Avalanche Canyon Foundation

Private foundation · Grantmaker Wilmington, DE EIN: 20-4399557

Avalanche Canyon Foundation is a private foundation, based in Wilmington, DE. IRS filing data is available from 2019 through 2025. As of 2025, the organization holds $42K in total assets. In 2025, it awarded 6 grants totaling $24K. Net investment income was $231.

Avalanche Canyon Foundation at a glance

In short: Avalanche Canyon Foundation gave $24K across 6 grants in 2025 (avg $4K), mostly in Colorado. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.

Annual giving (2025)
$23,500
-6.0% vs 2024
Grants made (2025)
6
+0.0% vs 2024
Average grant
$3,917
-6.0% vs 2024
Median grant
$3,750
Total assets
$41,791
-40.9% vs 2024
Primary geography
Colorado (74% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
Latest 990 filing
Form 990-PF, 2025 View filing

Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated September 2026.

Who Avalanche Canyon Foundation funds

How this funder distributes its grants

Top Recipients

Top 5 recipients in 2025

Colorado Academy: $7K across 2 grantsColorado Academy$7K · 2 grantsAlexander Dawson Foundation: $6KAlexander Dawson Foundation$6KAlexander Dawson School: $6KAlexander Dawson School$6KNorth West Family Assistance Center: $3KNorth West Family AssistanceCenter$3KInvest in Kids: $2KInvest in Kids$2K

The largest 2025 recipient was Colorado Academy ($7K across 2 grants). Together the top 5 received $24K.

Grant Size Distribution

24 grants across all recorded years

24<$50K$50–100K$100–250K$250–500K$500K–1M$1–5M$5M+

The most common grant size was under $50K: 24 grants of 24 (100%).

Geographic Focus

Where this funder awards grants

Grant Distribution by State

3states

Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 6 itemized grants.

Cities

DenverLafayetteLas VegasAuroraEnglewoodWashington

How Avalanche Canyon Foundation gives

  • Giving grew 74% from 2022 to 2025. Method
  • In 2025 it paid out well above its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method

From the foundation's IRS Form 990-PF filings. Methodology.

Giving History

Giving Over Time

Total grant dollars and number of grants per year

$0$10K$20K$30K3 grants2019 6 grants2020 5 grants2021 3 grants2022 4 grants2023 6 grants2024 6 grants2025

From 2019 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $13K (2019) to $28K (2020). In 2025 it made 6 grants totaling $24K.

Grants by year

Grant recipients and amounts by year

RecipientPurposeAmount
Alexander Dawson Foundation Las Vegas, NVGeneral & Unrestricted$6,000
Alexander Dawson School Lafayette, COAnnual Fundraising Benefit$6,000
Colorado Academy Denver, COCharitable Event$5,000
North West Family Assistance Center Denver, COBienvenidos Food Bank$2,500
Colorado Academy Denver, COCharitable Event$2,000
Invest in Kids Denver, COGeneral & Unrestricted$2,000
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Financial History

Multi-year comparison from IRS filings

Figures from IRS filings, by filing year
Filing yearTotal AssetsRevenueExpensesGrants paidGrantsQualifying DistributionsNet Investment IncomeDistributable Amount
2025$41,791$231$29,157$23,5006$28,957$231$2,688
2024$70,717$15,484$30,541$25,0006$30,441$15,484$3,823
2023$85,774$7,821$25,511$20,0004$25,411$7,821$5,111
2022$103,464$4,290$19,032$13,5003$18,939$4,290$6,007
2021$118,206$6,698$20,573$15,0005$20,495$6,698$7,321
2020$132,081$5,598$33,618$28,0006—$5,598$7,328
2019$160,101$4,147$18,209$12,5003—$4,147$8,623

Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Avalanche Canyon Foundation reported a distributable amount of $3K for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.

Leadership & Key People

Officers and directors from IRS filings

Avalanche Canyon Foundation is led by Karen A Backman, President & Director on every filing since 2019; none of the 3 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.

Officers on the 2025 filing

  • Karen A Backman

    President & Director

    On filings since 2019

    1 hr/week

    No compensation reported

  • Douglas R Backman

    Director & Vice President

    On filings since 2019

    1 hr/week

    No compensation reported

  • Gustave C Backman

    Director & Treasurer

    On filings since 2019

    1 hr/week

    No compensation reported

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.

Frequently asked questions about Avalanche Canyon Foundation

How much does Avalanche Canyon Foundation give each year?

Avalanche Canyon Foundation gave $24K across 6 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $25K across 6 grants.

What is Avalanche Canyon Foundation's typical grant size?

Avalanche Canyon Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $3,750, and its average grant was $3,917, across 6 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.

Where does Avalanche Canyon Foundation give grants?

Avalanche Canyon Foundation gives mostly in Colorado: 74% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest state was Nevada (26%). The most frequent recipient cities were Denver, CO (4 grants).

Does Avalanche Canyon Foundation give general operating support?

Yes: 33% of Avalanche Canyon Foundation's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (2 of 6) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.

Who are Avalanche Canyon Foundation's largest grantees?

Avalanche Canyon Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include Colorado Academy ($7,000 across 2 grants), Alexander Dawson Foundation ($6,000) and Alexander Dawson School ($6,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 81% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.

How large is Avalanche Canyon Foundation?

Avalanche Canyon Foundation reported $42K in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $29K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $3K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).

What is Avalanche Canyon Foundation's EIN?

Avalanche Canyon Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 20-4399557. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2025.

Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings.

Data update history

(8)

When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable

  1. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS May 28, 2020)
  2. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS May 13, 2021)
  3. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS April 19, 2022)
  4. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS September 19, 2023)
  5. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS September 12, 2024)
  6. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS September 4, 2025)
  7. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS April 10, 2026)
  8. IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2019–2025

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The filing figures on this page are open data under CC BY 4.0. About GrantGraph Open

Figures come from Avalanche Canyon 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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