First up
We empower and equip early childhood professionals, families, and other adults influential in young children's lives through training, coaching and advocating to positively impact educational and developmental outcomes for young children.
First up at a glance
In short: First up reported $58K in grants paid in 2025 (a total; its filing lists no individual grants). Source: 2025 IRS Form 990.
- Grants paid (2025)
- $57,500 — reported as a total on the IRS filing, without an itemized list
- +858.3% vs 2024
- Total assets
- $8,484,113
- -19.5% vs 2024
- Revenue (2025)
- $2,653,064
- -50.3% vs 2024
- Net investment income (2025)
- $231,221
- +1.7% vs 2024
- Expenses (2025)
- $5,265,061
- +3.6% vs 2024
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990, 2025; updated September 2026.
How to apply to First up
Open Grants
5 open opportunities from First up
Aspire to Inspire
First up
Amount
Varies
Deadline
Rolling (quarterly review)
Enrichment: Lois B. Cohan Museums-to-Go
First up
Amount
Up to $600
Deadline
Rolling (quarterly review)
EQUIP (Early Education Quality Improvement Program)
First up
Amount
Varies
Deadline
Rolling (quarterly review)
Who First up funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Grant Size Distribution
22 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 20 grants of 22 (91%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
How First up gives
- Giving fell 98% from 2021 to 2024. Method
From the foundation's IRS Form 990 filings. Methodology.
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2020 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $6K (2024) to $333K (2021). In 2025 it reported $58K in grants paid, as a total without an itemized list.
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Hasan's Interactive Learning Center Philadelphia, PA | Equip / PIF | $6,000 |
Ready to take the next step with First up?
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Net Investment Income |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $8,484,113 | $2,653,064 | $5,265,061 | $57,500 | Total only | $231,221 |
| 2024 | $10,545,000 | $5,338,275 | $5,081,445 | $6,000 | 1 | $227,290 |
| 2023 | $10,598,728 | $9,407,605 | $5,114,582 | $140,000 | 4 | $30,781 |
| 2022 | $5,473,150 | $6,412,446 | $4,497,369 | $82,300 | 7 | $7,835 |
| 2021 | $4,270,692 | $3,623,560 | $4,408,078 | $333,250 | 10 | $5,133 |
| 2020 | $4,851,533 | $6,938,676 | $3,902,849 | $62,000 | 2 | $3,451 |
| 2019 | $1,291,988 | $3,059,907 | $3,031,728 | — | — | $3,247 |
"Total only": grants paid as reported on the IRS filing, which lists no individual grants for that year.
About First up
Based on IRS filings
First up is a public charity focused on Human Services, based in Philadelphia, PA. IRS filing data is available from 2019 through 2025. As of 2025, the organization holds $8.5M in total assets. In 2025, it reported $58K in grants paid as a total on its IRS filing, without an itemized list. Net investment income was $231K.
Focus Areas
Leadership & Key People
Officers and directors from IRS filings
First up is led by Carol Austin, Executive Director on every filing since 2019; 1 of 18 officers listed in 2025 is compensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Carol Austin
Executive Director
On filings since 2019
40 hrs/week
$117K (2019) → $150K (2025)
Michelle Taglialetela
President
Director → President, 2022
On filings since 2021
2.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Kevin Cafferky
Director
Director → Treasurer, 2020
Treasurer → Director, 2021
On filings since 2019
2.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Brian Miner
Director
Secretary → Director, 2024
On filings since 2021
2.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Jaime Lokoff
Director
President Elect → Director, 2022
On filings since 2021
2.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Maddy Rovinsky
Director
On filings since 2021
2.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Terrell Grier
Director
On filings since 2021
2.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Cherie Crosby-Weeks
Director
On filings since 2023
2.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Donald Wargo
Director
On filings since 2023
2.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Robyn Younger
Director
On filings since 2023
2.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Carol Wong
Director
On filings since 2024
2.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
James Plummer
Director
On filings since 2024
2.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Richard Marks
Director
On filings since 2024
2.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Tiffany Bias
Director
On filings since 2024
2.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Zakiyyah Boone
Director
On filings since 2024
2.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Bruce Fishberg
Director
New on the 2025 filing
2.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Michael Cianchetta
Treasurer
Director → Treasurer, 2025
On filings since 2020
2.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Megan Cribbs
Secretary
New on the 2025 filing
2.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (22)
- Former: Deb Green (2019–2024) — Director
- Former: Antonia Singleton (2023–2024) — Director
- Former: Cindy Dumont (2024) — Director
- Former: Jill Michal (2019–2023) — Director
- Former: Joan McCarthy (2019–2023) — Director
- Former: Joshua Nieves-Nazario (2019–2023) — Director
- Former: Sarah Glasheen (2020–2023) — Director
- Former: Steven Rossman (2021–2023) — Treasurer
- Former: Adrienne McKinney (2019–2022) — Director
- Former: Cathy Kaufman (2019–2022) — Director
- Former: Cherie Crosby (2019–2022) — Director
- Former: Kathy Trainor (2019–2022) — Director
- Former: Patrica Renehan (2019–2022) — Director
- Former: Marcy Bacine (2021–2022) — Director
- Former: Chris Murray (2019–2020) — Director
- Former: Eileen Kupersmith (2019–2020) — Director
- Former: Elizabeth McCandless (2019–2020) — Director
- Former: Joseph Sirbak II Esq. (2019–2020) — Secretary
- Former: Kate Woods (2019–2020) — Director
- Former: Steven Lewis (2019–2020) — Director
- Former: Tracy Zurzolo Quinn (2019–2020) — Director
- Former: Donald Paterson (2019) — Treasurer
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.
Compensation Overview
From 2025 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2025 filing was $150K, to Carol Austin (Executive Director).
Frequently asked questions about First up
How much does First up give each year?
First up reported $58K in grants paid in 2025 on its 2025 IRS Form 990, as a total without an itemized list of grants. In 2024 it gave $6K across 1 grant.
How large is First up?
First up reported $8.5M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Its revenue that year was $2.7M.
What is First up?
First up is a public charity focused on Human Services, based in Philadelphia, PA. It holds $8.5M in total assets as of 2025.
Where does First up operate?
First up has awarded grants in Pennsylvania.
What is First up's EIN?
First up's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 23-6438144. 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
(7)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS April 23, 2021)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS April 12, 2022)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS April 30, 2023)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS April 11, 2024)
- Added Form 990 for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS February 7, 2020)
- Added Form 990 for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS May 15, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Live grants for the work First up funds
Human Services Open opportunities, soonest deadline first.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in First up's focus areas in our free grants database
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