ECMC Foundation is a national 501(c)(3) public charity established in 2000 as the charitable arm of ECMC Group. Based in Minneapolis, Minnesota, with additional presence in Los Angeles, California, the Foundation is dedicated to improving higher education and career success among underserved populations through evidence-based innovation.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$2.0B
+14.9% YoY
Annual Giving
$60.1M
+13.8% YoY
Grant Count
198
-3.4% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$304K
+17.9% YoY
Mission & Focus Areas
Mission: ECMC Foundation's North Star goal is to eliminate gaps in postsecondary completion by 2040.
The Foundation operates under a strategic framework with three primary strategic priorities:
- Removing barriers to postsecondary completion — addressing systemic challenges that prevent underserved learners from earning postsecondary credentials
- Building the capacity of organizations, institutions and systems — strengthening the ability of entities within the postsecondary ecosystem to serve underserved populations
- Transforming the postsecondary ecosystem — driving systemic change at the root causes of complex challenges in higher education
The Foundation's work emphasizes credit-bearing career and technical education (CTE) and two- and four-year postsecondary credentials. The Foundation pursues systemic change by tackling biases, institutional and system-level policies, resource allocation, and financial and life circumstances that create barriers to success for underserved learners.
Grantmaking
The Foundation uses a spectrum of funding structures beyond traditional grants, including:
Grant Range
$50,000 to $1,000,000+
Average Grant
$500,000
Review Cycle
- Submissions via Letter of Inquiry through online portal
How to Apply
**
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
All 50 U.S. states, Puerto Rico, and sovereign tribes.
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
Assets & Revenue (2023):
- Total assets: $1.7 billion to $1.95 billion
- Total revenues: $58.2 million
- Total expenses: $65.7 million
- Total giving: $60.6 million
- Annual giving: $53.2 million
Staffing:
- 25-26 employees
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $1,951,301,209 | $1,698,761,256 | $1,575,921,479 |
| Revenue | $82,572,335 | $58,219,618 | $501,684,291 |
| Expenses | $76,633,109 | $65,662,081 | $46,971,911 |
| Qualifying Distributions | — | — | — |
| Net Investment Income | $-362,945 | $-310,916 | $109,687 |
| Distributable Amount | — | — | — |
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
Grant Size Distribution
150 grants across all recorded years
Open Grants
5 open opportunities from Ecmc Foundation
ECMC Foundation: Grants & Investments
ECMC FOUNDATION
Amount
Varies
Deadline
Rolling / Open
Postsecondary State CTE Leaders Fellowship
ECMC FOUNDATION
Amount
Varies
Deadline
Rolling / Open
Takeoff: Institutional Innovations for College Men of Color
ECMC FOUNDATION
Amount
Varies
Deadline
Rolling / Open
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
No grants recorded for .
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
Key staff members identified:
- Edward Smith — Senior Director, Policy Strategy
- Archie Cubarrubia — Vice President, Grants
- Jennifer Zeisler — Senior Program Director
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| DANIEL FISHER | PRESIDENT & CEO, ECMC GROUP | — | — |
| JAMES V MCKEON | BOARD CHAIR | 2 | — |
| DIANA J INGRAM | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| JACK O'CONNELL | DIRECTOR | 2 | — |
| JULIA S GOUW | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| DEREK LANGHAUSER | DIRECTOR | 2 | — |
| JAMES RUNCIE | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| JENNIFER ANDERSON | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| K PAUL SINGH | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| LYNN ALVAREZ | VP, FDN PROGRAMS & STRATEGY-THRU 8/2 | 40 | $217,353 |
| JACOB FRAIRE | PRESIDENT, ECMC FOUNDATION | 40 | $599,858 |
| MARTIN SCANLON | CFO & TREASURER | — | — |
| BRIAN BOARDMAN | GENERAL COUNSEL & CORP SECRETARY | — | — |
| JENNIFER ZEISLER | SR DIR, PROGRAM MANAGEMENT | 40 | $208,014 |
| SARAH BELNICK | SR DIR, PROGRAM MANAGEMENT | 40 | $202,677 |
| JESSICA HASELTON | MANAGING DIRECTOR | 40 | $190,506 |
| LORAINE PARK | DIR, LEARNING & EVALUATION-THRU 11/22 | 40 | $152,723 |
| STEPHEN HANDEL | CHIEF OF STAFF, FOUNDATION | 40 | $164,867 |
| PETER TAYLOR | FORMER PRESIDENT, ECMC FOUNDATION | — | $41,750 |
| JEREMY WHEATON | FORMER PRESIDENT & CEO, ECMC GROUP | — | — |
| JOHN F DEPODESTA | FORMER BOARD CHAIR | — | — |
Recent News & Activity
Recent developments and announcements
**CTE Leadership Collaborative 2025 Mini-Grant Program** — Recipients announced for mini-grant program
CTE Leadership Collaborative 2025 Mini-Grant Program Recipients ...**NACUBO, Sova, and Phase Two Advisory** — Awarded $950,000 grant from ECMC Foundation
NACUBO, Sova, and Phase Two Advisory Awarded $950,000 ...**Council for Opportunity in Education** — Launched inaugural award for institutional effectiveness to scale TRIO student support services practices, supported by ECMC Foundation
The Council for Opportunity in Education Launches Inaugural Award ...**Empire State University** — Received grant from ECMC Foundation
ECMC Foundation Awards Grant to Empire State University**Racial Equity Initiative** — ECMC Foundation distributed $1 million to 98 nonprofits supporting innovation and racial equity in education
ECMC Foundation to Distribute $1 Million to 98 Nonprofits That Support Innovation**Kids In Need Foundation** — Received grant from ECMC Foundation (July 2024)
ECMC Foundation Awards Grant to Empire State UniversitySubject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Data last updated April 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
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