American Athletic Conference
The American Athletic Conference is a public charity based in Irving, Texas. It supports intercollegiate athletics and, through its Academic Consortium, research and programming focused on student well-being, particularly student-athlete well-being.
American Athletic Conference at a glance
In short: American Athletic Conference gave $126.8M across 15 grants in 2025 (avg $8.5M), top state Texas. 7% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $126,769,924
- +16.4% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 15
- +0.0% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $8,451,328
- +16.4% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $6,917,118
- Total assets
- $88,196,652
- -25.9% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 7% first-time grantees (1 of 15, 2025; small sample)
- Primary geography
- Texas (16% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990, 2025; updated September 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to American Athletic Conference
- Contact
Mailing address: 545 E John Carpenter Fwy Ste300, Irving, TX 75062
Phone: (469) 284-5167
Website: https://theamerican.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who American Athletic Conference funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was East Carolina University ($12.6M). Together the top 10 received $100.8M.
Grant Size Distribution
66 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was $5M or more: 54 grants of 66 (82%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The 2025 grant dollars were distributed among recipients in multiple states. The largest reported state shares were Texas (16%), Florida (15%), North Carolina (15%), Tennessee (9%), and Louisiana (9%).
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 15 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is American Athletic Conference open to new grantees?
7%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 1 of 15 grantees (7%) were first-time recipients. With only 15 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 7 points. First grants averaged $3.9M; repeat grants $8.8M. How we count
Medians: $3.9M first-time, $8M repeat.
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990 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 $54.8M (2019) to $126.8M (2025). In 2025 it made 15 grants totaling $126.8M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| East Carolina University Greenville, NC | Funding for Athletic Program | $12,641,594 |
| University of South Florida Tampa, FL | Funding for Athletic Program | $12,449,901 |
| University of Memphis Memphis, TN | Funding for Athletic Program | $11,987,360 |
| Tulane University New Orleans, LA | Funding for Athletic Program | $11,669,334 |
| Temple University Philadelphia, PA | Funding for Athletic Program | $11,461,931 |
| University of Tulsa Tulsa, OK | Funding for Athletic Program | $11,207,833 |
| United States Naval Academy Annapolis, MD | Funding for Athletic Program | $9,047,581 |
| University of Texas at San Antonio San Antonio, TX | Funding for Athletic Program | $6,917,118 |
| University of North Texas Denton, TX | Funding for Athletic Program | $6,887,698 |
| Florida Atlantic University Boca Raton, FL | Funding for Athletic Program | $6,521,607 |
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Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Net Investment Income |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $88,196,652 | $127,153,770 | $155,760,065 | $126,769,924 | 15 | $3,116,517 |
| 2024 | $119,076,757 | $147,728,348 | $137,107,826 | $108,925,588 | 15 | $3,529,714 |
| 2023 | $106,501,924 | $123,403,258 | $121,442,621 | $100,119,494 | 12 | $1,902,638 |
| 2022 | $103,011,544 | $183,247,674 | $114,204,129 | $93,833,111 | 12 | $77,605 |
| 2021 | $32,647,115 | $93,996,015 | $106,497,198 | $88,360,914 | 12 | $75,236 |
| 2020 | $45,662,453 | $111,278,729 | $85,857,175 | $61,313,480 | 13 | $220,188 |
| 2019 | $30,206,449 | $73,203,230 | $75,406,112 | $54,806,918 | 13 | $360,567 |
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The conference’s stated mission is to provide students with high-quality education and competition while supporting their health and well-being, preparing them for life and careers after graduation, and pursuing academic and athletic excellence. Its stated program purpose is to supervise and control intercollegiate athletics within the conference’s educational purpose and encourage sportsmanship and sound academic practices.
The Academic Consortium funds research and programming on student well-being, especially student-athlete well-being. Its stated objectives include scholarly collaboration among member institutions, research dissemination, and opportunities such as internships, study abroad, and service learning for student-athletes.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2025, the conference reported 15 grants totaling $126,769,924. Grants ranged from $3,212,282 to $12,641,594, with a median of $6,917,118. The itemized grants generally list their purpose as funding for athletic programs.
The largest reported grants included East Carolina University ($12,641,594), University of South Florida ($12,449,901), University of Memphis ($11,987,360), Tulane University ($11,669,334), and Temple University ($11,461,931).
The conference also describes Academic Consortium research grants and an annual symposium where researchers and participants share findings and discuss the student-athlete experience. Examples of past research topics include student-athlete mental health, nutrition, social support, leadership development, and name, image, and likeness. The website lists a 2024–25 Academic Consortium grant-program request for proposals; that cycle is past.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Timothy R. Pernetti as commissioner and president, hired June 3, 2024, and Michael L. Aresco as commissioner and president, retired June 3, 2024. Other listed officers and staff include Donna DeMarco Egan (senior associate commissioner and COO), Stacy Martin (senior associate commissioner and CFO), Bryan Calka (chief commercial officer), Ellen M. Ferris (senior associate commissioner), Karl P. Hicks (associate commissioner for basketball), James R. Hixson (associate commissioner for football), Robert Weygand (associate commissioner for sports administration), and Kauri Black (associate commissioner for broadcasting).
The organization states that its board of directors is composed of the presidents of its member institutions.
American Athletic Conference is led by Michael L. Aresco, Commissioner & President on every filing since 2019; 10 of 26 officers listed in 2025 are compensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Michael L. Aresco
Commissioner & President
On filings since 2019
40 hrs/week
$1.9M (2019) → $1.3M (2025)
Timothy R. Pernetti
Commissioner & President
New on the 2025 filing
40 hrs/week
$1.1M (2025)
Donna Demarco Egan
Senior Associate Comm.-Coo
On filings since 2019
40 hrs/week
$262K (2019) → $349K (2025)
Ellen M. Ferris
Senior Associate Comm.-Governanc
Associate Comm.-Governance → Senior Associate Comm.-Governance, 2024
Senior Associate Comm.-Governance → Senior Associate Comm.-Governanc, 2025
On filings since 2019
40 hrs/week
$216K (2019) → $268K (2025)
Stacy Martin
Senior Associate Comm.-Cfo
On filings since 2021
40 hrs/week
$263K (2021) → $324K (2025)
Robert Weygand
Associate Comm.-Sports Administrator
On filings since 2022
40 hrs/week
$155K (2022) → $178K (2025)
Karl P. Hicks
Associate Comm.- Basketball
On filings since 2023
40 hrs/week
$261K (2023) → $262K (2025)
James R. Hixson
Associate Comm.- Football
On filings since 2024
40 hrs/week
$238K (2024) → $223K (2025)
Kauri Black
Associate Comm.- Broadcasting
Associate Comm.- Broadcasting & Digital Programming → Associate Comm.- Broadcasting, 2025
On filings since 2024
40 hrs/week
$163K (2024) → $177K (2025)
Charles V. Sullivan
Assistant Comm.-Communications
New on the 2025 filing
40 hrs/week
$138K (2025)
Michael A. Fitts
Board Member-Tulane University
Board Member-Tulane University → Board Member-Tulane Univer, 2021
Board Member-Tulane Univer → Board Member-Tulane University, 2025
On filings since 2019
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Philip Rogers
Board Member-East Carolina Univ
Board Member-East Carolina → Board Member-East Carolina Univ, 2025
On filings since 2021
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Richard Muma
Board Member-Wichita State Univ
Board Member-Wichita State → Board Member-Wichita State Univ, 2025
On filings since 2021
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Bill Hardgrave
Board Memb-Univer. of Memphis
Board Memb-Univer. of Memp → Board Memb-Univer. of Memphis, 2025
On filings since 2022
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Brad Carson
Board Member-Univ of Tulsa
On filings since 2022
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Rhea Law
Board Member-Univ. of S. Florida
Board Member-Univ. of S. F → Board Member-Univ. of S. Florida, 2025
On filings since 2022
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Ray Watts
Board Member-Univ of Alabama
Board Member-Univ of Alabama Birmigham → Board Member-Univ of Alabama, 2025
On filings since 2024
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Reginald Desroches
Board Member-Rice University
Board Member-Rice Univ. → Board Member-Rice University, 2025
On filings since 2024
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Sharon Gaber
Board Member-Univ Nc at Charlotte
On filings since 2024
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Taylor Eighmy
Board Member-Utsa
Board Member-Univ. of Texas San Antonio → Board Member-Utsa, 2025
On filings since 2024
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Adam Hasner
Board Member-Fl Atlantic Univ
New on the 2025 filing
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Bryan Calka
Chief Commercial Officer
New on the 2025 filing
40 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Harrison Keller
Board Member-Univ. of N. Texas
New on the 2025 filing
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
John Fry
Board Member-Temple University
New on the 2025 filing
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Lt General Steven W. Gilland
Board Member-Us Military Academy
New on the 2025 filing
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Vadm Yvette Davids
Board Member-Us Naval Academy
New on the 2025 filing
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (29)
- Former: R. Gerald Turner (2019–2024) — Board Member-S. Methodist
- Former: Vadm Walter Sean Buck (2020–2024) — Board Member-Us Naval Acad
- Former: Jo-Anne Epps (2023–2024) — Board Member-Temple Univer
- Former: Neal Smatresk (2024) — Board Member-Univ. of North Texas
- Former: Stacy Volnick (2024) — Board Member-Florida Atlantic Univ.
- Former: Neville Pinto (2019–2023) — Board Member-Univ.of Cinci
- Former: Renu Khator (2019–2023) — Board Member-Univ. of Hous
- Former: Scott A. Draper (2019–2023) — Associate Comm.- Football · Filing note: Until 10222
- Former: Thomas R. Odjakjian (2019–2023) — Senior Associate Comm.-Broadcas · Filing note: Until 10/2072
- Former: Alexander Cartwright (2020–2023) — Board Member-Univ of C Flo
- Former: Brian Thorton (2022) — Associate Comm.- Basketball · Filing note: Until 112621
- Former: Jason Wingard (2022) — Board Member-Temple Univer
- Former: Bernadette M. Cafarelli (2019–2021) — Associate Comm- Committee & Extl
- Former: David Rudd (2019–2021) — Board Memb-Univer. of Memp
- Former: Nathan C. Pomeday (2019–2021) — Associate Comm- Men's Basketb
- Former: Richard M. Englert (2019–2021) — Board Member-Temple Univer
- Former: Janet Levit (2020–2021) — Board Member-Univ of Tulsa
- Former: Steven Currall (2020–2021) — Board Member-Univ. of S. F
- Former: Eric Ziady (2019–2020) — Senior Associate Comm.-Cfo · Filing note: Until November 2019
- Former: Jay Golden (2020) — Board Member-Wichita State
- Former: Ron Mitchelson (2020) — Board Member-East Carolina
- Former: Stacy Martin - Begining November (2020) — Senior Associate Comm.-Cfo
- Former: Andy Tompkins (2019) — Board Member- Wichita St University
- Former: Cecil P. Staton (2019) — Board Member- East Carolina University
- Former: Gerald Clancy MD (2019) — Board Member- University of Tulsa
- Former: Judy Genshaft (2019) — Board Member- Univ. of S. F
- Former: Susan Herbst PhD (2019) — Board Member- Univ. of Connecticut
- Former: Thad Seymour (2019) — Board Member- Univ of Central Fla
- Former: Vadm Walter E. Carter (2019) — Board Member- Us Naval Academy
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.
Compensation Overview
From 2025 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2025 filing was $1.3M, to Michael L Aresco (COMMISSIONER,PRESIDENT(RETIRED6/3/24)). 10 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Frequently asked questions about American Athletic Conference
How much does American Athletic Conference give each year?
American Athletic Conference gave $126.8M across 15 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. In 2024 it gave $108.9M across 15 grants.
What is American Athletic Conference's typical grant size?
American Athletic Conference's median grant in 2025 was $6,917,118, and its average grant was $8,451,328, across 15 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Organizations receiving their first grant from American Athletic Conference that year got $3.9M on average.
Where does American Athletic Conference give grants?
American Athletic Conference's top state is Texas, with 16% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990. The next largest states were Florida (15%) and North Carolina (15%).
Does American Athletic Conference give general operating support?
Not in 2025: none of the 15 grants with a stated purpose on American Athletic Conference's 2025 IRS Form 990 were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Funding for Athletic Program" (15 grants).
Who are American Athletic Conference's largest grantees?
American Athletic Conference's largest 2025 grantees include East Carolina University ($12,641,594), University of South Florida ($12,449,901) and University of Memphis ($11,987,360), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. Together they received 29% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is American Athletic Conference?
American Athletic Conference reported $88.2M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Its revenue that year was $127.2M.
What does American Athletic Conference fund?
The conference’s stated mission is to provide students with high-quality education and competition while supporting their health and well-being, preparing them for life and careers after graduation, and pursuing academic and athletic excellence. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from American Athletic Conference?
American Athletic Conference has no public application process in the sources Grantable reviewed. Check theamerican.org for current guidelines, or contact the foundation directly before submitting a request.
What is American Athletic Conference's EIN?
American Athletic Conference's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 51-0244593. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2025.
Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990 filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(7)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS May 15, 2025)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS May 15, 2026)
- Added Form 990 for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS May 6, 2021)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS November 10, 2021)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS May 13, 2022)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS April 26, 2023)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS May 15, 2024)
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). American Athletic Conference funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 18, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/american-athletic-conference-morg_b7af9727da524b3f91b548102cb161df
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_510244593_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{American Athletic Conference funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/american-athletic-conference-morg_b7af9727da524b3f91b548102cb161df},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-18. 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 American Athletic Conference'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.
American Athletic Conference down — hundreds of funders to go?