WJO Foundation
At a glance
This funder does not accept unsolicited applications. The foundation chooses the organisations it funds itself.
Key takeaways
- The filing says WJO Foundation makes contributions only to preselected organisations and does not accept unsolicited requests, so a cold application is unlikely to be considered and small nonprofits should not send one.
- The filing does not state a field or programme area, and its grants range from education and youth work to a university, an animal-rescue group and direct relief, so fit is hard to judge from the record.
- Most of its grants fall in a typical band of $5,000 to $25,000 with a median of $10,000, so a modest request in that range suits its usual pattern, though its largest grant of $1,250,000 to Stand Together Trust shows the band is not a ceiling.
- Around 99% of its grant dollars went to organisations it had already funded in earlier filings, so any approach is best made through an existing connection rather than as a cold request.
Overview
WJO Foundation is a US private foundation based in Los Angeles, CA.
What they fund
Profile derived from the foundation's IRS Form 990-PF filings (TY2024, TY2023, TY2022) and web pages about the foundation (smu.edu), with every statement checked against those sources. Sources read on 7 October 2026.
Priority Areas
SMU describes the WJO Foundation as established by William and Fay O’Neil to support their various charitable interests. The foundation does not name a particular field or applicant group in the material found. Its filings list the grants as general support. Recipients include a trust and several foundations, education and youth organisations, a university, a hospital-linked conference, an animal-rescue organisation and a direct-relief charity. The record therefore shows support reaching a varied group of charitable organisations rather than a clearly stated programme area. The filing says contributions are made only to preselected charitable organisations and unsolicited requests are not accepted; the information found gives no further public application steps or grant criteria.
Geographic Focus
No geographic focus is stated; the filings show grants mainly in the United States and California.
How to apply
The foundation states that it does not accept unsolicited requests.
Application success factors
- Repeat giving: In its TY2024 filing, 99% 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 23 grants to organisations were $10,000 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 89% of grant dollars to organisations.
- In tax year 2024, 99% of grant dollars went to organisations WJO Foundation had funded in earlier filings.
- No grants were paid directly to organisations outside the US.
- 89% of grant dollars went to intermediaries that regrant to other organisations.
Grants
How much do they typically give?
Share of 7 grants in tax year 2024 by size
Median $7,000 (tax year 2024)
The largest grants to organisations in the foundation’s latest filing:
- Stand Together Trust · General support$1,250,0002024 tax year
- Farhang Foundation · General support$25,0002024 tax year
- SquashBusters · General support$25,0002024 tax year
- Keep Children in School Foundation · General support$7,0002024 tax year
- National Union for Democracy in Iran Fund · General support$6,0002024 tax year
- Persian Renaissance Foundation · General support$5,0002024 tax year
- RINS Rescues VIP House · General support$5,0002024 tax year
Grants to organisations listed in the foundation’s Form 990-PF filings. Grants to individuals are not shown.
Officers and directors
- Eugene Kumamoto — CFO / Director
- Brittany O'Neil — Secretary / Director
- Scott O'Neil — President / Director
From the latest Form 990-PF filing
3 years of tax filings
| Year | Total expenses | Grants paid | Assets | Filing document |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 tax year | $1,474,783 | $98,500 | $26,640,566 | Filing for 2022 tax year |
| 2023 tax year | $2,007,326 | $827,200 | $27,808,845 | Filing for 2023 tax year |
| 2024 tax year | $13,049,716 | $1,323,000 | $50,726,250 | 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 WJO Foundation?
Hinchilla drafts your answers around this funder's priorities, using your organisation's own documents.
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Contact
- Los Angeles, CA
Applying to WJO Foundation?
Hinchilla drafts your answers around this funder's priorities, using your organisation's own documents.
No credit card required
Contact
- Los Angeles, CA