First Light Foundation
First Light Foundation makes films about environmental issues that rely on public support since they lack sufficient commercial value to interest commercial film producers.
First Light Foundation at a glance
- Revenue (2025)
- $590
- -99.6% vs 2024
- Net investment income (2025)
- $590
- -37.2% vs 2024
- Expenses (2025)
- $90,669
- -64.9% vs 2024
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990, 2025; updated September 2026.
Who First Light Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Grant Size Distribution
1 grant across all recorded years
The most common grant size was in the $100–250K range: 1 grant of 1 (100%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2023 to 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $76K (2023) to $221K (2024). In 2024 it made 1 grant totaling $221K.
Hatched bars: grants paid as reported on the IRS filing, which lists no individual grants for that year.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Kinship Eldorado Springs, CO | Habitat protection for endangered species | $220,541 |
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Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Net Investment Income |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | — | $590 | $90,669 | — | — | $590 |
| 2024 | $90,079 | $142,940 | $258,089 | $220,541 | 1 | $940 |
| 2023 | $205,228 | $245,573 | $179,062 | $76,471 | Total only | $1,777 |
| 2022 | $139,515 | $134,185 | $168,425 | — | — | — |
| 2021 | $173,755 | $205,962 | $121,445 | — | — | — |
| 2020 | $89,830 | $250,361 | $217,702 | — | — | — |
| 2019 | $50,379 | $169,623 | $121,750 | — | — | — |
"Total only": grants paid as reported on the IRS filing, which lists no individual grants for that year.
About First Light Foundation
Based on IRS filings
First Light Foundation is a public charity focused on Arts, Culture & Humanities, based in Aspen, CO. IRS filing data is available from 2019 through 2025. Net investment income was $590.
Focus Areas
Leadership & Key People
Officers and directors from IRS filings
First Light Foundation is led by Chelsea Congdon, President on every filing since 2024; none of the 5 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Chelsea Congdon
President
On filings since 2024
6 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Christopher Taylor
Director
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Harvey Locke
Director
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Tim McFlynn
Director
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Vance Martin
Director
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (1)
- Former: Steve Kropf (2020–2023) — Director
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 First Light Foundation
What is First Light Foundation?
First Light Foundation is a public charity focused on Arts, Culture & Humanities, based in Aspen, CO.
Where does First Light Foundation operate?
First Light Foundation has awarded grants in Colorado.
What is First Light Foundation's EIN?
First Light Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 84-1637532. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2025.
Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990 filings.
Data update history
(5)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS July 23, 2025)
- Added Form 990-EZ for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS April 21, 2020)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS May 15, 2024)
- Added Form 990 for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS June 11, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Live grants for the work First Light Foundation funds
Arts, Culture & Humanities Open opportunities, soonest deadline first.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in First Light Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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The filing figures on this page are open data under CC BY 4.0. About GrantGraph Open
Figures come from First Light 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.
First Light Foundation down — hundreds of funders to go?