Armenia Empyrean Foundation
Armenia Empyrean Foundation is a private foundation based in Wilmington, Delaware. In its 2024 filing, it reported 17 grants totaling $285,600 to charitable organizations, including organizations with stated missions related to Armenian community needs, science and technology, education, and Armenian culture and humanitarian assistance.
Armenia Empyrean Foundation at a glance
In short: Armenia Empyrean Foundation gave $286K across 17 grants in 2024 (avg $17K), mostly in California. 33% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $285,600
- +100.4% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 17
- +70.0% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $16,800
- +17.9% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $10,000
- Total assets
- $4,904,164
- +108.4% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 33% first-time grantees (5 of 15, 2024; small sample)
- Primary geography
- California (74% 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 Armenia Empyrean 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 for funds.
- Contact
Mailing address: Foundation Source 501 Silverside Rd, Wilmington, DE 19809-1377
Phone: (800) 839-1754
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Armenia Empyrean Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was VEM USA Inc ($140K across 2 grants). Together the top 10 received $282K.
Grant Size Distribution
47 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 45 grants of 47 (96%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2024, grant dollars went to recipients in California (74%), Massachusetts (14%), Washington, DC (7%), Minnesota (4%), and New Jersey (1%).
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 17 itemized grants.
Cities
Is Armenia Empyrean Foundation open to new grantees?
33%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 5 of 15 grantees (33%) 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 $3K; repeat grants $27K. How we count
Medians: $1K first-time, $15K repeat.
- 47% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving grew 189% from 2021 to 2024. Method
- In 2024 it paid out 253% 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 $63K (2019) to $286K (2024). In 2024 it made 17 grants totaling $286K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| VEM USA Inc Glendale, CA | Agronet Project and Educational Fund | $110,000 |
| Friends of Fast North Hollywood, CA | AI Education Fund | $35,000 |
| VEM USA Inc Glendale, CA | General & Unrestricted | $30,000 |
| Armenian General Benevolent Union Pasadena, CA | General & Unrestricted | $25,000 |
| Yerazart Inc Watertown, MA | General & Unrestricted | $25,000 |
| Armenian International Womens Association Inc Watertown, MA | General & Unrestricted | $10,150 |
| American University of Armenia Corporation Glendale, CA | General & Unrestricted | $10,000 |
| Armenian Assembly of America Inc Washington, DC | General & Unrestricted | $10,000 |
| Armenian Assembly of America Inc Washington, DC | Charitable Event | $10,000 |
| St Marys University of Minnesota Winona, MN | General & Unrestricted | $10,000 |
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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 | $4,904,164 | $2,847,471 | $296,126 | $285,600 | 17 | $293,428 | $190,385 | $115,787 |
| 2023 | $2,352,819 | $112,501 | $152,430 | $142,500 | 10 | $150,175 | $111,646 | $112,242 |
| 2022 | $2,392,748 | $78,269 | $221,645 | $203,750 | 9 | $211,275 | $313,258 | $114,866 |
| 2021 | $2,536,124 | $2,599,001 | $105,446 | $98,866 | 7 | $104,686 | — | $66,666 |
| 2020 | $42,569 | $55,724 | $80,655 | $75,450 | 4 | — | $39,415 | $3,632 |
| 2019 | $67,500 | $44,502 | $68,326 | $63,150 | 7 | — | $5,025 | $4,839 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Armenia Empyrean Foundation reported a distributable amount of $116K 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 included support for the Agronet Project and Educational Fund, an AI Education Fund, and general and unrestricted purposes. Among its grantees, VEM USA describes its mission as promoting Christian faith in the Armenian community and providing humanitarian needs. Friends of FAST says it works to foster scientific advancement in Armenia and beyond and contribute to Armenia’s future in science and technology. The Armenian Assembly of America describes its purposes as providing humanitarian assistance to Armenians and educating the public about Armenian culture, history, human rights, and other issues of concern to the Armenian-American community.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2024, the foundation awarded 17 grants totaling $285,600. Grants ranged from $250 to $110,000, with a median grant of $10,000.
The largest awards included $110,000 to VEM USA for its Agronet Project and Educational Fund and $35,000 to Friends of FAST for its AI Education Fund. VEM USA also received $30,000 for general and unrestricted purposes. Other notable grants included $25,000 each to the Armenian General Benevolent Union and Yerazart Inc., both for general and unrestricted purposes, and $10,000 each to the American University of Armenia Corporation and the Armenian Assembly of America for general and unrestricted purposes. The Armenian Assembly of America also received a separate $10,000 grant for a charitable event.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Raffi Festekjian as president, director, and secretary, and Nina Metrebian as a director.
Armenia Empyrean Foundation is led by Raffi Festekjian, President, Director & Secretary on every filing since 2019; none of the 2 officers listed in 2024 report compensation.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Raffi Festekjian
President, Director & Secretary
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Nina Metrebian
Director
On filings since 2023
1 hr/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 Armenia Empyrean Foundation
How much does Armenia Empyrean Foundation give each year?
Armenia Empyrean Foundation gave $286K across 17 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $143K across 10 grants.
What is Armenia Empyrean Foundation's typical grant size?
Armenia Empyrean Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $10,000, and its average grant was $16,800, across 17 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Armenia Empyrean Foundation that year got $3K on average.
Where does Armenia Empyrean Foundation give grants?
Armenia Empyrean Foundation gives mostly in California: 74% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest states were Massachusetts (14%) and District of Columbia (7%). The most frequent recipient cities were Glendale, CA (4 grants), Watertown, MA (4 grants) and Washington, DC (3 grants).
Does Armenia Empyrean Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 82% of Armenia Empyrean Foundation's 2024 grants with a stated purpose (14 of 17) were for general or operating support, per its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are Armenia Empyrean Foundation's largest grantees?
Armenia Empyrean Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include VEM USA Inc ($140,000 across 2 grants), Friends of Fast ($35,000) and Armenian General Benevolent Union ($25,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 70% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is Armenia Empyrean Foundation?
Armenia Empyrean Foundation reported $4.9M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $293K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $116K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does Armenia Empyrean Foundation fund?
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2024 grants included support for the Agronet Project and Educational Fund, an AI Education Fund, and general and unrestricted purposes. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Armenia Empyrean Foundation?
The foundation states that it 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 Armenia Empyrean Foundation's EIN?
Armenia Empyrean Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 20-8038153. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2024.
Does Armenia Empyrean 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 July 13, 2020)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS October 14, 2021)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS September 15, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS October 3, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS June 13, 2024)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS March 3, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2019–2024
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Armenia Empyrean Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 15, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/armenia-empyrean-foundation-morg_ca7731cb20564d8b80a8e8baf695e88b
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_208038153_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Armenia Empyrean Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/armenia-empyrean-foundation-morg_ca7731cb20564d8b80a8e8baf695e88b},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-15. 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 Armenia Empyrean 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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