Colcom Foundation
Colcom Foundation is a private foundation based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Established by Cordelia S. May in 1996, it supports national projects addressing population growth and environmental impacts, as well as regional conservation, environmental projects, cultural assets, and community vitality in southwestern Pennsylvania.
Colcom Foundation at a glance
In short: Colcom Foundation gave $21.1M across 137 grants in 2025 (avg $154K), top state Pennsylvania. 100% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $21,072,496
- -4.8% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 137
- +17.1% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $153,814
- -18.7% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $60,000
- Total assets
- $485,695,080
- +7.7% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 100% first-time grantees (104 of 104, 2025)
- Primary geography
- Pennsylvania (44% 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 Colcom Foundation
- Invitation Only
-
For a project not previously funded by the foundation, submit a Letter of Inquiry (LOI); LOIs are accepted on a rolling basis, and an approved LOI leads to an invitation to submit a full application. The website directs applicants to use its online grants portal, except that LOIs for national Carrying Capacity projects are submitted by email. The filing says an LOI should be no more than two pages and describe the organization, proposed program and objectives, amount requested, projected budget, and timeline; a separate LOI is required for each program. The foundation discourages lengthy attachments to LOIs. Full applications require the most recent Form 990, recent audited financial statements or equivalent, an itemized project budget, and the 2025 KPI table; an annual report or newsletter is optional. The filing states that awards are limited geographically and to the foundation’s areas of interest.
- Review Cycle
- LOIs are accepted on a rolling basis. Full-application deadlines are November 30, February 28, May 31, and August 31. The next listed deadline is November 30, 2026.
- Deadline
- LOIs are accepted on a rolling basis.
- Contact
Application contact: J S Barsotti
Mailing address: PO Box 22185, Pittsburgh, PA 15222-0185
Phone: (412) 765-2400
Email: colcomcontact@colcomfdn.org
Website: https://colcomfdn.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Open Grants
4 open opportunities from Colcom Foundation
Colcom Foundation Carrying Capacity Grants (National)
Colcom Foundation
Amount
Varies
Deadline
Rolling
Colcom Foundation Grant: Local Environment & Community
Colcom Foundation
Amount
Varies
Deadline
Deadline not published
Colcom Foundation Grant: National Giving (Carrying Capacity)
Colcom Foundation
Amount
Varies
Deadline
Deadline not published
Who Colcom Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Colcom - Immigration Reform Law Institute ($3.7M across 4 grants). Together the top 10 received $14.1M.
Grant Size Distribution
675 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 270 grants of 675 (40%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation’s national Carrying Capacity interest supports national projects. Its regional program covers southwestern Pennsylvania, defined as Allegheny, Armstrong, Beaver, Bedford, Blair, Butler, Cambria, Fayette, Greene, Indiana, Lawrence, Somerset, Washington, and Westmoreland counties.
In 2025, 44% of grant dollars went to recipients in Pennsylvania, 43% to recipients in Washington, DC, and 11% to recipients in Virginia. The remaining reported shares were 1% in Hawaii and less than 1% in North Carolina.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 137 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is Colcom Foundation open to new grantees?
100%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 104 of 104 grantees (100%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $203K. How we count
- 0% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2022 to 2025 (−1%). Method
- In 2025 it paid out 92% 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 (2021–2025). 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 2021 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $21.1M (2025) to $24.6M (2021). In 2025 it made 137 grants totaling $21.1M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Colcom - Immigration Reform Law Institute Washington, DC | Restricted Grant | $2,000,000 |
| Colcom - Pittsburgh Trust for Cultural Resources Pittsburgh, PA | 8th street block civic space and cultural district streetscaping | $1,000,000 |
| Colcom - Numbersusa Education & Research Foundation Arlington, VA | General Operating Support | $910,000 |
| Colcom - - Federation for American Immigration Reform Washington, DC | General Operating Support | $650,000 |
| Colcom - Federation for American Immigration Reform Washington, DC | General Operating Support | $650,000 |
| Colcom - Federation for American Immigration Reform Washington, DC | General Operating Support | $650,000 |
| Colcom - Numbersusa Education & Research Foundation Arlington, VA | General Operating Support | $650,000 |
| Colcom - Numbersusa Education & Research Foundation Arlington, VA | General Operating Support | $650,000 |
| Colcom - Immigration Accountability Project Washington, DC | General Operating Support | $600,000 |
| Colcom - Immigration Reform Law Institute Washington, DC | General Operating Support | $575,000 |
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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 | $485,695,080 | $61,909,667 | $27,397,900 | $21,072,496 | 137 | $23,157,357 | $57,382,659 | $25,244,247 |
| 2024 | $450,773,317 | $41,077,227 | $28,200,920 | $22,125,313 | 117 | $24,261,513 | $37,579,445 | $24,357,852 |
| 2023 | $437,794,022 | $23,457,577 | $28,944,155 | $23,101,275 | 134 | $25,387,041 | $20,546,361 | $22,754,686 |
| 2022 | $443,401,783 | $64,855,992 | $28,077,271 | $21,209,788 | 132 | $23,701,089 | $59,483,740 | $26,193,266 |
| 2021 | $406,634,028 | $48,313,267 | $30,538,903 | $24,583,765 | 155 | — | $42,043,661 | $25,343,274 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Colcom Foundation reported a distributable amount of $25.2M 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 primary mission is to foster a sustainable environment to ensure quality of life for all Americans by addressing major causes and consequences of overpopulation and its adverse effects on natural resources. Its stated funding interests are Carrying Capacity, Local Environment, and Local Community.
Nationally, the foundation supports projects addressing the impact of human population growth on the environment and public education about population, consumption, and technology. Its stated approach includes the I = P × A × T framework. The foundation names Population Media Center, which uses entertainment-education and mass media to prevent unplanned and unwanted births, as a grantee in its family-planning work. It also names NumbersUSA, the Federation for American Immigration Reform, and the Center for Immigration Studies among organizations it supports in its Carrying Capacity interest.
Regionally, the foundation supports conservation, environmental projects, cultural assets, and community vitality. Named regional grantees include Western Pennsylvania Conservancy, Allegheny Land Trust, Hollow Oak Land Trust, Pennsylvania Environmental Council, and WeConservePA.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2025, the foundation reported 137 grants totaling $21,072,496. Grants ranged from $5,000 to $2,000,000, with a median of $60,000.
Among its largest reported 2025 grants were $2,000,000 to Immigration Reform Law Institute for a restricted grant; $1,000,000 to Pittsburgh Trust for Cultural Resources for 8th Street block civic space and cultural district streetscaping; and $910,000 to NumbersUSA Education & Research Foundation for general operating support. Other large grants included $650,000 to the Federation for American Immigration Reform and $600,000 to Immigration Accountability Project, both for general operating support.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists J S Barsotti as Director, President, and CIO; R P Lombardi as Vice President and Chief Financial Officer; and A Phillips as Vice President of Philanthropy. Directors listed are T M Inglis, M M Strueber, D M Panazzi, D E Baker, and J F Rohe. T M Schmidt and N C Fales are listed as emeritus directors.
Colcom Foundation is led by J. S. Barsotti, Director, President & CIO on the 2025 filing; 9 of 10 officers listed in 2025 are compensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
J. S. Barsotti
Director, President & CIO
New on the 2025 filing
40 hrs/week
$456K (2025)
T. M. Inglis
Director
V.p. Finance & Administrator → Director, 2025
On filings since 2021
8 hrs/week
$63K (2021) → $64K (2025)
D. E. Baker
Director
New on the 2025 filing
8 hrs/week
$64K (2025)
D. M. Panazzi
Director
New on the 2025 filing
8 hrs/week
$64K (2025)
J. F. Rohe
Director
New on the 2025 filing
8 hrs/week
$64K (2025)
M. M. Strueber
Director
New on the 2025 filing
8 hrs/week
$47K (2025)
R. P. Lombardi
Vice President & Chief Financial Officer
V.p. Finance & Administrator → Vice President & Chief Financial Officer, 2025
On filings since 2021
40 hrs/week
$176K (2021) → $273K (2025)
A. Phillips
Vice President Philanthropy
New on the 2025 filing
40 hrs/week
$212K (2025)
T. M. Schmidt
Emeritus Director
New on the 2025 filing
2 hrs/week
$600 (2025)
N. C. Fales
Emeritus Director
New on the 2025 filing
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (10)
- Former: D. E. Baker Colcom (2021–2024) — Director
- Former: D. E. Baker Laurel (2021–2024) — Director
- Former: J. F. Rohe Colcom (2021–2024) — Director, President, CIO & Director
- Former: J. F. Rohe Laurel (2021–2024) — Director
- Former: M. M. Strueber Colcom (2021–2024) — Director
- Former: N. C. Fales Laurel (2021–2024) — Emeritus Director
- Former: T. M. Inglis Colcom (2021–2024) — Director
- Former: T. M. Inglis Laurel (2021–2024) — Emeritus Director & Director
- Former: R. P. Lombardi Colcom (2022–2024) — Vice President & Chief Financial Officer
- Former: A. Phillips Colcom (2023–2024) — Vice President Philanthropy
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2021–2025. "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 $456K, to J S Barsotti (Director/President/CIO). 9 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Frequently asked questions about Colcom Foundation
How much does Colcom Foundation give each year?
Colcom Foundation gave $21.1M across 137 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $22.1M across 117 grants.
What is Colcom Foundation's typical grant size?
Colcom Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $60,000, and its average grant was $153,814, across 137 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Colcom Foundation that year got $203K on average.
Where does Colcom Foundation give grants?
Colcom Foundation's top state is Pennsylvania, with 44% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. The next largest states were District of Columbia (43%) and Virginia (11%). The most frequent recipient cities were Pittsburgh, PA (55 grants), Washington, DC (22 grants), Arlington, VA (4 grants) and Greensburg, PA (4 grants).
Does Colcom Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 50% of Colcom Foundation's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (68 of 137) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Recurring purposes include "Land Conservation" (5 grants).
Who are Colcom Foundation's largest grantees?
Colcom Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include Colcom - Immigration Reform Law Institute ($3,725,000 across 4 grants), Colcom - Numbersusa Education & Research Foundation ($2,210,000 across 3 grants) and Colcom - - Federation for American Immigration Reform ($1,950,000 across 3 grants), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 37% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Colcom Foundation?
Colcom Foundation reported $485.7M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $23.2M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $25.2M (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 Colcom Foundation fund?
The foundation’s primary mission is to foster a sustainable environment to ensure quality of life for all Americans by addressing major causes and consequences of overpopulation and its adverse effects on natural resources. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Colcom Foundation?
For a project not previously funded by the foundation, submit a Letter of Inquiry (LOI); LOIs are accepted on a rolling basis, and an approved LOI leads to an invitation to submit a full application. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Colcom Foundation's EIN?
Colcom Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 31-1479839. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2021–2025.
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated October 2026.
Data update history
(6)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS May 12, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS April 28, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS May 2, 2024)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS May 9, 2025)
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS May 7, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2021–2024
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