Calvin K Kazanjian Economics
Calvin K Kazanjian Economics is a private foundation based in Glastonbury, Connecticut. It supports economic education programs and initiatives, with a stated mission of addressing economic illiteracy.
Calvin K Kazanjian Economics at a glance
In short: Calvin K Kazanjian Economics gave $258K across 12 grants in 2025 (avg $21K), top state District of Columbia. 67% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $257,500
- -32.9% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 12
- +0.0% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $21,458
- -32.9% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $25,000
- Total assets
- $10,474,624
- +12.7% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 67% first-time grantees (8 of 12, 2025; small sample)
- Primary geography
- District of Columbia (29% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to Calvin K Kazanjian Economics
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- Yes
- How to Apply
-
The foundation’s website describes a letter-of-interest process. Selected and board-approved applicants may be invited to submit a full proposal. The foundation accepts unsolicited requests; its 2024 filing says it does not restrict giving to preselected organizations. The filing lists a letter describing the applicant organization’s background and project purposes and duration, a detailed budget, and certification of nonprofit status and IRS exemption as application materials. It restricts awards to nonprofit organizations and projects related to economic research or education.
- Review Cycle
- The website lists early March and early September letter-of-interest deadlines, with decisions in June and December, respectively. The 2024 filing lists April 1 and October 1 deadlines. These stated 2026 cycle dates have passed as of October 2, 2026.
- Deadline
- The website lists early March and early September letter-of-interest deadlines, with decisions in June and December,…
- Contact
Application contact: Elena Zee
Mailing address: PO Box 55941, Phoenix, AZ 85078
Phone: (602) 758-3905
Website: https://www.kazanjian.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Open Grants
1 open opportunity from Calvin K Kazanjian Economics
Who Calvin K Kazanjian Economics funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Council for Economic Education ($30K). Together the top 10 received $249K.
Grant Size Distribution
64 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 61 grants of 64 (95%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation’s website says it does not support projects based outside the United States. Its 2025 grants went to recipients in multiple states and Washington, D.C. The largest shares of 2025 grant dollars went to recipients in D.C. (29%), Georgia (14%), New York (12%), Mississippi (12%), and Florida (10%).
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 12 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is Calvin K Kazanjian Economics open to new grantees?
67%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 8 of 12 grantees (67%) were first-time recipients. With only 12 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 8 points. First grants averaged $18K; repeat grants $28K. How we count
Medians: $22K first-time, $28K repeat.
- 8% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving fell 20% from 2022 to 2025. Method
- In 2025 it paid out 76% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Foundations have until the end of the next year to meet it. Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF 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 $202K (2021) to $995K (2019). In 2025 it made 12 grants totaling $258K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Council for Economic Education New York, NY | support state councils | $30,000 |
| Georgia Council on Economic Educati Atlanta, GA | The trade game | $30,000 |
| Mississippi Council on Economics Ed Jackson, MS | County Enterprise Challenge | $30,000 |
| The Fund for American Studies Washington, DC | SUPPORT Economic Forces in American Civics (EFAC) | $25,000 |
| National Public Radio Inc Washington, DC | NPR's 2026 planet money summer school | $25,000 |
| Florida Council on Economics Educat Tampa, FL | Financial literacy & Money Education | $25,000 |
| Caring for Military Families Washington, DC | Financial wellness for caregivers: Expanding economic literacy through resource navigation | $25,000 |
| South Carolina Council on Economic Columbia, SC | Economics in the wild | $24,000 |
| Financial Scholars Philadelphia, PA | Expansion 2025-26 (Philadelphia and Connecticut) | $20,000 |
| Books Are Gems El Paso, TX | Promoting Financial Literacy through Storybooks and Community Engagement | $15,000 |
Ready to take the next step with Calvin K Kazanjian Economics?
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Qualifying Distributions | Net Investment Income | Distributable Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $10,474,624 | $523,041 | $373,646 | $257,500 | 12 | $362,759 | $523,041 | $479,458 |
| 2024 | $9,294,106 | $580,543 | $484,733 | $384,000 | 12 | $476,506 | $580,543 | $443,867 |
| 2023 | $8,611,054 | $304,219 | $430,365 | $347,392 | 13 | $426,153 | $306,649 | $398,672 |
| 2022 | $7,696,357 | $200,557 | $401,935 | $322,000 | 14 | $396,555 | $201,986 | $410,269 |
| 2021 | $9,714,376 | $453,298 | $281,608 | $201,500 | 13 | $275,138 | $453,298 | $454,225 |
| 2020 | $8,767,359 | $278,962 | $332,850 | $253,000 | 12 | — | $278,962 | $380,788 |
| 2019 | $7,914,367 | $228,618 | $1,081,376 | $994,792 | 6 | — | $228,618 | $402,040 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Calvin K Kazanjian Economics reported a distributable amount of $479K for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated October 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation’s mission is to address economic illiteracy and improve economic understanding among citizens. Its current stated interests include using or researching artificial intelligence in economic education; expanding the reach of economic education; programs that use teachers, social workers, and others to multiply impact; innovative curricula and educational capabilities; behavioral economics; and programs that build interest in economic and financial education.
The foundation particularly favors collaboration with experienced economic education institutions, including councils, centers, learning institutions, universities, and colleges. It considers project significance and reach, plans, technical soundness, key personnel and institutional reputation, partnerships, cost effectiveness, and evaluation.
Its website says that organizations should be U.S.-based 501(c)(3) nonprofits with at least five years of history to be eligible to submit a letter of interest. It does not fund overhead or indirect costs and expects to be one of several funders of a project.
Among its 2025 grantees, NPR describes its own mission as collaborating with member public radio stations to create a more informed public through noncommercial programming. Financial Scholars says it provides high school students, teachers, and families with tools to develop financial skills, build wealth, and achieve financial empowerment. These are grantees’ descriptions of their own work.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2025, the foundation reported 12 grants totaling $257,500. Grant amounts ranged from $3,500 to $30,000, with a median of $25,000.
Among the largest reported grants were $30,000 to the Council for Economic Education to support state councils, $30,000 to the Georgia Council on Economic Education for “The trade game,” and $30,000 to the Mississippi Council on Economics Education for the County Enterprise Challenge. Other grants included $25,000 to the Fund for American Studies for Economic Forces in American Civics, $25,000 to NPR for its 2026 Planet Money Summer School, and $25,000 to the Florida Council on Economics Education for financial literacy and money education. Financial Scholars received $20,000 for an expansion in Philadelphia and Connecticut.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Michael A. MacDowell, Catherine Weidemaier, Scott Wolla, John F. Van Gorder, Mary Bernal, Ephraim Elston, and Emily Elston as trustees. Richard Lloyd Elston is listed as president and treasurer; Caleb T. Elston as vice president; and Elena Zee as managing director.
Calvin K Kazanjian Economics is led by Richard Lloyd Elston, President & Treasurer on every filing since 2019; 3 of 12 officers listed in 2025 are compensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Richard Lloyd Elston
President & Treasurer
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Calvin Lloyd Elston
Trustee
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
$2K (2025)
Michael A. Macdowell
Trustee
Managing Dtr → Trustee, 2020
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
$31K (2019) → $0 (2025)
Catherine Weidemaier
Trustee
On filings since 2024
1 hr/week
$1K (2025)
John F. Van Gorder
Trustee
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Ephraim Elston
Trustee
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Mary Bernal
Trustee
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Scott Wolla
Trustee
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Emily Elston
Trustee
New on the 2025 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Elena Zee
Managing Dtr
On filings since 2019
10 hrs/week
$26K (2019) → $70K (2025)
Caleb T. Elston
Vice President
Trustee → Vice President, 2022
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Sherry Manetta
Secretary
Trustee → Secretary, 2021
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (5)
- Former: Frederick E. Finkenauer (2019–2021) — Trustee
- Former: Marnie W. Mueller (2019–2021) — Vice President
- Former: Sara L. Gordon (2019–2021) — Director
- Former: Harold C. Buckingham Jr. (2019) — Trustee
- Former: Jennifer York Barr (2019) — Trustee
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 $70K, to Elena Zee (Managing Dtr). 3 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Frequently asked questions about Calvin K Kazanjian Economics
How much does Calvin K Kazanjian Economics give each year?
Calvin K Kazanjian Economics gave $258K across 12 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $384K across 12 grants.
What is Calvin K Kazanjian Economics's typical grant size?
Calvin K Kazanjian Economics's median grant in 2025 was $25,000, and its average grant was $21,458, across 12 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Calvin K Kazanjian Economics that year got $18K on average.
Where does Calvin K Kazanjian Economics give grants?
Calvin K Kazanjian Economics's top state is District of Columbia, with 29% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. The next largest states were Georgia (14%) and New York (12%). The most frequent recipient cities were Washington, DC (3 grants).
Does Calvin K Kazanjian Economics give general operating support?
Occasionally: 8% of Calvin K Kazanjian Economics's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (1 of 12) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are Calvin K Kazanjian Economics's largest grantees?
Calvin K Kazanjian Economics's largest 2025 grantees include Council for Economic Education ($30,000), Georgia Council on Economic Educati ($30,000) and Mississippi Council on Economics Ed ($30,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 35% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Calvin K Kazanjian Economics?
Calvin K Kazanjian Economics reported $10.5M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $363K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $479K (roughly 5% of its investment assets). Falling short in one year is not a violation: foundations have until the end of the next year to meet the minimum.
What does Calvin K Kazanjian Economics fund?
The foundation’s mission is to address economic illiteracy and improve economic understanding among citizens. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Calvin K Kazanjian Economics?
The foundation’s website describes a letter-of-interest process. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Calvin K Kazanjian Economics's EIN?
Calvin K Kazanjian Economics's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 06-0665174. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2025.
Does Calvin K Kazanjian Economics accept unsolicited proposals?
Yes, according to Grantable's research on the foundation's published guidelines. See how to apply ↑
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated October 2026.
Data update history
(8)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS February 27, 2020)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS March 31, 2021)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS April 6, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS March 21, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS March 14, 2024)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS March 5, 2025)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS March 19, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2019–2025
Live grants for the work Calvin K Kazanjian Economics funds
Education Open opportunities, soonest deadline first.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Calvin K Kazanjian Economics's focus areas in our free grants database
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Calvin K Kazanjian Economics funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 22, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/calvin-k-kazanjian-economics-morg_12d71fb6fabb476cacbaab4a7f826164
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_060665174_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Calvin K Kazanjian Economics funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/calvin-k-kazanjian-economics-morg_12d71fb6fabb476cacbaab4a7f826164},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-22. 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 Calvin K Kazanjian Economics'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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