Cherchian Family Foundation Inc
Cherchian Family Foundation Inc is a private foundation based in Wauwatosa, Wisconsin. Its 2025 filing reports 22 grants totaling $78,500 to organizations in Wisconsin and other states.
Key facts about Cherchian Family Foundation Inc
In short: Cherchian Family Foundation Inc gave $79K across 22 grants in 2025 (avg $4K), top state Wisconsin. 32% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- EIN
- 26-1583157
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025
- Annual giving (2025)
- $78,500
- Grants made (2025)
- 22
- Average grant
- $3,568
- Median grant
- $2,250
- New grantees (estimate)
- 32% first-time grantees (7 of 22, 2025; small sample)
- Total assets
- $1,383,881
- Primary geography
- Wisconsin (43% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- How to apply
- The 2024 filing says the foundation does not restrict giving to preselected organizations. Full details ↓
- Deadline
- None listed on the 2024 filing.
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology). Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Financial Overview
From 2025 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$1.4M
+6.6% YoY
Annual Giving
$79K
+30.1% YoY
Grant Count
22
+29.4% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$4K
+0.5% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Cherchian Family Foundation Inc reported a distributable amount of $65K for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Is Cherchian Family Foundation Inc open to new grantees?
32%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 7 of 22 grantees (32%) were first-time recipients. With only 22 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 5 points. First grants averaged $2K; repeat grants $4K. How we count
Medians: $2K first-time, $3K repeat.
- 55% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving fell 51% from 2022 to 2025. Method
- In 2025 it paid out 126% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). 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.
Mission & Focus Areas
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2025 grants show support for organizations in areas including Armenian community and educational activities, music and performing arts, schooling, and children’s health research.
Grantee descriptions illustrate this range: the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra says it reaches diverse audiences through performances and education and outreach programs; Madison Country Day School describes its academically challenging program for a diverse student body; and St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital says it advances cures and prevention for pediatric catastrophic diseases through research and treatment. These are the grantees’ stated missions, not the foundation’s.
Grantmaking
In 2025, the foundation reported 22 grants totaling $78,500. Grants ranged from $1,000 to $20,000, with a median of $2,250.
Notable 2025 grants included $20,000 to Fund for Armenia Relief, for its general fund and a STEM project; $9,000 to St. John the Baptist Armenian Apostolic Church; and $7,000 to the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra. Other grants included $5,000 each to Friends of Armenia Basketball, Madison Country Day School, and St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.
Review Cycle
None listed on the 2024 filing.
How to Apply
The 2024 filing says the foundation does not restrict giving to preselected organizations. It instructs applicants to send a short letter describing the organization’s purpose and need for a grant, with a copy of its IRS exemption letter. Grants are limited to educational, scientific, and charitable organizations exempt under Section 501(c)(3) of the IRS Code.
Ready to take the next step with Cherchian Family Foundation Inc?
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation’s 2025 grant dollars went to recipients in Wisconsin (43%), New York (35%), California (11%), Tennessee (6%), and Massachusetts (3%).
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 22 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2019 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $60K (2024) to $198K (2023). In 2025 it made 22 grants totaling $79K.
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Fund for Armenia Relief Inc ($20K). Together the top 10 received $63K.
Grant Size Distribution
128 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 126 grants of 128 (98%).
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Fund for Armenia Relief Inc New York, NY | General Fund, STEM Project. | $20,000 |
| St John the Baptist Armenian Apostolic Church Greenfield, WI | General Fund | $9,000 |
| Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra Inc Milwaukee, WI | General Fund | $7,000 |
| Friends of Armenia Basketball Glendale, CA | General Fund, Basketball Program. | $5,000 |
| Madison Country Day School Inc Waunakee, WI | General Fund, New Building Program. | $5,000 |
| St Jude Children's Research Hospital Inc Memphis, TN | General Fund | $5,000 |
| American University of Armenia Corporation Oakland, CA | General Fund | $3,000 |
| Diocese of the Armenian Church of America (Eastern) New York, NY | General Fund | $3,000 |
| United Performing Arts Fund Inc Milwaukee, WI | General Fund | $3,000 |
| Wisconsin Conservatory of Music Inc Milwaukee, WI | General Fund | $3,000 |
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grant total | Grant count |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $1,383,881 | $181,916 | $96,077 | $78,500 | 22 |
| 2024 | $1,298,042 | $210,637 | $76,271 | $60,360 | 17 |
| 2023 | $1,163,676 | $72,859 | $208,214 | $198,200 | 24 |
| Metric | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $1,383,881 | $1,298,042 | $1,163,676 |
| Revenue | $181,916 | $210,637 | $72,859 |
| Expenses | $96,077 | $76,271 | $208,214 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $81,422 | $61,335 | $199,975 |
| Net Investment Income | $169,853 | $196,501 | $64,620 |
| Distributable Amount | $64,612 | $75,750 | $68,615 |
Data update history
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS May 28, 2020)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS May 13, 2021)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS May 13, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS October 26, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS May 30, 2024)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS June 23, 2025)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS April 21, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2019–2025
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Ara Cherchian as president/treasurer, Peter Cherchian as secretary, Alex Cherchian as assistant secretary, and Armen Tchertchian as director.
Cherchian Family Foundation Inc is led by Ara Cherchian, President & Treasurer since 2025 (on filings since 2019); none of the 4 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Ara Cherchian
President & Treasurer
President → President & Treasurer, 2025
On filings since 2019
0.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Armen Tchertchian
Director
On filings since 2023
0.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Alex Cherchian
Assistant Secretary
Director → Assistant Secretary, 2025
On filings since 2019
0.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Peter Cherchian
Secretary
Director → Secretary, 2023
On filings since 2019
0.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (2)
- Former: Chuck Vogel (2019–2022) — Secretary
- Former: Valerie Cherchian (2019–2021) — Vice President
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.
Contact
Application contact: Ara Cherchian
Mailing address: 10100 West Bluemount Road 1002, Wauwatosa, WI 53226
Phone: (414) 287-9307
Frequently asked questions about Cherchian Family Foundation Inc
How much does Cherchian Family Foundation Inc give each year?
Cherchian Family Foundation Inc gave $79K across 22 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $60K across 17 grants.
What is Cherchian Family Foundation Inc's typical grant size?
Cherchian Family Foundation Inc's median grant in 2025 was $2,250, and its average grant was $3,568, across 22 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Cherchian Family Foundation Inc that year got $2K on average.
Where does Cherchian Family Foundation Inc give grants?
Cherchian Family Foundation Inc's top state is Wisconsin, with 43% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. The next largest states were New York (35%) and California (11%). The most frequent recipient cities were Milwaukee, WI (5 grants) and New York, NY (3 grants).
Does Cherchian Family Foundation Inc give general operating support?
Yes: 95% of Cherchian Family Foundation Inc's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (21 of 22) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are Cherchian Family Foundation Inc's largest grantees?
Cherchian Family Foundation Inc's largest 2025 grantees include Fund for Armenia Relief Inc ($20,000), St John the Baptist Armenian Apostolic Church ($9,000) and Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra Inc ($7,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 46% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Cherchian Family Foundation Inc?
Cherchian Family Foundation Inc reported $1.4M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $81K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $65K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does Cherchian Family Foundation Inc fund?
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2025 grants show support for organizations in areas including Armenian community and educational activities, music and performing arts, schooling, and children’s health research. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Cherchian Family Foundation Inc?
The 2024 filing says the foundation does not restrict giving to preselected organizations. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Cherchian Family Foundation Inc's EIN?
Cherchian Family Foundation Inc's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 26-1583157. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2025.
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
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