Charles Lee Powell Foundation
At a glance
This funder does not accept unsolicited applications. The foundation chooses the organisations it funds itself.
Key takeaways
- The foundation states that it does not accept unsolicited requests and works by invitation only, so a small nonprofit should not send it a cold proposal.
- Its stated focus is science and engineering support at four California universities, with California as its priority, so work outside that field or area is unlikely to fit.
- Typical grants fall between $650,000 and $825,000, and half of its 13 grants to organisations were $650,000 or less, so a modest request would sit well below its usual pattern.
- In its most recent filing, all of its grant dollars to organisations went to groups it had also funded in earlier filings, and it paid $2,775,000 in the year.
Overview
Charles Lee Powell Foundation is a US private foundation based in Del Mar, CA.
What they fund
Profile derived from the foundation's IRS Form 990-PF filings (TY2025, TY2024, TY2023) and its website, with every statement checked against those sources. Sources read on 7 October 2026.
Priority Areas
The foundation supports science and engineering programmes at four California universities. It focuses on impactful grants to the engineering programmes of a limited number of recipient institutions and does not entertain new solicitations or change its list of grantee institutions. Its stated work is university-based support for science and engineering, with engineering programmes at these four institutions as its specific focus. The site presents the recipient group as a defined set of institutions and frames its giving as support for their programmes, rather than describing a general, open application opportunity.
Themes
- Science and engineering
Geographic Focus
Priority: California.
How to apply
The foundation states that it does not accept unsolicited requests.
Application success factors
- Repeat giving: In its TY2025 filing, 100% of its grant dollars to organisations went to organisations it had also funded in its TY2023 or TY2024 filing.
- Grant size: Across its TY2023, TY2024 and TY2025 filings, half of its 13 grants to organisations were $650,000 or less.
What the foundation says:
- The foundation focuses on impactful grants to engineering programmes at its limited recipient institutions.
Where grants go
From grants to organisations in the foundation’s filings for tax years 2023–2025.
Grant dollars by state
- The largest single recipient received 30% of grant dollars to organisations.
- In tax year 2025, 100% of grant dollars went to organisations Charles Lee Powell Foundation had funded in earlier filings.
- No grants were paid directly to organisations outside the US.
Grants
The largest grants to organisations in the foundation’s latest filing:
- University of California San Diego · Education$825,0002025 tax year
- Stanford University · Education$650,0002025 tax year
- University of Southern California · Education$650,0002025 tax year
- California Institute of Technology · Education$650,0002025 tax year
Grants to organisations listed in the foundation’s Form 990-PF filings. Grants to individuals are not shown.
Officers and directors
- William J Holliday — President / CEO
- Mary F Berglund — Director
- Charles Castle — Director
- Margaret Mangin — Director
- William M Low — Director
From the latest Form 990-PF filing
3 years of tax filings
| Year | Total expenses | Grants paid | Assets | Filing document |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 tax year | $3,700,124 | $2,775,000 | $57,283,726 | Filing for 2023 tax year |
| 2024 tax year | $3,653,286 | $2,780,000 | $59,106,886 | Filing for 2024 tax year |
| 2025 tax year | $4,416,759 | $2,775,000 | $63,937,091 | Filing for 2025 tax year |
Figures from the foundation’s IRS Form 990-PF filings. Assets are at fair market value at year end. The document icon links to each year’s filing on ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer.
Sources
Registers and filings
Other sources
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At a glance
Applying to Charles Lee Powell Foundation?
Hinchilla drafts your answers around this funder's priorities, using your organisation's own documents.
No credit card required
Contact
- info@email.com
- Del Mar, CA
- clpf.org
Applying to Charles Lee Powell Foundation?
Hinchilla drafts your answers around this funder's priorities, using your organisation's own documents.
No credit card required
Contact
- info@email.com
- Del Mar, CA
- clpf.org