Ad Astra Foundation
Ad Astra Foundation is a private foundation based in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. Its 2024 grants supported organizations including arts and performing arts groups, a blood institute, a university, and Scouting organizations.
Ad Astra Foundation at a glance
In short: Ad Astra Foundation gave $1.0M across 32 grants in 2024 (avg $32K), mostly in Oklahoma. 39% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $1,024,887
- +70.7% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 32
- -3.0% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $32,028
- +76.1% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $6,000
- Total assets
- $5,806,384
- +7.1% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 39% first-time grantees (11 of 28, 2024)
- Primary geography
- Oklahoma (99% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to Ad Astra Foundation
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds.
- Contact
Mailing address: 5653 N Pennsylvania Ave, Oklahoma City, OK 73112
Phone: (405) 848-2113
Website: https://adastrafoundation-us.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Ad Astra Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Casady Performing Arts Complex ($667K across 2 grants). Together the top 10 received $956K.
Grant Size Distribution
160 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 150 grants of 160 (94%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2024, 99% of grant dollars went to recipients in Oklahoma, 1% to recipients in Texas, and less than 1% to recipients in Virginia.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 32 itemized grants.
Cities
Is Ad Astra Foundation open to new grantees?
39%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 11 of 28 grantees (39%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $75K; repeat grants $11K. How we count
Medians: $1K first-time, $10K repeat.
- 50% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving grew 177% from 2021 to 2024. Method
- In 2024 it paid out 200% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2020–2024). 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 2020 to 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $370K (2021) to $1.0M (2024). In 2024 it made 32 grants totaling $1.0M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Casady Performing Arts Complex Oklahoma City, OK | Unrestricted | $516,667 |
| Casady Performing Arts Complex Oklahoma City, OK | Unrestricted | $150,000 |
| OK Blood Institute Oklahoma City, OK | Unrestricted | $100,000 |
| University of Central Oklahoma Edmond, OK | Unrestricted | $40,000 |
| Cimarron Opera Norman, OK | Opera Theater Camp 2024 | $26,000 |
| Canterbury Voices Oklahoma City, OK | Unrestricted | $25,000 |
| Oklahoma Contemporary Arts Center Oklahoma City, OK | Unrestricted | $25,000 |
| Painted Sky Opera Edmond, OK | 2024 Productions | $25,000 |
| Brightmusic Chamber Ensemble Oklahoma City, OK | Unrestricted | $15,000 |
| Scissortail Park Oklahoma City, OK | Scissortail Park Concerts 2024 | $15,000 |
Ready to take the next step with Ad Astra Foundation?
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Qualifying Distributions | Net Investment Income | Distributable Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $5,806,384 | $1,144,169 | $1,100,657 | $1,024,887 | 32 | $1,027,123 | $1,086,592 | $514,772 |
| 2023 | $5,419,026 | $1,062,249 | $668,647 | $600,250 | 33 | $604,650 | $1,013,053 | $486,341 |
| 2022 | $4,223,690 | $1,074,289 | $619,801 | $558,550 | 36 | $562,600 | $1,030,241 | $480,925 |
| 2021 | $4,376,206 | $1,029,798 | $422,636 | $370,050 | 27 | $371,900 | $993,568 | $420,990 |
| 2020 | $3,769,201 | $1,031,600 | $521,254 | $469,847 | 32 | — | $1,000,387 | $401,416 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Ad Astra Foundation reported a distributable amount of $515K for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2024 grants include support for performing arts and visual arts organizations, education, health, conservation, and community organizations. For example, Painted Sky Opera says it presents opera through performance and education in Central Oklahoma; Oklahoma Contemporary Arts Center says it encourages artistic expression through education, exhibitions, and performance; and the Oklahoma Zoological Society says it connects the community with the OKC Zoo to inspire conservation action through philanthropy.
Grantmaking
In 2024, the foundation made 32 grants totaling $1,024,887. Grant amounts ranged from $100 to $516,667, with a median grant of $6,000. Its largest listed grants included $516,667 and $150,000 to Casady Performing Arts Complex, both unrestricted; $100,000 to OK Blood Institute, unrestricted; and $40,000 to the University of Central Oklahoma, unrestricted. Other listed awards included $26,000 to Cimarron Opera for Opera Theater Camp 2024, $25,000 to Painted Sky Opera for 2024 productions, and $25,000 to Canterbury Voices, unrestricted.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Alice Sias Pippin as President; Phil Pippin as Treasurer; and Richard Pippin, Philip Pippin, and John Pippin as Board Members.
Ad Astra Foundation is led by Alice Sias Pippin, President on every filing since 2020; none of the 5 officers listed in 2024 report compensation.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Alice Sias Pippin
President
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
Phil Pippin
Treasurer
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
Philip Pippin
Board Member
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
Richard Pippin
Board Member
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
John Pippin
Board Member
On filings since 2023
No compensation reported
Former officers (1)
- Former: Richard L. Sias (2020–2022) — Chairman
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2024. "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 Ad Astra Foundation
How much does Ad Astra Foundation give each year?
Ad Astra Foundation gave $1.0M across 32 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $600K across 33 grants.
What is Ad Astra Foundation's typical grant size?
Ad Astra Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $6,000, and its average grant was $32,028, across 32 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Ad Astra Foundation that year got $75K on average.
Where does Ad Astra Foundation give grants?
Ad Astra Foundation gives mostly in Oklahoma: 99% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Oklahoma City, OK (23 grants) and Edmond, OK (4 grants).
Does Ad Astra Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 50% of Ad Astra Foundation's 2024 grants with a stated purpose (16 of 32) were for general or operating support, per its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are Ad Astra Foundation's largest grantees?
Ad Astra Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include Casady Performing Arts Complex ($666,667 across 2 grants), OK Blood Institute ($100,000) and University of Central Oklahoma ($40,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 79% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is Ad Astra Foundation?
Ad Astra Foundation reported $5.8M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $1.0M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $515K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does Ad Astra Foundation fund?
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2024 grants include support for performing arts and visual arts organizations, education, health, conservation, and community organizations. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Ad Astra Foundation?
The foundation makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Ad Astra Foundation's EIN?
Ad Astra Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 73-1278163. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Does Ad Astra Foundation accept unsolicited proposals?
No, according to Grantable's research on the foundation's published guidelines. See how to apply ↑
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(1)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Ad Astra Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 11, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/ad-astra-foundation-morg_29863e62181b457b87f709d83b9f8b9f
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_731278163_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Ad Astra Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/ad-astra-foundation-morg_29863e62181b457b87f709d83b9f8b9f},
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 Ad Astra Foundation'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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