShoesHOMELESS ASSISTANCE | Redwood City, CA | $5K | 2022 |
| Achievement Rewards For College &EDUCATION | San Francisco, CA | $5K | 2022 |
| Berkeley Tennis Club FoundationATHLETIC | Berkeley, CA | $4K | 2022 |
| Occidental CollegeEDUCATION | Los Angeles, CA | $3K | 2022 |
| Polo Training FoundationATHLETIC | Tully, NY | $3K | 2022 |
| Menlo Park Atherton Education FoundEDUCATION | Menlo Park, CA | $3K | 2022 |
| San Francisco Museum Of Modern ArtEDUCATION | San Francisco, CA | $3K | 2022 |
| Sacred Heart Schools AthertonEDUCATION | Atherton, CA | $3K | 2022 |
| Arcs Foundation IncEDUCATION | San Francisco, CA | $3K | 2022 |
| Fine Arts Museum Of San FranciscoEDUCATION | San Francisco, CA | $3K | 2022 |
| Intellectual Virtues AcademyEDUCATION | Long Beach, CA | $2K | 2022 |
| Dunn SchoolEDUCATION | Los Olivos, CA | $2K | 2022 |
| Sing For America FoundationOPERATIONS | San Francisco, CA | $2K | 2022 |
| Stephens CollegeEDUCATION | Columbia, MO | $2K | 2022 |
| The House Institute FoundationOPERATIONS | Los Angeles, CA | $2K | 2022 |
| The Dawn Redwoods Charitable TrustCHARITABLE | Tiburon, CA | $2K | 2022 |
| Semester At SeaEDUCATION | Fort Collins, CO | $2K | 2022 |
| Cll Society IncMEDICAL | Olathe, KS | $1K | 2022 |
| Square Peg FoundationEDUCATION | Half Moon Bay, CA | $1K | 2022 |
| Resource Renewal InstituteMEDICAL | Mill Valley, CA | $1K | 2022 |
| Stanford UniversityEDUCATION | Redwood City, CA | $1K | 2022 |
| EpattOPERATIONS | Palo Alto, CA | $1K | 2022 |
| The St Francis CenterEDUCATION | Redwood City, CA | $1K | 2022 |
| The Arete FundOPERATIONS | Menlo Park, CA | $1K | 2022 |
| Step OneOPERATIONS | Berkeley, CA | $1K | 2022 |
| The Aggie Polo Club At Uc DavisATHLETIC | Davis, CA | $1K | 2022 |
| Cold Spring School FoundationEDUCATION | Santa Barbara, CA | $1K | 2022 |
| Religious Of The Sacred Heart OakwoRELIGIOUS | Atherton, CA | $1K | 2022 |
| Custom CollaborativeOPERATIONS | New York, NY | $1K | 2022 |
| Forest UnlimitedCONSERVATION | Cazadero, CA | $1K | 2022 |
MENLO PARK, CA
LOS ANGELES, CA
PALO ALTO, CA