The Mesa Ho Ho Kam Foundation concentrates its giving on youth and community sports, particularly baseball and aquatics, with strong support for adaptive athletics and local athletics infrastructure in Mesa and the broader Arizona/Oakland event circuit. Grants also fund community-facing events (golf and baseball tournaments), performing arts scholarships, and targeted basic needs (school food and foster care). The foundation favors local, program-specific awards that build participation, equipment, and facilities rather than large institutional endowments.
Mesa Ho Ho Kam Foundation Inc puts unusually large dollars behind sports-related community projects, led by a $123,322 grant to Chicago Cubs Charities for sports and repeated support for the Oakland A's Community Fund. The pattern is not limited to spectator sports: the foundation also backs youth baseball fields, adaptive athletics, aquatics, golf events, and local sports programming in Arizona. Mesa Historical Museum received $29,000 for a baseball exhibit, while the Red Mountain Baseball Field Project was funded at $20,500 for a new baseball field. Mesa Assn Sports for Disabled has also been a recurring recipient for equipment, showing that the foundation supports both access and participation. Its giving extends beyond athletics into selected community needs, including foster care and school-age support, but those awards sit alongside a clear emphasis on local sports infrastructure and programming. Across the recent grant list, the foundation favors targeted project grants that fund a specific team, event, exhibit, or facility rather than broad institutional support.
Youth baseball is a central theme. The foundation gave $20,500 to Red Mountain Baseball Field Project for a new baseball field and $10,000 to Mesa Community College for youth sports, tying its giving to player development and field access. Adaptive sports are another visible line of support: Mesa Assn Sports for Disabled received $20,000 for equipment in 2025, after earlier equipment grants of $15,000 and $15,000. Aquatics also appears consistently. AZ Aquatic Sports Foundation received $12,000 for a swim event, and Neptune Foundation received $12,000 for swim programs, showing support for both competition and ongoing programming. The foundation also funds event-based sports programming, including $25,000 to Ajga Heather Farr Classic for a golf event and $12,500 to Gene Lewis Boxing for tournaments and equipment.
Typical grants fall in a mid-sized local range: p25 is $7,000, median is $8,000, and p75 is $12,500. The recent list shows repeat awards to the same recipients across 2023 through 2025, including Chicago Cubs Charities, Oakland A's Community Fund, Mesa Assn Sports for Disabled, and Gene Lewis Boxing, which suggests ongoing relationships rather than one-time gifts. The foundation is a private philanthropic entity led by David R Mattson. Its grants are generally specified for a project, event, program, or equipment need, and there is no indication in the data of an open application process or individual giving.
$179K
$3.3M
$278K
$418K
Most grants fall between $7K and $13K, with a median of $8K.
25th Percentile
$7K
Median
$8K
75th Percentile
$13K
DAVID R MATTSON
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Moderately concentrated local giving with many small-to-mid sized grants; frequent repeat funding to event organizers and recurring program grantees (multiple grants to sports charities and tournaments). Emphasis on program support, equipment, events, and capital projects rather than large unrestricted multi-year general operating grants.
Notable grantees: Chicago Cubs Charities, Mesa Association Sports for the Disabled, AJGA Heather Farr Classic, Red Mountain Baseball Field Project, Arizona Aquatic Sports Foundation
Grantmaking is strongly Arizona-centered: 78% of grants go to recipients in AZ. Mesa appears frequently, with awards to Mesa-based organizations such as Mesa Historical Museum, Mesa Assn Sports for Disabled, City of Mesa Parks & Rec, and East Valley YMCA. Other Arizona recipients include Scottsdale, Tempe, and Chandler, indicating a regional footprint around the Phoenix metro area. Outside Arizona, the foundation has also funded organizations in Chicago, Oakland, Braselton, and Savannah, but those appear less often than Arizona recipients.
The foundation most often funds sports-related projects, especially baseball, adaptive athletics, aquatics, and event-based programming. Recent grants include support for a baseball exhibit, a new baseball field, swim programs, and a golf event, along with equipment grants for disability sports and boxing tournaments.
Typical grants are modest to mid-sized. The distribution provided shows a p25 of $7,000, a median of $8,000, and a p75 of $12,500. Recent awards also include larger project grants, such as $123,322 and $72,438.
Yes. The recent grant list includes repeat awards across multiple years to Chicago Cubs Charities, Oakland A's Community Fund, Mesa Assn Sports for Disabled, Gene Lewis Boxing, Ajga Heather Farr Classic, and Neptune Foundation. That pattern points to recurring support rather than isolated gifts.
Arizona is the main giving state, with 78% of grants going to recipients there. Mesa is especially prominent, and the recipient list also includes Scottsdale, Tempe, and Chandler, alongside a smaller number of grants outside Arizona.
Sports dominate the recent record, but not exclusively. The foundation also gave $10,133 to Savannah Bananas Foster for foster care and supports a baseball exhibit at Mesa Historical Museum, showing some interest in community-oriented needs beyond active sports programming.
2026
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2026.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| MESA ASSN SPORTS FOR DISABLED | MESA, AZ | $25,000 | 2026 | EQUIPMENT |
| AJGA HEATHER FARR CLASSIC | BRASELTON, GA | $18,747 | 2026 | GOLF EVENT |
| NEPTUNE FOUNDATION | SCOTTSDALE, AZ | $15,000 | 2026 | SWIM PROGRAMS |
| GENE LEWIS BOXING | MESA, AZ | $15,000 | 2026 | TOURNAMENTS/EQUIP |
| WESTWOOD HIGH SCHOOL | MESA, AZ | $10,500 | 2026 | YOUTH SPORTS |
| CORBINS LEGACY | MESA, AZ | $10,000 | 2026 | FOOD & HEALTHCARE |
| FARNSWORTH EAST VALLEY YMCA | MESA, AZ | $10,000 | 2026 | YOUTH SPORTS |
| MESA HIGH SCHOOL | MESA, AZ | $10,000 | 2026 | YOUTH SPORTS |
| CHALLENGER-AZ14 LITTLE LEAGUE | QUEEN CREEK, AZ | $8,000 | 2026 | EQUIMENT, UNIFORMS |
| EVIT EDUCATION FOUNDATION | MESA, AZ | $7,500 | 2026 | SCHOLARSHIPS |
| AZ BRAIN FOOD | MESA, AZ | $7,000 | 2026 | FOOD FOR SCHOOL CHILDREN |
| MESA COMMUNITY COLLEGE | TEMPE, AZ | $7,000 | 2026 | YOUTH SPORTS |
| RONALD MCDONALD HOUSE | MESA, AZ | $7,000 | 2026 | FOOD & HEALTHCARE |
| A NEW LEAF | MESA, AZ | $7,000 | 2026 | HEALTHCARE |
| BOOST A FOSTER FAMILY | GILBERT, AZ | $7,000 | 2026 | FAMILY SUPPORT |
| RED MOUNTAIN HIGH SCHOOL | MESA, AZ | $7,000 | 2026 | YOUTH SPORTS |
| BALLET ETUDES | GILBERT, AZ | $7,000 | 2026 | DANCE SCHOLARSHIPS |
| CHICAGO CUBS CHARITIES | CHICAGO, IL | $123,322 | 2025 | SPORTS |
| MESA HISTORICAL MUSEUM | MESA, AZ | $29,000 | 2025 | BASEBALL EXHIBIT |
| AJGA HEATHER FARR CLASSIC | BRASELTON, GA | $25,000 | 2025 | GOLF EVENT |
| MESA ASSN SPORTS FOR DISABLED | MESA, AZ | $20,000 | 2025 | EQUIPMENT |
| OAKLAND A'S COMMUNITY FUND | OAKLAND, CA | $19,938 | 2025 | IMPROVE OAKLAND |
| GENE LEWIS BOXING | MESA, AZ | $12,500 | 2025 | TOURNAMENTS/EQUIP |
| NEPTUNE FOUNDATION | SCOTTSDALE, AZ | $12,000 | 2025 | SWIM PROGRAMS |
| SAVANNAH BANANAS FOSTER | SAVANNAH, GA | $10,133 | 2025 | FOSTER CARE |
| MESA COMMUNITY COLLEGE | TEMPE, AZ | $10,000 | 2025 | YOUTH SPORTS |
| AZ FLAMES TRACK CLUB | CHANDLER, AZ | $7,500 | 2025 | YOUTH SPORTS |
| CORBINS LEGACY | MESA, AZ | $7,000 | 2025 | FOOD & HEALTHCARE |
| BALLET ETUDES | GILBERT, AZ | $6,900 | 2025 | DANCE SCHOLARSHIPS |
| AZ BRAIN FOOD | MESA, AZ | $6,000 | 2025 | FOOD FOR SCHOOL CHILDREN |
| A NEW LEAF | MESA, AZ | $6,000 | 2025 | HEALTHCARE |
| WESTWOOD HIGH SCHOOL | MESA, AZ | $6,000 | 2025 | YOUTH SPORTS |
| CHALLENGER-AZ14 LITTLE LEAGUE | QUEEN CREEK, AZ | $6,000 | 2025 | EQUIMENT, UNIFORMS |
| MESA HIGH SCHOOL | MESA, AZ | $6,000 | 2025 | YOUTH SPORTS |
| CHICAGO CUBS CHARITIES | CHICAGO, IL | $72,438 | 2024 | SPORTS |
| CHICAGO CUBS CHARITIES | CHICAGO, IL | $23,109 | 2024 | SPORTS |
| OAKLAND A'S COMMUNITY FUND | OAKLAND, CA | $19,848 | 2024 | IMPROVE OAKLAND |
| MESA ASSN SPORTS FOR DISABLED | MESA, AZ | $15,000 | 2024 | EQUIPMENT |
| MESA ASSN SPORTS FOR DISABLED | MESA, AZ | $15,000 | 2024 | EQUIPMENT |
| CITY OF MESA PARKS & REC | MESA, AZ | $12,500 | 2024 | SPORTS |
| NEPTUNE FOUNDATION | SCOTTSDALE, AZ | $12,000 | 2024 | SWIM PROGRAMS |
| AZ AQUATIC SPORTS FOUNDATION | MESA, AZ | $12,000 | 2024 | SWIM EVENT |
| GENE LEWIS BOXING | MESA, AZ | $10,000 | 2024 | TOURNAMENTS/EQUIP |
| GENE LEWIS BOXING | MESA, AZ | $10,000 | 2024 | TOURNAMENTS/EQUIP |
| OAKLAND A'S COMMUNITY FUND | OAKLAND, CA | $8,208 | 2024 | IMPROVE OAKLAND |
| MCC WOMENS BASKETBALL | TEMPE, AZ | $8,000 | 2024 | BASKETBALL |
| EAST VALLEY YMCA | MESA, AZ | $8,000 | 2024 | SPORTS |
| AJGA HEATHER FARR CLASSIC | BRASELTON, GA | $7,500 | 2024 | GOLF EVENT |
| AJGA HEATHER FARR CLASSIC | BRASELTON, GA | $7,500 | 2024 | GOLF EVENT |
| AZ FLAMES TRACK CLUB | CHANDLER, AZ | $7,500 | 2024 | YOUTH SPORTS |
MESA ASSN SPORTS FOR DISABLED
$25,000EQUIPMENT
NEPTUNE FOUNDATION
$15,000SWIM PROGRAMS
GENE LEWIS BOXING
$15,000TOURNAMENTS/EQUIP
WESTWOOD HIGH SCHOOL
$10,500YOUTH SPORTS
CORBINS LEGACY
$10,000FOOD & HEALTHCARE
MESA HIGH SCHOOL
$10,000YOUTH SPORTS
CHALLENGER-AZ14 LITTLE LEAGUE
$8,000EQUIMENT, UNIFORMS
EVIT EDUCATION FOUNDATION
$7,500SCHOLARSHIPS
AZ BRAIN FOOD
$7,000FOOD FOR SCHOOL CHILDREN
MESA COMMUNITY COLLEGE
$7,000YOUTH SPORTS
BOOST A FOSTER FAMILY
$7,000FAMILY SUPPORT
RED MOUNTAIN HIGH SCHOOL
$7,000YOUTH SPORTS
BALLET ETUDES
$7,000DANCE SCHOLARSHIPS
MESA HISTORICAL MUSEUM
$29,000BASEBALL EXHIBIT
MESA ASSN SPORTS FOR DISABLED
$20,000EQUIPMENT
OAKLAND A'S COMMUNITY FUND
$19,938IMPROVE OAKLAND
GENE LEWIS BOXING
$12,500TOURNAMENTS/EQUIP
NEPTUNE FOUNDATION
$12,000SWIM PROGRAMS
SAVANNAH BANANAS FOSTER
$10,133FOSTER CARE
MESA COMMUNITY COLLEGE
$10,000YOUTH SPORTS
AZ FLAMES TRACK CLUB
$7,500YOUTH SPORTS
CORBINS LEGACY
$7,000FOOD & HEALTHCARE
BALLET ETUDES
$6,900DANCE SCHOLARSHIPS
AZ BRAIN FOOD
$6,000FOOD FOR SCHOOL CHILDREN
WESTWOOD HIGH SCHOOL
$6,000YOUTH SPORTS
CHALLENGER-AZ14 LITTLE LEAGUE
$6,000EQUIMENT, UNIFORMS
MESA HIGH SCHOOL
$6,000YOUTH SPORTS
OAKLAND A'S COMMUNITY FUND
$19,848IMPROVE OAKLAND
MESA ASSN SPORTS FOR DISABLED
$15,000EQUIPMENT
MESA ASSN SPORTS FOR DISABLED
$15,000EQUIPMENT
CITY OF MESA PARKS & REC
$12,500SPORTS
NEPTUNE FOUNDATION
$12,000SWIM PROGRAMS
GENE LEWIS BOXING
$10,000TOURNAMENTS/EQUIP
GENE LEWIS BOXING
$10,000TOURNAMENTS/EQUIP
OAKLAND A'S COMMUNITY FUND
$8,208IMPROVE OAKLAND
MCC WOMENS BASKETBALL
$8,000BASKETBALL
AZ FLAMES TRACK CLUB
$7,500YOUTH SPORTS