Ackerman Foundation Inc
Ackerman Foundation Inc is a private foundation based in Denver, Colorado. Its 2023 filing describes a proposal-based process for considering support for work that would improve K–12 educational curricula or systems in the United States and significantly improve the quality of K–12 education.
Ackerman Foundation Inc at a glance
In short: Ackerman Foundation Inc gave $540K across 23 grants in 2025 (avg $23K), top state California. 9% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $540,000
- +20.0% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 23
- +4.5% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $23,478
- +14.8% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $25,000
- Total assets
- $9,291,034
- +4.7% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 9% first-time grantees (2 of 23, 2025; small sample)
- Primary geography
- California (27% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated September 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to Ackerman Foundation Inc
- How to Apply
-
The filing names Michael Ackerman as the contact and calls for a proposal addressing the stated K–12 education criteria.
- Review Cycle
- Applications must be submitted by July 1 each year, according to the 2023 filing.
- Deadline
- Applications must be submitted by July 1 each year, according to the 2023 filing.
- Contact
Application contact: Michael Ackerman
Mailing address: 8181 E Tufts Ave Suite 600, Denver, CO 80237
Phone: (800) 662-9595
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Ackerman Foundation Inc funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Legacy Ministries Inc ($50K). Together the top 10 received $326K.
Grant Size Distribution
100 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 97 grants of 100 (97%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The 2025 grant dollars went to recipients in multiple states. The largest shares by recipient state were California (27%), Texas (14%), New York (10%), Wyoming (9%), and Colorado (8%). Listed 2025 recipients also included organizations in Washington, DC; Virginia; Louisiana; and New Jersey.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 23 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is Ackerman Foundation Inc open to new grantees?
9%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 2 of 23 grantees (9%) were first-time recipients. With only 23 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 4 points. First grants averaged $38K; repeat grants $22K. How we count
Medians: $38K first-time, $25K repeat.
- 87% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving grew 104% from 2022 to 2025. Method
- In 2025 it paid out 79% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Foundations have until the end of the next year to meet it. Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2019–2025). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2019 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $265K (2022) to $540K (2025). In 2025 it made 23 grants totaling $540K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Legacy Ministries Inc Sheridan, WY | Legacyworks Youth Development | $50,000 |
| Operation Homefront San Antonio, TX | Programs IN CO | $49,000 |
| Ukraine House DC Foundation Washington, DC | United 24: Medical Aid | $45,000 |
| Navy Seal Foundation Virginia Beach, VA | General Operations | $30,000 |
| Black Emotional and Mental Health Collective Culver City, CA | General Operations | $26,000 |
| Thousand Currents San Francisco, CA | Food System Programs | $26,000 |
| Jane Place Neighborhood Sustainability Initiative New Orleans, LA | Jane Place Capital | $25,000 |
| Mercy Ships Garden Valley, TX | General Operations | $25,000 |
| Middle East Childrens Alliance Berkeley, CA | Clean Water Initiative | $25,000 |
| Semper Fi Funds Oceanside, CA | General Operations | $25,000 |
Ready to take the next step with Ackerman Foundation Inc?
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Qualifying Distributions | Net Investment Income | Distributable Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $9,291,034 | $1,036,795 | $620,324 | $540,000 | 23 | $542,850 | $282,436 | $686,884 |
| 2024 | $8,874,538 | $1,174,755 | $531,842 | $450,000 | 22 | $452,350 | $190,288 | $598,457 |
| 2023 | $8,245,430 | $1,235,221 | $414,372 | $375,000 | 17 | $377,110 | $252,670 | $480,049 |
| 2022 | $7,424,581 | $1,272,303 | $297,914 | $265,000 | 14 | $267,275 | $272,462 | $429,360 |
| 2021 | $6,450,192 | $1,228,131 | $413,819 | $390,000 | 24 | — | $271,952 | $416,217 |
| 2020 | $5,635,880 | $1,080,223 | $380,793 | $355,000 | 22 | — | $135,544 | $301,254 |
| 2019 | $4,936,450 | $1,120,699 | $411,834 | $396,000 | 28 | — | $179,467 | $258,428 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Ackerman Foundation Inc reported a distributable amount of $687K for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation’s 2023 filing describes proposals intended to improve the quality of a K–12 educational curriculum or system in the United States and produce a significant positive change in K–12 education. The filing also says giving is not restricted to preselected organizations.
Its 2025 grantees reflect a range of activities. For example, Legacy Ministries describes its mission as offering hope, help, and restoration to people at risk of or facing an unplanned pregnancy. Operation Homefront says it works to build strong, stable, and secure military families. The Navy SEAL Foundation says it provides critical support for Naval Special Warfare warriors, veterans, and families. Other grantees describe work in global mental health, community development, food systems, and support for Ukraine.
Grantmaking
The foundation reported 23 grants totaling $540,000 in 2025. Individual grants ranged from $6,000 to $50,000, with a median of $25,000. The largest listed grants included $50,000 to Legacy Ministries Inc for “LegacyWorks Youth Development,” $49,000 to Operation Homefront for “Programs in CO,” and $45,000 to Ukraine House DC Foundation for “United 24: Medical Aid.” Other listed awards included $30,000 to the Navy SEAL Foundation for general operations and $26,000 each to Black Emotional and Mental Health Collective for general operations and Thousand Currents for food system programs.
The 2023 filing says applicants should submit a proposal that, in the selection committee’s opinion, will improve a K–12 educational curriculum or system in the United States and produce a significant positive change in the quality of K–12 education. The filing refers to award restrictions as “See item 2(b) above”; it does not specify those restrictions in the information provided here.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Michael A. Ackerman as president and director, Steven J. Ackerman as director, and Cherilyn Lawrence as director.
Ackerman Foundation Inc is led by Michael A. Ackerman, President & Director on every filing since 2019; none of the 3 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Michael A. Ackerman
President & Director
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Cherilyn Lawrence
Director
On filings since 2019
No compensation reported
Steven J. Ackerman
Director
On filings since 2019
No compensation reported
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2019–2025. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Frequently asked questions about Ackerman Foundation Inc
How much does Ackerman Foundation Inc give each year?
Ackerman Foundation Inc gave $540K across 23 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $450K across 22 grants.
What is Ackerman Foundation Inc's typical grant size?
Ackerman Foundation Inc's median grant in 2025 was $25,000, and its average grant was $23,478, across 23 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Ackerman Foundation Inc that year got $38K on average.
Where does Ackerman Foundation Inc give grants?
Ackerman Foundation Inc's top state is California, with 27% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. The next largest states were Texas (14%) and New York (10%). The most frequent recipient cities were Denver, CO (3 grants).
Does Ackerman Foundation Inc give general operating support?
Yes: 61% of Ackerman Foundation Inc's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (14 of 23) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are Ackerman Foundation Inc's largest grantees?
Ackerman Foundation Inc's largest 2025 grantees include Legacy Ministries Inc ($50,000), Operation Homefront ($49,000) and Ukraine House DC Foundation ($45,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 27% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Ackerman Foundation Inc?
Ackerman Foundation Inc reported $9.3M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $543K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $687K (roughly 5% of its investment assets). Falling short in one year is not a violation: foundations have until the end of the next year to meet the minimum.
What does Ackerman Foundation Inc fund?
The foundation’s 2023 filing describes proposals intended to improve the quality of a K–12 educational curriculum or system in the United States and produce a significant positive change in K–12 education. The filing also says giving is not restricted to preselected organizations. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Ackerman Foundation Inc?
The filing names Michael Ackerman as the contact and calls for a proposal addressing the stated K–12 education criteria. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Ackerman Foundation Inc's EIN?
Ackerman Foundation Inc's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 58-2284728. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2025.
Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(8)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS February 27, 2020)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS April 13, 2021)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS April 16, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS March 14, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS March 8, 2024)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS March 12, 2025)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS March 6, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2019–2025
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Ackerman Foundation Inc funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 11, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/ackerman-foundation-inc-morg_7d4848cff2394d53ba7c24d6416bb41e
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_582284728_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Ackerman Foundation Inc funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/ackerman-foundation-inc-morg_7d4848cff2394d53ba7c24d6416bb41e},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-11. Data licensed CC BY 4.0}
}The figures on this page are open data under CC BY 4.0: reuse them with credit to Grantable and a link. Download the data.
Figures come from Ackerman Foundation Inc's IRS filings (methodology). AI-written summaries, news items and logos are not covered by the open licence. Spot an error? Email hello@grantable.co.
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