The Kay Family Foundation concentrates its philanthropy in Southern California with a mix of sizable, targeted gifts to medical research and healthcare programs, support for Chinese/Asian faith and cultural organizations, and investments in K–12 education (including Mandarin immersion and charter schools). They favor a few high-dollar commitments (notably to UCI and faith-based partners) alongside smaller grants to local nonprofits and civic leadership initiatives, reflecting a local, family-driven strategy that blends health, faith/culture, and education priorities.
THE KAY FAMILY FOUNDATION is based in Irvine, CA, and reported $3,095,679 in annual grants with $15,547,546 in total assets on its latest 990 year on file, 2025. Its grantmaking is local and all reported recipient organizations are in California. Recent grants show a concentration in health and medical programs, faith-based organizations, and education. The largest recent grant was $750,000 to UCI FOUNDATION for the Center for Healthspan Sciences. Other large grants included $600,000 to FOUNDATIONS OF FREEDOM for grants and pledges - faith, and $200,000 to NATIONAL TALENT COLLABORATIVE for grants and pledges - arts & other. The foundation also gave $200,000 to CEO LEADERSHIP ALLIANCE (CLA-OC) to support an AI initiative for Southern CA, $150,000 to WESTERN MANDARIN IMMERSION CHARTER SCHOOL for general and unrestricted support, and $100,000 to UCI FOUNDATION for advancement of early childhood education program and Busan project for AI and youth payment. Additional recent awards went to HOAG HOSPITAL FOUNDATION, CHINA SOUL FOR CHRIST FOUNDATION, and several California-based education and cultural organizations. The pattern of grants indicates a family foundation with recurring support for medical research, religious ministries, Mandarin immersion and Chinese cultural education, and regional initiatives in Southern California.
Recent grantmaking spans health and medical programs, faith-based support, and education. Notable grants include $750,000 to UCI FOUNDATION for the Center for Healthspan Sciences, $50,000 to HOAG HOSPITAL FOUNDATION for the GI Motility Program, and $50,000 to HOAG HOSPITAL FOUNDATION for the Elim & Helena Kay Motility Excellence Fund. Education grants include $150,000 to WESTERN MANDARIN IMMERSION CHARTER SCHOOL for general and unrestricted support and $25,000 to UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA IRVINE FOUNDATION for support of early childhood education. Faith-related grants include $600,000 to FOUNDATIONS OF FREEDOM for grants and pledges - faith and $75,000 to CHINA SOUL FOR CHRIST FOUNDATION for support for religion.
THE KAY FAMILY FOUNDATION’s typical grant size is $25,000 at the 25th percentile, $29,000 at the median, and $90,000 at the 75th percentile. Recent grants range from smaller awards such as $10,000 to church and mission organizations to larger commitments of $150,000, $200,000, $600,000, and $750,000. The foundation funds individuals, but the recent grants provided are to organizations. Its giving is local, concentrated in California, and the recent record shows repeated support to a small set of recipients across multiple years, including UCI FOUNDATION, HOAG HOSPITAL FOUNDATION, and CLA-OC.
$322K
$15.5M
$938K
$571K
Most grants fall between $25K and $90K, with a median of $29K.
25th Percentile
$25K
Median
$29K
75th Percentile
$90K
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Concentrated, high-impact giving with several large multi-year or repeat grants to a small set of core grantees (UCI, faith partners), complemented by numerous smaller, local grants; geographically focused on Southern California and oriented toward organizations serving Chinese/Asian communities, healthcare, and education.
Notable grantees: UCI Foundation (Center for Healthspan Sciences), Foundations of Freedom, China Soul for Christ Foundation, Western Mandarin Immersion Charter School, Hoag Hospital Foundation
THE KAY FAMILY FOUNDATION gives most often in California, and 100% of reported grants went to recipients in its headquarters state. The recent grants list is entirely U.S.-based, with all 36 grants in the United States. Within California, recipients include organizations in Irvine, Los Angeles, Laguna Beach, Newport Beach, Orange, Santa Ana, Monterey Park, San Jose, Diamond Bar, Malibu, Rohnert Park, San Rafael, Petaluma, and San Francisco. No non-U.S. recipient countries appear in the recent grants provided.
The provided data does not describe an application process or any policy on unsolicited applications. Recent grants show direct awards to California-based organizations, including UCI FOUNDATION, HOAG HOSPITAL FOUNDATION, and CHINA SOUL FOR CHRIST FOUNDATION.
Recent grants show support for health and medical programs, faith-based organizations, Mandarin immersion and Chinese cultural education, early childhood education, arts-related projects, and regional leadership or innovation initiatives in Southern California.
Its typical grant size is $25,000 at the 25th percentile, $29,000 at the median, and $90,000 at the 75th percentile. Recent grants include amounts from $10,000 to $750,000.
The foundation is based in Irvine, CA, and its reported grantmaking is local. All recent grants provided were to recipients in California, which also accounts for 100% of the grants in the data.
Recent recipients include UCI FOUNDATION, FOUNDATIONS OF FREEDOM, NATIONAL TALENT COLLABORATIVE, CEO LEADERSHIP ALLIANCE (CLA-OC), TOUCH LIFE MISSION, CHINA SOUL FOR CHRIST FOUNDATION, WESTERN MANDARIN IMMERSION CHARTER SCHOOL, and HOAG HOSPITAL FOUNDATION.
2025
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2025.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| WESTERN MANDARIN IMMERSION CHARTER SCHOOL | IRVINE, CA | $150,000 | 2025 | General & Unrestricted |
| HOAG HOSPITAL FOUNDATION | NEWPORT BEACH, CA | $50,000 | 2025 | Elim & Helena Kay Motility Excellence Fund |
| REGENTS UNIV OF CALIFORNIA | LOS ANGELES, CA | $29,000 | 2025 | General & Unrestricted |
| UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA IRVINE FOUNDATION | IRVINE, CA | $25,000 | 2025 | School of Education - in support of early childhood education |
| JOHN RITTER FOUNDATION FOR AORTIC HEALTH | LOS ANGELES, CA | $25,000 | 2025 | General & Unrestricted |
| GIVE2ASIA | SAN FRANCISCO, CA | $12,500 | 2025 | Scholarship fund for TMU College of Management Foreign Students |
| NORTH AMERICAN TAIWANESE ENGINEERS ASSOCIATION | SUNNYVALE, CA | $10,000 | 2025 | General & Unrestricted |
| UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA IRVINE FOUNDATION | IRVINE, CA | $10,000 | 2025 | Support UCI Athletics - Men's Basketball |
| UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA IRVINE FOUNDATION | IRVINE, CA | $10,000 | 2025 | Support UCI Athletics - Men's Golf |
| CHINA SOUL FOR CHRIST FOUNDATION | ROHNERT PARK, CA | $150,000 | 2024 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| UCI FOUNDATION | IRVINE, CA | $100,000 | 2024 | ADVANCEMENT OF EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION PROGRAM AND BUSAN PROJECT FOR AI AND YOUTH PAYMENT |
| CLA-OC | LAGUNA BEACH, CA | $50,000 | 2024 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| HOAG HOSPITAL FOUNDATION | NEWPORT BEACH, CA | $50,000 | 2024 | GI MOTILITY PROGRAM |
| UCLA MEDICAL HOSPITALITY PROGRAM | LOS ANGELES, CA | $29,000 | 2024 | UCLA MEDICAL HOSPITAL PROGRAM |
| PROJECT ACCESS INC | ORANGE, CA | $25,000 | 2024 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| ABOVE & BEYOND | SAN RAFAEL, CA | $25,000 | 2024 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| STARS & STRIPES CHILDREN'S FOUNDATION | IRVINE, CA | $25,000 | 2024 | ORANGEWOOD UNDERWRITING |
| UCI ANTI-CANCER CHALLENGE | ORANGE, CA | $25,000 | 2024 | SPONSORSHIP |
| CEDARS-SINAI ADVANCEMENT | LOS ANGELES, CA | $20,000 | 2024 | INTERNATIONAL HEALTH/TECH VENTURES |
| KIDWORKS | SANTA ANA, CA | $10,000 | 2024 | SUPPORT FOR EDUCATION |
| UCI FOUNDATION | IRVINE, CA | $750,000 | 2023 | CENTER FOR HEALTHSPAN SCIENCES |
| FOUNDATIONS OF FREEDOM | IRVINE, CA | $600,000 | 2023 | GRANTS & PLEDGES - FAITH |
| NATIONAL TALENT COLLABORATIVE | MALIBU, CA | $200,000 | 2023 | GRANTS & PLEDGES - ARTS & OTHER |
| CEO LEADERSHIP ALLIANCE (CLA-OC) | LAGUNA BEACH, CA | $200,000 | 2023 | SUPPORT AI INITIATIVE FOR SOUTHERN CA |
| TOUCH LIFE MISSION | DIAMOND BAR, CA | $160,000 | 2023 | OPERATIONS SUPPORT |
| SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA BURMA-CHINESE ASSOCIATION | MONTEREY PARK, CA | $80,000 | 2023 | HUAZHONG 100TH ANNIVERSARY ALBUM |
| CHINA SOUL FOR CHRIST FOUNDATION | ROHNERT PARK, CA | $75,000 | 2023 | SUPPORT FOR RELIGION |
| SAMUELI ACADEMY | SANTA ANA, CA | $50,000 | 2023 | GRANTS & PLEDGES - EDUCATION |
| SOUTH COAST CHINESE CULTURAL ASSOCIATION | IRVINE, CA | $30,000 | 2023 | SUPPORT BOOK PUBLICATION |
| UC REGENTS | LOS ANGELES, CA | $29,000 | 2023 | UCLA MEDICAL HOSPITALITY PROGRAM |
| UCLA MEDICAL HOSPITALITY PROGRAM | LOS ANGELES, CA | $29,000 | 2023 | UCLA MEDICAL HOSPITALITY PROGRAM |
| UCI | IRVINE, CA | $25,000 | 2023 | CENTER FOR HEALTHSPAN SCIENCES |
| ORANGE COUNTY HERALD CENTER | IRVINE, CA | $10,000 | 2023 | END OF YEAR FAITH DONATION |
| BURMESE CHINESE CHRISTIAN CHURCH | SAN JOSE, CA | $10,000 | 2023 | CHURCH SUPPORT AND REV. LAHPAI SUPPORT |
| CHINESE CHRISTIAN MISSION | PETALUMA, CA | $10,000 | 2023 | END OF YEAR FAITH DONATION |
| SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA BURMA-CHINESE | MONTEREY PARK, CA | $7,179 | 2023 | HUAZHONG 100THANNIVERSARY ALBUM |
WESTERN MANDARIN IMMERSION CHARTER SCHOOL
$150,000General & Unrestricted
REGENTS UNIV OF CALIFORNIA
$29,000General & Unrestricted
School of Education - in support of early childhood education
JOHN RITTER FOUNDATION FOR AORTIC HEALTH
$25,000General & Unrestricted
Scholarship fund for TMU College of Management Foreign Students
NORTH AMERICAN TAIWANESE ENGINEERS ASSOCIATION
$10,000General & Unrestricted
Support UCI Athletics - Men's Basketball
CHINA SOUL FOR CHRIST FOUNDATION
$150,000GENERAL SUPPORT
ADVANCEMENT OF EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION PROGRAM AND BUSAN PROJECT FOR AI AND YOUTH PAYMENT
CLA-OC
$50,000GENERAL SUPPORT
UCLA MEDICAL HOSPITALITY PROGRAM
$29,000UCLA MEDICAL HOSPITAL PROGRAM
ABOVE & BEYOND
$25,000GENERAL SUPPORT
UCI ANTI-CANCER CHALLENGE
$25,000SPONSORSHIP
UCI FOUNDATION
$750,000CENTER FOR HEALTHSPAN SCIENCES
FOUNDATIONS OF FREEDOM
$600,000GRANTS & PLEDGES - FAITH
NATIONAL TALENT COLLABORATIVE
$200,000GRANTS & PLEDGES - ARTS & OTHER
TOUCH LIFE MISSION
$160,000OPERATIONS SUPPORT
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA BURMA-CHINESE ASSOCIATION
$80,000HUAZHONG 100TH ANNIVERSARY ALBUM
CHINA SOUL FOR CHRIST FOUNDATION
$75,000SUPPORT FOR RELIGION
SOUTH COAST CHINESE CULTURAL ASSOCIATION
$30,000SUPPORT BOOK PUBLICATION
UC REGENTS
$29,000UCLA MEDICAL HOSPITALITY PROGRAM
UCLA MEDICAL HOSPITALITY PROGRAM
$29,000UCLA MEDICAL HOSPITALITY PROGRAM
UCI
$25,000CENTER FOR HEALTHSPAN SCIENCES
ORANGE COUNTY HERALD CENTER
$10,000END OF YEAR FAITH DONATION
BURMESE CHINESE CHRISTIAN CHURCH
$10,000CHURCH SUPPORT AND REV. LAHPAI SUPPORT
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA BURMA-CHINESE
$7,179HUAZHONG 100THANNIVERSARY ALBUM