The Lopker Family Foundation concentrates its philanthropy on biomedical research—especially cancer and prostate cancer—and on targeted education/scholarship support tied to vocational training. Grants are directed primarily to leading university medical centers and research institutes, with several multi-million dollar gifts earmarked for specific research programs or endowed funds. While health/medical research dominates the dollar amounts, the foundation also makes meaningful investments in local workforce/technical education. Its giving signals a preference for high-impact, institution-level gifts that create named programs or endowments.
A defining feature of the Lopker Family Foundation is its repeated support for prostate cancer research at major university medical centers. The largest recent gifts in the record go to Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center for a multi-department donation and the Institute for Prostate Cancer Research, each at $1,000,000, alongside another major gift of $825,000 to the University of Washington for research in furtherance of SGI's prostate cancer work. That pattern places biomedical research at the center of the foundation's giving, with particularly strong backing for cancer-related projects that sit inside established academic and clinical institutions. The foundation also uses substantial gifts to support named research programs and endowments. UCLA Jonsson Cancer Center Foundation received multiple awards for Dr. Slamon cancer research and cancer research support, while the University of Maryland Baltimore Foundation received funding for thoracic surgical research. In parallel, the foundation has made recurring scholarship and faculty-enrichment gifts tied to the Lopker name, including support for Don Bosco Tech and UCSB. Across these grants, the foundation favors institution-level support, targeted research funds, and named programs rather than small dispersed awards.
Cancer research appears in several forms across the record. The foundation gave $750,000 to UCLA Jonsson Cancer Center Foundation for Dr. Slamon cancer research and another $750,000 to the same institution for cancer research support, showing support for both a named investigator and broader research activity. It also gave $123,133 to the Institute for Natural Medicine for a project testing natural compounds for their ability to reverse cancer cell-induced upregulation of glycolysis. Prostate cancer is another clear theme. A $1,000,000 grant to Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center funded the Institute for Prostate Cancer Research, and the University of Washington Foundation received $100,000 for its Institute for Prostate Cancer Research Fund. The foundation also supports education and workforce pathways. Don Bosco Tech received $750,000 for the Karl Lopker Endowed Merit Scholarship Fund, and the Scholarship Foundation of SB received multiple gifts for the Karl Lopker Memorial Endowed Scholarship Fund.
$2.6M
$69.4M
$5.1M
$3.2M
Most grants fall between $3K and $50K, with a median of $10K.
25th Percentile
$3K
Median
$10K
75th Percentile
$50K
Top 2 recipient countries by grant volume for Lopker Family Foundation.
| Rank | Country | Grants | Total | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | United StatesDomestic | 102 | $9.5M | 97.1% |
| 2 | Canada |
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Concentrated, high-dollar grants to a small set of institutional grantees; repeat multi-million-dollar commitments to elite research centers and universities, supplemented by fewer mid-size gifts to education and scholarship funds.
Notable grantees: Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, UCLA Jonsson Cancer Center Foundation, University of Washington / University of Washington Foundation, Don Bosco Tech
The foundation's typical grant size is $2,750 at the 25th percentile, $10,000 at the median, and $50,000 at the 75th percentile, with a small number of much larger institutional gifts driving the total. Its recent record shows repeated support to some recipients across multiple years, including university foundations and scholarship funds, which points to a recurring relationship pattern rather than one-off giving. The foundation is a family foundation, funds individuals, and does not make program-related investments. Application mode is not stated in the provided data.
Giving is concentrated in the United States, with 99 grants there and 2 in Canada. California is the top state by grant count, and 65% of grants go to recipients in the foundation's headquarters state. Recent recipient cities include Seattle, Los Angeles, Santa Barbara, Rosemead, Redmond, San Francisco, Baltimore, Boston, and Vancouver. The grant list shows especially frequent awards in Seattle and Southern California, along with some support outside the West Coast.
Its giving centers on biomedical research, especially cancer and prostate cancer, plus targeted education support. The record also includes allergy and infectious disease research, thoracic surgical research, gerontology and geriatric medicine research, computer science faculty enrichment, urban ocean work, and scholarships tied to vocational or technical education.
The typical grant size is $2,750 at the 25th percentile, $10,000 at the median, and $50,000 at the 75th percentile. The recent record also includes several six- and seven-figure awards, including $1,000,000 gifts and $750,000 gifts.
Yes. Several recipients appear in multiple years, including the UCLA Jonsson Cancer Center Foundation, University of Washington Foundation, Scholarship Foundation of SB, Totem Technologies, and UCSB Foundation. That pattern suggests ongoing relationships with selected institutions and programs.
California is the top state by grant count, and 65% of grants go to recipients in the foundation's headquarters state. Recent California recipients include Los Angeles, Santa Barbara, Rosemead, San Francisco, and other in-state locations.
Yes. The foundation is marked as funding individuals, and the grant list includes scholarship support such as the Karl Lopker Endowed Merit Scholarship Fund at Don Bosco Tech and the Karl Lopker Memorial Endowed Scholarship Fund at the Scholarship Foundation of SB.
2025
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2025.
| 3 |
| $237K |
2.9% |
Recipient country reflects the grantee's headquarters per IRS 990-PF and Schedule F filings, not the program's implementation country.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FRED HUTCHINSON CANCER CENTER | SEATTLE, WA | $1,000,000 | 2025 | MULTI DEPARTMENT DONATION |
| UCLA JONSSON CANCER CENTER FOUNDATION | LOS ANGELES, CA | $750,000 | 2025 | DR SLAMON CANCER RESEARCH |
| TOTEM TECHNOLOGIES | REDMOND, WA | $150,000 | 2025 | IN FURTHERANCE OF SECTION 501 (C)(3) EXEMPT PURPOSE |
| GIVING WHAT WE CAN | WILMINGTON, DE | $140,000 | 2025 | IN FURTHERANCE OF SECTION 501 (C)(3) EXEMPT PURPOSE |
| UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON FOUNDATION | SEATTLE, WA | $100,000 | 2025 | INSTITUTE FOR PROSTATE CANCER RESEARCH FUND |
| SCHOLARSHIP FOUNDATION OF SB | SANTA BARBARA, CA | $100,000 | 2025 | KARL LOPKER MEMORIAL ENDOWED SCHOLARSHIP FUND |
| UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON FOUNDATION | SEATTLE, WA | $100,000 | 2025 | ALLERGY & INFECTIOUS DISEASES PARASITOLOGY FUND |
| GIVEWELL | SAN FRANCISCO, CA | $50,000 | 2025 | IN FURTHERANCE OF SECTION 501 (C)(3) EXEMPT PURPOSE |
| THE LIFE YOU CAN SAVE | SEQUIM, WA | $50,000 | 2025 | IN FURTHERANCE OF SECTION 501 (C)(3) EXEMPT PURPOSE |
| UCSB FOUNDATION | SANTA BARBARA, CA | $50,000 | 2025 | COMPUTER SCIENCE DEPARTMENT |
| THE GOOD FOOD INSTITUTE | WASHINGTON, DC | $20,000 | 2025 | IN FURTHERANCE OF SECTION 501 (C)(3) EXEMPT PURPOSE |
| NEW HARVEST | CAMBRIDGE, MA | $20,000 | 2025 | IN FURTHERANCE OF SECTION 501 (C)(3) EXEMPT PURPOSE |
| GIVEDIRECTLY INC | NEW YORK, NY | $20,000 | 2025 | IN FURTHERANCE OF SECTION 501 (C)(3) EXEMPT PURPOSE |
| SANTA BARBARA HIGH SCHOOL | SANTA BARBARA, CA | $15,000 | 2025 | MULTI DEPARTMENT DONATION |
| GAVIOTA COAST CONSERVANCY | SANTA BARBARA, CA | $10,000 | 2025 | DONATION FOR RANCHO TAJIGUAS |
| MOXI - THE WOLF MUSEUM | SANTA BARBARA, CA | $10,000 | 2025 | IN FURTHERANCE OF SECTION 501 (C)(3) EXEMPT PURPOSE |
| KINDERING | BELLEVUE, WA | $5,060 | 2025 | IN FURTHERANCE OF SECTION 501(C)(3) EXEMPT PURPOSE |
| UCSB FOUNDATION | SANTA BARBARA, CA | $5,000 | 2025 | GRADUATE DIVISION - GRAD SLAM PRIZE DONATION |
| FOUNDATION FOR SBCC | SANTA BARBARA, CA | $5,000 | 2025 | IN FURTHERANCE OF SECTION 501 (C)(3) EXEMPT PURPOSE |
| UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA MERCED | MERCED, CA | $5,000 | 2025 | IN FURTHERANCE OF SECTION 501 (C)(3) EXEMPT PURPOSE |
| WASHINGTON COALITION FOR OPEN GOVERNANCE | REDMOND, WA | $5,000 | 2025 | IN FURTHERANCE OF SECTION 501 (C)(3) EXEMPT PURPOSE |
| GRANADA THEATER - SANTA BARBARA CENTER FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS INC | SANTA BARBARA, CA | $5,000 | 2025 | IN FURTHERANCE OF SECTION 501 (C)(3) EXEMPT PURPOSE |
| DIRECT RELIEF | SANTA BARBARA, CA | $5,000 | 2025 | IN FURTHERANCE OF SECTION 501 (C)(3) EXEMPT PURPOSE |
| SBHS COMPUTER SCIENCE ACADEMY FOUNDATION | SANTA BARBARA, CA | $2,000 | 2025 | IN FURTHERANCE OF SECTION 501 (C)(3) EXEMPT PURPOSE |
| UNITY SHOPPE INC | SANTA BARBARA, CA | $1,771 | 2025 | IN FURTHERANCE OF SECTION 501 (C)(3) EXEMPT PURPOSE |
| SHOWERS OF BLESSING | GOLETA, CA | $1,000 | 2025 | IN FURTHERANCE OF SECTION 501 (C)(3) EXEMPT PURPOSE |
| FOOD FROM THE HEART | SANTA BARBARA, CA | $500 | 2025 | IN FURTHERANCE OF SECTION 501 (C)(3) EXEMPT PURPOSE |
| MONTECITO COMMUNITY FOUNDATION | SANTA BARBARA, CA | $500 | 2025 | IN FURTHERANCE OF SECTION 501 (C)(3) EXEMPT PURPOSE |
| CAL MATTERS | SACRAMENTO, CA | $500 | 2025 | IN FURTHERANCE OF SECTION 501 (C)(3) EXEMPT PURPOSE |
| SIGNAL TECHNOLOGY FOUNDATION | MOUNTAIN VIEW, CA | $500 | 2025 | IN FURTHERANCE OF SECTION 501 (C)(3) EXEMPT PURPOSE |
| WIKIMEDIA FOUNDATION INC | WASHINGTON, DC | $500 | 2025 | IN FURTHERANCE OF SECTION 501 (C)(3) EXEMPT PURPOSE |
| ST CATHERINE BY THE SEA | VENTURA, CA | $413 | 2025 | IN FURTHERANCE OF SECTION 501 (C)(3) EXEMPT PURPOSE |
| FRED HUTCHINSON CANCER CENTER | SEATTLE, WA | $1,000,000 | 2024 | INSTITUTE FOR PROSTATE CANCER RESEARCH |
| UCLA JONSSON CANCER CENTER FOUNDATION | LOS ANGELES, CA | $500,000 | 2024 | DR SLAMON CANCER RESEARCH |
| UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON FOUNDATION | SEATTLE, WA | $500,000 | 2024 | ALLERGY & INFECTIOUS DISEASES PARASITOLOGY FUND |
| UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND BALTIMORE FOUNDATION INC (SCHOOL OF MEDICINE) | BALTIMORE, MD | $240,000 | 2024 | FUND FOR THORACIC SURGICAL RESEARCH |
| UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON FOUNDATION | SEATTLE, WA | $200,000 | 2024 | $100K DR. WES VAN VOORHIS MD PHD TO USE AS NEEDED & $100K TO DR. STEPHEN PLYMATE DIVISION OF GERONTOLOGY AND GERIATRIC MEDICINE RESEARCH |
| INSTITUTE FOR NATURAL MEDICINE | SEATTLE, WA | $123,133 | 2024 | CANCER RESEARCH PROJECT TESTING OF NATURAL COMPOUNDS FOR THEIR ABILITY TO REVERSE CANCER CELL-INDUCED UPREGULATION OF GLYCOLYSIS. |
| SCHOLARSHIP FOUNDATION OF SB | SANTA BARBARA, CA | $100,000 | 2024 | KARL LOPKER MEMORIAL ENDOWED SCHOLARSHIP FUND |
| UBC - BC CANCER RESEARCH INSTITUTE | VANCOUVER, BR | $79,157 | 2024 | DR GERALD KRYSTAL'S STUDY "TESTING NATURAL COMPOUNDS FOR THEIR ABILITY TO REVERSE CANCER CELL-INDUCED UPREGULATION OF GLYCOLYSIS" |
| MULTIPLIER | SAN FRANCISCO, CA | $50,000 | 2024 | DONATION FOR URBAN OCEAN LAB |
| THE GOOD FOOD INSTITUTE | WASHINGTON, DC | $50,000 | 2024 | IN FURTHERANCE OF SECTION 501 (C)(3) EXEMPT PURPOSE |
| CARBON180 | WASHINGTON, DC | $50,000 | 2024 | IN FURTHERANCE OF SECTION 501 (C)(3) EXEMPT PURPOSE |
| UCSB FOUNDATION | SANTA BARBARA, CA | $50,000 | 2024 | KARL & PAM LOPKER FAMILY ENDOWED FUND FOR FACULTY ENRICHMENT IN COMPUTER SCIENCE |
| CLEAN AIR TASK FORCE | BOSTON, MA | $50,000 | 2024 | IN FURTHERANCE OF SECTION 501 (C)(3) EXEMPT PURPOSE |
| TOTEM TECHNOLOGIES | REDMOND, WA | $50,000 | 2024 | IN FURTHERANCE OF SECTION 501 (C)(3) EXEMPT PURPOSE |
| GIVE WELL | OAKLAND, CA | $30,000 | 2024 | IN FURTHERANCE OF SECTION 501 (C)(3) EXEMPT PURPOSE |
| GIVEDIRECTLY INC | NEW YORK, NY | $30,000 | 2024 | IN FURTHERANCE OF SECTION 501 (C)(3) EXEMPT PURPOSE |
| MAPS | SANTA CRUZ, CA | $20,000 | 2024 | IN FURTHERANCE OF SECTION 501 (C)(3) EXEMPT PURPOSE |
| NEW HARVEST | CAMBRIDGE, MA | $20,000 | 2024 | IN FURTHERANCE OF SECTION 501 (C)(3) EXEMPT PURPOSE |
UCLA JONSSON CANCER CENTER FOUNDATION
$750,000DR SLAMON CANCER RESEARCH
TOTEM TECHNOLOGIES
$150,000IN FURTHERANCE OF SECTION 501 (C)(3) EXEMPT PURPOSE
GIVING WHAT WE CAN
$140,000IN FURTHERANCE OF SECTION 501 (C)(3) EXEMPT PURPOSE
INSTITUTE FOR PROSTATE CANCER RESEARCH FUND
KARL LOPKER MEMORIAL ENDOWED SCHOLARSHIP FUND
ALLERGY & INFECTIOUS DISEASES PARASITOLOGY FUND
UCSB FOUNDATION
$50,000COMPUTER SCIENCE DEPARTMENT
THE GOOD FOOD INSTITUTE
$20,000IN FURTHERANCE OF SECTION 501 (C)(3) EXEMPT PURPOSE
NEW HARVEST
$20,000IN FURTHERANCE OF SECTION 501 (C)(3) EXEMPT PURPOSE
SANTA BARBARA HIGH SCHOOL
$15,000MULTI DEPARTMENT DONATION
MOXI - THE WOLF MUSEUM
$10,000IN FURTHERANCE OF SECTION 501 (C)(3) EXEMPT PURPOSE
UCSB FOUNDATION
$5,000GRADUATE DIVISION - GRAD SLAM PRIZE DONATION
FOUNDATION FOR SBCC
$5,000IN FURTHERANCE OF SECTION 501 (C)(3) EXEMPT PURPOSE
IN FURTHERANCE OF SECTION 501 (C)(3) EXEMPT PURPOSE
WASHINGTON COALITION FOR OPEN GOVERNANCE
$5,000IN FURTHERANCE OF SECTION 501 (C)(3) EXEMPT PURPOSE
GRANADA THEATER - SANTA BARBARA CENTER FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS INC
$5,000IN FURTHERANCE OF SECTION 501 (C)(3) EXEMPT PURPOSE
SBHS COMPUTER SCIENCE ACADEMY FOUNDATION
$2,000IN FURTHERANCE OF SECTION 501 (C)(3) EXEMPT PURPOSE
FOOD FROM THE HEART
$500IN FURTHERANCE OF SECTION 501 (C)(3) EXEMPT PURPOSE
MONTECITO COMMUNITY FOUNDATION
$500IN FURTHERANCE OF SECTION 501 (C)(3) EXEMPT PURPOSE
CAL MATTERS
$500IN FURTHERANCE OF SECTION 501 (C)(3) EXEMPT PURPOSE
IN FURTHERANCE OF SECTION 501 (C)(3) EXEMPT PURPOSE
ST CATHERINE BY THE SEA
$413IN FURTHERANCE OF SECTION 501 (C)(3) EXEMPT PURPOSE
ALLERGY & INFECTIOUS DISEASES PARASITOLOGY FUND
FUND FOR THORACIC SURGICAL RESEARCH
$100K DR. WES VAN VOORHIS MD PHD TO USE AS NEEDED & $100K TO DR. STEPHEN PLYMATE DIVISION OF GERONTOLOGY AND GERIATRIC MEDICINE RESEARCH
INSTITUTE FOR NATURAL MEDICINE
$123,133CANCER RESEARCH PROJECT TESTING OF NATURAL COMPOUNDS FOR THEIR ABILITY TO REVERSE CANCER CELL-INDUCED UPREGULATION OF GLYCOLYSIS.
KARL LOPKER MEMORIAL ENDOWED SCHOLARSHIP FUND
UBC - BC CANCER RESEARCH INSTITUTE
$79,157DR GERALD KRYSTAL'S STUDY "TESTING NATURAL COMPOUNDS FOR THEIR ABILITY TO REVERSE CANCER CELL-INDUCED UPREGULATION OF GLYCOLYSIS"
THE GOOD FOOD INSTITUTE
$50,000IN FURTHERANCE OF SECTION 501 (C)(3) EXEMPT PURPOSE
KARL & PAM LOPKER FAMILY ENDOWED FUND FOR FACULTY ENRICHMENT IN COMPUTER SCIENCE
TOTEM TECHNOLOGIES
$50,000IN FURTHERANCE OF SECTION 501 (C)(3) EXEMPT PURPOSE