The Falling Leaves Foundation concentrates its giving in large, strategic gifts, most notably a multi-million dollar capital commitment to the University of California, Irvine for a medical innovation building. In addition to direct institutional support, the foundation routes substantial funds through donor-advised/charitable intermediaries, indicating use of DAFs or pass-through vehicles to support other causes or grantmakers. Its activity is concentrated, locally oriented toward Southern California higher-education/medical infrastructure, and implemented via a small number of high-dollar grants.
Falling Leaves Foundation made its largest recent gift a $3,955,590 commitment in 2025 to the University of California Irvine Foundation for the Falling Leaves Medical Innovation Building. That grant anchors a giving pattern built around higher-education medical infrastructure, with support flowing to a small set of institutions rather than a broad application pool. The foundation also made repeated general-support awards to the University of California Irvine Foundation in 2024 and 2023, alongside smaller gifts to other organizations in and beyond California. Its recent record shows a mix of major capital support and ongoing institutional grants. Several awards go to entities connected to Southern California, including Irvine, Costa Mesa, Santa Ana, Mission Viejo, Los Angeles, and Huntington Beach. The foundation also uses intermediary organizations such as Fidelity Charitable and National Philanthropic Trust, suggesting part of its grantmaking moves through donor-advised or charitable distribution channels. Most grants are modest in size compared with the headline capital commitment, but the overall pattern is concentrated: a few large grants, repeated support for select organizations, and many general-support allocations.
In medical innovation infrastructure, Falling Leaves Foundation gave $3,955,590 to the University of California Irvine Foundation for the Falling Leaves Medical Innovation Building. That same institution also received $200,000 in 2024, $120,665 in 2023, and $800 in 2025 for general support, showing a multi-year institutional relationship. Higher education is another visible area. The foundation gave $1,000 to UCLA English Department in 2024 and $1,000 to University of Michigan in the same year. Middlebury College also appears in the recent grants list with a $1,000 award in 2024. The foundation also supports arts and community organizations. Segerstrom Center for the Arts received $1,991 in 2025, $800 in 2024, and $250 in 2023. Olive Crest Abused Children's Foundation received $1,000 in 2023, then $500 in both 2024 and 2025.
Typical grants are small relative to the foundation’s largest awards: the 25th percentile is $500, median grant size is $1,000, and the 75th percentile is $5,000. The recent record includes both seven-figure and sub-$1,000 gifts, so the distribution is wide. Grants also recur over multiple years to the same recipients, including the University of California Irvine Foundation, Committee of 100, Segerstrom Center for the Arts, Heritage Pointe, Olive Crest Abused Children's Foundation, and Flying Dutchman. The foundation is not a funder of individuals and does not make program-related investments. Recent grants also show use of charitable intermediaries such as Fidelity Charitable and National Philanthropic Trust.
$12.3M
$3.7M
$1.7M
$13.1M
Most grants fall between $500 and $5K, with a median of $1K.
25th Percentile
$500
Median
$1K
75th Percentile
$5K
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Very concentrated giving: a few very large grants rather than many small awards; combination of direct capital gifts to a flagship university and significant allocations to donor-advised/charitable funds for downstream grantmaking.
Notable grantees: University of California, Irvine Foundation, Fidelity Charitable, National Philanthropic Trust
Grantmaking is national, but California receives the largest share of awards by count, with 55% of grants going to recipients in the HQ state. Recent California recipients include Irvine, Costa Mesa, Santa Ana, Mission Viejo, Los Angeles, Huntington Beach, and Hacienda Heights. Outside California, the foundation’s recent grants reach New York, North Carolina, Vermont, Minnesota, Indiana, Kentucky, New Jersey, Michigan, Arizona, and Pennsylvania. All listed recent grants go to U.S. recipients.
The middle of the distribution is relatively modest: the 25th percentile is $500, the median is $1,000, and the 75th percentile is $5,000. Recent grants include both small general-support awards and one very large capital gift.
Yes. Several recipients appear in multiple years, including the University of California Irvine Foundation in 2023, 2024, and 2025; Committee of 100 in 2023, 2024, and 2025; and Segerstrom Center for the Arts in 2023, 2024, and 2025.
Its recent grants go to universities, charitable intermediaries, arts organizations, faith-based groups, and community nonprofits. Examples in the recent list include the University of California Irvine Foundation, Fidelity Charitable, National Philanthropic Trust, Segerstrom Center for the Arts, and Olive Crest Abused Children's Foundation.
California is the top state by grant count, with 55% of grants going to recipients in the state. Recent California recipients are concentrated in Southern California, including Irvine, Costa Mesa, Santa Ana, Mission Viejo, Los Angeles, Huntington Beach, and Hacienda Heights.
2026
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2026.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| NATIONAL PHILANTHROPIC TRUST | JENKINTOWN, PA | $11,660,288 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| FIDELITY CHARITABLE | COVINGTON, KY | $600,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| COMMITTEE OF 100 | NEW YORK, NY | $3,500 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA IRVINE FOUNDATION | IRVINE, CA | $1,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| SOUTH COAST CHINESE CULTURAL CENTER | IRVINE, CA | $1,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| HUTCHINS CONSORT | ENCINITAS, CA | $300 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| SEGERSTROM CENTER FOR THE ARTS | COSTA MESA, CA | $108 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA IRVINE FOUNDATION | IRVINE, CA | $3,955,590 | 2025 | FALLING LEAVES MEDICAL INNOVATION BUILDING |
| OLIN T BINKLEY MEMORIAL BAPTIST CHURCH | CHAPEL HILL, NC | $10,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| COMMITTEE OF 100 | NEW YORK, NY | $3,500 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| SEGERSTROM CENTER FOR THE ARTS | COSTA MESA, CA | $1,991 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA IRVINE FOUNDATION | IRVINE, CA | $800 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| FLYING DUTCHMAN | HUNTINGTON BEACH, CA | $500 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| OLIVE CREST ABUSED CHILDREN'S FOUNDATION | SANTA ANA, CA | $500 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| NATIONAL CENTRALIZED REPOSITORY FOR ALZHEIMER'S | INDIANAPOLIS, IN | $500 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| FIDELITY CHARITABLE | COVINGTON, KY | $1,042,000 | 2024 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA IRVINE FOUNDATION | IRVINE, CA | $200,000 | 2024 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| COMMITTEE OF 100 | NEW YORK, NY | $12,000 | 2024 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| ROCHAMBEAU FRENCH INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL | MIDDLEBURY, VT | $5,000 | 2024 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| INSTITUTE OF DIPLOMACY | KINGSTON, NJ | $5,000 | 2024 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| UCLA ENGLISH DEPARTMENT | LOS ANGELES, CA | $1,000 | 2024 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN | ANN ARBOR, MI | $1,000 | 2024 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| HERITAGE POINTE | MISSION VIEJO, CA | $1,000 | 2024 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| MAKE A WISH FOUNDATION | PHOENIX, AZ | $1,000 | 2024 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| CARING BRIDGE | ALBERT LEA, MN | $1,000 | 2024 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| MIDDLEBURY COLLEGE | MIDDLEBURY, VT | $1,000 | 2024 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| ST MARK LUTHERAN SCHOOL | HACIENDA HEIGHTS, CA | $959 | 2024 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| SEGERSTROM CENTER FOR THE ARTS | COSTA MESA, CA | $800 | 2024 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| OLIVE CREST ABUSED CHILDREN'S FOUNDATION | SANTA ANA, CA | $500 | 2024 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| SAN JOAQUIN MEMORIAL HIGH SCHOOL | FRESNO, CA | $100 | 2024 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| CHILDREN'S NATIONAL HOSPITAL | ALBERT LEA, MN | $100 | 2024 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| NORTH VALLEYS HIGH SCHOOL | RENO, NV | $20 | 2024 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| NATIONAL PHILANTHROPIC TRUST | JENKINTOWN, PA | $1,030,000 | 2023 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA IRVINE FOUNDATION | IRVINE, CA | $120,665 | 2023 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| COMMITTEE OF 100 | NEW YORK, NY | $3,500 | 2023 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| HERITAGE POINTE | MISSION VIEJO, CA | $1,000 | 2023 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| OLIVE CREST ABUSED CHILDREN'S FOUNDATION | SANTA ANA, CA | $1,000 | 2023 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| FLYING DUTCHMAN | HUNTINGTON BEACH, CA | $950 | 2023 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| HUTCHINS CONSORT | ENCINITAS, CA | $500 | 2023 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| SEGERSTROM CENTER FOR THE ARTS | COSTA MESA, CA | $250 | 2023 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
FIDELITY CHARITABLE
$600,000GENERAL SUPPORT
SOUTH COAST CHINESE CULTURAL CENTER
$1,000GENERAL SUPPORT
HUTCHINS CONSORT
GENERAL SUPPORT
SEGERSTROM CENTER FOR THE ARTS
$108GENERAL SUPPORT
FALLING LEAVES MEDICAL INNOVATION BUILDING
OLIN T BINKLEY MEMORIAL BAPTIST CHURCH
$10,000GENERAL SUPPORT
SEGERSTROM CENTER FOR THE ARTS
$1,991GENERAL SUPPORT
FLYING DUTCHMAN
$500GENERAL SUPPORT
OLIVE CREST ABUSED CHILDREN'S FOUNDATION
$500GENERAL SUPPORT
NATIONAL CENTRALIZED REPOSITORY FOR ALZHEIMER'S
$500GENERAL SUPPORT
ROCHAMBEAU FRENCH INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL
$5,000GENERAL SUPPORT
INSTITUTE OF DIPLOMACY
$5,000GENERAL SUPPORT
UCLA ENGLISH DEPARTMENT
$1,000GENERAL SUPPORT
UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN
$1,000GENERAL SUPPORT
HERITAGE POINTE
$1,000GENERAL SUPPORT
MAKE A WISH FOUNDATION
$1,000GENERAL SUPPORT
MIDDLEBURY COLLEGE
$1,000GENERAL SUPPORT
ST MARK LUTHERAN SCHOOL
$959GENERAL SUPPORT
SEGERSTROM CENTER FOR THE ARTS
$800GENERAL SUPPORT
OLIVE CREST ABUSED CHILDREN'S FOUNDATION
$500GENERAL SUPPORT
SAN JOAQUIN MEMORIAL HIGH SCHOOL
$100GENERAL SUPPORT
CHILDREN'S NATIONAL HOSPITAL
$100GENERAL SUPPORT
NORTH VALLEYS HIGH SCHOOL
$20GENERAL SUPPORT
HERITAGE POINTE
$1,000GENERAL SUPPORT
OLIVE CREST ABUSED CHILDREN'S FOUNDATION
$1,000GENERAL SUPPORT
FLYING DUTCHMAN
$950GENERAL SUPPORT
HUTCHINS CONSORT
$500GENERAL SUPPORT
SEGERSTROM CENTER FOR THE ARTS
$250GENERAL SUPPORT