Carnahan-jackson Foundation
The Carnahan-Jackson Foundation is a private family foundation established as a trust in 1972 in New York. The foundation operates for religious, charitable, scientific, educational, and literary purposes, as well as for the prevention of cruelty to children or animals. It maintains offices in Erie, Pennsylvania and Jamestown, New York.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$9.3M
-3.2% YoY
Annual Giving
$557K
-27.3% YoY
Grant Count
30
-3.2% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$19K
-24.9% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Carnahan-jackson Foundation reported a distributable amount of $613K for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation's primary areas of interest include:
- Higher and other education
- Libraries
- Hospitals
- Youth programs
- Support for individuals with disabilities
- Drug abuse prevention programs
- Ecology and environmental initiatives
- Housing and community development
- Dance and other performing arts groups
- Church support
- Basic human needs
- Human services
- Religious organizations
The foundation also maintains support for certain prior interests of the original donor.
Grantmaking
Applicants should contact the foundation to request a grant guideline letter detailing the application format and required supporting documentation.
Grant Range
** $650 to $150,000, with typical awards between $1,000 and $130,000
Review Cycle
** April 1 and October 1
How to Apply
**
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation primarily funds organizations in:
- Western New York (particularly the Jamestown area)
- The broader Chautauqua region
- Some support extends to Illinois and the District of Columbia
Grant Distribution by State
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
Total Assets: $9,265,626 (as of 2024)
Total Giving: $556,778 to $589,486 (2024)
Total Revenue: $422,801 (2024)
Total Expenses: $726,303 (2024)
Giving Rate: 6.3%
Tax Status: Tax-exempt since February 1973
EIN: 16-6151608
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $9,265,626 | $9,569,904 | $9,932,645 |
| Revenue | $422,801 | $563,990 | $997,570 |
| Expenses | $726,303 | $934,801 | $827,465 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $589,486 | $793,004 | $774,726 |
| Net Investment Income | $303,767 | $509,670 | $950,041 |
| Distributable Amount | $612,514 | $595,692 | $661,825 |
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
109 grants across all recorded years
Open Grants
1 open opportunity from Carnahan-jackson Foundation
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include Ymca of Jamestown ($75,060), Reg Lenna Center For The Arts Inc ($52,500), Boys & Girls Club of Jamestown Inc (wdc) ($45,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Healing Word MinistriesBread of Life JAMESTOWN, NY | GENERAL FUND | $1,000 |
| A CHILDREN'S PLACE JAMESTOWN, NY | TO ADVANCE PURPOSE | $25,000 |
| ROGER TORY PETERSON INSTITUTE JAMESTOWN, NY | UNRESTRICTED GENERAL | $20,000 |
| UNITED NEGRO COLLEGE FUND NW WASHINGTON, DC | UNRESTRICTED- GENERAL | $5,250 |
| HOUGHTON COLLEGE Houghton, NY | GENERAL OPERATIONS | $25,000 |
| BOYS & GIRLS CLUB OF JAMESTOWN INC (WDC) JAMESTOWN, NY | AFTER SCHOOL PROGRAMS | $45,000 |
| YMCA OF JAMESTOWN JAMESTOWN, NY | UNRESTRICTED- GENERAL | $75,060 |
| YWCA OF JAMESTOWN JAMESTOWN, NY | GENERAL FUND | $2,000 |
| James Prendergast Library Association JAMESTOWN, NY | UNRESTRICTED- GENERAL | $27,250 |
| CHAUTAUQUA REGION COMMUNITY JAMESTOWN, NY | GENERAL UNRESTRICTED | $5,500 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
Northwest Bank serves as trustee
Stephen Sellstrom, Esq. is listed as a board member (stephen@sellstromlaw.com)
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
No officer/director data available.
Recent News & Activity
Recent developments and announcements
The foundation has continued active grantmaking in 2024, including support for library initiatives. Recent grant recipients have included the Prendergast Library and various educational and community organizations in the Western New York region.
Prendergast Library Receives Carnahan-Jackson Foundation Grant | News, Sports,Contact Information
Primary Office: 800 State Street, Suite 500 Erie, PA 16501-1357 Phone: (814) 871-5959
Mailing Address: P.O. Box 3326 Jamestown, NY 14702-3326 Phone: (716) 484-7191 Fax: (716) 484-2133
Subject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Carnahan-jackson Foundation fund?
The foundation's primary areas of interest include: • Higher and other education • Libraries • Hospitals • Youth programs • Support for individuals with disabilities • Drug abuse prevention programs • Ecology and environmental initiatives • Housing and community development • Dance and other performing arts groups • Church support • Basic human needs • Human services • Religious organizations The foundation also maintains support for certain prior interests of the original donor.
How do I apply for a grant from Carnahan-jackson Foundation?
**Grant Range:** $650 to $150,000, with typical awards between $1,000 and $130,000 **Median Grant Amount:** $11,854 **Recent Activity:** The foundation awarded 47 grants in 2024 **Types of Support:** • General operating support • Project support • Equipment • Building funds • Scholarships • After-school programs **Application Process:** Applicants should contact the foundation to request a grant guideline letter detailing the application format and required supporting documentation. **Applicati…
Where does Carnahan-jackson Foundation make grants?
The foundation primarily funds organizations in: • Western New York (particularly the Jamestown area) • The broader Chautauqua region • Some support extends to Illinois and the District of Columbia
What size grants does Carnahan-jackson Foundation award?
In 2024, Carnahan-jackson Foundation awarded 30 grants totaling $557K — an average of about $19K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is Carnahan-jackson Foundation required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, Carnahan-jackson Foundation reported a distributable amount of $613K on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is Carnahan-jackson Foundation's EIN?
Carnahan-jackson Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 16-6151608. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2021–2024.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Carnahan-jackson Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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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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