A-Mark Foundation is a 501(c)(3) private operating foundation headquartered in Santa Monica, California. Founded in 1997, the organization operates as a nonprofit grantmaker focused on supporting journalism and investigative reporting through strategic philanthropic initiatives.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$24.5M
+9.9% YoY
Annual Giving
$361K
-33.6% YoY
Grant Count
74
+12.1% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$5K
-40.8% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, A-mark Foundation reported a distributable amount of $1.2M for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Mission & Focus Areas
Mission: Making focused grants to organizations that offer awards to promote and encourage journalism and investigative reporting.
The foundation's primary activities include:
A-Mark Prizes: A series of awards recognizing excellence in journalism and investigative reporting. The foundation works with press clubs, writers' groups, and other organizations nationwide to fund annual cash prizes for investigative reporting and journalistic excellence.
A-Mark Foundation Journalism Scholarships: Providing $10,000 scholarships to students in journalism master's programs. Funding is provided directly to programs, which select scholarship recipients annually.
Grantmaking
The foundation makes grants to tax-exempt organizations and provides grants to individuals to support book publishing.
Grant Range
$1,000–$32,000
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation funds organizations and programs primarily in the United States, with particular activity in California, New York, and Idaho.
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
As of Fiscal Year Ending December 2024:
- Total Assets: $24,516,993
- Total Revenue: $627,519
- Total Expenses: $919,444
- Net Income: -$291,925
- Total Liabilities: $32,600
Historical Context:
- Annual revenue range: $1,000,000–$5,000,000
- The foundation ranks in the top 10% of foundations by assets (Rank #7,066 of 159,550)
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $24,516,993 | $22,304,330 | $21,722,139 |
| Revenue | $627,519 | $864,867 | $449,005 |
| Expenses | $919,444 | $1,280,449 | $1,135,352 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $806,924 | $1,062,852 | $931,217 |
| Net Investment Income | $431,897 | $522,583 | $193,971 |
| Distributable Amount | $1,164,872 | $1,064,543 | $1,063,136 |
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
Grant Size Distribution
239 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include Fix the Court ($31,500), The Hoffman Institute ($25,000), Conserving Our Heritage ($10,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| JUSTIN DORO LOS ANGELES, CA | "FERTILE TERRAIN" PROJECTS | $1,500 |
| OTTIS LEE JOHNSON SCHOLARSHIP FUND CULVER CITY, CA | ACADEMIC AND FINANCIAL SUPPORT FOR UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES | $2,500 |
| NORTH DAKOTA NEWSPAPER ASSOCIATION EDUCATION FOUNDATION BISMARCK, ND | ADMINISTRATIVE FEE AND MARKETING BUDGET | $3,500 |
| KANSAS NEWSPAPER FOUNDATION TOPEKA, KS | ADMINISTRATIVE FEE AND MARKETING BUDGET FOR 2025 CONTEST | $3,400 |
| LOS ANGELES PRESS CLUB LOS ANGELES, CA | ADMINISTRATIVE FEES FOR ADMINISTERING THE AWARD | $1,250 |
| CHICAGO HEADLINE CLUB FOUNDATION CHICAGO, IL | ADMINISTRATIVE GRANT FOR 2025 CONTEST AND MARKETING BUDGET GRANT FOR 2025 CONTEST | $3,500 |
| MISSOURI PRESS FOUNDATION COLUMBIA, MO | ADMINISTRATIVE GRANT FOR 2025 CONTEST AND MARKETING BUDGET GRANT FOR 2025 CONTEST | $2,650 |
| SOUTH DAKOTA NEWSMEDIA ASSOCIATION BROOKINGS, SD | ADMINISTRATIVE GRANT FOR 2025 CONTEST AND MARKETING BUDGET GRANT FOR 2025 CONTEST | $2,500 |
| IDAHO CASA ASSOCIATION BOISE, ID | ASSISTANCE TO CHILDREN IN NEED | $2,000 |
| SPECIAL OLYMPICS IDAHO GARDEN CITY, ID | ATHLETICS FOR PERSONS WITH INTELLECTUAL DISABILITIES | $3,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
- Rob Eshman: Chief Executive Officer (40 hours/week, $162,000 annual compensation)
- Tracey DeFrancesco: Vice President/Chief Operating Officer (40 hours/week, $114,000 annual compensation)
- Justin Jampol: Chair (2 hours/week, no compensation)
- Robert Frcek: Chief Financial Officer & Secretary (2 hours/week, no compensation)
- Steven Markoff: Director (2 hours/week, no compensation)
- Mike Gatto: Director (0.2 hours/week, no compensation)
- Jeannie Gorman: Director (0.2 hours/week, no compensation)
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| JUSTIN JAMPOL | CHAIR | 2 | — |
| ROBERT FRCEK | CFO & SECRETARY | 2 | — |
| MIKE GATTO | DIRECTOR | 0.2 | — |
| JEANNIE GORMAN | DIRECTOR | 0.2 | — |
| STEVEN MARKOFF | DIRECTOR | 2 | — |
Recent News & Activity
Recent developments and announcements
The A-Mark Foundation received a $10 million gift to expand support for investigative journalism, signaling significant growth in the foundation's capacity to advance its mission.
A-Mark Foundation Receives $10 Million Gift to Expand Support for ...Subject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Frequently Asked Questions
What does A-mark Foundation fund?
**Mission:** Making focused grants to organizations that offer awards to promote and encourage journalism and investigative reporting. The foundation's primary activities include: • **A-Mark Prizes:** A series of awards recognizing excellence in journalism and investigative reporting. The foundation works with press clubs, writers' groups, and other organizations nationwide to fund annual cash prizes for investigative reporting and journalistic excellence. • **A-Mark Foundation Journalism Schol…
How do I apply for a grant from A-mark Foundation?
**Grant Activity (2024):** • Total grants made: 76 contributions • Total giving: $360,926 • Median grant amount: $5,000 • Grant range: $1,000–$32,000 **Recent Grantees (2024):** • Fix the Court: $31,500 • Conserving Our Heritage: $10,000 The foundation makes grants to tax-exempt organizations and provides grants to individuals to support book publishing.
Where does A-mark Foundation make grants?
The foundation funds organizations and programs primarily in the United States, with particular activity in California, New York, and Idaho.
What size grants does A-mark Foundation award?
In 2024, A-mark Foundation awarded 74 grants totaling $361K — an average of about $5K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is A-mark Foundation required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, A-mark Foundation reported a distributable amount of $1.2M on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is A-mark Foundation's EIN?
A-mark Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 95-4621496. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
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Data last updated June 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
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