Big East Conference Inc
Big East Conference Inc is a public charity based in New York, New York. Its stated role is to provide member institutions with a jointly governed body for administering intercollegiate athletics and to assist them in funding and promoting their athletics programs.
Big East Conference Inc at a glance
In short: Big East Conference Inc gave $64.7M across 11 grants in 2025 (avg $5.9M), top state Connecticut. 0% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $64,706,001
- +8.2% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 11
- +0.0% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $5,882,364
- +8.2% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $5,800,606
- Total assets
- $39,498,090
- +2.8% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 0% first-time grantees (0 of 11, 2025; small sample)
- Primary geography
- Connecticut (13% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990, 2025; updated September 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to Big East Conference Inc
- Contact
Mailing address: 655 Third Avenue Suite 711, New York, NY 10017
Phone: (646) 663-3445
Website: https://bigeast.com
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Big East Conference Inc funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was University of Connecticut ($8.3M). Together the top 10 received $59.7M.
Grant Size Distribution
55 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was in the $1–5M range: 30 grants of 55 (55%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The 2025 grant recipients were member universities in Connecticut, Pennsylvania, Nebraska, New York, Ohio, the District of Columbia, Wisconsin, Rhode Island, Indiana, and Illinois. The largest stated shares of grant dollars by recipient state were Connecticut (13%), Pennsylvania (10%), and Nebraska, New York, and Ohio (9% each).
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 11 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is Big East Conference Inc open to new grantees?
0%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 0 of 11 grantees (0%) were first-time recipients. With only 11 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 9 points. How we count
- 100% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2022 to 2025 (+17%). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990 filings (2019–2025). 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 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $39.1M (2021) to $64.7M (2025). In 2025 it made 11 grants totaling $64.7M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| University of Connecticut Storrs, CT | Funding for Athletic Program | $8,317,521 |
| Villanova University Villanova, PA | Funding for Athletic Program | $6,206,916 |
| Creighton University Omaha, NE | Funding for Athletic Program | $6,047,733 |
| St John's University Queens, NY | Funding for Athletic Program | $6,009,267 |
| Xavier University Cincinnati, OH | Funding for Athletic Program | $5,840,950 |
| Georgetown University Washington, DC | Funding for Athletic Program | $5,800,606 |
| Marquette University Milwaukee, WI | Funding for Athletic Program | $5,660,250 |
| Providence College Providence, RI | Funding for Athletic Program | $5,472,869 |
| Butler University Indianapolis, IN | Funding for Athletic Program | $5,274,073 |
| Seton Hall University South Orange, NJ | Funding for Athletic Program | $5,047,406 |
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Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Net Investment Income |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $39,498,090 | $93,822,662 | $90,742,727 | $64,706,001 | 11 | $1,521,683 |
| 2024 | $38,410,072 | $90,722,481 | $88,489,033 | $59,814,333 | 11 | $2,060,035 |
| 2023 | $31,024,883 | $87,177,962 | $82,352,922 | $58,032,261 | 11 | $1,361,413 |
| 2022 | $30,032,227 | $87,597,818 | $77,069,824 | $55,196,085 | 11 | $387,721 |
| 2021 | $25,429,264 | $59,716,596 | $55,548,720 | $39,098,737 | 11 | $263,176 |
| 2020 | $20,673,347 | $58,700,234 | $63,559,750 | $46,600,000 | 10 | $1,483,367 |
| 2019 | $20,400,404 | $64,938,707 | $64,421,212 | $44,197,011 | 10 | $601,226 |
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The organization’s stated mission is to assist its members in administering intercollegiate athletics in keeping with educational, sportsmanship, and health standards. Its program description includes supervising and regulating intercollegiate athletics as an NCAA conference, helping members fund and promote athletics programs, and supporting equitable opportunities and competition in men’s and women’s athletics.
The 2025 grants were identified as funding for athletic programs at member universities. The organization also says in its filing that it occasionally makes modest contributions to nonprofit organizations at the request of member schools or to organizations whose work closely aligns with member missions. Separately, it reports awarding postgraduate scholarships of $2,000 to $5,000 to qualifying recent BIG EAST student-athlete graduates, based on nomination and review by its Academic Affairs Committee; these are payments to participants, not grants for outside applicants.
Among the grantees, Villanova describes itself as a Catholic Augustinian community of higher education, while Creighton describes itself as a Catholic and Jesuit comprehensive university. Xavier describes its mission as educating students intellectually, morally, and spiritually; Georgetown cites a commitment to justice and the common good; Marquette describes a Catholic Jesuit mission that includes service to others; Butler emphasizes equity and academic excellence; and DePaul describes itself as an innovative Catholic, Vincentian university committed to students’ development.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2025, the organization reported 11 grants totaling $64,706,001. Grant amounts ranged from $5,028,410 to $8,317,521, with a median of $5,800,606. The listed grants were:
Each was reported as funding for an athletic program. The filing says member-university grant funds are provided according to NCAA instructions and guidelines, and that the conference does not monitor their use after disbursement. No application process or deadline is specified in the available information.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Valerie B. Ackerman as commissioner and president, Vince Nicastro as COO and deputy commissioner, and Kevin Flanagan as business officer and treasurer. It also lists Daniel Leibovitz, Nicole Early, Scott Hecht, Jackie Campbell, and Christopher Schneider as conference officers, and James Danko and Dr. Radenka Maric as board members.
The conference’s staff directory lists Timothy J. Brosnan as commissioner and Vince Nicastro as deputy commissioner and chief operating officer.
Big East Conference Inc is led by Valerie B. Ackerman, Commissioner & President on every filing since 2019; 8 of 20 officers listed in 2025 are compensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Valerie B. Ackerman
Commissioner & President
On filings since 2019
35 hrs/week
$1.4M (2019) → $1.9M (2025)
Christopher J. Schneider
Executive Associate Commission
Senior Associate Commissioner → Senior Associate Committee, 2023
Senior Associate Committee → Executive Associate Commission, 2024
On filings since 2019
35 hrs/week
$172K (2019) → $204K (2025)
Kevin Flanagan
Bus. Officer & Treasurer
Bus. Officer & Treasurer → Business Officer & Treasurer, 2022
Business Officer & Treasurer → Bus. Officer & Treasurer, 2023
On filings since 2019
35 hrs/week
$118K (2019) → $172K (2025)
Nicole Early
Senior Associate Committee Mkt & Ext Aff.
Senior Associate Committee & Marketing → Senior Associate Committee Marketing, 2023
Senior Associate Committee Marketing → Senior Associate Committee Mkt & Ext Aff., 2025
On filings since 2021
35 hrs/week
$190K (2021) → $216K (2025)
Jackie Campbell
Senior Associate Committee Women's Bb
On filings since 2024
35 hrs/week
$208K (2024) → $214K (2025)
Scott Hecht
Senior Associate Committee & Broadcasting
Senior Associate Committee Broadcasting → Senior Associate Committee & Broadcasting, 2025
On filings since 2024
35 hrs/week
$203K (2024) → $209K (2025)
Vince Nicastro
COO & Deputy Commissioner
On filings since 2024
35 hrs/week
$512K (2024) → $527K (2025)
Daniel Leibovitz
Senior Associate Committee Men's Bb
New on the 2025 filing
35 hrs/week
$359K (2025)
Brian Shanley
Board Member
On filings since 2019
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Daniel Hendrickson
Board Member
On filings since 2019
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
James Danko
Board Member
Chair → Board Member, 2021
On filings since 2019
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
John Degioia
Board Member
On filings since 2019
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Peter Donohue
Board Member
Board Member → Chair, 2021
Chair → Board Member, 2024
On filings since 2019
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Colleen Hanycz
Board Member
On filings since 2021
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Kenneth Sicard
Board Member
On filings since 2021
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Radenka Maric
Board Member
On filings since 2022
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Robert Manuel
Board Member
On filings since 2023
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Kimo Ah Yun
Board Member
On filings since 2024
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Msgr Joseph Reilly
Board Member
New on the 2025 filing
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
ROBERT M GROVES
Board Member
New on the 2025 filing
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (15)
- Former: Michael Lovell (2019–2024) — Board Member
- Former: Walter Paquette (2019–2024) — Senior Associate Committee Media Relation
- Former: Joseph Nyre (2020–2024) — Board Member
- Former: Katia Passerini (2024) — Board Member
- Former: Gabriel Esteban (2019–2023) — Board Member
- Former: Katie Willett (2019–2023) — Associate Commissioner
- Former: Stuart Jackson (2019–2023) — Senior Associate Committee
- Former: Vincent Nicastro (2019–2023) — Deputy Commissioner
- Former: Richard Gentile (2019–2022) — Senior Associate Commissioner
- Former: Andrew Agwunobi (2021–2022) — Board Member
- Former: Tracy Ellis-Ward (2019–2021) — Associate Commissioner
- Former: Ann Crandall (2019–2020) — Chief Marketing Officer
- Former: Conrado Gempesaw (2019–2020) — Board Member
- Former: Michael Graham (2019–2020) — Board Member
- Former: Mary Meehan (2019) — Board Member
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.
Compensation Overview
From 2025 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2025 filing was $1.9M, to Valerie B Ackerman (Commissioner, President). 8 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Frequently asked questions about Big East Conference Inc
How much does Big East Conference Inc give each year?
Big East Conference Inc gave $64.7M across 11 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. In 2024 it gave $59.8M across 11 grants.
What is Big East Conference Inc's typical grant size?
Big East Conference Inc's median grant in 2025 was $5,800,606, and its average grant was $5,882,364, across 11 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990.
Where does Big East Conference Inc give grants?
Big East Conference Inc's top state is Connecticut, with 13% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990. The next largest states were Pennsylvania (10%) and Nebraska (9%).
Does Big East Conference Inc give general operating support?
Not in 2025: none of the 11 grants with a stated purpose on Big East Conference Inc's 2025 IRS Form 990 were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Funding for Athletic Program" (11 grants).
Who are Big East Conference Inc's largest grantees?
Big East Conference Inc's largest 2025 grantees include University of Connecticut ($8,317,521), Villanova University ($6,206,916) and Creighton University ($6,047,733), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. Together they received 32% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Big East Conference Inc?
Big East Conference Inc reported $39.5M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Its revenue that year was $93.8M.
What does Big East Conference Inc fund?
The organization’s stated mission is to assist its members in administering intercollegiate athletics in keeping with educational, sportsmanship, and health standards. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Big East Conference Inc?
Big East Conference Inc has no public application process in the sources Grantable reviewed. Check bigeast.com for current guidelines, or contact the foundation directly before submitting a request.
What is Big East Conference Inc's EIN?
Big East Conference Inc's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 90-0955035. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2025.
Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990 filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(7)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS May 9, 2025)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS May 11, 2026)
- Added Form 990 for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS May 13, 2020)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS May 13, 2021)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS May 7, 2022)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS May 10, 2023)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS May 9, 2024)
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Big East Conference Inc funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 10, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/big-east-conference-inc-morg_2e79653e7f7f4610a9608c3e167e268e
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_900955035_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Big East Conference Inc funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/big-east-conference-inc-morg_2e79653e7f7f4610a9608c3e167e268e},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-10. 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 Big East Conference Inc'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.
Big East Conference Inc down — hundreds of funders to go?