The Szekely Family Foundation makes a small number of relatively large, locally focused gifts, concentrating its giving on community philanthropy and a single major operating grantee (listed as “See attached grant listing”). Their public record shows concentrated support in San Diego-area civic and community infrastructure rather than broad national grantmaking. The foundation appears to use intermediaries (e.g., San Diego Foundation) and repeat grants to sustain a few prioritized partnerships.
Concentrated giving: very few grants (3 total) comprising large dollar amounts, repeat funding to the same primary grantee, and use of a community foundation intermediary.
A defining feature of the Szekely Family Foundation’s public record is its use of a very large unrestricted grant to a placeholder-listed operating beneficiary, followed by continued support at a similar scale in the next year. In 2023, it gave $205,500, and in 2024 it followed with $186,605, both labeled unrestricted and both directed to the same recipient name used in the attached grant listing. That pattern suggests a foundation comfortable making substantial, flexible awards rather than fragmenting its support across many smaller, restricted grants. The foundation also uses community intermediaries and a cluster of local organizations to extend that approach. In 2025, it awarded $100,000 to San Diego Foundation, again unrestricted, alongside smaller grants to museums, civic groups, and environmental or educational organizations. The grant list shows a mix of cultural, civic, and community-serving recipients, with repeated attention to San Diego-based institutions. Across the public record, the Szekely Family Foundation appears to prioritize flexible funding for a small number of organizations, including one primary operating beneficiary and a community foundation partner.
In community philanthropy and civic infrastructure, the foundation gave $100,000 to San Diego Foundation for unrestricted support. It also backed local civic and cultural institutions with smaller unrestricted gifts, including $6,000 to New American Museum and $5,000 to San Diego History Center. Its environmental and place-based giving shows up in grants such as $5,000 to Re-wild Your Campus in Austin, $5,000 to Pachama Alliance in San Francisco, and $2,000 to San Diego River Park Foundation in Calsbad. These awards point to interest in conservation, restoration, and community-facing environmental work. The foundation also supported arts, education, and public-interest programming through grants like $5,000 to Street Of Dreams, $5,000 to Gaia Girls Passages in Lagunitas, and $1,000 to Orchestra Guadalupana in San Diego. Taken together, the list shows broad discretionary support within a locally centered portfolio.
The Szekely Family Foundation’s typical grant size is tightly clustered: the 25th percentile is $191,329, the median is $196,052, and the 75th percentile is $200,776. That narrow range, paired with annual giving of $562,605, points to a small number of comparatively large awards rather than a wide spread of microgrants. Its record also shows recurrence. The same placeholder-listed recipient received $205,500 in 2023 and $186,605 in 2024, both unrestricted, indicating sustained support across years. The foundation is a private family foundation, does not fund individuals, and makes no program-related investments. Public grant records show unrestricted giving rather than restricted project funding.
$563K
$2.8M
$711K
$224K
Most grants fall between $191K and $201K, with a median of $196K.
25th Percentile
$191K
Median
$196K
75th Percentile
$201K
About 100% of grants go to recipients in CA.
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Notable grantees: San Diego Foundation (T310 — community foundation), Primary grantee listed as “See attached grant listing” (recipient of 2 large grants totaling $392,105)
The foundation gives locally and all listed grants go to recipients in the United States. California is the top state by grant count, and 100% of grants go to recipients in the HQ state. San Diego is the most visible city in the record, with recipients including San Diego Foundation, New American Museum, San Diego History Center, Peacemaker Awards, San Diego Natural History Museum, Orchestra Guadalupana, and Pendleton Community Service Fund. Other California recipients appear in San Francisco, Lagunitas, Julian, Chula Vista, Bolinas, and Calsbad.
The public grant record shows support for community philanthropy, civic and cultural institutions, environmental groups, and place-based organizations. Examples include San Diego Foundation for unrestricted support, New American Museum, San Diego History Center, Pachama Alliance, and San Diego River Park Foundation.
Its grant sizes are unusually consistent: the 25th percentile is $191,329, the median is $196,052, and the 75th percentile is $200,776. That indicates a compact range around roughly $200,000 for its larger awards.
Yes. The same recipient listed as “See Attached Grant Listing” received $205,500 in 2023 and $186,605 in 2024, both unrestricted. That shows multi-year support rather than a single one-time award.
California is the top state by grant count, and every listed grant goes to a recipient in California or another U.S. location. The strongest concentration is in San Diego, with multiple recipients there including San Diego Foundation, San Diego History Center, and Peacemaker Awards.
2025
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2025.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| San Diego Foundation | San Diego, CA | $100,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED |
| New American Museum | San Diego, CA | $6,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED |
| Pachama Alliance | San Francisco, CA | $5,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED |
| Ilan Lael Foundation | Julian, CA | $5,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED |
| Peacemaker Awards | San Diego, CA | $5,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED |
| San Diego History Center | San Diego, CA | $5,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED |
| Re-wild Your Campus | Austin, TX | $5,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED |
| Gaia Girls Passages | Lagunitas, CA | $5,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED |
| Bioneers | Santa Fe, NM | $5,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED |
| Los Cimientos Alliance | Pingree Grove, IL | $5,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED |
| MAIA - Previously Starfish | Chicago, IL | $5,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED |
| Street Of Dreams | San Diego, CA | $5,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED |
| San Diego Natural History Museum | San Diego, CA | $2,500 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED |
| Arawaka | Ribera, NM | $2,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED |
| Commonweal | Bolinas, CA | $2,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED |
| Fight for the Forgotten | Austin, TX | $2,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED |
| San Diego River Park Foundation | Calsbad, CA | $2,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED |
| Americas Foundation | Chula Vista, CA | $2,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED |
| Pendleton Community Service Fund | Calsbad, CA | $1,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED |
| Orchestra Guadalupana | San Diego, CA | $1,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED |
| SEE ATTACHED GRANT LISTING | SAN DIEGO, CA | $186,605 | 2024 | UNRESTRICTED |
| SEE ATTACHED GRANT LISTING | SAN DIEGO, CA | $205,500 | 2023 | UNRESTRICTED |
San Diego Foundation
$100,000UNRESTRICTED
New American Museum
$6,000UNRESTRICTED
Pachama Alliance
$5,000UNRESTRICTED
Ilan Lael Foundation
$5,000UNRESTRICTED
Peacemaker Awards
$5,000UNRESTRICTED
San Diego History Center
$5,000UNRESTRICTED
Re-wild Your Campus
UNRESTRICTED
Gaia Girls Passages
$5,000UNRESTRICTED
Bioneers
$5,000UNRESTRICTED
Los Cimientos Alliance
$5,000UNRESTRICTED
MAIA - Previously Starfish
$5,000UNRESTRICTED
Street Of Dreams
$5,000UNRESTRICTED
San Diego Natural History Museum
$2,500UNRESTRICTED
Arawaka
$2,000UNRESTRICTED
Commonweal
$2,000UNRESTRICTED
Fight for the Forgotten
$2,000UNRESTRICTED
San Diego River Park Foundation
$2,000UNRESTRICTED
Americas Foundation
$2,000UNRESTRICTED
Pendleton Community Service Fund
$1,000UNRESTRICTED
Orchestra Guadalupana
$1,000UNRESTRICTED
SEE ATTACHED GRANT LISTING
$186,605UNRESTRICTED
SEE ATTACHED GRANT LISTING
$205,500UNRESTRICTED