The Ray Charles Foundation | Foundation Profile

GrantBay analyzes IRS Form 990-PF data to help grant seekers find fit funders like The Ray Charles Foundation. Data shown is extracted from Form 990-PF filings.

EIN: 95-4047622

Foundation Overview

Based in Los Angeles, CA, The Ray Charles Foundation has awarded 68 grants totaling $10,395,000 to organizations in Louisiana, California and 11 other states across the US. Individual grants range from $5,000 to $2,025,000, with a median award of $20,000.

Latest Tax Year
2024
Total Giving (all years)
$10,395,000
Total Assets
$47,798,279
Median Grant (all grants)
$20,000

Latest Form 990-PF Snapshot

Total Grants
10
Median Grant
$17,500
% Median Grant Decline
-30% (vs previous year)
Data extracted from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Last filing year: March 2026

Foundation Intelligence

Advanced analytics and strategic insights to help nonprofit organizations assess grant opportunities and optimize their application strategies

New Applicant Friendliness
Relationship-Focused: 30%

3 of 10 recipients (30%) were new grantees. Foundation strongly favors organizations with proven track records. New partnerships develop slowly over time.

Geographic Focus
California

46% of grants are awarded in California, with additional funding distributed across 12 other locations. The foundation balances regional focus with broader geographic diversity. Within California, funding concentrates in Los Angeles (48%), Pasadena (29%), Valencia (6%).

Funding Trajectory
+16025%

Strong 16025% growth in annual giving over 8 years indicates expanding philanthropic capacity and increasing opportunities for grant seekers. This upward trajectory suggests growing foundation resources and commitment.

Program Areas
Education + 3 others

Diversified giving across multiple program areas with primary emphasis on education (50%). This broad approach suggests openness to various causes and innovative cross-sector solutions.

Where is The Money Going?

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Grants & Funding

Analyzing past grantees provides valuable insights into The Ray Charles Foundation's funding preferences, organizational priorities, and grant making patterns. This historical data helps potential applicants understand the foundation's strategic focus and identify successful funding approaches.

Name Amount Location Purpose Year
Grammy Museum Foundation $1,000,000 Los Angeles, CA, US Education 2024
Art Center College Of Design $15,000 Pasadena, CA, US Education 2024
Hampton University $5,000 Hampton, VA, US Educational Purposes 2024
Southern Poverty Law Center $5,000 Montgomery, AL, US Charitable Purposes 2024
Jackie Robinson Foundation Inc $25,000 New York, NY, US Charitable Purposes 2024
Boule Foundation $20,000 San Antonio, TX, US Charitable Purposes 2024
Reid Temple Ame Church $25,000 Glenn Dale, MD, US Charitable Purposes 2024
Cal State Dominguez Hills $5,000 Carson, CA, US Charitable Purposes 2024
Public Counsel's Children Rights Pr $12,500 Los Angeles, CA, US Charitable Purposes 2024
City Of North Las Vegas Police Depa $500,000 North Las Vegas, NV, US Charitable Purposes 2024
Grammy Museum Foundation $1,000,000 Los Angeles, CA, US Education 2023
Art Center College Of Design $20,000 Pasadena, CA, US Education 2023
Cedars-sinai Medical Center $1,000,000 Los Angeles, CA, US Charitable Purposes 2023
Hampton University $5,000 Hampton, VA, US Educational Purposes 2023
Southern Poverty Law Center $5,000 Montgomery, AL, US Charitable Purposes 2023
Jackie Robinson Foundation Inc $25,000 New York, NY, US Charitable Purposes 2023
Yes2jobs $525,000 Los Angeles, CA, US Charitable Purposes 2023
Boule Foundation $20,000 San Antonio, TX, US Charitable Purposes 2023
Reid Temple Ame Church $25,000 Glenn Dale, MD, US Charitable Purposes 2023
New Village Arts Inc $250,000 Carlsbad, CA, US Charitable Purposes 2023
Community Partners $150,000 Los Angeles, CA, US Charitable Purposes 2023
Art Center College Of Design $12,500 Pasadena, CA, US Education 2022
Hampton University $7,500 Hampton, VA, US Educational Purposes 2022
Southern Poverty Law Center $5,000 Montgomery, AL, US Charitable Purposes 2022
Children's Defense Fund California $5,000 Los Angeles, CA, US Youth Development 2022
Jackie Robinson Foundation Inc $25,000 New York, NY, US Charitable Purposes 2022
The Boule Foundation $15,000 Atlanta, GA, US Charitable Purposes 2022
United Schools Of Indianapolis $25,000 Indianapolis, IN, US Education 2022
Yes2jobs $25,000 Los Angeles, CA, US Charitable Purposes 2022
Art Center College Of Design $12,500 Pasadena, CA, US Education 2022
Hampton University $7,500 Hampton, VA, US Educational Purposes 2022
Southern Poverty Law Center $5,000 Montgomery, AL, US Charitable Purposes 2022
Children's Defense Fund California $5,000 Los Angeles, CA, US Youth Development 2022
Jackie Robinson Foundation Inc $25,000 New York, NY, US Charitable Purposes 2022
The Boule Foundation $15,000 Atlanta, GA, US Charitable Purposes 2022
United Schools Of Indianapolis $25,000 Indianapolis, IN, US Education 2022
Yes2jobs $25,000 Los Angeles, CA, US Charitable Purposes 2022
Art Center College Of Design $12,500 Pasadena, CA, US Education 2022
Hampton University $7,500 Hampton, VA, US Educational Purposes 2022
Southern Poverty Law Center $5,000 Montgomery, AL, US Charitable Purposes 2022
Children's Defense Fund California $5,000 Los Angeles, CA, US Youth Development 2022
Jackie Robinson Foundation Inc $25,000 New York, NY, US Charitable Purposes 2022
The Boule Foundation $15,000 Atlanta, GA, US Charitable Purposes 2022
United Schools Of Indianapolis $25,000 Indianapolis, IN, US Education 2022
Yes2jobs $25,000 Los Angeles, CA, US Charitable Purposes 2022
Dillard University $1,000,000 New Orleans, LA, US Education 2021
Art Center College Of Design $22,500 Pasadena, CA, US Education 2021
Triumph Foundation $25,000 Valencia, CA, US Charitable Purposes 2021
Mu Boule Foundation $15,000 New Brunswick, NJ, US Educational Purposes 2021
Hampton University $7,500 Hampton, VA, US Educational Purposes 2021
Henry E Huntington Library Art Gall $25,000 San Marino, CA, US Charitable Purposes 2021
Martin University $25,000 Indianapolis, IN, US Educational Purposes 2021
Children's Defense Fund California $5,000 Los Angeles, CA, US Youth Development 2021
Morehouse College $2,025,000 Atlanta, GA, US Education 2020
Art Center College Of Design $22,000 Pasadena, CA, US Education 2020
Triumph Foundation $25,000 Valencia, CA, US Charitable Purposes 2020
Fulcrum Arts $5,000 Pasadena, CA, US Charitable Purposes 2020
Mu Boule Foundation $13,000 New Brunswick, NJ, US Educational Purposes 2020
Hampton University $10,000 Hampton, VA, US Educational Purposes 2020
Southern Poverty Law Center $10,000 Montgomery, AL, US Charitable Purposes 2020
Howard University $10,000 Washington, DC, US Educational Purposes 2020
Lemoyne-owen College $5,000 Memphis, TN, US Educational Purposes 2020
School On Wheels $12,500 Ventura, CA, US Education 2018
Art Center College Of Design $25,000 Pasadena, CA, US Education 2018
Lapd Community Youth Welfare Educat $1,000,000 Los Angeles, CA, US Healthcare 2017
Morehouse College $1,000,000 Atlanta, GA, US Education 2017
Blind Childrens Center $100,000 Los Angeles, CA, US Support The Development And Education Of Blind Children 2017
South Central Scholars Fund $10,000 Rancho Palos Verdes, CA, US Education 2016

Foundations Similar to The Ray Charles Foundation

Discover 5 foundations with comparable assets ($47,111,062-$48,391,081), similar grant patterns, and geographic focus in CA that may also align with your organization's funding needs and grant seeking strategy.

Foundation Name Total Assets Typical Grant Size Service Area Similarity Match

EIN: 95-6979496 | 206 grants awarded
$48,000,837
(≈ Similar)
$25,000
median grant
Los Angeles, CA
Same state
100%
Excellent match

EIN: 51-0141231 | 534 grants awarded
$48,077,437
(≈ Similar)
$25,000
median grant
Carlsbad, CA
Same state
100%
Excellent match

EIN: 33-0754362 | 773 grants awarded
$48,156,752
(≈ Similar)
$11,625
median grant
Torrance, CA
Same state
100%
Excellent match

EIN: 82-3694864 | 230 grants awarded
$48,391,081
(≈ Similar)
$35,000
median grant
San Jose, CA
Same state
99%
Excellent match

EIN: 95-4396044 | 83 grants awarded
$47,111,062
(≈ Similar)
$25,000
median grant
Los Angeles, CA
Same state
99%
Excellent match

Contact Information

Official contact details for The Ray Charles Foundation as registered with the IRS. These details are essential for grant applications, correspondence, and due diligence processes.

EIN 95-4047622
Website http://www.theraycharlesfoundation.org
Address 2107 WEST WASHINGTON BLVD Los Angeles, CA 90018-1536

Key People (7)

Board members, trustees, and key staff who oversee The Ray Charles Foundation's grant making decisions and strategic direction. Understanding leadership composition can provide insights into foundation priorities and potential networking opportunities.

President Vaerie Ervin
Chairman Mark Whitlock
Director C Daniels
Director D Brokaw
Director Yakub Coleman

Forms 990-PF

IRS Form 990-PF filings provide comprehensive financial information, grant details, and operational data. These documents are essential resources for understanding foundation capacity, giving patterns, and strategic priorities.

Form 990-PF Research Tips
  • Review Part XV for detailed grant recipient information and funding purposes
  • Check Part I for total assets, annual giving amounts, and payout requirements
  • Examine Part VIII for key personnel compensation and board structure
  • Look for trends across multiple years to understand giving patterns

About This Foundation Profile

This comprehensive foundation profile for The Ray Charles Foundation is powered by Grant Bay's advanced foundation research platform. Our system analyzes IRS Form 990-PF filings, grant histories, and philanthropic patterns to provide nonprofit organizations with actionable intelligence for grant seeking success.

Data Sources & Accuracy

All information is derived from official IRS filings and public records. Grant Bay processes thousands of Form 990-PF documents to extract grant details, financial data, and organizational information. Data accuracy depends on foundation reporting quality and IRS filing completeness.

Research Applications

Use this profile for prospect research, grant strategy development, application preparation, and relationship building. Combine this data with additional research on foundation priorities, application processes, and board member backgrounds for comprehensive grant seeking strategies.

Data Currency: Last updated March 2026 based on IRS Form 990-PF filings. Foundation information reflects most recent available tax year data.