Curtis I & Paul Kossman Char Foundation
The Curtis I & Paul Kossman Char Foundation is a private foundation based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Its 2025 filing lists grants to nonprofit organizations, with the largest awards designated for general support.
Curtis I & Paul Kossman Char Foundation at a glance
In short: Curtis I & Paul Kossman Char Foundation gave $156K across 56 grants in 2025 (avg $3K), mostly in Pennsylvania. 2% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $156,400
- +15.8% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 56
- -1.8% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $2,793
- +17.9% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $550
- Total assets
- $2,191,885
- -4.9% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 2% first-time grantees (1 of 56, 2025)
- Primary geography
- Pennsylvania (68% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated September 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to Curtis I & Paul Kossman Char Foundation
- How to Apply
-
The foundation’s filing says it does not restrict giving to preselected organizations. A written request should state the purpose of the grant and include a copy of the organization’s IRS exemption letter. The filing lists no restrictions on awards. Contact for requests is Marc Kossman.
- Contact
Application contact: Marc Kossman
Mailing address: 11 Parkway Center Suite 300, Pittsburgh, PA 15220
Phone: (412) 921-6100
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Curtis I & Paul Kossman Char Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Western Pennsylvania Conservancy ($55K). Together the top 10 received $131K.
Grant Size Distribution
282 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 277 grants of 282 (98%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The 2025 grant dollars went primarily to recipients in Pennsylvania (68%), followed by recipients in Washington, DC (14%), Colorado (10%), New York (4%), and Florida (2%).
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 56 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is Curtis I & Paul Kossman Char Foundation open to new grantees?
2%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 1 of 56 grantees (2%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $1K; repeat grants $3K. How we count
Medians: $1K first-time, $550 repeat.
- 98% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving grew 23% from 2022 to 2025. Method
- In 2025 it paid out 89% 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 (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 $127K (2022) to $156K (2025). In 2025 it made 56 grants totaling $156K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Western Pennsylvania Conservancy Pittsburgh, PA | General Support | $55,000 |
| American Humanist Association Washington, DC | General Support | $20,000 |
| American Indian College Fund Denver, CO | General Support | $15,000 |
| Carnegie Museums of Pittsburgh Pittsburgh, PA | General Support | $10,000 |
| Women's Center and Shelter of Greater Pittsburgh Pittsburgh, PA | General Support | $10,000 |
| Wqed Pittsburgh, PA | General Support | $10,000 |
| American Red Cross Pittsburgh, PA | General Support | $5,000 |
| Alzheimer's Foundation of American New York, NY | General Support | $2,750 |
| Animal Rescue League Pittsburgh, PA | General Support | $1,650 |
| Boca Helping Hands Boca Raton, FL | General Support | $1,650 |
Ready to take the next step with Curtis I & Paul Kossman Char 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 | $2,191,885 | $86,933 | $182,350 | $156,400 | 56 | $156,400 | $61,683 | $175,392 |
| 2024 | $2,304,690 | $125,349 | $164,919 | $135,050 | 57 | $135,050 | $98,490 | $157,440 |
| 2023 | $2,345,909 | $114,711 | $161,022 | $145,050 | 57 | $145,050 | $98,909 | $134,532 |
| 2022 | $2,388,726 | $64,096 | $153,357 | $126,700 | 56 | $126,700 | $48,925 | $144,789 |
| 2021 | $2,479,949 | $284,927 | $158,874 | $135,150 | 56 | $135,150 | $262,428 | $157,177 |
| 2020 | $2,354,971 | $134,732 | $156,796 | $135,150 | 57 | — | $113,452 | $107,890 |
| 2019 | $2,379,403 | $206,802 | $157,895 | $135,650 | 59 | — | $188,012 | $133,400 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Curtis I & Paul Kossman Char Foundation reported a distributable amount of $175K 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
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2025 grants went to organizations working in varied areas. The Western Pennsylvania Conservancy says it protects and restores natural areas and creates green spaces; the American Indian College Fund says it invests in Native students and tribal college education; and Boca Helping Hands says it provides food, medical and financial assistance, along with education and job training. Other recipients include animal welfare organizations and museums.
Grantmaking
In 2025, the foundation reported 56 grants totaling $156,400. Grant amounts ranged from $225 to $55,000, with a median of $550. It reported 57 grants totaling $135,050 in 2024 and 57 grants totaling $145,050 in 2023.
The largest 2025 awards included $55,000 to the Western Pennsylvania Conservancy, $20,000 to the American Humanist Association, $15,000 to the American Indian College Fund, and $10,000 each to Carnegie Museums of Pittsburgh, the Women’s Center and Shelter of Greater Pittsburgh, and WQED. These awards were listed as general support.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Agnes Kossman as secretary, Curtis Kossman as treasurer, and Marc Kossman as vice president.
Curtis I & Paul Kossman Char Foundation's 2025 filing lists 3 officers; none of the 3 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Agnes Kossman
Secretary
On filings since 2019
No compensation reported
Curtis Kossman
Treasurer
On filings since 2019
No compensation reported
Marc Kossman
Vice President
On filings since 2019
No compensation reported
Former officers (1)
- Former: Paul Kossman (2019–2022) — 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.
Frequently asked questions about Curtis I & Paul Kossman Char Foundation
How much does Curtis I & Paul Kossman Char Foundation give each year?
Curtis I & Paul Kossman Char Foundation gave $156K across 56 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $135K across 57 grants.
What is Curtis I & Paul Kossman Char Foundation's typical grant size?
Curtis I & Paul Kossman Char Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $550, and its average grant was $2,793, across 56 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Curtis I & Paul Kossman Char Foundation that year got $1K on average.
Where does Curtis I & Paul Kossman Char Foundation give grants?
Curtis I & Paul Kossman Char Foundation gives mostly in Pennsylvania: 68% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest states were District of Columbia (14%) and Colorado (10%). The most frequent recipient cities were Pittsburgh, PA (23 grants), New York, NY (5 grants), Washington, DC (4 grants) and Los Angeles, CA (2 grants).
Does Curtis I & Paul Kossman Char Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 100% of Curtis I & Paul Kossman Char Foundation's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (56 of 56) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are Curtis I & Paul Kossman Char Foundation's largest grantees?
Curtis I & Paul Kossman Char Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include Western Pennsylvania Conservancy ($55,000), American Humanist Association ($20,000) and American Indian College Fund ($15,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 58% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Curtis I & Paul Kossman Char Foundation?
Curtis I & Paul Kossman Char Foundation reported $2.2M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $156K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $175K (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 Curtis I & Paul Kossman Char Foundation fund?
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2025 grants went to organizations working in varied areas. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Curtis I & Paul Kossman Char Foundation?
The foundation’s filing says it 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 Curtis I & Paul Kossman Char Foundation's EIN?
Curtis I & Paul Kossman Char Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 30-0106868. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2025.
Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(7)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS May 6, 2020)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS May 8, 2026)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS May 11, 2021)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS April 29, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS May 4, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS July 3, 2024)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS June 19, 2025)
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Curtis I & Paul Kossman Char Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 10, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/curtis-i-and-paul-kossman-char-foundation-morg_9e4bcbfb89bf45d8abee0cdbb9a59e51
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_300106868_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Curtis I \& Paul Kossman Char Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/curtis-i-and-paul-kossman-char-foundation-morg_9e4bcbfb89bf45d8abee0cdbb9a59e51},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-10. 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 Curtis I & Paul Kossman Char 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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