Lily Lai Foundation
At a glance
This funder does not accept unsolicited applications. The foundation chooses the organisations it funds itself.
Key takeaways
- The foundation says it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organisations and does not accept unsolicited requests, so a charity should not expect an open application route and should weigh this before approaching it at all.
- Its stated themes are cancer research, education, children's nutrition, libraries, welfare of disadvantaged children and empowerment of abused women, and the filings show support for child advocacy, food assistance and youth arts, so work in these areas is the closest fit.
- The filings show grants mainly in California and repeated awards to San Diego-area groups, but no geographic focus is stated, so this is a pattern to note rather than a rule.
- Typical grants fall between $10,000 and $100,000, with about 8 in 10 of its 76 grants in that band, a median of $30,000 and a largest grant of $150,000, so a modest request in the lower part of this band is a realistic size.
- All of its grant dollars to organisations in the latest filing went to organisations it had also funded in earlier filings, so a new charity should expect to be a first-time grantee.
Overview
Lily Lai Foundation is a US private foundation based in San Diego, CA.
What they fund
Profile derived from the foundation's IRS Form 990-PF filings (TY2024, TY2023, TY2022) and web pages about the foundation (sandiegouniontribune.com), with every statement checked against those sources. Sources read on 7 October 2026.
Priority Areas
The foundation's charitable mission is to support cancer research, education, and nutrition for children, libraries, welfare of disadvantaged children, and empowerment of abused women. Its grant record includes support for organisations working in cancer research, libraries, child advocacy and foster-youth services, food assistance, youth arts and education. The filings show support for charitable organisations, including repeated awards to San Diego-area groups. Its filed application information says it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organisations and does not accept unsolicited requests; charities therefore have no unsolicited application route. The mission it states spans research, learning, nutrition, libraries, child welfare and support for abused women.
Themes
- Cancer research
- Education
- Children's nutrition
- Libraries
- Welfare of disadvantaged children
- Empowerment of abused women
Geographic Focus
No geographic focus is stated; the filings show grants mainly in California.
How to apply
The foundation states that it does not accept unsolicited requests.
Application success factors
- Repeat giving: In its TY2024 filing, 100% of its grant dollars to organisations went to organisations it had also funded in its TY2022 or TY2023 filing.
- Grant size: Across its TY2022, TY2023 and TY2024 filings, half of its 76 grants to organisations were $30,000 or less.
Where grants go
From grants to organisations in the foundation’s filings for tax years 2022–2024.
Grant dollars by state
- The largest single recipient received 11% of grant dollars to organisations.
- In tax year 2024, 100% of grant dollars went to organisations Lily Lai Foundation had funded in earlier filings.
- No grants were paid directly to organisations outside the US.
- 11% of grant dollars went to intermediaries that regrant to other organisations.
Grants
How much do they typically give?
Share of 26 grants in tax year 2024 by size
Median $45,000 (tax year 2024)
The largest grants to organisations in the foundation’s latest filing:
- California CASA Association · Program/General Support$150,0002024 tax year
- Salk Institute · Salk Cancer Center Program$100,0002024 tax year
- Feeding San Diego · Program/General Support$100,0002024 tax year
- UC San Diego Foundation · Moores Cancer Center Program$100,0002024 tax year
- Library Foundation SD · Program/General Support$100,0002024 tax year
- Voices for Children · Program/General Support$100,0002024 tax year
- Focusing Philanthorpy · FBO Voices for Children (San Diego County)$100,0002024 tax year
- YWCA of San Diego County · Program/General Support$70,0002024 tax year
Grants to organisations listed in the foundation’s Form 990-PF filings. Grants to individuals are not shown.
Officers and directors
- Ching Huang — Director
- Antoinette Haskel — Director
- Doreen Young — Treasurer
- Edwin Luwa — Secretary
- George Lai — President
From the latest Form 990-PF filing
3 years of tax filings
| Year | Total expenses | Grants paid | Assets | Filing document |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 tax year | $1,038,776 | $1,008,000 | $15,219,191 | Filing for 2022 tax year |
| 2023 tax year | $1,063,482 | $1,033,000 | $24,698,011 | Filing for 2023 tax year |
| 2024 tax year | $1,451,587 | $1,405,000 | $31,653,160 | Filing for 2024 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
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At a glance
Applying to Lily Lai Foundation?
Hinchilla drafts your answers around this funder's priorities, using your organisation's own documents.
No credit card required
Contact
- San Diego, CA
Applying to Lily Lai Foundation?
Hinchilla drafts your answers around this funder's priorities, using your organisation's own documents.
No credit card required
Contact
- San Diego, CA