Armenian General Benevolent Union
The Armenian General Benevolent Union (AGBU) is a public charity based in New York, NY. Formed in 1959, it states that its mission is to ensure the prosperity and well-being of all Armenians.
Key facts about Armenian General Benevolent Union
In short: Armenian General Benevolent Union gave $6.1M across 9 grants in 2024 (avg $674K), mostly in Texas. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990 filing.
- EIN
- 13-5600421
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990 filing, 2024
- Annual giving (2024)
- $6,064,532
- Grants made (2024)
- 9
- Average grant
- $673,837
- Median grant
- $110,036
- Total assets
- $327,469,882
- Primary geography
- Texas (60% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
Data from IRS Form 990 filing, 2024; updated September 2026.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990 filing · View filing
Total Assets
$327.5M
+5.5% YoY
Annual Giving
$6.1M
+326.7% YoY
Grant Count
9
-25.0% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$674K
+468.9% YoY
How Armenian General Benevolent Union gives
- Giving grew 316% from 2021 to 2024. Method
From the foundation's IRS Form 990 filings. Methodology.
Mission & Focus Areas
AGBU’s stated mission is “ensuring the prosperity and well-being of all Armenians.” Its filing describes work in education, Armenian culture, and socio-economic development. The organization’s website also describes humanitarian assistance, including food, shelter, medical care, and other support for vulnerable people.
Its 2024 grants included substantial educational support. TUMO Foundation describes its own mission as providing free after-school education for teens at the intersection of design and technology. The American University of Armenia describes its work as supporting the university’s educational and research activities.
Grantmaking
In 2024, AGBU reported nine grants totaling $6,064,532. Individual grants ranged from $6,000 to $3,566,666, with a median of $110,036. Its largest awards included $3,566,666 to TUMO Foundation for educational purposes; $1,307,874 to AGBU Manoogian-Demirdjian School for educational purposes; and $621,958 to American University of Armenia Corp for educational purposes. Other listed grants included $257,172 to the Diocese of the Armenian Church of America for cultural purposes and $110,036 to Columbia University Irving Medical Center for humanitarian purposes.
Review Cycle
. The site says applications are currently closed and will reopen in January.
Ready to take the next step with Armenian General Benevolent Union?
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2024, grant dollars went primarily to recipients in Texas (60%) and California (32%), followed by New York (6%), Massachusetts (1%), and the District of Columbia (1%). AGBU’s website describes programs and relief work in Armenia, including support for displaced people from Artsakh. Its Global Leadership Program has operated sessions in several locations, including New York, Los Angeles, Paris, Yerevan, Moscow, London, Buenos Aires, and Boston.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of all 9 itemized 2024 grant dollars.
Cities
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 8 recipients in 2024
Grant Size Distribution
61 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| TUMO FOUNDATION Dallas, TX | EDUCATIONAL | $3,566,666 |
| AGBU MANOOGIAN-DEMIRDJIAN SCHOOL CANOGA PARKCA Canoga Park, CA | EDUCATIONAL | $1,307,874 |
| AMERICAN UNIVERSITY OF ARMENIA CORP Glendale, CA | EDUCATIONAL | $621,958 |
| DIOCESE OF THE ARMENIAN CHURCH OF AMERICA New York, NY | CULTURAL | $257,172 |
| COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY IRVING MEDICAL CENTER New York, NY | HUMANITARIAN | $110,036 |
| TUMO FOUNDATION Dallas, TX | SOCIO-ECONOMIC | $83,334 |
| AMVETS Watertown, MA | CULTURAL | $71,492 |
| OBSERVER RESEARCH FOUNDATION Washington, DC | SOCIO-ECONOMIC | $40,000 |
| AABC CHANNEL 384 Glendale, CA | SOCIO ECONOMIC | $6,000 |
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $327,469,882 | $34,559,386 | $29,384,138 | $6,064,532 (9 grants) |
| 2023 | $310,428,110 | $38,112,370 | $28,253,731 | $1,421,269 (12 grants) |
| 2022 | $297,525,915 | $38,755,110 | $28,642,760 | $7,674,393 (12 grants) |
AGBU states that earnings from endowment funds are used to support programs in accordance with each endowment’s purpose.
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $327,469,882 | $310,428,110 | $297,525,915 |
| Revenue | $34,559,386 | $38,112,370 | $38,755,110 |
| Expenses | $29,384,138 | $28,253,731 | $28,642,760 |
| Qualifying Distributions | — | — | — |
| Net Investment Income | $9,195,691 | $10,261,603 | $6,944,370 |
| Distributable Amount | — | — | — |
Data update history
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
Officers and directors listed on the 2024 filing include Mark Gitlen, Chief Financial Officer; Sam Simonian, President (on 10/24); Joseph Oughourlian, Vice President (off 10/24); Yervant Zorian, Member (off 10/24) and Vice President (on 10/24); Arda Nazerian Haratunian, Assistant Secretary (off 10/24) and Vice President (on 10/24); Nazareth Festekjian, Treasurer; Yervant Demirjian, Assistant Treasurer; Ani Manoukian, Member (off 10/24) and Secretary (on 10/24); Haig Ariyan, Member; and Arnaud Attamian, Member.
Armenian General Benevolent Union is led by Sam Simonian, President-On on the 2024 filing; 6 of 27 officers listed in 2024 are compensated.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Sam Simonian
President-On
New on the 2024 filing
20 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Karen Aline Papazian
Director- Outreach & Development
On filings since 2020
40 hrs/week
$149K (2020) → $168K (2024)
Kathryn V. Manuelian
Director of Communications
On filings since 2020
40 hrs/week
$139K (2020) → $177K (2024)
Naheed Elyasi
Director of Marketing
On filings since 2020
40 hrs/week
$129K (2020) → $161K (2024)
Natalie Gabrielian
Director of Chapters & Central Board Administratio
Director of Alternate Education → Director of Alternate Educ, 2022
Director of Alternate Educ → Director of Chapters & Central Board Administratio, 2023
On filings since 2021
40 hrs/week
$130K (2021) → $154K (2024)
Gohar Stombolyan
Director West Region
On filings since 2022
40 hrs/week
$130K (2022) → $140K (2024)
Mark Gitlen
Chief Financial Officer
On filings since 2020
40 hrs/week
$248K (2020) → $267K (2024)
Ani Manoukian
Member-Off & Secretary on
Member → Member-Off & Secretary on, 2024
On filings since 2020
30 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Arda Nazerian Haratunian
Assistant Secty-Off & V.p. on
Assistant Secretary → Assistant Secty-Off & V.p. on, 2024
On filings since 2020
10 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Ari Libarikian
Member
On filings since 2020
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Arnaud Attamian
Member
On filings since 2020
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Eric Esrailian
Member
On filings since 2020
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Haig Ariyan
Member
On filings since 2020
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Joseph Oughourlian
Vice President-Off
Vice President → Vice President-Off, 2024
On filings since 2020
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Lena Sarkissian
Member
On filings since 2020
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Levon Nazarian
Member
On filings since 2020
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Lori Muncherian
Member
On filings since 2020
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Nadia Gortzunian
Member
On filings since 2020
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Nazareth A. Festekjian
Treasurer
On filings since 2020
20 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Sarkis Jebejian
Secty-Off & Member on
Secretary → Secty-Off & Member on, 2024
On filings since 2020
10 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Vahe Gabrache
Member
On filings since 2020
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Vartkes Knadjian
Member
On filings since 2020
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Vasken Yacoubian
Member
On filings since 2020
30 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Yervant Demirjian
Assistant Treasurer
On filings since 2020
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Yervant Zorian
Member-Off & V.p. -On
Member → Member-Off & V.p. -On, 2024
On filings since 2020
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Camilio Azzouz
Member
On filings since 2023
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Yeghiche Manoukian
Member
On filings since 2023
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (7)
- Former: Berge Setrakian (2020–2023) — President
- Former: Ani Susan Anserian (2020–2022) — Director of Programs
- Former: Aris Atamian (2020–2022) — Member
- Former: Randa Akda (2022) — Driector of Estates
- Former: Vahe Victor Kiljian (2020–2021) — Director of Finance
- Former: Grant Kamalyan (2021) — Director of It
- Former: Viktoriya Pavlish (2020) — Controller
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.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
Contact
Mailing address: 55 East 59Th Street, New York, NY 10022
Phone: (212) 319-6383
Website: https://agbu.org
Frequently asked questions about Armenian General Benevolent Union
How much does Armenian General Benevolent Union give each year?
Armenian General Benevolent Union gave $6.1M across 9 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990 filing. In 2023 it gave $1.4M across 12 grants.
What is Armenian General Benevolent Union's typical grant size?
Armenian General Benevolent Union's median grant in 2024 was $110,036, and its average grant was $673,837, across 9 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990 filing.
Where does Armenian General Benevolent Union give grants?
Armenian General Benevolent Union gives mostly in Texas: 60% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990 filing went to recipients there. The next largest states were California (32%) and New York (6%). The most frequent recipient cities were Dallas, TX (2 grants), Glendale, CA (2 grants) and New York, NY (2 grants).
Does Armenian General Benevolent Union give general operating support?
Not in 2024: none of the 9 grants with a stated purpose on Armenian General Benevolent Union's 2024 IRS Form 990 filing were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Socio Economic" (3 grants) and "Educational" (3 grants).
Who are Armenian General Benevolent Union's largest grantees?
Armenian General Benevolent Union's largest 2024 grantees include Tumo Foundation ($3,650,000 across 2 grants), Agbu Manoogian-Demirdjian School Canoga Parkca ($1,307,874) and American University of Armenia Corp ($621,958), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990 filing. Together they received 92% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is Armenian General Benevolent Union?
Armenian General Benevolent Union reported $327.5M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990 filing. Its revenue that year was $34.6M.
What does Armenian General Benevolent Union fund?
AGBU’s stated mission is “ensuring the prosperity and well-being of all Armenians.” Its filing describes work in education, Armenian culture, and socio-economic development. The organization’s website also describes humanitarian assistance, including food, shelter, medical care, and other support for vulnerable people. Its 2024 grants included substantial educational support. TUMO Foundation describes its own mission as providing free after-school education for teens at the intersection of desi…
How do I apply for a grant from Armenian General Benevolent Union?
In 2024, AGBU reported nine grants totaling $6,064,532. Individual grants ranged from $6,000 to $3,566,666, with a median of $110,036. Its largest awards included $3,566,666 to TUMO Foundation for educational purposes; $1,307,874 to AGBU Manoogian-Demirdjian School for educational purposes; and $621,958 to American University of Armenia Corp for educational purposes. Other listed grants included $257,172 to the Diocese of the Armenian Church of America for cultural purposes and $110,036 to Colu…
What is Armenian General Benevolent Union's EIN?
Armenian General Benevolent Union's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 13-5600421. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990 filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Here's the math on researching Armenian General Benevolent Union by hand.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Armenian General Benevolent Union's focus areas in our free grants database
Similar Funders
Funders that support many of the same organizations
JHM Charitable Foundation
Manhattan Beach, CA
The foundation supports education, culture, community development, and related charitable work, with grants reported to organizations in Texas, New York, California, and elsewhere. In 2024 it made 40 grants totaling about $8.5 million; the median grant was $50,000, though awards ranged from $500 to over $2.3 million. It does not accept unsolicited requests and gives to preselected organizations.
Assets
—
Grants
40
Total Given
$8.5M
UCLA Foundation
Los Angeles, CA
The UCLA Foundation primarily supports UCLA scholarships, educational programs, and research, while also funding other education, health, research, and community organizations. In 2025, grants ranged from $10,000 to $453 million, with a median of $200,000; 89% of grant dollars went to California. The profile does not state whether it accepts unsolicited requests.
Assets
$6.3B
Grants
82
Total Given
$536.7M
California Community Foundation
Los Angeles, CA
The California Community Foundation funds work in education, health, housing, immigration, and other community needs, primarily in Los Angeles County. Its 2025 grants had a median of $50,000, though amounts varied widely; it does not accept unsolicited funding requests.
Assets
$2.3B
Grants
2,174
Total Given
$326.6M
Bedrosian Foundation
Villanova, PA
Assets
$41K
Grants
19
Total Given
$39K
Nora Tertzag Hampar Charitable Trust
Beverly Hills, CA
Assets
$12.5M
Grants
18
Total Given
$523K
Afeyan Family Foundation
Wilmington, DE
The foundation supports innovative work in education, science and technology, and humanitarian action, with activity worldwide, especially in Armenia and Greater Boston. Its 2025 grants ranged from $500 to $360,000, with a median of $15,000. It funds only preselected organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests.
Assets
$14.8M
Grants
29
Total Given
$1.4M
Mina & Hacob Shirvanian Family
Glendale, CA
Assets
$575K
Grants
8
Total Given
$112K
The Vahik & Alice Petrossian Foundation
Glendale, CA
The Vahik & Alice Petrossian Foundation supports charitable organizations, including Armenian education, social services, medical care, and science and technology initiatives. Its 2025 grants ranged from $50 to $17,100, with a median of $2,000, and primarily supported organizations in California as well as recipients in Armenia and elsewhere. It gives only to preselected organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests.
Assets
$186K
Grants
30
Total Given
$102K
George Ignatius Foundation
Covina, CA
Assets
$3.2M
Grants
11
Total Given
$192K
Levon & Claudia Nazarian Family
Cherry Hill, NJ
The Levon & Claudia Nazarian Family supports preselected public charities, with recent grants benefiting Armenian organizations, education, and scientific and charitable institutions. In 2025, grants ranged from $1,000 to $157,000, with a median of $2,500; most funding went to organizations in New York, followed by Massachusetts, California, Pennsylvania, and Texas. It does not accept unsolicited requests.
Assets
$5.2M
Grants
21
Total Given
$310K
Cherchian Family Foundation Inc
Wauwatosa, WI
Assets
$1.4M
Grants
22
Total Given
$79K
Jpmorgan Chase Foundation
New York, NY
The foundation supports neighborhood revitalization, underserved small businesses, financial health, and economic mobility and career pathways, with 2024 grants ranging from $4 to $4,635,000 and a median of $550. Its grants reached organizations across multiple U.S. locations, including Washington, DC, New York, California, Illinois, Washington state, and Georgia. It gives only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited funding requests.
Assets
$1.1B
Grants
11,076
Total Given
$193.0M
More Funders in New York
Armenian General Benevolent Union down — hundreds of funders to go?