Fordham Street Foundation
The Fordham Street Foundation is a private philanthropic organization based in New York City that supports initiatives to improve public education and reduce racial and socio-economic disparities in educational opportunities and outcomes. The foundation was established in 2003 and operates as a 501(c)(3) private foundation.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$18.5M
-0.2% YoY
Annual Giving
$1.0M
+12.0% YoY
Grant Count
51
+21.4% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$20K
-7.8% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Fordham Street Foundation reported a distributable amount of $1.1M for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Mission & Focus Areas
Mission: The Fordham Street Foundation supports programs and strategies to improve public education and reduce racial and socio-economic disparities in educational opportunities and outcomes.
Vision: The foundation acts with compassion and creativity to promote excellent educational opportunities for least advantaged children.
The foundation's primary funding focus areas include:
- Public education improvement
- Reducing racial and socio-economic educational disparities
- Closing the academic achievement gap between advantaged and disadvantaged youth
- Supporting quality education access and excellent teaching
- Programs that help children of color succeed in school
- Innovative teaching strategies and experiences that improve learning
- Development of core competencies and critical life skills for youth
Grantmaking
The foundation made 51 grants in 2024, with total giving of approximately $880,000–$1,030,000. Recent grantees include Let's Get Ready, Kandelia, and Partners in School Innovation, each receiving $20,000 for general charitable operations.
Grant Range
$20,000
Average Grant
$27,500–$85,000 (varies by reporting source)
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation primarily funds initiatives in:
- New York
- Washington
- Massachusetts
- California
With particular emphasis on New York and Washington state communities.
Grant Distribution by State
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
As of 2024:
- Total assets: $18,497,717
- Total revenues: $1,194,883
- Total expenses: $1,234,784
- Total giving: $880,000–$1,030,000
- Number of grants awarded: 32–51
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $18,497,717 | $18,537,618 | $17,782,046 |
| Revenue | $1,194,883 | $1,879,242 | $1,059,341 |
| Expenses | $1,234,784 | $1,123,670 | $1,087,277 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $1,109,582 | $1,052,032 | $1,008,285 |
| Net Investment Income | $296,065 | $970,576 | $786,307 |
| Distributable Amount | $1,119,667 | $939,298 | $1,281,567 |
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
183 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include Legal Outreach ($30,000), Alliance for Education ($20,000), Beam Center ($20,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| ALLIANCE FOR EDUCATION SEATTLE, WA | FUNDING FOR GENERAL CHARITABLE OPERATIONS | $20,000 |
| BEAM CENTER BROOKLYN, NY | FUNDING FOR GENERAL CHARITABLE OPERATIONS | $20,000 |
| BLUE ENGINE NEW YORK, NY | FUNDING FOR GENERAL CHARITABLE OPERATIONS | $20,000 |
| BOTTOM LINE BROOKLYN, NY | FUNDING FOR GENERAL CHARITABLE OPERATIONS | $20,000 |
| BREAKTHROUGH NEW YORK NEW YORK, NY | FUNDING FOR GENERAL CHARITABLE OPERATIONS | $20,000 |
| BRONX LACROSSE PURCHASE, NY | FUNDING FOR GENERAL CHARITABLE OPERATIONS | $20,000 |
| BROTHERS BARD NEW YORK, NY | FUNDING FOR GENERAL CHARITABLE OPERATIONS | $20,000 |
| BUILD NYC NEW YORK, NY | FUNDING FOR GENERAL CHARITABLE OPERATIONS | $20,000 |
| CENTER FOR ART RESEARCH AND ALLIANCES (CARA) NEW YORK, NY | FUNDING FOR GENERAL CHARITABLE OPERATIONS | $20,000 |
| CENTER FOR SUPPORTIVE SCHOOLS NEW YORK, NY | FUNDING FOR GENERAL CHARITABLE OPERATIONS | $20,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
- Judith A. Bigelow – President and Founder
- Emily C. Stork – Secretary
Judy Bigelow, the founder, grew up on Fordham Street in Pocatello, Idaho, and established the foundation to secure better futures for disadvantaged children by making the educational opportunities and support she experienced available to all.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| JUDITH A BIGELOW | PRESIDENT | 40 | $19,685 |
| EMILY C STORK | SECRETARY | 1 | — |
Contact Information
- Website: www.fordhamstreet.org
- Address: 230 Park Ave, 34th Floor West, New York City, NY 10169
- Phone: 206-353-1603
- EIN: 20-0532818
Subject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Fordham Street Foundation fund?
**Mission:** The Fordham Street Foundation supports programs and strategies to improve public education and reduce racial and socio-economic disparities in educational opportunities and outcomes. **Vision:** The foundation acts with compassion and creativity to promote excellent educational opportunities for least advantaged children. The foundation's primary funding focus areas include: • Public education improvement • Reducing racial and socio-economic educational disparities • Closing the ac…
How do I apply for a grant from Fordham Street Foundation?
**Grant Characteristics:** • Typical grant awards range from $10,000 to $70,000 • Median grant size: $20,000 • Average grant size: $27,500–$85,000 (varies by reporting source) **Recent Grant Activity:** The foundation made 51 grants in 2024, with total giving of approximately $880,000–$1,030,000. Recent grantees include Let's Get Ready, Kandelia, and Partners in School Innovation, each receiving $20,000 for general charitable operations. **Application Status:** As of the most recent information…
Where does Fordham Street Foundation make grants?
The foundation primarily funds initiatives in: • New York • Washington • Massachusetts • California With particular emphasis on New York and Washington state communities.
What size grants does Fordham Street Foundation award?
In 2024, Fordham Street Foundation awarded 51 grants totaling $1.0M — an average of about $20K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is Fordham Street Foundation required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, Fordham Street Foundation reported a distributable amount of $1.1M on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is Fordham Street Foundation's EIN?
Fordham Street Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 20-0532818. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Fordham Street Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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Data last updated June 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
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