FINRA Investor Education Foundation
The FINRA Investor Education Foundation is a public charity based in Rockville, Maryland. Established by the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA), it supports research and educational programs that help people make sound financial decisions and build financial capability.
FINRA Investor Education Foundation at a glance
In short: FINRA Investor Education Foundation gave $258K across 10 grants in 2024 (avg $26K), top state Tennessee. 40% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $258,231
- -36.8% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 10
- -44.4% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $25,823
- +13.8% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $24,239
- Total assets
- $85,576,894
- +8.3% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 40% first-time grantees (4 of 10, 2024; small sample)
- Primary geography
- Tennessee (20% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990, 2024 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990, 2024; updated September 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to FINRA Investor Education Foundation
- How to Apply
-
The General Grant Program listing says applications are accepted anytime. Applicants should review the program’s eligibility and restrictions; the available program information does not specify application materials.
- Contact
Mailing address: 9509 Key West Avenue, Rockville, MD 20850
Phone: (202) 728-8949
Website: https://finrafoundation.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Open Grants
2 open opportunities from FINRA Investor Education Foundation
Who FINRA Investor Education Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was University of Tennessee ($52K). Together the top 10 received $258K.
Grant Size Distribution
62 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 56 grants of 62 (90%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The General Grant Program describes its geographic scope as the United States. In 2024, the largest reported shares of grant dollars by recipient state were Tennessee (20%), New Mexico (10%), Wisconsin (10%), Florida (10%), and Maryland (10%).
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 10 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is FINRA Investor Education Foundation open to new grantees?
40%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 4 of 10 grantees (40%) were first-time recipients. With only 10 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 10 points. First grants averaged $29K; repeat grants $24K. How we count
Medians: $22K first-time, $24K repeat.
- 30% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2021 to 2024 (+15%). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990 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 $203K (2020) to $447K (2022). In 2024 it made 10 grants totaling $258K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| University of Tennessee Knoxville, TN | To examine the condition of financial education from the perspective of personal finance teachers in high schools across Tennessee, while giving particular attention to high-poverty schools, the experiences of special education students, and the situation in urban, suburban, and rural schools. | $51,956 |
| Farmington Public Library Fdn Farmington, NM | To collaborate with public- and private-sector partners to deliver multigenerational financial capability experiences and services informed by an interactive polling process to ensure alignment with community priorities. | $25,000 |
| Kenosha Public Library Kenosha, WI | To expand community-based financial capability services, including: a financial empowerment series designed for residents near and below the poverty line; goal-oriented financial coaching; virtual programming; and various events to help families work together toward their financial objectives. | $25,000 |
| Nova Southeastern Univ Inc Fort Lauderdale, FL | To support the university's library in its efforts to educate and counsel Broward County veterans and others on financial literacy, fraud prevention, sustainable homeownership, foreclosure, homelessness prevention, and other financial capability and investing topics. | $25,000 |
| Fdn for Baltimore Cty Public Library Towson, MD | To undertake various financial education programs that build generational wealth, including programs that help children learn the fundamentals of earning, spending, and saving money through a "junior marketplace" that models everyday financial transactions; help teens explore career planning, credit, banking, and investing; and help adults and small business owners address budgeting, saving, debt elimination, investing, establishing and repairing credit, college financing, and preparing for retirement. | $24,915 |
| South Arkansas College El Dorado, AR | To support the college library in its efforts to deliver financial education programs addressing a range of financial topics of interest to prospective community college students and those already enrolled in community college. | $23,562 |
| Buffalo & Erie County Public Library Buffalo, NY | To coordinate basic financial education services for county residents in partnership with several community-based agencies. | $22,798 |
| Iowa State University Foundation Ames, IA | To offer a workplace financial wellness program that encompasses the services of a dedicated resource coordinator, financial education, and an employer-sponsored small-dollar loan for the university's many employees | $20,000 |
| United Way of Harrisonburg & Rockingham Cty Harrisonburg, VA | To deliver workplace financial capability services encompassing referrals to local agencies, emergency financial support, group financial education, and one-on-one financial coaching - all in partnership with employers in the area. | $20,000 |
| United Way of Pickens County Easley, SC | To deliver workplace financial wellness services, in partnership with local employers, through a program known as Pathways at Work, which encompasses Volunteer Income Tax Assistance, financial education workshops, one-on-one financial coaching, and an employer-sponsored small-dollar loan. | $20,000 |
Ready to take the next step with FINRA Investor Education Foundation?
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Net Investment Income |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $85,576,894 | $8,900,744 | $4,768,560 | $258,231 | 10 | $3,099,834 |
| 2023 | $79,051,155 | $9,397,096 | $5,045,365 | $408,626 | 18 | $2,416,355 |
| 2022 | $68,490,035 | $9,847,894 | $4,246,470 | $446,862 | 20 | $3,987,763 |
| 2021 | $76,661,608 | $1,967,274 | $3,122,139 | $224,119 | 9 | $1,763,625 |
| 2020 | $75,031,238 | $-3,410,694 | $2,884,900 | $202,906 | 5 | $-3,598,748 |
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The Foundation’s stated mission is to empower Americans with the knowledge, skills, and tools to make sound financial decisions throughout life. Its website describes financial capability as involving both knowledge and skill and participation in the financial mainstream. It also emphasizes practical learning, collaboration, and long-term approaches.
The Foundation’s stated grant priorities include research or practical materials that advance financial capability, investor education, or investor protection; research on improving investment and financial-services disclosures; helping young people prepare for retirement and other financial goals; preparing older Americans to handle finances in retirement; and supporting investor education and financial inclusion for women and minority populations.
The 2024 grants show support for projects in public libraries, universities, and community organizations. For example, the University of Tennessee grant supported research on high-school personal-finance education in Tennessee. Buffalo & Erie County Public Library received support to coordinate financial education services with community-based agencies; the library describes its own mission as providing free access to information and meeting community informational, recreational, and educational needs. United Way of Pickens County received support for workplace financial wellness services; it describes its own mission as organizing people’s capacity to care for one another and enhancing quality of life in the county.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2024, the Foundation gave 10 grants totaling $258,231. Grants ranged from $20,000 to $51,956, with a median of $24,238. The largest grants were:
The General Grant Program lists awards of approximately $50,000–$100,000 and supports research and educational projects. Its stated eligibility is limited to IRS-designated 501(c)(3) organizations and state and other public colleges and universities. The Foundation generally will not consider international projects, projects that are local in nature and scope, expenses not directly related to the project, permanent staff salaries (with modest university-professor release time permitted), capital costs or equipment, pass-through funding, projects with a potential conflict of interest, or conferences and similar activities that lack a long-term solution or sufficiently broad outreach.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Jonathan S. Sokobin as chairperson, succeeding Robert W. Cook, who served as chairperson through February 11, 2024 and as an ex officio board member. The filing also lists board members Ellen Frawley, Gwen Weithaus, Jason Fichtner, Menekse Gencer, Paul Roye, and Peggy Ho; Eileen M. Famiglietti as treasurer; and Geraldine M. Walsh as president.
FINRA Investor Education Foundation is led by Geraldine M Walsh, President on every filing since 2020; none of the 12 officers listed in 2024 report compensation.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Geraldine M Walsh
President
On filings since 2020
48 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Robert W Cook
Chairperson
Chairman → Chairperson, 2024
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Jonathan S Sokobin
Chairperson -
New on the 2024 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Eileen M Famiglietti
Treasurer
On filings since 2020
6 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Jennifer P Mitchell
Corporate Secretary
On filings since 2020
3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
John W Thiel
Board Member
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
Menekse Gencer
Board Member
Board Member - → Board Member, 2023
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Peggy Ho
Board Member
Board Member - → Board Member, 2023
On filings since 2022
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Ellen Frawley
Board Member -
New on the 2024 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Gwen Weithaus
Board Member -
New on the 2024 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Jason Fichtner
Board Member -
New on the 2024 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Paul Roye
Board Member -
New on the 2024 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (5)
- Former: Laura Fisher (2020–2023) — Board Member
- Former: Mari J Buechner (2020–2023) — Board Member
- Former: Camille M Busette (2020–2021) — Board Member
- Former: T Grant Callery (2020–2021) — Board Member
- Former: Elisse B Walter (2020) — Board Member
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 FINRA Investor Education Foundation
How much does FINRA Investor Education Foundation give each year?
FINRA Investor Education Foundation gave $258K across 10 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990. In 2023 it gave $409K across 18 grants.
What is FINRA Investor Education Foundation's typical grant size?
FINRA Investor Education Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $24,239, and its average grant was $25,823, across 10 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990. Organizations receiving their first grant from FINRA Investor Education Foundation that year got $29K on average.
Where does FINRA Investor Education Foundation give grants?
FINRA Investor Education Foundation's top state is Tennessee, with 20% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990. The next largest states were New Mexico (10%) and Wisconsin (10%).
Does FINRA Investor Education Foundation give general operating support?
Not in 2024: none of the 10 grants with a stated purpose on FINRA Investor Education Foundation's 2024 IRS Form 990 were described as general or operating support.
Who are FINRA Investor Education Foundation's largest grantees?
FINRA Investor Education Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include University of Tennessee ($51,956), Farmington Public Library Fdn ($25,000) and Kenosha Public Library ($25,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990. Together they received 39% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is FINRA Investor Education Foundation?
FINRA Investor Education Foundation reported $85.6M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990. Its revenue that year was $8.9M.
What does FINRA Investor Education Foundation fund?
The Foundation’s stated mission is to empower Americans with the knowledge, skills, and tools to make sound financial decisions throughout life. Its website describes financial capability as involving both knowledge and skill and participation in the financial mainstream. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from FINRA Investor Education Foundation?
The General Grant Program listing says applications are accepted anytime. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is FINRA Investor Education Foundation's EIN?
FINRA Investor Education Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 20-0863779. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990 filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(6)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS November 15, 2021)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS November 14, 2022)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS November 15, 2023)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS November 15, 2024)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS November 16, 2025)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Live grants for the work FINRA Investor Education Foundation funds
Community Improvement & Capacity Building Open opportunities, soonest deadline first.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in FINRA Investor Education Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). FINRA Investor Education Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 19, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/finra-investor-education-foundation-morg_8cd99ceb5b4e4b03b1ce21a327f4d0e8
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_200863779_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{FINRA Investor Education Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/finra-investor-education-foundation-morg_8cd99ceb5b4e4b03b1ce21a327f4d0e8},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-19. 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 FINRA Investor Education 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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