Christian Community Foundation Inc
Christian Community Foundation Inc, doing business as WaterStone and Affiliates, is a public charity based in Colorado Springs, Colorado. Formed in 1980, it provides charitable giving and gift-planning solutions, including donor-advised funds, to help donors direct resources to charitable and educational endeavors and Christian ministries.
Christian Community Foundation Inc at a glance
In short: Christian Community Foundation Inc gave $161.8M across 1,651 grants in 2025 (avg $98K), top state Texas. 28% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $161,772,714
- -20.4% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 1,651
- +12.9% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $97,985
- -29.5% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $20,000
- Total assets
- $746,351,187
- +21.0% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 28% first-time grantees (450 of 1,635, 2025)
- Primary geography
- Texas (33% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990, 2025; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to Christian Community Foundation Inc
- How to Apply
-
WaterStone describes a donor-directed process in which Giving Fund holders recommend grants online. The organization says it conducts due diligence on new organizations before releasing grants. Its filing states that recipient organizations and donor-advised fund purpose statements are reviewed and approved by the board, and that recommendations are checked against both the organization’s and the fund’s purposes. The website says eligible charities must be IRS-registered, tax-exempt 501(c)(3) organizations whose mission does not conflict with WaterStone’s Statement of Faith. It also lists restrictions on distributions, including private benefit, political candidates or parties, and certain event costs.
- Contact
Mailing address: 10807 New Allegiance Drive 240, Colorado Springs, CO 80921
Phone: (719) 447-4620
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Christian Community Foundation Inc funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Zoo Midland Inc ($11.0M). Together the top 10 received $41.8M.
Organizations only. It also paid 3 individual scholarships ($56,600), which are not listed by name.
Grant Size Distribution
6,483 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 4,876 grants of 6,483 (75%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The 2025 filing’s grant dollars went most heavily to recipients in Texas (33%), followed by Colorado (15%), California (9%), Florida (6%), and Virginia (4%). The organization also says its distributions reach domestic and foreign nonprofit organizations.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 1,651 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is Christian Community Foundation Inc open to new grantees?
28%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 450 of 1,635 grantees (28%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $57K; repeat grants $115K. How we count
Medians: $13K first-time, $22K repeat.
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990 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 $47.5M (2019) to $203.1M (2024). In 2025 it made 1,651 grants totaling $161.8M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Zoo Midland Inc Midland, TX | General Support | $11,000,000 |
| Mary Hays Institute Leander, TX | General Support | $5,009,800 |
| Schwab Charitable Fund Orlando, FL | General Support | $4,871,646 |
| The Waterstone Supporting Organization Trust 1 Colorado Springs, CO | General Support | $3,817,662 |
| Alliance Defending Freedom Scottsdale, AZ | General Support | $3,481,900 |
| Strategic Resource Group Dallas, TX | General Support | $3,210,410 |
| Discovery Institute Seattle, WA | General Support | $3,101,500 |
| Waterstone Real Estate Foundation Colorado Springs, CO | General Support | $2,710,342 |
| Harvesters Ministries Inc Fort Mill, SC | General Support | $2,395,500 |
| Taylor University Upland, IN | General Support, Building Fund Support | $2,170,420 |
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Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Net Investment Income |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $746,351,187 | $337,552,115 | $193,891,954 | $161,772,714 | 1,651 | $48,112,631 |
| 2024 | $616,655,526 | $263,240,053 | $232,399,350 | $203,108,870 | 1,462 | $22,891,260 |
| 2023 | $545,944,923 | $232,951,454 | $163,944,873 | $143,132,120 | 1,265 | $13,215,164 |
| 2022 | $497,894,733 | $194,166,172 | $97,210,512 | $81,638,253 | 1,142 | $26,969,541 |
| 2021 | $414,242,613 | $134,429,553 | $94,230,373 | $80,890,804 | 963 | $21,623,173 |
| 2020 | $312,024,471 | $137,774,056 | $84,714,643 | $73,270,740 | 995 | $14,103,590 |
| 2019 | $284,411,375 | $91,631,328 | $57,836,885 | $47,473,003 | 862 | $10,450,523 |
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated October 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
WaterStone’s mission is “Honoring God through the transformational power of giving, serving givers at the intersection of faith and finance, and building the Kingdom by transforming assets to living water.” Its stated program includes donor-advised funds, field-of-interest funds, ministry charity projects, charitable trusts, charitable gift annuities, and supporting organizations.
Examples of 2025 grantees illustrate the range of recipients. Zoo Midland Inc describes its mission as wildlife interaction and education, stewardship, and community enrichment. Mary Hays Institute says it trains and provides logistical support to charitable organizations. Strategic Resource Group Inc says it provides resources to missionary organizations, indigenous churches, and other Christian ministries. Discovery Institute describes its work as advancing a culture of purpose, creativity, and innovation through education, research, and analysis.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2025, WaterStone reported 1,651 grants totaling $161,772,714. Grants ranged from $5,028 to $11,000,000, with a median grant of $20,000. The largest reported grants included $11,000,000 to Zoo Midland Inc; $5,009,800 to Mary Hays Institute; $4,871,646 to Schwab Charitable Fund; and $3,817,662 to The WaterStone Supporting Organization Trust 1. The listed grant purposes were generally described as general support.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Kenneth Harrison as chief executive officer; Doug H Kiesewetter Jr as chairman; Kittie W Watson as vice chair; and Richard A Lavinski as secretary. Board members listed are Alan Brown, Bob Brown, Kim Cobb, Thomas Lyles, Os Guinness, and Pastor Joel Sanders.
Christian Community Foundation Inc is led by Kenneth Harrison, Chief Executive Officer on every filing since 2019; 7 of 19 officers listed in 2025 are compensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Kenneth Harrison
Chief Executive Officer
On filings since 2019
40 hrs/week
$253K (2019) → $528K (2025)
Doug H. Kiesewetter Jr.
Chairman
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Chris Start
Treasurer & CFO
Treasurer, Vice President of Finance & Administration → Treasurer, 2020
Treasurer → Treasurer & CFO, 2025
On filings since 2019
40 hrs/week
$142K (2019) → $275K (2025)
Ruthann Witkop
Assistant Secretary
On filings since 2019
40 hrs/week
$46K (2019) → $85K (2025)
Richard Von Gnechten
Vice President
On filings since 2022
40 hrs/week
$208K (2022) → $326K (2025)
Stephanie Hoff
Senior Gift Strategist
On filings since 2023
40 hrs/week
$115K (2023) → $125K (2025)
Catherine Abate
Accountant
New on the 2025 filing
40 hrs/week
$126K (2025)
John Mulder Board Member
Chief Generosity Advisor
New on the 2025 filing
1 hr/week
$193K (2025)
Alan Brown
Board Member
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Bob Brown
Board Member
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Gregory Vigil
Board Member
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Kittie W. Watson
Vice Chair
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Os Guinness
Board Member
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Pastor Joel Sanders
Board Member
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Richard A. Lavinski
Secretary
Vice President & Secretary → Secretary, 2020
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Thomas Lyles
Board Member
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Kim Cobb
Board Member
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
David Dunn
Board Member
On filings since 2024
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Richard Caplin
Board Member
On filings since 2024
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (5)
- Former: John C. Mulder (2019–2024) — Board Member & Chief Generosity Advisor
- Former: Eric Koeplin (2019–2022) — Board Member
- Former: Richard W. Houston (2019) — Vice President
- Former: Stacy Westover (2019) — Vice President of Special Counsel
- Former: Terry Cargill (2019) — Vice President of Generosity
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 $528K, to Kenneth Harrison (Chief Executive Officer). 7 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Frequently asked questions about Christian Community Foundation Inc
How much does Christian Community Foundation Inc give each year?
Christian Community Foundation Inc gave $161.8M across 1,651 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. In 2024 it gave $203.1M across 1,462 grants.
What is Christian Community Foundation Inc's typical grant size?
Christian Community Foundation Inc's median grant in 2025 was $20,000, and its average grant was $97,985, across 1,651 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Organizations receiving their first grant from Christian Community Foundation Inc that year got $57K on average.
Where does Christian Community Foundation Inc give grants?
Christian Community Foundation Inc's top state is Texas, with 33% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990. The next largest states were Colorado (15%) and California (9%). The most frequent recipient cities were Colorado Springs, CO (77 grants), Dallas, TX (57 grants), Austin, TX (44 grants) and Midland, TX (35 grants).
Does Christian Community Foundation Inc give general operating support?
Yes: 95% of Christian Community Foundation Inc's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (1,563 of 1,651) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990. Recurring purposes include "Building Fund Support" (36 grants), "Scholarship Fund Support" (19 grants) and "Athletic Fund Support" (12 grants).
Who are Christian Community Foundation Inc's largest grantees?
Christian Community Foundation Inc's largest 2025 grantees include Zoo Midland Inc ($11,000,000), Mary Hays Institute ($5,009,800) and Schwab Charitable Fund ($4,871,646), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. It also paid 3 individual scholarships ($56,600), which are not listed by name. Together they received 13% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Christian Community Foundation Inc?
Christian Community Foundation Inc reported $746.4M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Its revenue that year was $337.6M.
What does Christian Community Foundation Inc fund?
WaterStone’s mission is “Honoring God through the transformational power of giving, serving givers at the intersection of faith and finance, and building the Kingdom by transforming assets to living water.” See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Christian Community Foundation Inc?
WaterStone describes a donor-directed process in which Giving Fund holders recommend grants online. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Christian Community Foundation Inc's EIN?
Christian Community Foundation Inc's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 75-1750059. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2025.
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990 filings. Research dossier generated October 2026.
Data update history
(8)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS February 6, 2020)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS December 16, 2020)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS December 21, 2021)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS December 12, 2022)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS January 29, 2024)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS January 16, 2025)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS February 9, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2019–2025
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Christian Community Foundation Inc's focus areas in our free grants database
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Christian Community Foundation Inc funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 8, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/christian-community-foundation-inc-morg_182d9457df224051aefa953fa77edef2
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_751750059_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Christian Community Foundation Inc funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/christian-community-foundation-inc-morg_182d9457df224051aefa953fa77edef2},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-08. 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 Christian Community Foundation Inc'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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