Business Leadership Organized for Catholic Schools (BLOCS) is a 501(c)(3) charitable organization headquartered in King of Prussia, Pennsylvania. Founded in 1980, BLOCS operates as a needs-based scholarship organization that bridges the business community with Catholic and private schools throughout Pennsylvania. The organization provides tuition assistance to eligible pre-K through 12th grade students, with a focus on serving families with financial need.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$137.3M
+6.9% YoY
Annual Giving
$94.1M
+28.0% YoY
Grant Count
341
+11.1% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$276K
+15.2% YoY
Mission & Focus Areas
Mission Statement: BLOCS bridges the business community and Catholic schools to establish financial assistance to families in need, bolster school infrastructures, and expand educational opportunities for families. The organization is committed to ensuring that every family who desires a value-based Catholic education can afford one.
Primary Focus Areas:
- Need-based scholarships for eligible students in Catholic and private schools
- Financial assistance to families in need
- School infrastructure support
- Educational opportunity expansion
- Scholarships and student financial aid
Grantmaking
BLOCS awards over 33,000 need-based scholarships annually across 65 of Pennsylvania's 67 counties, partnering with more than 500 schools. The organization raises more than $205 million annually in private and corporate donations for families in need.
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
BLOCS operates primarily in Pennsylvania, with particular concentration in the five-county Philadelphia region and the Archdiocese of Philadelphia. The organization serves 65 of Pennsylvania's 67 counties, reaching children in numerous communities throughout the state, including some of the poorest neighborhoods in Philadelphia.
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
Most Recent Financial Data (2024):
- Total Assets: $137,291,736
- Total Revenue: $108,514,791
- Total Expenses: $99,275,278
- Number of Employees: 12
Giving Profile:
- Total Annual Giving: $95,762,197
- Nearly $0.96 of every dollar raised is returned in the form of scholarships to local families
Financial Rating: BLOCS holds a Four-Star rating with a 97% overall score, reflecting strong accountability and financial management.
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $137,291,736 | $128,389,254 | $88,869,360 |
| Revenue | $108,514,791 | $115,044,615 | $72,219,078 |
| Expenses | $99,275,278 | $76,860,151 | $57,087,105 |
| Qualifying Distributions | — | — | — |
| Net Investment Income | $7,704,932 | $4,115,822 | $2,292,913 |
| Distributable Amount | — | — | — |
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
250 grants across all recorded years
Open Grants
4 open opportunities from Business Leadership Organized for
EDS (Economically Disadvantaged Schools) Program Tax Credit
BUSINESS LEADERSHIP ORGANIZED FOR
Amount
$60 million total program budget (no corporate donor cap)
Deadline
Rolling / Open
EITC (Educational Improvement Tax Credit) Scholarships
BUSINESS LEADERSHIP ORGANIZED FOR
Amount
Varies by student need
Deadline
Rolling / Open
Latino Enrollment Institute Scholarship Program
BUSINESS LEADERSHIP ORGANIZED FOR
Amount
Varies
Deadline
Rolling / Open
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include Independence Mission Schools ($10,133,195), Cristo Rey Philadelphia High School ($3,100,413), Cardinal O'hara High School 33018 ($2,835,805).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| INDEPENDENCE MISSION SCHOOLS PHILADELPHIA, PA | SCHOLARSHIPS | $10,133,195 |
| CRISTO REY PHILADELPHIA HIGH SCHOOL PHILADELPHIA, PA | SCHOLARSHIPS | $3,100,413 |
| CARDINAL O'HARA HIGH SCHOOL 33018 SPRINGFIELD, PA | SCHOLARSHIPS | $2,835,805 |
| ST HUBERT HIGH SCHOOL 33013 PHILADELPHIA, PA | SCHOLARSHIPS | $2,272,020 |
| MONSIGNOR BONNER HIGH SCHOOL DREXEL HILL, PA | SCHOLARSHIPS | $2,255,877 |
| LASALLE COLLEGE HIGH SCHOOL 34015 WYNDMOOR, PA | SCHOLARSHIPS | $2,205,893 |
| ST JOSEPH'S PREPARATORY 34013 PHILADELPHIA, PA | SCHOLARSHIPS | $1,999,500 |
| FATHER JUDGE HIGH SCHOOL 33008 PHILADELPHIA, PA | SCHOLARSHIPS | $1,884,875 |
| CONWELL-EGAN HIGH SCHOOL 33003 FAIRLESS HILLS, PA | SCHOLARSHIPS | $1,733,019 |
| LIGUORI ACADEMY PHILADELPHIA, PA | SCHOLARSHIPS | $1,519,579 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
Chief Executive Officer: Dave Rowan
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| DANIEL ASTOLFI | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| PAUL BECKER | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| CHARLIE BERNIER | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| JB BLAUVELT | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| JERRY BUCKLEY | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| NICOLE CANIGLIA | DIRECTOR (AS OF 9/15/23) | 1 | — |
| BRIAN CASSIDY | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| JOSEPH CHOTT | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| NICK CIOCCA | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| MARTY CONNOR | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| JEFFREY CORON | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| GARY DEVITO | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| NATALIA DOMINGUEZ BUCKLEY | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| SEAN P FAHEY | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| BISHOP MICHAEL FITZGERALD | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| SEAN FLYNN | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| TOM GALLAGHER | DIRECTOR (AS OF 9/15/23) | 1 | — |
| BRIAN HANNAN | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| EDWARD HANWAY | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| KRISTIN HILLSLEY | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| BILL LARKIN | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| PAUL LEARY | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| WILLIAM MATTHEWS III | DIRECTOR (AS OF 9/15/23) | 1 | — |
| JOHN MCDONALD | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| BRIAN MCELWEE | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| JOHN J MCGONIGAL JR | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| JUSTIN O'MALLEY | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| MIKE O'MARA | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| MICHAEL PRENDERGAST | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| DONALD SALESKI | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| MICHAEL SAVAGE | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| TOM SHOEMAKER | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| GREG SKALICKY | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| BILL STREICH | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| DORAE SUDELL | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| FRANCIS VAN KIRK | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| BRIAN VESEY | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| BRAD WILLIAMS | DIRECTOR (AS OF 2/16/24) | 1 | — |
| ARCHBISHOP NELSON PEREZ | HONORARY CHAIRMAN | 1 | — |
| MATT MCFILLIN | CO-CHAIRMAN | 1 | — |
| MATTHEW TOPLEY | CO-CHAIRMAN | 1 | — |
| MICHAEL F YOUNG | VICE PRESIDENT | 1 | — |
| BRIAN GALLAGHER | TREASURER | 1 | — |
| DAVID ROWAN | CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER | 40 | $414,893 |
| THEODORE AICHER | CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER | 40 | $247,846 |
| JEFFREY GIBSON | DIRECTOR OF DEVELOPMENT | 40 | $198,303 |
| JAMES DOWNEY | DIRECTOR OF DEVELOPMENT | 40 | $154,494 |
| KATHLEEN HARVEY | CONTROLLER | 40 | $132,361 |
| KATIE THORNTON | MARKETING DIRECTOR (THRU 12/20/24) | 40 | $120,000 |
Recent News & Activity
Recent developments and announcements
BLOCS has expanded its scholarship reach significantly, now partnering with more than 500 schools and distributing over 33,000 scholarships annually. The organization has established an emergency scholarship program to address families facing extenuating financial circumstances. In recent years, BLOCS has worked with an increasing number of businesses and individual taxpayers to leverage Pennsylvania's tax credit programs for educational support.
BLOCS - PhiladelphiaSubject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Business Leadership Organized for fund?
**Mission Statement:** BLOCS bridges the business community and Catholic schools to establish financial assistance to families in need, bolster school infrastructures, and expand educational opportunities for families. The organization is committed to ensuring that every family who desires a value-based Catholic education can afford one. **Primary Focus Areas:** • Need-based scholarships for eligible students in Catholic and private schools • Financial assistance to families in need • School in…
How do I apply for a grant from Business Leadership Organized for?
BLOCS awards over 33,000 need-based scholarships annually across 65 of Pennsylvania's 67 counties, partnering with more than 500 schools. The organization raises more than $205 million annually in private and corporate donations for families in need. **Funding Mechanism:** BLOCS operates through Pennsylvania's Educational Improvement Tax Credit (EITC) and Opportunity Scholarship Tax Credit (OSTC) programs, allowing donors to redirect their personal or corporate tax liability as need-based schol…
Where does Business Leadership Organized for make grants?
BLOCS operates primarily in Pennsylvania, with particular concentration in the five-county Philadelphia region and the Archdiocese of Philadelphia. The organization serves 65 of Pennsylvania's 67 counties, reaching children in numerous communities throughout the state, including some of the poorest neighborhoods in Philadelphia.
What size grants does Business Leadership Organized for award?
In 2024, Business Leadership Organized for awarded 341 grants totaling $94.1M — an average of about $276K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
What is Business Leadership Organized for's EIN?
Business Leadership Organized for's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 23-2125843. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
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Data last updated June 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
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