Arches Foundation
Arches Foundation is a private foundation based in Aspen, Colorado (EIN 46-0468960). Its 2024 filing reports 83 grants totaling $454,100, supporting organizations in areas including arts, civil rights, natural-resource preservation, and journalism.
Arches Foundation at a glance
In short: Arches Foundation gave $454K across 83 grants in 2024 (avg $5K), mostly in Colorado. 6% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $454,100
- +55.5% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 83
- -11.7% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $5,471
- +76.1% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $1,000
- Total assets
- $2,602,756
- +3.2% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 6% first-time grantees (5 of 83, 2024)
- Primary geography
- Colorado (63% 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 Arches Foundation
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests.
- Contact
Mailing address: 1150 River Drive, Aspen, CO 81611
Phone: (970) 925-9048
Website: https://archesfoundation.com.au
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Arches Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Carbondale Clay Center ($226K). Together the top 10 received $338K.
Grant Size Distribution
499 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 495 grants of 499 (99%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2024, Colorado organizations received 63% of grant dollars, followed by New York (14%), California (7%), Washington, DC (6%), and Massachusetts (3%).
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 83 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is Arches Foundation open to new grantees?
6%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 5 of 83 grantees (6%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $3K; repeat grants $6K. How we count
Medians: $250 first-time, $1K repeat.
- 92% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving grew 27% from 2021 to 2024. Method
- In 2024 it paid out 161% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2019–2024). 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 2019 to 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $292K (2023) to $471K (2022). In 2024 it made 83 grants totaling $454K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Carbondale Clay Center Carbondale, CO | Organization dedicated to preserving natural resources, promoting arts, education and civil rights. | $226,000 |
| Brennan Center for Justice New York, NY | To support criminal justice, racial and economic justice, and voting rights for all | $15,000 |
| Center for Investigative Reporting Emeryville, CA | Organization dedicated to preserving natural resources, promoting arts, education and civil rights. | $15,000 |
| Lawyers Committee for Civil Rights Washington, DC | Organization dedicated to preserving natural resources, promoting arts, education and civil rights. | $15,000 |
| American Civil Liberties Union Foun New York, NY | Protecting Civil Liberties | $15,000 |
| Movement Voter Fund Los Angeles, CA | Organization dedicated to preserving natural resources, promoting arts, education and civil rights | $12,000 |
| On the Media New York Public Radio New York, NY | Protecting Civil Liberties | $12,000 |
| Anderson Ranch Arts Center Snowmass Village, CO | Organization dedicated to preserving natural resources, promoting arts, education and civil rights. | $10,000 |
| Center for Public Integrity Pittsburg, PA | Organization dedicated to preserving natural resources, promoting arts, education and civil rights. | $10,000 |
| Doctors Without Borders USA New York, NY | Organization dedicated to preserving natural resources, promoting arts, education and civil rights. | $8,000 |
Ready to take the next step with Arches 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 | $2,602,756 | $594,217 | $513,898 | $454,100 | 83 | $454,100 | $534,419 | $282,176 |
| 2023 | $2,522,442 | $162,886 | $347,882 | $292,108 | 94 | $292,108 | $107,112 | $278,173 |
| 2022 | $2,707,438 | $146,944 | $523,910 | $471,250 | 102 | $471,250 | $20,775 | $275,761 |
| 2021 | $3,246,518 | $359,715 | $422,086 | $356,500 | 110 | $356,500 | $142,098 | $313,357 |
| 2020 | $3,415,788 | $928,965 | $369,297 | $310,300 | 110 | — | $720,122 | $266,412 |
| 2019 | $2,972,781 | $573,476 | $355,326 | $294,663 | 108 | — | $379,075 | $273,417 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Arches Foundation reported a distributable amount of $282K 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
The foundation’s website states its mission is “delivering ethical, impactful and forward thinking practices,” and its vision is to increase trauma-informed outcomes within the human services sector.
Its grants show support for a range of organizations. For example, Carbondale Clay Center says its mission is to enrich lives through ceramic arts; Anderson Ranch Arts Center says it enriches lives with art, inspiration, and community. Other 2024 recipients include civil-rights organizations, environmental groups, and news organizations. The Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights describes its work as using legal advocacy to advance racial justice, while Rocky Mountain Institute says it works to transform the global energy system toward a zero-carbon future.
Grantmaking
In 2024, the foundation made 83 grants totaling $454,100. Awards ranged from $200 to $226,000, with a median of $1,000. The largest grant was $226,000 to Carbondale Clay Center. Other notable grants included $15,000 each to the Brennan Center for Justice, Center for Investigative Reporting, Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights, and American Civil Liberties Union Foundation; and $10,000 to Anderson Ranch Arts Center.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Sara Ransford as President.
Arches Foundation is led by Sara Ransford, President on every filing since 2019 — the only officer listed, and uncompensated.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Sara Ransford
President
On filings since 2019
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2019–2024. "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 Arches Foundation
How much does Arches Foundation give each year?
Arches Foundation gave $454K across 83 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $292K across 94 grants.
What is Arches Foundation's typical grant size?
Arches Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $1,000, and its average grant was $5,471, across 83 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Arches Foundation that year got $3K on average.
Where does Arches Foundation give grants?
Arches Foundation gives mostly in Colorado: 63% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest states were New York (14%) and California (7%). The most frequent recipient cities were Aspen, CO (18 grants), Basalt, CO (10 grants), New York, NY (8 grants) and Carbondale, CO (7 grants).
Does Arches Foundation give general operating support?
Not in 2024: none of the 83 grants with a stated purpose on Arches Foundation's 2024 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Protecting Civil Liberties" (6 grants).
Who are Arches Foundation's largest grantees?
Arches Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include Carbondale Clay Center ($226,000), Brennan Center for Justice ($15,000) and Center for Investigative Reporting ($15,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 56% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is Arches Foundation?
Arches Foundation reported $2.6M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $454K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $282K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does Arches Foundation fund?
The foundation’s website states its mission is “delivering ethical, impactful and forward thinking practices,” and its vision is to increase trauma-informed outcomes within the human services sector. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Arches Foundation?
The foundation states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Arches Foundation's EIN?
Arches Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 46-0468960. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2024.
Does Arches 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
(7)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS August 12, 2020)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS May 11, 2021)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS May 3, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS May 12, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS May 29, 2024)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS May 13, 2025)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2019–2024
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Arches Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Arches Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 14, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/arches-foundation-morg_c9c611e5aa5444a688beb7ad9263cd93
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_460468960_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Arches Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/arches-foundation-morg_c9c611e5aa5444a688beb7ad9263cd93},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-14. 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 Arches 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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