Defne and Muhtar Kent Educational Foundation

Private foundation · Grantmaker Wilmington, DE EIN: 45-2735138

The Defne and Muhtar Kent Educational Foundation is a private foundation based in Wilmington, Delaware. Its filings show scholarship grants and a direct summer scholarship program that brings scholars to Turkey to interact with high school students and contribute to STEM projects.

Key facts about Defne and Muhtar Kent Educational Foundation

In short: Defne and Muhtar Kent Educational Foundation gave $1.1M across 53 grants in 2025 (avg $20K), top state Nebraska. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.

EIN
45-2735138
Latest 990 filing
Form 990-PF, 2025
Annual giving (2025)
$1,057,645
Grants made (2025)
53
Average grant
$19,956
Median grant
$15,000
Total assets
$20,100,323
Primary geography
Nebraska (20% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
Accepts unsolicited proposals
No
How to apply
The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests for funds; it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations. Full details ↓

Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated September 2026. 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

$20.1M

-0.3% YoY

Annual Giving

$1.1M

-0.7% YoY

Grant Count

53

+29.3% YoY

Avg Grant Size

$20K

-23.2% YoY

Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Defne and Muhtar Kent Educational Foundation reported a distributable amount of $1.3M for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.

How Defne and Muhtar Kent Educational Foundation gives

  • Giving held roughly steady from 2022 to 2025 (+5%). Method
  • In 2025 it paid out 93% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Foundations have until the end of the next year to meet it. Method

From the foundation's IRS Form 990-PF filings. Methodology.

Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.

Mission & Focus Areas

The foundation’s stated direct charitable activity is a 10-day summer scholarship program in Turkey. Scholars travel to interact with Turkish high school students, share their knowledge, and help with STEM projects. Its 2025 grants also included awards identified as scholarship grants.

Grantmaking

The foundation reported 53 grants totaling $1,057,645 in 2025. Grant amounts ranged from $2,600 to $205,203, with a median of $15,000. The largest listed grant was $205,203 to DONOR ADVISED CHARITABLE GIVING in Omaha, Nebraska, for general and unrestricted purposes. Other large grants included $30,000 scholarship grants to A K Narn, M E Tiryaki, N A Basciftci, A Yamaner, D Karalar, M A Yalcin, I Yuzcelk, M C Yedekci, Y Tur, M Erim, and I E Oz.

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Geographic Focus

Where this funder awards grants

In 2025, grant dollars were distributed among recipients in multiple states. The largest shares went to Nebraska (20%), California (13%), Michigan (11%), Illinois (10%), and Pennsylvania (8%).

Grant Distribution by State

22states

Share of all 53 itemized 2025 grant dollars.

Cities

East LansingEvanstonAtlantaNew YorkPhiladelphiaBerkeleyStanfordClaremontChicagoProvidenceWest LafayettePrincetonState CollegeBostonLos AngelesTempeBaltimoreEastonGambierHanover

Giving Over Time

Total grant dollars and number of grants per year

$0$500K$1M$1.5M32 grants202044 grants202141 grants202241 grants202341 grants202453 grants2025

From 2020 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $854K (2021) to $1.1M (2023). In 2025 it made 53 grants totaling $1.1M.

Grant Insights

How this funder distributes its grants

Top Recipients

Top 10 recipients in 2025

Donor Advised Charitable Giving: $216K across 2 grantsDonor Advised CharitableGiving$216K · 2 grantsA Yamaner: $45K across 2 grantsA Yamaner$45K · 2 grantsA K Narn: $30KA K Narn$30KM E Tiryaki: $30KM E Tiryaki$30KB Kurnaz: $30K across 2 grantsB Kurnaz$30K · 2 grantsN A Basciftci: $30KN A Basciftci$30KD Karalar: $30KD Karalar$30KY Cinar: $30K across 2 grantsY Cinar$30K · 2 grantsM A Yalcin: $30KM A Yalcin$30KH A Ari: $30K across 2 grantsH A Ari$30K · 2 grants

The largest 2025 recipient was Donor Advised Charitable Giving ($216K across 2 grants). Together the top 10 received $501K.

Grant Size Distribution

220 grants across all recorded years

215<$50K$50–100K4$100–250K1$250–500K$500K–1M$1–5M$5M+

The most common grant size was under $50K: 215 grants of 220 (98%).

Giving History

Grant recipients and amounts by year

RecipientPurposeAmount
Donor Advised Charitable Giving Omaha, NEGeneral & Unrestricted (See General Explanation)$205,203
A K Narn Atlanta, GAScholarship Grant$30,000
M E Tiryaki Baltimore, MDScholarship Grant$30,000
N A Basciftci Easton, PAScholarship Grant$30,000
A Yamaner East Lansing, MIScholarship Grant$30,000
D Karalar East Lansing, MIScholarship Grant$30,000
M A Yalcin Evanston, ILScholarship Grant$30,000
I Yuzcelk West Lafayette, INScholarship Grant$30,000
M C Yedekci Stanford, CAScholarship Grant$30,000
Y Tur Stanford, CAScholarship Grant$30,000

Financial History

Multi-year comparison from IRS filings

Filing year Grants reported Number of grants
2025 $1,057,645 53
2024 $1,065,607 41
2023 $1,103,936 41
Revenue
Expenses
Qualifying Distributions
Net Investment Income
$0$2M$4M$6M202020212022202320242025
Metric202520242023
Total Assets$20,100,323$20,152,526$20,140,185
Revenue$1,166,814$1,206,656$866,812
Expenses$1,288,486$1,245,753$1,262,428
Qualifying Distributions$1,240,218$1,203,315$1,220,066
Net Investment Income$1,135,378$1,197,775$836,450
Distributable Amount$1,334,834$1,259,698$1,205,435

Data update history

When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable

  1. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS November 15, 2021)
  2. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS November 8, 2022)
  3. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS September 6, 2023)
  4. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS September 12, 2024)
  5. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS May 13, 2025)
  6. Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS May 8, 2026)
  7. IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024

Leadership & Key People

Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings

The 2025 filing lists Muhtar Kent as president and director; Defne Kent as director, secretary, and treasurer; and Cem Omer Kent and Selin Ipek Kent as directors.

Defne and Muhtar Kent Educational Foundation is led by Muhtar Kent, President & Director on every filing since 2020; none of the 4 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.

Officers on the 2025 filing

  • Muhtar Kent

    President & Director

    On filings since 2020

    1 hr/week

    No compensation reported

  • Cem Omer Kent

    Director

    On filings since 2020

    1 hr/week

    No compensation reported

  • Defne Kent

    Director, Secretary & Treasurer

    On filings since 2020

    1 hr/week

    No compensation reported

  • Selin Ipek Kent

    Director

    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.

Contact

Mailing address: Foundation Source 501 Silverside Rd, Wilmington, DE 19809-1377
Phone: (800) 839-1754

Frequently asked questions about Defne and Muhtar Kent Educational Foundation

How much does Defne and Muhtar Kent Educational Foundation give each year?

Defne and Muhtar Kent Educational Foundation gave $1.1M across 53 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $1.1M across 41 grants.

What is Defne and Muhtar Kent Educational Foundation's typical grant size?

Defne and Muhtar Kent Educational Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $15,000, and its average grant was $19,956, across 53 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.

Where does Defne and Muhtar Kent Educational Foundation give grants?

Defne and Muhtar Kent Educational Foundation's top state is Nebraska, with 20% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. The next largest states were California (13%) and Michigan (11%). The most frequent recipient cities were East Lansing, MI (6 grants), Evanston, IL (5 grants), Philadelphia, PA (4 grants) and Stanford, CA (3 grants).

Does Defne and Muhtar Kent Educational Foundation give general operating support?

Occasionally: 4% of Defne and Muhtar Kent Educational Foundation's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (2 of 53) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Recurring purposes include "Scholarship Grant" (51 grants).

Who are Defne and Muhtar Kent Educational Foundation's largest grantees?

Defne and Muhtar Kent Educational Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include Donor Advised Charitable Giving ($215,703 across 2 grants), A Yamaner ($45,000 across 2 grants) and A K Narn ($30,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 27% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.

How large is Defne and Muhtar Kent Educational Foundation?

Defne and Muhtar Kent Educational Foundation reported $20.1M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $1.2M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $1.3M (roughly 5% of its investment assets).

What does Defne and Muhtar Kent Educational Foundation fund?

The foundation’s stated direct charitable activity is a 10-day summer scholarship program in Turkey. Scholars travel to interact with Turkish high school students, share their knowledge, and help with STEM projects. Its 2025 grants also included awards identified as scholarship grants. See mission & focus areas ↑

How do I apply for a grant from Defne and Muhtar Kent Educational Foundation?

The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests for funds; it 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 Defne and Muhtar Kent Educational Foundation's EIN?

Defne and Muhtar Kent Educational Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 45-2735138. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.

Does Defne and Muhtar Kent Educational Foundation accept unsolicited proposals?

No, according to Grantable's research on the foundation's published guidelines. See how to apply ↑

Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.

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