The American College of Bankruptcy is a public charity based in Dover, Delaware. Formed in 2002, its foundation awards grants to support the charitable purposes of the American College of Bankruptcy, with work centered on bankruptcy and insolvency education, research, scholarships, and legal aid.
Key facts about American College of Bankruptcy Foundation
In short: American College of Bankruptcy Foundation gave $721K across 59 grants in 2025 (avg $12K), top state California. 40% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990.
- EIN
- 01-0656156
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990, 2025
- Annual giving (2025)
- $721,451
- Grants made (2025)
- 59
- Average grant
- $12,228
- Median grant
- $10,700
- New grantees (estimate)
- 40% first-time grantees (23 of 57, 2025)
- Total assets
- $3,566,585
- Primary geography
- California (20% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- How to apply
- The Pro Bono Committee screens applications and makes grants. Full details ↓
Data from IRS Form 990, 2025; updated September 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology). Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Financial Overview
From 2025 IRS Form 990 · View filing
Total Assets
$3.6M
+14.7% YoY
Annual Giving
$721K
+1.7% YoY
Grant Count
59
+11.3% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$12K
-8.6% YoY
Is American College of Bankruptcy Foundation open to new grantees?
40%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 23 of 57 grantees (40%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $12K; repeat grants $13K. How we count
Medians: $11K first-time, $11K repeat.
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990 filings (2020–2025). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.
Mission & Focus Areas
The organization’s stated mission is “to promote the educational and charitable activities of the American College of Bankruptcy.” Its program description identifies support for legal research, publications and forums; scholarships; scholarly research data and document collections; and legal aid facilities for people with low incomes.
Examples of supported organizations illustrate the range of grantees. Legal Access Alameda says it provides free direct legal assistance to low-income Alameda County residents through volunteer attorneys. The Legal Aid Association of California describes itself as a statewide membership organization that supports legal services nonprofits working to provide legal assistance to low-income Californians. The Pro Bono Project says it provides free civil legal services to underserved community members by engaging volunteers. These are the grantees’ own descriptions of their missions.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2025, the foundation reported 59 grants totaling $721,451. Awards ranged from $7,500 to $38,551, with a median of $10,700. Many listed grant purposes were to support bankruptcy trainings for attorneys.
Among the largest reported awards were $38,551 to Just the Beginning in Chicago and $20,000 to Neighborhood Legal Services of LA County. Other listed $15,000 grants included awards to Legal Access Alameda, Legal Aid Association of California, and The Pro Bono Project. The 2025 filing also lists a $14,000 grant to Conejo Free Clinic and $10,700 grants to Veterans Legal Services, Legal Services Vermont, and Public Law Center.
The foundation’s listed active programs are the Professional Pipeline Grant, which supports legal services organizations working to create an inclusive pipeline in bankruptcy and insolvency for students and professionals facing barriers to success, and the Pro Bono Grant, which supports legal services organizations undertaking work aligned with the foundation’s mission. Program information describes typical Professional Pipeline awards as capped at $10,000, with higher amounts possible for innovative new programs; its listed award range is up to $15,000. Pro Bono awards typically do not exceed $15,000, with exceptions for innovative projects up to $20,000. Pro Bono projects must focus on bankruptcy law and pro bono assistance; lobbying, fundraising, and projects not directly related to debtor-creditor education are described as ineligible. Potential Pro Bono applicants are encouraged to review available pro bono resources. The filing says grantees must submit a report.
How to Apply
The Pro Bono Committee screens applications and makes grants. The program descriptions identify legal services organizations as eligible applicants and describe the projects and restrictions above; the filing says the committee monitors grantee reports.
Open Grants
2 open opportunities from American College of Bankruptcy Foundation
American College of Bankruptcy Foundation - Pro Bono Grant
American College of Bankruptcy Foundation
Amount
Up to US $20,000
Deadline
Rolling / Open
Professional Pipeline Grant - American College of Bankruptcy (formerly Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Grant)
American College of Bankruptcy Foundation
Amount
Up to US $15,000
Deadline
Rolling / Open
Ready to take the next step with American College of Bankruptcy Foundation?
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The 2025 grant dollars were distributed across recipient states, with California receiving 20%, New York 12%, Illinois 7%, Louisiana 5%, and Massachusetts 4%. Listed 2025 recipients also include organizations in Washington, Idaho, Tennessee, Georgia, and other states.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 59 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2020 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $350K (2020) to $721K (2025). In 2025 it made 59 grants totaling $721K.
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Just the Beginning ($39K). Together the top 10 received $191K.
Grant Size Distribution
247 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 247 grants of 247 (100%).
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Just the Beginning Chicago, IL | To provide project support for bankruptcy trainings for attorneys. | $38,551 |
| Neighborhood Legal Services of La County Glendale, CA | To provide project support for bankruptcy trainings for attorneys. | $20,000 |
| Care Los Angeles Los Angeles, CA | To provide project support for bankruptcy trainings for attorneys. | $15,000 |
| Cents Program Seattle, WA | To provide project support for bankruptcy trainings for attorneys. | $15,000 |
| Idaho Volunteer Lawyers Program Bosie, ID | To provide project support for bankruptcy trainings for attorneys. | $15,000 |
| Indianapolis Legal Aid Society Indianapolis, ID | To provide project support for bankruptcy trainings for attorneys. | $15,000 |
| Just the Beginning (JTB) Chicago, IL | To provide project support for bankruptcy trainings for attorneys. | $15,000 |
| Legal Access Alameda San Francisco, CA | To provide project support for bankruptcy trainings for attorneys. | $15,000 |
| Legal Aid Association of California Berkeley, CA | To provide project support for bankruptcy trainings for attorneys. | $15,000 |
| Nashville Conflict Resolution Center Nashville, TN | To provide project support for bankruptcy trainings for attorneys. | $15,000 |
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $3,566,585 | $1,023,850 | $853,170 | $721,451 |
| 2024 | $3,110,544 | $1,110,397 | $813,580 | $709,391 |
| 2023 | $2,797,100 | $821,124 | $693,544 | $598,699 |
| Metric | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $3,566,585 | $3,110,544 | $2,797,100 |
| Revenue | $1,023,850 | $1,110,397 | $821,124 |
| Expenses | $853,170 | $813,580 | $693,544 |
| Net Investment Income | $156,125 | $329,492 | $81,298 |
Data update history
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS April 13, 2021)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS April 29, 2022)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS July 26, 2023)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS May 2, 2024)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS June 9, 2025)
- Added Form 990 for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS July 17, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Patricia Redmond as ACB president; Jan Hayden as chair; Vincent E. Lazar as vice chair; Lisa M. Schweitzer as secretary until March; Kathryn A. Coleman as secretary as of March; and Marjorie Kaufman as treasurer. Directors listed are Christine E. Devine, Christopher M. Candon, Laura Davis Jones, and Warren A. Usitane.
American College of Bankruptcy Foundation is led by Alexandra Cc Schnapp, Executive Director on every filing since 2024; none of the 34 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Alexandra Cc Schnapp
Executive Director
On filings since 2024
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Patricia Redmond
Acb President
President → Acb President, 2025
On filings since 2024
0.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Jan Hayden
Chair
Vice Chair → Chair, 2023
On filings since 2020
0.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Jay M. Goffman
Director
On filings since 2021
0.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Mark Shinderman
Director
On filings since 2021
0.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Julio E. Mendoza
Director
On filings since 2022
0.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Lynn Lewis Tavenner
Director
On filings since 2022
0.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Steven N. Berger
Director
On filings since 2022
0.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Dwayne Murray
Director
On filings since 2023
0.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Jay Bender
Director
On filings since 2023
0.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
John Hoffman
Director
On filings since 2023
0.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Leyza F. Blanco
Director
On filings since 2023
0.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Michael R. Johnson
Director
On filings since 2023
0.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Robert J. Rosenberg Sr.
Senior Director
On filings since 2023
0.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Scott Wolfson
Director
On filings since 2023
0.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Caroline A. Reckler
Director
On filings since 2024
0.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Christine E. Devine
Director
On filings since 2024
0.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Christopher M. Candon
Director
On filings since 2024
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Eric L. Johnson
Director
On filings since 2024
0.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Felicia Perlman
Director
On filings since 2024
0.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Julie B. Teicher
Director
On filings since 2024
0.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Laura Davis Jones
Director
On filings since 2024
0.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Travis Torrence
Director
On filings since 2024
0.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Warren A. Usitane
Director
On filings since 2024
0.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Brett Miller
Director
New on the 2025 filing
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Jayna Lamar
Director
New on the 2025 filing
0.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Jeff Bjork
Director
New on the 2025 filing
0.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Jordi Guso
Director
New on the 2025 filing
0.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Natasha Labovitz
Director
New on the 2025 filing
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Paula Beren
Director
New on the 2025 filing
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Vincent E. Lazar
Vice Chair
Director → Vice Chair, 2023
On filings since 2020
0.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Lisa M. Schweitzer
Secretary
Director → Secretary, 2023
On filings since 2021
0.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Marjorie Kaufman
Treasurer
Director → Treasurer, 2025
On filings since 2022
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Kathryn A. Coleman
Secretary
Director → Secretary, 2025
On filings since 2023
0.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (48)
- Former: Charles A. Beckham Jr. (2020–2024) — President
- Former: David A. Warfield (2020–2024) — Director
- Former: E. Frank Childress Jr. (2020–2024) — Director
- Former: Elizabeth Tashijan (2020–2024) — Director
- Former: J. Scott Victor (2020–2024) — Director
- Former: Norman L. Pernick (2020–2024) — Director
- Former: Rebecca A. Roof (2020–2024) — Treasurer
- Former: Shari Bedker (2020–2024) — Executive Director
- Former: William Wallander (2020–2024) — Director
- Former: Isabel C. Balboa (2022–2024) — Director
- Former: Patrick J. Nash (2022–2024) — Director
- Former: Marjorie Kaufman Director (2024)
- Former: Jeanne P. Darcey (2020–2023) — Director
- Former: Kenneth H. Eckstein (2020–2023) — Director
- Former: Paul Harner (2020–2023) — Past Chair
- Former: Richard L. Wasserman (2020–2023) — Director
- Former: Russell M. Blain (2020–2023) — Director
- Former: Cecily A. Dumas (2021–2023) — Director
- Former: Margaret M. Mann (2021–2023) — Director
- Former: Peggy Hunt (2021–2023) — Director
- Former: Corali Lopez-Castro (2022–2023) — Director
- Former: Judy A. O'Neill (2022–2023) — Director
- Former: Sheila T. Smith Senior (2022–2023) — Director
- Former: Eric W. Lam (2020–2022) — Secretary
- Former: Guy Davis (2020–2022) — Director
- Former: Janet E. Bostwick (2020–2022) — Director
- Former: Judith Wizmur (2020–2022) — Director
- Former: Melissa S. Kibler (2020–2022) — President
- Former: Rozanne M. Giunta (2020–2022) — Director
- Former: Jan Hayden Vice Chair (2022) — March & Then Chair · Filing note: Until
- Former: Lisa M. Schweitzer Director (2022) — March & Then Secretary · Filing note: Until
- Former: Paul Harner Chair (2022) — March & Then Past Chair · Filing note: Until
- Former: Richard Carmody Senior (2022) — Director
- Former: Robert J. Rosenberg Senior (2022) — Director
- Former: Vincent E. Lazar Director (2022)
- Former: Craig Goldblatt (2020–2021) — Director
- Former: David Leta (2020–2021) — Director
- Former: Mark Abrams (2020–2021) — Director
- Former: Paul S. Singerman (2020–2021) — Director
- Former: Richard Carmody (2020–2021) — Senior Director
- Former: Richard F. Holley (2020–2021) — Director
- Former: Ronald F. Greenspan (2020–2021) — Director
- Former: Sheri Bluebond (2020–2021) — Director
- Former: Collette Gibbons (2020) — Director
- Former: Mark D. Bloom (2020) — President
- Former: Martha E. M. Kopacz (2020) — Treasurer
- Former: Natalie D. Ramsey (2020) — Director
- Former: Scott J. Goldstein (2020) — Director
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2025. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Contact
Mailing address: 1111B S Governors Ave Pmb 20335, Dover, DE 19904
Phone: (404) 689-5969
Website: https://amercol.org
Frequently asked questions about American College of Bankruptcy Foundation
How much does American College of Bankruptcy Foundation give each year?
American College of Bankruptcy Foundation gave $721K across 59 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. In 2024 it gave $709K across 53 grants.
What is American College of Bankruptcy Foundation's typical grant size?
American College of Bankruptcy Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $10,700, and its average grant was $12,228, across 59 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Organizations receiving their first grant from American College of Bankruptcy Foundation that year got $12K on average.
Where does American College of Bankruptcy Foundation give grants?
American College of Bankruptcy Foundation's top state is California, with 20% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990. The next largest states were New York (12%) and Illinois (7%). The most frequent recipient cities were New York, NY (4 grants), New Orleans, LA (3 grants), Chicago, IL (2 grants) and Los Angeles, CA (2 grants).
Does American College of Bankruptcy Foundation give general operating support?
Not in 2025: none of the 59 grants with a stated purpose on American College of Bankruptcy Foundation's 2025 IRS Form 990 were described as general or operating support.
Who are American College of Bankruptcy Foundation's largest grantees?
American College of Bankruptcy Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include Just the Beginning ($38,551), Consumer Bankruptcy Assistance Project ($21,700 across 2 grants) and City Bar Justice Center ($20,700 across 2 grants), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. Together they received 11% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is American College of Bankruptcy Foundation?
American College of Bankruptcy Foundation reported $3.6M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Its revenue that year was $1.0M.
What does American College of Bankruptcy Foundation fund?
The organization’s stated mission is “to promote the educational and charitable activities of the American College of Bankruptcy.” See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from American College of Bankruptcy Foundation?
The Pro Bono Committee screens applications and makes grants. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is American College of Bankruptcy Foundation's EIN?
American College of Bankruptcy Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 01-0656156. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.
Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990 filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Here's the math on researching American College of Bankruptcy Foundation by hand.
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American College of Bankruptcy Foundation down — hundreds of funders to go?