The Lucky One Foundation
Garden City, NY · EIN 45-6398630. Reported 165 grants totalling $2,697,500 to 97 recipients across tax years 2021-2025. This foundation told the IRS it does not accept unsolicited requests: it contributes only to organizations it selects itself.
Does this foundation accept applications?
No -- on its own tax return. Form 990-PF asks every private foundation to check a box if it "only makes contributions to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds". The Lucky One Foundation checked it on its most recent filing, as 78% of the 91,758 foundations in our data that made a grant and answered did. An unsolicited request is unlikely to go anywhere.
Organizations it funds that make grants of their own
4 of the organizations The Lucky One Foundation funded make grants themselves, and it reported 8 grants totalling $127,500 to them. That is 7% of the $1,755,000 of its giving we could match to a registered organization. Each is classified by the IRS as a philanthropy or grantmaking organization, reported grants to at least 25 organizations of its own, and has at least 10 funders behind it.
All of them file Form 990, which never asks whether an organization funds only groups it picks, so there is no answer on record either way.
What that does not mean. It does not mean an application to any of them reaches this foundation's money. A private foundation's grant to a community foundation or a federated campaign is often a donor-advised fund or a gift designated for a purpose the foundation chose, and has nothing to do with any open programme the receiving organization runs. Its return's purpose text sometimes names a family fund or a designated purpose, which is the plainest case of money no applicant can reach; where it names none, neither return says which. The list is who this foundation paid that also makes grants. Whether any of them would fund you is a question for its own page.
| Grantmaker | Kind | State | Received | Grants | Years | Last | Only funds organizations it picks? |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| United Way of Santa Barbara County Inc | federated giving programme | California | $85,000 | 4 | 4 | 2025 | Its form does not ask |
| Impactassetsinc | federated giving programme | Maryland | $25,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 | Its form does not ask |
| Santa Barbara Foundation | community foundation | California | $12,500 | 2 | 2 | 2025 | Its form does not ask |
| Fund for Santa Barbara Inc | community foundation | California | $5,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 | Its form does not ask |
A floor, not a full list. A grantmaker appears here only where this foundation's return named it clearly enough for us to match the name to an EIN, which we manage for about two thirds of 990-PF grant rows, and only where that grantmaker has a page on this site. There may be more. Dollars here are summed by EIN across every spelling on its returns, so a figure can differ from the matching row in the full list below, which groups names as written. And the IRS classification cannot tell a grantmaker from a funders' association or a donor-advised fund sponsor, so a payment to one of these may be dues or an account rather than support for a grants programme.
How big are its grants?
The median grant is $10,000. Half of everything it gave fell between $5,000 and $25,000; the smallest was $2,500 and the largest $105,000.
Every organization it funded
This is the complete list from its filings, largest first. Recipients are grouped by name and state as they were written on the returns, so an organization entered under two different names appears twice. Years funded is the number of separate tax years in which that name received money.
| Organization | Location | Total received | Grants | Years funded | Last |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ganna Wlaska Lotusland | Santa Barbara, CA | $245,000 | 5 | 5 | 2025 |
| Music Academy of the West | Santa Barbara, CA | $190,000 | 5 | 5 | 2025 |
| Moxi the Wolf Museum | Santa Barbara, CA | $180,000 | 5 | 5 | 2025 |
| The Riviera Ridge School | Santa Barbara, CA | $150,000 | 4 | 4 | 2025 |
| Limitless Horizons Ixil | Santa Cruz, CA | $115,000 | 4 | 4 | 2025 |
| Puppies Behind Bars | New York, NY | $105,000 | 5 | 5 | 2025 |
| Creative Visions Foundation | Nipomo, CA | $100,000 | 2 | 2 | 2024 |
| Ganna Walska Lotus Land | Santa Barbara, CA | $100,000 | 1 | 1 | 2025 |
| Bellosguardo Foundation Inc | Santa Barbara, CA | $97,500 | 3 | 3 | 2025 |
| United Way of Santa Barbara | Santa Barbara, CA | $85,000 | 4 | 4 | 2025 |
| Gwendolyn Strong Founation | Santa Barbara, CA | $65,000 | 4 | 4 | 2024 |
| The Perlman Music Program | New York, NY | $65,000 | 3 | 3 | 2023 |
| Reboot Inc | Longmeadow, MA | $60,000 | 2 | 2 | 2025 |
| Dignity Moves | Palm Springs, CA | $55,000 | 3 | 3 | 2024 |
| Calm | Santa Barbara, CA | $50,000 | 4 | 4 | 2025 |
| Kiss the Ground | Los Angeles, CA | $45,000 | 2 | 2 | 2024 |
| Limitless Horizons | Jamaica Plains, MA | $35,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Teddy Bear Cancer Foundation | Santa Barbara, CA | $35,000 | 2 | 2 | 2023 |
| UC Regents Arts and Lectures | Santa Barbara, CA | $35,000 | 2 | 2 | 2025 |
| Consider Haiti | Asheville, NC | $30,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| The Edible Schoolyard Project | Berkeley, CA | $30,000 | 2 | 2 | 2025 |
| Thermal Belt Outreach Ministry | Columbus, NC | $27,500 | 3 | 3 | 2023 |
| Human Rights Watch | New York, NY | $25,000 | 2 | 2 | 2025 |
| Impactassets Inc | Rockville, MD | $25,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Lotusland | Santa Barbara, CA | $25,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Ocean Conservancy | Washington, DC | $25,000 | 2 | 2 | 2022 |
| The Green River Foundation | Rutherfordton, NC | $25,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| The Redford Center Inc | San Francisco, CA | $25,000 | 1 | 1 | 2025 |
| All Saints By the Sea Episcopal Church | Santa Barbara, CA | $20,000 | 2 | 2 | 2025 |
| Bard College | Annandale on Hudson, NY | $20,000 | 2 | 2 | 2023 |
| Dance Downtown La Inc | Los Angeles, CA | $20,000 | 3 | 3 | 2025 |
| Food Bank for New York City | Hartsdale, NY | $20,000 | 3 | 3 | 2023 |
| Montecito Firefighters Charitable Foundation | Santa Barbara, CA | $20,000 | 3 | 3 | 2023 |
| Polo Training Center Santa Barbara | Carpinteria, CA | $20,000 | 3 | 3 | 2023 |
| Stotyteller Children's Center | Santa Barbara, CA | $20,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Steps to Hope | Columbus, NC | $17,500 | 3 | 3 | 2023 |
| Action Against Hunger | New York, NY | $15,000 | 2 | 2 | 2022 |
| Central Park Conservancy | New York, NY | $15,000 | 2 | 2 | 2023 |
| Cottage Health | Santa Barbara, CA | $15,000 | 2 | 2 | 2022 |
| Episcopal Relief and Development | New York, NY | $15,000 | 1 | 1 | 2025 |
| Moms Across America | New York, NY | $15,000 | 2 | 2 | 2024 |
| Social and Environmental Entreprueneurs - Birthfund | Calabasas, CA | $15,000 | 1 | 1 | 2025 |
| St Jude Children's Hospital | Memphis, TN | $15,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| The Mental Wellness Center | Santa Barbara, CA | $15,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| UCLA Foundation | Pasadena, CA | $15,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Nina Simone Project | Tryon, NC | $12,500 | 3 | 3 | 2023 |
| The Santa Barbara Foundation | Santa Barbara, CA | $12,500 | 2 | 2 | 2025 |
| Adam's Angels | Santa Barbara, CA | $10,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Aha | Santa Barbara, CA | $10,000 | 2 | 2 | 2025 |
| Apples to Zucchini Cooking School | Santa Barbara, CA | $10,000 | 1 | 1 | 2025 |
| Dos Pueblos Ranch Institute | Goleta, CA | $10,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Explore Ecology | Santa Barbara, CA | $10,000 | 1 | 1 | 2025 |
| Film Forum Inc | New York, NY | $10,000 | 1 | 1 | 2025 |
| Film Independent | Los Angeles, CA | $10,000 | 1 | 1 | 2025 |
| Life Chronicles | Santa Barbara, CA | $10,000 | 1 | 1 | 2025 |
| Mothers of the Amazon Inc | Woodland Hills, CA | $10,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Santa Barbara Botanic Garden | Santa Barbara, CA | $10,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Santa Barbara School of Squash | Santa Barbara, CA | $10,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Santa Barbara Wildlife Care Network | Goleta, CA | $10,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Shelterbox USA | Pasadena, CA | $10,000 | 1 | 1 | 2025 |
| St Olaf College | Northfield, MN | $10,000 | 1 | 1 | 2025 |
| The Transition House | Santa Barbara, CA | $10,000 | 1 | 1 | 2025 |
| Tribal Trust Foundation | Santa Barbara, CA | $10,000 | 1 | 1 | 2025 |
| Tryon Elementary School | Bessemer City, NC | $7,500 | 2 | 2 | 2022 |
| Angels Foster Care | Santa Barbara, CA | $5,000 | 1 | 1 | 2025 |
| Chapel in the Hills | Rapid City, SD | $5,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| City Harvest | New York, NY | $5,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Citymeals on Wheels | New York, NY | $5,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Community Environmental Council | Santa Barbara, CA | $5,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Conserving Carolina | Henderson, NC | $5,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Duo More Inc | Santa Barbara, CA | $5,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Emergency Network Los Angeles Inc | Los Angeles, CA | $5,000 | 1 | 1 | 2025 |
| Freedom 4 Youth | Santa Barbara, CA | $5,000 | 1 | 1 | 2025 |
| Good Samaritan Shelter | Santa Monica, CA | $5,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Jewish Federation of Greater Santa Barbara | Santa Barbara, CA | $5,000 | 1 | 1 | 2025 |
| Montecito Union School Foundation | Santa Barbara, CA | $5,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| New Diretion for Veterans | Los Angeles, CA | $5,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| New Docta | New York, NY | $5,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| One Thread Collective | Goleta, CA | $5,000 | 1 | 1 | 2025 |
| Protect What We Love | Studio City, CA | $5,000 | 1 | 1 | 2025 |
| Santa Barbara Bucket Brigade | Santa Barbara, CA | $5,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Santa Barbara Humane Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals | Santa Barbara, CA | $5,000 | 1 | 1 | 2025 |
| Santa Barbara South Coast Firefighters Foundation | Carpinteria, CA | $5,000 | 1 | 1 | 2025 |
| Santa Ynez Valley Fruit and Vegetable Rescue | Santa Ynez, CA | $5,000 | 1 | 1 | 2025 |
| State Street Ballet | Santa Barbara, CA | $5,000 | 1 | 1 | 2025 |
| Storyteller Children's Center | Santa Barbara, CA | $5,000 | 1 | 1 | 2025 |
| The Fund for Santa Barbara | Santa Barbara, CA | $5,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| The Olive Foundation | Woodland Hills, CA | $5,000 | 1 | 1 | 2025 |
| The Pasadena Humane Society | Pasadena, CA | $5,000 | 1 | 1 | 2025 |
| Togther We Rise | Brea, CA | $5,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Tryon Little Theatre | Tryon, NC | $5,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| UC Santa Barbara | Santa Barbara, CA | $5,000 | 1 | 1 | 2025 |
| Vibrant Emotional Health National Suicide Prevention | New York, NY | $5,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| World Central Kitchen | Washington, DC | $5,000 | 1 | 1 | 2025 |
| World Monuments Fund | New York, NY | $5,000 | 1 | 1 | 2025 |
| World Wildlife Fund | Washington, DC | $5,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| The Laguna Blanca School | Santa Barbara, CA | $2,500 | 1 | 1 | 2025 |
36 of 97 (37%) received money in more than one year over the 5 years we hold.
Measured the way we measure every foundation -- what share of one year's grantees are funded again the next -- this one retains 51%, across 4 year-to-year transitions. The median foundation retains about 67%, so this one is less consistent than most. This measures how often it paid the same organizations again. It says nothing about whether it would consider a new one, and this foundation told the IRS it does not.
What kind of organizations it funds
By the activity category the IRS assigns each recipient, for the 114 grants where we could match the recipient to a registered organization. The categories are the IRS's. The match, made from the name and address on the return, is ours.
Giving by year
| Tax year | Grants | Total | Median grant |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 35 | $355,000 | $5,000 |
| 2022 | 24 | $435,000 | $12,500 |
| 2023 | 27 | $490,000 | $20,000 |
| 2024 | 32 | $665,000 | $15,000 |
| 2025 | 47 | $752,500 | $10,000 |
Tax years, not calendar years, and the most recent year is usually incomplete -- filings arrive about a year late, so a low final year means late paperwork rather than a foundation winding down.
Where its money goes
76% of its giving went to organizations in California.
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Funders that support the same organizations
These funders gave to organizations this one also funded -- some private foundations, some community foundations and other grantmaking charities. Shared grantees are a sign of overlapping priorities and nothing more. Unlike this foundation, none of them is on record as funding only organizations it picks, and each page says what its filings show.
Related guides
Where these numbers come from
Everything above is taken from The Lucky One Foundation's own Form 990-PF filings, which the IRS publishes in bulk. We used 5 returns (tax years 2021-2025). Grant figures are from its returns. Matching recipients to registered organizations, their IRS classifications, the retention rate and the funders that support the same organizations are our own calculations, described in how we build this.
Address of record on the latest return: 1325 Franklin Avenue 560, Garden City, NY, 11530. This is the address the foundation gave the IRS.
EIN 45-6398630 · See the original filings on ProPublica · How we build this
Is something here wrong about your foundation? Email [email protected] and we will correct it.