Ellman Foundation
The Ellman Foundation is a private foundation based in Phoenix, Arizona. In 2024, it reported 11 grants totaling $242,896, including a grant to Phoenix Art Museum for general use.
Ellman Foundation at a glance
In short: Ellman Foundation gave $243K across 11 grants in 2024 (avg $22K), mostly in Arizona. 27% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $242,896
- +319.9% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 11
- -35.3% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $22,081
- +549.0% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $1,000
- Total assets
- $515,396
- +55.0% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 27% first-time grantees (3 of 11, 2024; small sample)
- Primary geography
- Arizona (98% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to Ellman Foundation
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds.
- Contact
Mailing address: 2850 E Camelback Rd, Phoenix, AZ 85016
Phone: (602) 840-3000
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Ellman Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Phoenix Art Museum ($228K). Together the top 10 received $243K.
Grant Size Distribution
77 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 73 grants of 77 (95%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2024, 98% of grant dollars went to recipients in Arizona. California and Washington each received 1%, and Nevada received 0%.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 11 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is Ellman Foundation open to new grantees?
27%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 3 of 11 grantees (27%) were first-time recipients. With only 11 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 9 points. First grants averaged $426; repeat grants $30K. How we count
Medians: $500 first-time, $2K repeat.
- 55% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2021 to 2024 (+0%). Method
- In 2024 it paid out well above its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2020–2024). 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 2020 to 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $58K (2023) to $252K (2022). In 2024 it made 11 grants totaling $243K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Phoenix Art Museum Phoenix, AZ | General Use | $228,123 |
| Sandra Day O'Connor Institute Phoenix, AZ | General Use | $5,000 |
| Southwest Wildlife Conservation Center Scottsdale, AZ | General Use | $3,596 |
| Greater Good Charities Seattle, WA | General Use | $2,046 |
| Surf Rider Foundation San Clemente, CA | General Use | $1,052 |
| Arizona Humane Society Phoenix, AZ | General Use | $1,000 |
| Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) Salinas, CA | General Use | $700 |
| Community Foundation for Monterey County Monterey, CA | General Use | $529 |
| Laguna Beach Firefighters Community Assistace Fund Laguna Beach, CA | General Use | $500 |
| The Neon Museum Las Vegas, NV | General Use | $250 |
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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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $515,396 | $464,605 | $282,731 | $242,896 | 11 | $242,896 | $13,353 | $14,222 |
| 2023 | $332,539 | $354,035 | $84,524 | $57,843 | 17 | $57,843 | $3,731 | $3,808 |
| 2022 | $66,629 | $102,990 | $263,918 | $251,857 | 13 | $251,857 | $1,940 | $9,762 |
| 2021 | $230,966 | $270,946 | $249,151 | $242,836 | 18 | $242,846 | — | $11,490 |
| 2020 | $209,171 | $301,165 | $250,496 | $250,160 | 18 | — | $874 | $7,730 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Ellman Foundation reported a distributable amount of $14K for 2024 — 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 2024 grants included organizations whose own missions span arts and culture, civic education, animal welfare, community philanthropy, and environmental work. Phoenix Art Museum describes its mission as creating spaces of exchange and belonging through art; the Sandra Day O’Connor Institute says it promotes civic engagement and education; and the Arizona Humane Society says it saves vulnerable animals and enriches the lives of pets and people. The Neon Museum describes its work as preserving and exhibiting iconic Las Vegas signs for educational, historic, arts, and cultural enrichment.
Grantmaking
In 2024, the foundation gave 11 grants totaling $242,896. Grant amounts ranged from $100 to $228,123, with a median grant of $1,000. The largest grants were $228,123 to Phoenix Art Museum, $5,000 to the Sandra Day O’Connor Institute, and $3,596 to Southwest Wildlife Conservation Center; each was designated for general use.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Steve Ellman and Kelly Ellman as executive directors.
Ellman Foundation is led by Kelly Ellman, Executive Director on every filing since 2020; none of the 2 officers listed in 2024 report compensation.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Kelly Ellman
Executive Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Steve Ellman
Executive Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2024. "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 Ellman Foundation
How much does Ellman Foundation give each year?
Ellman Foundation gave $243K across 11 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $58K across 17 grants.
What is Ellman Foundation's typical grant size?
Ellman Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $1,000, and its average grant was $22,081, across 11 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Ellman Foundation that year got $426 on average.
Where does Ellman Foundation give grants?
Ellman Foundation gives mostly in Arizona: 98% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Phoenix, AZ (3 grants).
Does Ellman Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 100% of Ellman Foundation's 2024 grants with a stated purpose (11 of 11) were for general or operating support, per its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are Ellman Foundation's largest grantees?
Ellman Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include Phoenix Art Museum ($228,123), Sandra Day O'Connor Institute ($5,000) and Southwest Wildlife Conservation Center ($3,596), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 97% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is Ellman Foundation?
Ellman Foundation reported $515K in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $243K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $14K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does Ellman Foundation fund?
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2024 grants included organizations whose own missions span arts and culture, civic education, animal welfare, community philanthropy, and environmental work. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Ellman Foundation?
The foundation states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Ellman Foundation's EIN?
Ellman Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 20-0896058. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Does Ellman Foundation accept unsolicited proposals?
No, according to Grantable's research on the foundation's published guidelines. See how to apply ↑
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(1)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Ellman Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 13, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/ellman-foundation-morg_695503d28a18461cb7ddb45eef36c55e
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_200896058_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Ellman Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/ellman-foundation-morg_695503d28a18461cb7ddb45eef36c55e},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-13. 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 Ellman 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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