Gary Philanthropy is a private foundation based in Denver, Colorado, established in 2002 and granted tax-exempt status in February 2003. Operating under the legal name Gary Community Ventures, the organization functions as a family foundation focused on philanthropic grantmaking and charitable distributions.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$191.2M
-5.1% YoY
Annual Giving
$5.6M
-34.2% YoY
Grant Count
1
+0.0% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$5.6M
-34.2% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Gary Philanthropy reported a distributable amount of $11.0M for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation's primary purpose is to make distributions to exempt organizations for charitable and educational purposes. Gary Philanthropy gives primarily for land conservation and supports initiatives related to opportunity reshaping for low-income children, with particular emphasis on after-school activities and summer enrichment programs.
Grantmaking
Gary Philanthropy maintains an active grantmaking program with significant annual distribution activity. According to recent filings, the foundation has made 128-130 grants, with median grants of approximately $10,000 and average awards around $186,000. Individual grants have ranged up to $8.6 million. The foundation has supported 110 unique organizations across multiple states.
Review Cycle
announced in 2023, 2024, and 2025.
How to Apply
and accepts new applicants, with approximately 12% of new applicants receiving funding.
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
Gary Philanthropy's grantmaking is concentrated in Colorado, with Denver as the primary funding hub. The foundation also supports organizations in California, Colorado, New York, and Washington, D.C., with grantees located across 12 states. Major funding cities include Denver, Los Angeles, New York, and Washington, D.C.
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
Assets & Revenue:
- Total Assets: $191.2 million (2024)
- Annual Revenue: $9.38 million (2024)
- Total Expenses: $20.2 million (2024)
- Total Liabilities: $3.73 million (2024)
Asset growth has been substantial, increasing from $73.4 million in 2010 to $191.2 million in 2024.
EIN: 81-0587194
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $191,191,077 | $201,475,691 | $213,256,828 |
| Revenue | $9,382,361 | $3,702,813 | $13,488,093 |
| Expenses | $20,245,025 | $19,072,508 | $15,791,060 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $17,241,044 | $20,589,670 | $15,119,617 |
| Net Investment Income | $7,644,946 | $2,423,472 | $10,640,822 |
| Distributable Amount | $11,030,870 | $10,926,667 | $10,678,895 |
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 1 recipients in 2024
Grant Size Distribution
103 grants across all recorded years
Open Grants
2 open opportunities from Gary Philanthropy
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include See Attached Statement ($5,602,489).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| SEE ATTACHED STATEMENT DENVER, CO | SEE ATTACHED STATEMENT | $5,602,489 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
- Santhosh Ramdoss – President and Chief Executive Officer
- Chris Watney – Board Chair
- Ami Desai – Chief Operating Officer
- Caitlin Finn – Vice President Finance and Legal, Treasurer
- Chyrise Harris – Vice President, Communications and External Affairs
- Jill Hawley – Vice President of Philanthropy
- Vilan Odekar – Chief of Staff, Office of the Chief Executive Officer
- Susan Maxey – Principal Officer (listed in earlier records)
The foundation is governed by 15 officers and trustees and maintains a staff of approximately 34 employees.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| CHRIS WATNEY | BOARD CHAIR | — | — |
| DAVID YOUNGGREN | VICE CHAIR | — | — |
| ROBERT GARY | MEMBER | — | — |
| NANCY GARY | MEMBER | — | — |
| TOM GOUGEON | MEMBER | — | — |
| JIM KELLEY | MEMBER | — | — |
| GREG MOORE | MEMBER | — | — |
| HOLLY VASQUEZ HORVATH | MEMBER | — | — |
| AMI DESAI | COO | 30 | $198,401 |
| JILL HAWLEY | VP PHILAN./P | 24 | $144,646 |
| SANTHOSH RAMDOSS | PRES/CEO | 26 | $310,300 |
| CHYRISE HARRIS | VP COMM | 26 | $143,553 |
| ASHLEY KAPLAN | SECRETARY | 26 | — |
| CAITLIN FINN | VP FIN/LEGAL | 26 | $148,547 |
| BRIAN HIATT | VP TECH | 31 | $149,386 |
Recent News & Activity
Recent developments and announcements
The foundation announced 2025 grant recipients and continues to operate active grant cycles. Recent grant announcements include 2024 and 2023 RFP grant recipients, with awards exceeding $1.1 million in 2023. The foundation has also supported specific initiatives including the Family Affordability Tax Credit program and awarded $900,000 to ten city organizations for behavioral health initiatives.
Gary Awards $900K to 10 City OrganizationsSubject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Gary Philanthropy fund?
The foundation's primary purpose is to make distributions to exempt organizations for charitable and educational purposes. Gary Philanthropy gives primarily for land conservation and supports initiatives related to opportunity reshaping for low-income children, with particular emphasis on after-school activities and summer enrichment programs.
How do I apply for a grant from Gary Philanthropy?
Gary Philanthropy maintains an active grantmaking program with significant annual distribution activity. According to recent filings, the foundation has made 128-130 grants, with median grants of approximately $10,000 and average awards around $186,000. Individual grants have ranged up to $8.6 million. The foundation has supported 110 unique organizations across multiple states. Annual giving has demonstrated growth, ranging from $7 million in 2021 to $17.2 million in 2022, with more recent ann…
Where does Gary Philanthropy make grants?
Gary Philanthropy's grantmaking is concentrated in Colorado, with Denver as the primary funding hub. The foundation also supports organizations in California, Colorado, New York, and Washington, D.C., with grantees located across 12 states. Major funding cities include Denver, Los Angeles, New York, and Washington, D.C.
What size grants does Gary Philanthropy award?
In 2024, Gary Philanthropy awarded 1 grants totaling $5.6M — an average of about $5.6M per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is Gary Philanthropy required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, Gary Philanthropy reported a distributable amount of $11.0M on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is Gary Philanthropy's EIN?
Gary Philanthropy's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 81-0587194. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Gary Philanthropy'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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