Ayers Foundation

Foundation · Grantmaker Pittsburgh, PA EIN: 20-3272241 Website

The Ayers Foundation is a private independent foundation based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, established in 2005. It operates as a 501(c)(3) organization focused on grantmaking to support underserved populations.

Key facts about Ayers Foundation

EIN: 20-3272241
Latest 990 filing: Form 990-PF, 2024
Annual giving (2024): $408,265
Grants made (2024): 23
Average grant: $17,751
Median grant: $10,000
New grantees (estimate): 30% first-time grantees (7 of 23, 2024)
Total assets: $6,919,746
Primary geography: Pennsylvania (37% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
How to apply: The foundation does not accept applications. Full details ↓

Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; 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.

Who Ayers Foundation funds

By grant dollars, the top recipient states for Ayers Foundation's 23 itemized 2024 grants were Pennsylvania (37%), New York (20%) and Colorado (20%). The most frequent recipient cities were Pittsburgh, PA (10 grants) and New York, NY (2 grants). 43% of grants with a stated purpose were for general or operating support.

Is Ayers Foundation open to new grantees?

30%

first-time grantees, 2024

In 2024, 7 of 23 grantees (30%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $13K; repeat grants $20K. How we count

Medians: $9K first-time, $10K repeat.

70% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
Giving held roughly steady from 2021 to 2024 (+6%). Method
In 2024 it paid out 87% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Foundations have until the end of the next year to meet it. Method

Estimate from itemized IRS Form 990-PF grant lists (2020–2024). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.

Next steps with Ayers Foundation

How to evaluate Ayers Foundation as a funder
Our grant prospecting guide: read the 990-PF, check fit, and decide whether to apply.
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Financial Overview

From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing

Total Assets

$6.9M

+2.1% YoY

Annual Giving

$408K

+0.9% YoY

Grant Count

-4.2% YoY

Avg Grant Size

$18K

+5.3% YoY

Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Ayers Foundation reported a distributable amount of $501K for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.

Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated April 2026.

Mission & Focus Areas

The foundation's focus is to support organizations that provide services to poverty-stricken and underserved children. Primary funding areas include:

Education
Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking
Human Services

Grantmaking

Grant Range

$4,000–$110,000

Average Grant

amount: $4,360–$110,000

How to Apply

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Geographic Focus

Where this funder awards grants

The foundation primarily funds organizations in:

Pennsylvania
New York
Colorado

Grant Distribution by State

Pennsylvania $151K (37%)

New York $82K (20%)

Colorado $80K (20%)

Washington $30K (7%)

Kentucky $25K (6%)

All other $40K (10%)

Share of all 23 itemized 2024 grant dollars.

States

California Colorado Connecticut Florida Kentucky Minnesota New Jersey New York Ohio Pennsylvania Virginia Washington West Virginia

Cities

PittsburghNew YorkZelienopleGoldenGypsumWalla WallaBraddockDuquesneLos AngelesNew HavenPhiladelphiaWilkinsburgAlexandriaArdmoreCincinnatiHazardJersey CityKearneysvilleLexingtonMckees Rocks

Financial History

Multi-year comparison from IRS filings

Assets & Revenue (2024):

Total assets: $6,919,746
Total revenue: $620,330
Total expenses: $515,638
Net income: $104,692
Total liabilities: $0

Assets & Revenue (2023):

Total assets: $6,776,665
Total revenue: $423,376
Total expenses: $503,750
Investment income and dividends: $216,770

Historical Giving Trends:

2022: $386,000 in grants across 18 awards
2021: $367,000 in grants across 18 awards
2020: $372,000 in grants across 19 awards
2019: $353,000 in grants across 19 awards

Revenue

Expenses

Qualifying Distributions

Net Investment Income

Metric	2024	2023	2022
Total Assets	$6,919,746	$6,776,665	$6,845,160
Revenue	$620,330	$423,376	$373,587
Expenses	$515,638	$503,750	$601,592
Qualifying Distributions	$437,190	$434,628	$513,693
Net Investment Income	$547,703	$358,960	$303,077
Distributable Amount	$501,164	$441,158	$447,775

Data update history

When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable

March 1, 2026 IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024

Giving Over Time

Total grant dollars and number of grants per year

Grant Insights

How this funder distributes its grants

Top Recipients

Top 10 recipients in 2024

Grant Size Distribution

103 grants across all recorded years

Giving History

Grant recipients and amounts by year

Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest recipients include Agahozo-Shalomn Youth Village ($57,265), Peruvian Hearts ($50,000), Angels' Place Inc ($36,000).

Recipient	Purpose	Amount
AGAHOZO-SHALOMN YOUTH VILLAGE New York, NY	VILLAGE TIME GALA SPONSHORSHIP (ISHEMA LEVEL)	$57,265
PERUVIAN HEARTS Golden, CO	GENERAL	$50,000
ANGELS' PLACE INC Pittsburgh, PA	GENERAL	$36,000
CORAZON DE ESPERANZA INC Gypsum, CO	LUZ DE VIDA/THIRD FLOOR YOUTH TRANSITIONAL HOME	$30,000
PEOPLE OF PERU PROJECT Walla Walla, WA	GENERAL	$30,000
PERU CHAMPS ASSOCIATION New York, NY	GENERAL	$25,000
MOREHEAD STATE UNIVERSITY Morehead, KY	DANIEL L. MCGOWAN LIFETIME LEARNING SCHOLARSHIP	$25,000
ZEBRA YOUTH Orlando, FL	IMPROVE TRANSPORTATION FOR LGBTQ+ YOUTH	$20,000
YORK STREET PROJECT Jersey City, NJ	THE NURTURING PLACE	$20,000
HERITAGE COMMUNITY INITIATIVES Braddock, PA	HERITAGE EDUCATION PROGRAMS	$10,000

Leadership & Key People

Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings

James A Ayers – President
Bruce Bickel – Executive Director

Compensation Overview

No officer or director reported compensation in the available filings.

From 2024 IRS filing

Name	Title	Hours	Compensation
James a Ayers II	Chairman	—	—
PNC Bank NA	Agent	—	—
Renee Ayers	President	—	—
Bruce Bickel	Executive Director	—	—
Cynthia Hamorsky	Secretary	—	—
Florence Ayers	Vice Chairman	—	—

Contact Information

Address: 300 5th Ave Fl 27, Pittsburgh, PA 15222
Telephone: 412-762-3502

Subject Areas

Focus areas based on grantmaking activity

Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking

Frequently Asked Questions

What does Ayers Foundation fund?

The foundation's focus is to support organizations that provide services to poverty-stricken and underserved children. Primary funding areas include: • Education • Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking • Human Services

How do I apply for a grant from Ayers Foundation?

The foundation does not accept applications. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑

Where does Ayers Foundation make grants?

The foundation primarily funds organizations in: • Pennsylvania • New York • Colorado

What size grants does Ayers Foundation award?

In 2024, Ayers Foundation awarded 23 grants totaling $408K — an average of about $18K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.

How much is Ayers Foundation required to give away each year?

Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, Ayers Foundation reported a distributable amount of $501K on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.