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Chia Family Foundation Inc

Annual Giving
$1.0M
Grant Range
$5K - $0.5M

Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: $998,475 (2023)
  • Success Rate: Not applicable - invitation only
  • Decision Time: Not applicable - preselected organizations
  • Grant Range: $5,000 - $500,000
  • Median Grant: $100,000
  • Geographic Focus: National (US), with emphasis on higher education institutions
  • Total Assets: $16 million

Contact Details

Mailing Address: 430 Via Lido Nord, Newport Beach, CA 92663-4927

Phone: 561-775-1272

Note: The foundation does not have a website and does not accept unsolicited funding requests.

Overview

The Chia Family Foundation Inc was established in December 1996 in New York and is now based in Newport Beach, California. Founded by Pei-Yuan Chia, a former vice chairman of Citicorp and Citibank who retired in 1996, the foundation represents a family's commitment to supporting education and healthcare initiatives, particularly those benefiting Asian communities. With assets of approximately $16 million and annual giving of nearly $1 million, the foundation operates as a private grantmaking entity that makes contributions exclusively to preselected charitable organizations. The foundation has established significant programs including the Chia Family Fellowship Program with Yale-China (launched in 1998) and maintains endowed scholarships at several leading American colleges and universities. The foundation's mission centers on improving outcomes through education and healthcare, with a particular focus on supporting Chinese-American students and promoting opportunities for women in health professions in China.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

Major Institutional Grants ($100,000 - $500,000)

  • Higher education institutions receive the largest grants
  • Recent recipients include Amherst College ($500,000), University of Pennsylvania ($365,000), and Dartmouth College ($300,000)
  • Grants typically support endowed scholarships, programs, or general institutional support

International Education Programs ($100,000 - $300,000)

  • Support for organizations promoting educational exchange with Asia
  • United Board for Christian Higher Education in Asia received $214,000 in 2023
  • Yale-China Association receives ongoing support for the Chia Fellowship Program

Scholarship Programs ($5,000 - $15,000 per student)

  • Chia Family Foundation Scholarship for Chinese-American students pursuing higher education
  • Administered through Scholarship America
  • Available at approximately 50 top-ranked private liberal arts colleges and universities

Community Organizations (grant amounts vary)

  • Long-standing support for APEX for Youth (mentoring and college readiness program for low-income and immigrant Asian students in New York City)
  • Local Orange County organizations including Hoag Hospital Foundation and Families Forward

Priority Areas

Higher Education

  • Endowed professorships and scholarships at leading universities
  • Support for liberal arts colleges
  • Programs supporting Chinese-American students
  • Educational exchange programs between US and Asia

Healthcare and Public Health

  • Training for Chinese women in health professions
  • Public health nursing professional development
  • Healthcare institutions in Orange County, California

Asian Cultural Organizations

  • Organizations promoting Asian American culture and community
  • Programs supporting immigrant Asian youth
  • Educational initiatives focused on Asian communities

Youth Development and Mentoring

  • College readiness programs for low-income students
  • Mentoring programs for immigrant youth

What They Don't Fund

The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests for funds. All grantees are preselected by the foundation's trustees, indicating they do not fund:

  • Organizations without an existing relationship with the foundation
  • Unsolicited proposals from new organizations
  • Individual requests outside of their established scholarship programs

Governance and Leadership

Board of Trustees and Officers:

  • Katherine Chia - Chairperson (daughter of founder Pei-Yuan Chia; architect by profession)
  • Pei-Yuan Chia - Director and Founder (born 1939; former vice chairman of Citicorp and Citibank; served 1974-1996; MBA from Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania, 1964; BA in Economics from Tunghai University, Taiwan, 1961)
  • Douglas K. Chia - Trustee (son of founder; lawyer by profession)
  • Candice Kai-Dee Chia - Treasurer (daughter of founder)
  • Katherine Shen - Trustee
  • Pei-Loh Lo - Chief Operating Officer

Foundation Leadership Background:

Pei-Yuan Chia has been deeply involved in education philanthropy throughout his career. He established the Frances and Pei-Yuan Chia Professorship in marketing at the University of Pennsylvania (held by Professor Peter Fader since 2003), served on the Wharton Graduate Executive Board, and received an honorary doctorate from Tunghai University in 2007. His banking career at Citicorp spanned 22 years, and he also served on AIG's board of directors. The family's philanthropic focus reflects Pei-Yuan's educational background at Wharton and his commitment to supporting both American higher education institutions and educational opportunities connecting the US and China.

All trustees and officers serve without compensation, demonstrating the family's personal commitment to the foundation's mission.

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

This foundation does not have a public application process. The foundation explicitly states that it "only makes contributions to preselected charitable organizations" and "does not accept unsolicited requests for funds."

Grants are awarded at the discretion of the board of trustees to organizations with which the foundation has established relationships. The foundation identifies beneficiaries through the trustees' networks and areas of personal interest, particularly in higher education, Asian cultural organizations, and healthcare.

Exception - Scholarship Program:

Individual Chinese-American students may apply for the Chia Family Foundation Scholarship through Scholarship America. This scholarship program provides awards of $5,000 to $15,000 per year for higher education at approximately 50 eligible institutions. Applications are managed through the Scholarship America platform rather than directly through the foundation.

Decision Timeline

Not applicable. The foundation operates on a trustee-discretionary basis rather than through competitive application cycles. Grant decisions are made throughout the year based on the foundation's ongoing relationships and priorities.

Success Rates

Not applicable for institutional grants, as the foundation does not accept unsolicited applications. Organizations must be selected by trustees to receive funding.

Reapplication Policy

Not applicable. Since there is no public application process, there is no formal reapplication policy. Organizations that have received grants in the past may receive additional support if trustees continue to prioritize their work.

Application Success Factors

Since the Chia Family Foundation does not accept unsolicited applications, the key factor for receiving support is having an established relationship with the foundation's trustees or alignment with the family's specific areas of interest.

Key Alignment Factors:

Educational Connections

  • The foundation shows strong support for institutions connected to the Chia family's educational background, particularly the University of Pennsylvania's Wharton School (Pei-Yuan Chia's alma mater)
  • Elite liberal arts colleges and Ivy League institutions receive significant support
  • Organizations must demonstrate commitment to supporting Chinese-American students or educational exchange with Asia

Mission Alignment

  • Organizations focused on higher education, particularly those supporting Asian American students
  • Healthcare and public health initiatives, especially those supporting women in health professions in China
  • Programs serving immigrant and low-income Asian youth communities
  • Cultural organizations promoting Asian American heritage and community

Geographic Considerations

  • While the foundation supports institutions nationwide, there is notable support for Orange County, California organizations (where the foundation is based)
  • Strong presence in major educational hubs: California, New York, New Hampshire, Massachusetts

Program Examples Recent grants demonstrate the foundation's priorities:

  • Amherst College ($500,000) - Top liberal arts college with strong commitment to diversity
  • University of Pennsylvania ($365,000) - Founder's alma mater with endowed professorship
  • Dartmouth College ($300,000) - Ivy League institution
  • United Board for Christian Higher Education in Asia ($214,000) - Supporting educational exchange and development in Asia
  • Yale-China Association (ongoing support) - Chia Fellowship Program for public health nursing professionals from China
  • APEX for Youth (ongoing support) - Mentoring and college readiness for immigrant Asian students in NYC

Relationship Building Organizations currently receiving support from the foundation were likely identified through:

  • Personal connections to board members
  • Institutions where family members studied or worked
  • Organizations recommended by trusted advisors or other grantees
  • Established reputation in fields aligned with foundation priorities

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  • No public application process exists - This foundation cannot be approached through traditional grant proposals. Organizations must be selected by trustees to receive support.

  • Focus on established relationships - The foundation's giving pattern strongly reflects the Chia family's personal connections, particularly to elite educational institutions and organizations connected to the Asian American community.

  • Higher education is the primary focus - Large institutional grants ($100,000 - $500,000) go primarily to top-tier colleges and universities, with particular support for programs benefiting Chinese-American students.

  • Multi-year commitments are common - The foundation demonstrates ongoing support for key initiatives like the Yale-China Chia Fellowship (since 1998) and APEX for Youth, suggesting they value long-term partnerships over one-time grants.

  • Average grant size is substantial - With a median grant of $100,000 and average grant of approximately $142,000, this foundation makes significant investments in relatively few organizations (7 grants totaling $998,475 in 2023).

  • Educational pedigree matters - The founder's Wharton MBA is reflected in the foundation's support pattern, with significant grants to the University of Pennsylvania and other elite institutions.

  • Student scholarships are accessible - While institutional grants are invitation-only, individual Chinese-American students can apply for scholarships of $5,000-$15,000 through the Scholarship America platform.

References

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