The Michael B Kaplan Charitable Foundation concentrates philanthropic support on higher education in Southern California, with a pronounced emphasis on legal education. Nearly all giving in the observed period went to university institutions — most prominently a very large grant to the University of San Diego School of Law and a smaller award to UCLA — suggesting the foundation prefers institutional, mission-level support to established academic programs.
Highly concentrated and episodic: very few, large gifts focused on established higher-education institutions with one dominant beneficiary receiving roughly 90% of reported dollars.
The Michael B Kaplan Charitable Foundation’s most distinctive recent gift is a $1,010,000 grant to the University of San Diego School of Law, a single award that sets the tone for its philanthropy: large institutional support for higher education, especially legal education, in Southern California. That law-school grant is paired with continued support for the same institution in later years, including $20,000 in 2023 and $10,000 in 2025, showing repeated backing rather than a one-time relationship. The foundation also funds other mission-level university support, including $110,000 to The UCLA Foundation in 2025. Beyond higher education, its grant list includes awards to City of Hope, The Jewish Federation, and Los Angeles-based community and cultural organizations, indicating a portfolio that extends beyond campus giving while still remaining centered in California. Many grants are modest relative to the flagship law-school award, but they still reflect support for established organizations and public-facing missions. Across the record, the pattern is consistent: the foundation favors institutional stability, mission continuity, and organizations with a clear public role.
Legal education is the clearest theme in the foundation’s giving. The largest grant in the record, $1,010,000, went to the University of San Diego School of Law for public support of organization mission, and the same institution received additional grants of $20,000 in 2023 and $10,000 in 2025. Higher education support is not limited to law schools. In 2025, the foundation gave $110,000 to The UCLA Foundation for public support of organization mission, pointing to continued investment in major university infrastructure and programming. The foundation also supports health and community institutions. City of Hope received $100,000 in 2024, while The Jewish Federation received $22,500 in 2024 and another $8,500 in 2025. Los Angeles Jewish Health also appears in the record with a $6,500 grant in 2025, reinforcing a cluster of support for mission-driven organizations serving the region.
The foundation’s grant sizes are uneven, with a p25 of $2,500, a median of $5,000, and a p75 of $17,500. That distribution sits alongside a very large outlier at $1,010,000, showing a mix of smaller operating-level awards and at least one major institutional commitment. Grantmaking appears recurring rather than one-off in several cases. University of San Diego School of Law, The Jewish Federation, City of Hope, Operation Healing Force, Museum of Art, Shelter Partnership Inc, Jvs Socal, and Tour De Summer Camps each appear more than once across the record. The foundation is a private charitable foundation, funds individuals: false, and makes program-related investments: false. The grant descriptions repeatedly use public support of organization mission.
$1.5M
$257K
$259K
$189K
Most grants fall between $3K and $18K, with a median of $5K.
25th Percentile
$3K
Median
$5K
75th Percentile
$18K
About 86% of grants go to recipients in CA.
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Notable grantees: University of San Diego School of Law, The UCLA Foundation
Grantmaking is overwhelmingly concentrated in California, which accounts for 86% of grants and is also the top state by grant count. Los Angeles appears most often in recipient locations, including The UCLA Foundation, Hollywood Bowl, Pacific Council on International Policy, The Jewish Federation, Shelter Partnership Inc, Jvs Socal, and several others. Other California recipients include Duarte, Reseda, Santa Ana, and Beverly Hills. Outside California, the record includes Clearwater, Florida, and Chicago, Illinois, but all grants in the dataset go to US recipients.
The foundation supports universities, law school programs, and mission-driven public-serving organizations. In the record, that includes University of San Diego School of Law, The UCLA Foundation, City of Hope, The Jewish Federation, and Los Angeles Jewish Health, with most grants described as public support of organization mission.
The grant-size distribution centers on smaller awards, with a p25 of $2,500, a median of $5,000, and a p75 of $17,500. The record also includes one much larger outlier at $1,010,000 to the University of San Diego School of Law.
Yes. University of San Diego School of Law appears three times in the record, The Jewish Federation appears twice, and City of Hope, Operation Healing Force, Museum of Art, Shelter Partnership Inc, Jvs Socal, and Tour De Summer Camps also receive more than one grant.
California is the clear center of activity, with 86% of grants going to recipients in the HQ state and the top state by grant count also being CA. The recipient list is heavily concentrated in Los Angeles, with additional California grants in Duarte, Reseda, Santa Ana, and Beverly Hills.
Legal education is the strongest theme, led by University of San Diego School of Law. The record also shows higher education support through The UCLA Foundation, along with grants to health and community organizations such as City of Hope, The Jewish Federation, and Los Angeles Jewish Health.
2025
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2025.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| THE UCLA FOUNDATION | LOS ANGELES, CA | $110,000 | 2025 | PUBLIC SUPPORT OF ORGANIZATION MISSION |
| THE MUSIC CENTER FOUNDERS | LOS ANGELES, CA | $25,000 | 2025 | PUBLIC SUPPORT OF ORGANIZATION MISSION |
| SHELTER PARTNERSHIP INC | LOS ANGELES, CA | $10,000 | 2025 | PUBLIC SUPPORT OF ORGANIZATION MISSION |
| UNIVERSITY OF SAN DIEGO SCHOOL OF LAW | LOS ANGELES, CA | $10,000 | 2025 | PUBLIC SUPPORT OF ORGANIZATION MISSION |
| THE JEWISH FEDERATION | LOS ANGELES, CA | $8,500 | 2025 | PUBLIC SUPPORT OF ORGANIZATION MISSION |
| LOS ANGELES JEWISH HEALTH | RESEDA, CA | $6,500 | 2025 | PUBLIC SUPPORT OF ORGANIZATION MISSION |
| OPERATION HEALING FORCE | CLEARWATER, FL | $5,000 | 2025 | PUBLIC SUPPORT OF ORGANIZATION MISSION |
| MUSEUM OF ART | LOS ANGELES, CA | $5,000 | 2025 | PUBLIC SUPPORT OF ORGANIZATION MISSION |
| CRISTO REY ORANGE COUNTY HIGH SCHOOL | SANTA ANA, CA | $2,500 | 2025 | PUBLIC SUPPORT OF ORGANIZATION MISSION |
| TOUR DE SUMMER CAMPS | LOS ANGELES, CA | $2,500 | 2025 | PUBLIC SUPPORT OF ORGANIZATION MISSION |
| BEVERLY HILLS OFFICER'S ASSOCIATION | BEVERLY HILLS, CA | $1,000 | 2025 | PUBLIC SUPPORT OF ORGANIZATION MISSION |
| BEVERLY HILLS FIREFIGHTER'S ASSOCIATION | BEVERLY HILLS, CA | $1,000 | 2025 | PUBLIC SUPPORT OF ORGANIZATION MISSION |
| CITY OF HOPE | DUARTE, CA | $500 | 2025 | PUBLIC SUPPORT OF ORGANIZATION MISSION |
| UNIVERSITY OF SAN DIEGO SCHOOL OF LAW | LOS ANGELES, CA | $1,010,000 | 2024 | PUBLIC SUPPORT OF ORGANIZATION MISSION |
| CITY OF HOPE | DUARTE, CA | $100,000 | 2024 | PUBLIC SUPPORT OF ORGANIZATION MISSION |
| PACIFIC COUNCIL ON INTERNATIONAL POLICY | LOS ANGELES, CA | $25,000 | 2024 | PUBLIC SUPPORT OF ORGANIZATION MISSION |
| THE JEWISH FEDERATION | LOS ANGELES, CA | $22,500 | 2024 | PUBLIC SUPPORT OF ORGANIZATION MISSION |
| JVS SOCAL | LOS ANGELES, CA | $6,000 | 2024 | PUBLIC SUPPORT OF ORGANIZATION MISSION |
| OPERATION HEALING FORCE | CLEARWATER, FL | $5,000 | 2024 | PUBLIC SUPPORT OF ORGANIZATION MISSION |
| MUSEUM OF ART | LOS ANGELES, CA | $2,500 | 2024 | PUBLIC SUPPORT OF ORGANIZATION MISSION |
| TOUR DE SUMMER CAMPS | LOS ANGELES, CA | $2,500 | 2024 | PUBLIC SUPPORT OF ORGANIZATION MISSION |
| BEVERLY HILLS POLICE OFFICERS BENEVOLENT FUND | BEVERLY HILLS, CA | $1,000 | 2024 | PUBLIC SUPPORT OF ORGANIZATION MISSION |
| BEVERLY HILLS FIREFIGHTER'S ASSOCIATION | BEVERLY HILLS, CA | $1,000 | 2024 | PUBLIC SUPPORT OF ORGANIZATION MISSION |
| PHASE ONE | LOS ANGELES, CA | $500 | 2024 | PUBLIC SUPPORT OF ORGANIZATION MISSION |
| HOLLYWOOD BOWL | LOS ANGELES, CA | $25,000 | 2023 | PUBLIC SUPPORT OF ORGANIZATION MISSION |
| UNIVERSITY OF SAN DIEGO SCHOOL OF LAW | LOS ANGELES, CA | $20,000 | 2023 | PUBLIC SUPPORT OF ORGANIZATION MISSION |
| JVS SOCAL | LOS ANGELES, CA | $10,000 | 2023 | PUBLIC SUPPORT OF ORGANIZATION MISSION |
| OPERATION HEALING FORCE | CLEARWATER, FL | $5,000 | 2023 | PUBLIC SUPPORT OF ORGANIZATION MISSION |
| THE JEWISH FEDERATION | LOS ANGELES, CA | $5,000 | 2023 | PUBLIC SUPPORT OF ORGANIZATION MISSION |
| CITY OF HOPE | DUARTE, CA | $5,000 | 2023 | PUBLIC SUPPORT OF ORGANIZATION MISSION |
| INTERNATIONAL MEDICAL CORPS | LOS ANGELES, CA | $5,000 | 2023 | PUBLIC SUPPORT OF ORGANIZATION MISSION |
| INTERNATIONAL FELLOWSHIP OF CHRISTIANS AND JEWS | CHICAGO, IL | $5,000 | 2023 | PUBLIC SUPPORT OF ORGANIZATION MISSION |
| SHELTER PARTNERSHIP INC | LOS ANGELES, CA | $2,500 | 2023 | PUBLIC SUPPORT OF ORGANIZATION MISSION |
| JEWISH BIG BROTHERS BIG SISTERS | LOS ANGELES, CA | $2,500 | 2023 | PUBLIC SUPPORT OF ORGANIZATION MISSION |
| MUSEUM OF ART | LOS ANGELES, CA | $2,500 | 2023 | PUBLIC SUPPORT OF ORGANIZATION MISSION |
THE UCLA FOUNDATION
$110,000PUBLIC SUPPORT OF ORGANIZATION MISSION
THE MUSIC CENTER FOUNDERS
$25,000PUBLIC SUPPORT OF ORGANIZATION MISSION
SHELTER PARTNERSHIP INC
$10,000PUBLIC SUPPORT OF ORGANIZATION MISSION
UNIVERSITY OF SAN DIEGO SCHOOL OF LAW
$10,000PUBLIC SUPPORT OF ORGANIZATION MISSION
THE JEWISH FEDERATION
$8,500PUBLIC SUPPORT OF ORGANIZATION MISSION
LOS ANGELES JEWISH HEALTH
$6,500PUBLIC SUPPORT OF ORGANIZATION MISSION
OPERATION HEALING FORCE
$5,000PUBLIC SUPPORT OF ORGANIZATION MISSION
MUSEUM OF ART
$5,000PUBLIC SUPPORT OF ORGANIZATION MISSION
CRISTO REY ORANGE COUNTY HIGH SCHOOL
$2,500PUBLIC SUPPORT OF ORGANIZATION MISSION
TOUR DE SUMMER CAMPS
$2,500PUBLIC SUPPORT OF ORGANIZATION MISSION
BEVERLY HILLS OFFICER'S ASSOCIATION
$1,000PUBLIC SUPPORT OF ORGANIZATION MISSION
BEVERLY HILLS FIREFIGHTER'S ASSOCIATION
$1,000PUBLIC SUPPORT OF ORGANIZATION MISSION
CITY OF HOPE
$500PUBLIC SUPPORT OF ORGANIZATION MISSION
UNIVERSITY OF SAN DIEGO SCHOOL OF LAW
$1,010,000PUBLIC SUPPORT OF ORGANIZATION MISSION
CITY OF HOPE
$100,000PUBLIC SUPPORT OF ORGANIZATION MISSION
PACIFIC COUNCIL ON INTERNATIONAL POLICY
$25,000PUBLIC SUPPORT OF ORGANIZATION MISSION
THE JEWISH FEDERATION
$22,500PUBLIC SUPPORT OF ORGANIZATION MISSION
JVS SOCAL
$6,000PUBLIC SUPPORT OF ORGANIZATION MISSION
OPERATION HEALING FORCE
$5,000PUBLIC SUPPORT OF ORGANIZATION MISSION
MUSEUM OF ART
$2,500PUBLIC SUPPORT OF ORGANIZATION MISSION
TOUR DE SUMMER CAMPS
$2,500PUBLIC SUPPORT OF ORGANIZATION MISSION
BEVERLY HILLS POLICE OFFICERS BENEVOLENT FUND
$1,000PUBLIC SUPPORT OF ORGANIZATION MISSION
BEVERLY HILLS FIREFIGHTER'S ASSOCIATION
$1,000PUBLIC SUPPORT OF ORGANIZATION MISSION
PHASE ONE
$500PUBLIC SUPPORT OF ORGANIZATION MISSION
HOLLYWOOD BOWL
$25,000PUBLIC SUPPORT OF ORGANIZATION MISSION
UNIVERSITY OF SAN DIEGO SCHOOL OF LAW
$20,000PUBLIC SUPPORT OF ORGANIZATION MISSION
JVS SOCAL
$10,000PUBLIC SUPPORT OF ORGANIZATION MISSION
OPERATION HEALING FORCE
$5,000PUBLIC SUPPORT OF ORGANIZATION MISSION
THE JEWISH FEDERATION
$5,000PUBLIC SUPPORT OF ORGANIZATION MISSION
CITY OF HOPE
$5,000PUBLIC SUPPORT OF ORGANIZATION MISSION
INTERNATIONAL MEDICAL CORPS
$5,000PUBLIC SUPPORT OF ORGANIZATION MISSION
INTERNATIONAL FELLOWSHIP OF CHRISTIANS AND JEWS
$5,000PUBLIC SUPPORT OF ORGANIZATION MISSION
SHELTER PARTNERSHIP INC
$2,500PUBLIC SUPPORT OF ORGANIZATION MISSION
JEWISH BIG BROTHERS BIG SISTERS
$2,500PUBLIC SUPPORT OF ORGANIZATION MISSION
MUSEUM OF ART
$2,500PUBLIC SUPPORT OF ORGANIZATION MISSION