Challenger Foundation
Challenger Foundation is a private foundation based in Garden City, New York. Its 2025 filing reports 10 grants totaling $1,475,096 to organizations in several states.
Challenger Foundation at a glance
In short: Challenger Foundation gave $1.5M across 10 grants in 2025 (avg $148K), top state Michigan. 50% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $1,475,096
- +794.0% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 10
- +150.0% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $147,510
- +257.6% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $62,500
- Total assets
- $24,145,896
- +4.6% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 50% first-time grantees (5 of 10, 2025; small sample)
- Primary geography
- Michigan (34% 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 Challenger Foundation
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation states that it does not accept unsolicited requests for funds and makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations.
- Contact
Mailing address: PO Box 7138, Garden City, NY 11530
Phone: (212) 902-8711
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Challenger Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was University of Michigan ($500K). Together the top 10 received $1.5M.
Grant Size Distribution
33 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was in the $50–100K range: 12 grants of 33 (36%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The 2025 grant dollars went to recipients in Michigan (34%), Pennsylvania (27%), Illinois (20%), Massachusetts (7%), and New York (7%). The listed 2025 grants also include a $75,000 grant to the Brookings Institution in Washington, DC.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 10 itemized grants.
Cities
Is Challenger Foundation open to new grantees?
50%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 5 of 10 grantees (50%) were first-time recipients. With only 10 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 10 points. First grants averaged $195K; repeat grants $100K. How we count
Medians: $75K first-time, $50K repeat.
- 30% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving grew 347% from 2022 to 2025. Method
- In 2025 it paid out 91% 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 (2020–2025). 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 2020 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $165K (2024) to $3.6M (2020). In 2025 it made 10 grants totaling $1.5M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| University of Michigan Ann Arbor, MI | General | $500,096 |
| Cristo Rey Network Chicago, IL | General | $300,000 |
| The Episcopal Academy Newtown Square, PA | General | $250,000 |
| Fordham University Bronx, NY | General | $100,000 |
| Brookings Institution Washington, DC | General | $75,000 |
| Bucks County Dragon Boat Association Upr Makefield, PA | General | $50,000 |
| Travis Manion Foundation Doylestown, PA | General | $50,000 |
| Hebrew Seniorlife Inc Boston, MA | General | $50,000 |
| Horizons Greater Philadelphia Inc Wayne, PA | General | $50,000 |
| Catholic Schools Foundation Inc Boston, MA | General | $50,000 |
Ready to take the next step with Challenger Foundation?
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 | $24,145,896 | $2,209,695 | $1,612,750 | $1,475,096 | 10 | $1,502,250 | $2,104,853 | $1,654,820 |
| 2024 | $23,094,995 | $1,168,767 | $252,428 | $165,000 | 4 | $176,283 | $1,107,622 | $1,525,628 |
| 2023 | $22,178,656 | $3,310,482 | $3,388,006 | $3,305,000 | 9 | $3,316,684 | $970,327 | $1,382,434 |
| 2022 | $22,245,289 | $2,880,576 | $422,354 | $330,000 | 7 | $341,085 | $1,878,307 | $1,429,495 |
| 2021 | $20,598,846 | $3,993,460 | $2,152,201 | $2,060,091 | 3 | — | $2,448,612 | $1,311,282 |
| 2020 | $18,888,448 | $680,996 | $3,637,794 | $3,559,849 | 3 | — | $643,105 | $1,216,860 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Challenger Foundation reported a distributable amount of $1.7M for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation’s filings list grants to educational institutions and organizations, as well as organizations focused on other areas. For example, Cristo Rey Network describes its work as providing career-focused, college-preparatory Catholic education for students with limited economic resources. Horizons Greater Philadelphia says it advances educational equity through learning experiences outside school, and the Travis Manion Foundation says it empowers veterans and families of fallen heroes to develop character in future generations. These are the grantees’ descriptions of their own work, not statements of the foundation’s mission.
Grantmaking
In 2025, the foundation made 10 grants totaling $1,475,096. Grants ranged from $50,000 to $500,096, with a median of $62,500.
The largest 2025 grants listed were $500,096 to the University of Michigan, $300,000 to Cristo Rey Network, $250,000 to The Episcopal Academy, $100,000 to Fordham University, and $75,000 to the Brookings Institution. Other listed recipients received $50,000 each: Bucks County Dragon Boat Association, Travis Manion Foundation, Hebrew SeniorLife Inc, Horizons Greater Philadelphia Inc, and Catholic Schools Foundation Inc.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Cathy E Minehan, Elizabeth A Corrigan, and Karen B Tate as trustees.
Challenger Foundation's 2025 filing lists 3 officers; none of the 3 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Cathy E. Minehan
Trustee
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Elizabeth A. Corrigan
Trustee
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Karen B. Tate
Trustee
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2025. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Frequently asked questions about Challenger Foundation
How much does Challenger Foundation give each year?
Challenger Foundation gave $1.5M across 10 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $165K across 4 grants.
What is Challenger Foundation's typical grant size?
Challenger Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $62,500, and its average grant was $147,510, across 10 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Challenger Foundation that year got $195K on average.
Where does Challenger Foundation give grants?
Challenger Foundation's top state is Michigan, with 34% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. The next largest states were Pennsylvania (27%) and Illinois (20%). The most frequent recipient cities were Boston, MA (2 grants).
Does Challenger Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 100% of Challenger Foundation's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (10 of 10) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are Challenger Foundation's largest grantees?
Challenger Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include University of Michigan ($500,096), Cristo Rey Network ($300,000) and The Episcopal Academy ($250,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 71% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Challenger Foundation?
Challenger Foundation reported $24.1M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $1.5M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $1.7M (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 Challenger Foundation fund?
The foundation’s filings list grants to educational institutions and organizations, as well as organizations focused on other areas. For example, Cristo Rey Network describes its work as providing career-focused, college-preparatory Catholic education for students with limited economic resources. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Challenger Foundation?
The foundation states that it does not accept unsolicited requests for funds and makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Challenger Foundation's EIN?
Challenger Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 13-7109402. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.
Does Challenger Foundation accept unsolicited proposals?
No, 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 September 2026.
Data update history
(1)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2025
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Challenger Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 13, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/challenger-foundation-morg_43ddeb7c6f0148cf80fad50da1842ed6
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_137109402_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Challenger Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/challenger-foundation-morg_43ddeb7c6f0148cf80fad50da1842ed6},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-13. 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 Challenger Foundation'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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