George and Carol Olmsted Foundation

FALLS CHURCH, VA EIN: 54-6049005 Website

The George and Carol Olmsted Foundation is a private, independent foundation incorporated in Virginia in 1960 and headquartered in Falls Church, Virginia. The foundation is designated as a 501(c)(3) organization, making donations tax-deductible. The foundation operates with a staff of 21 employees and maintains operations across six countries.

Financial Overview

From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing

Total Assets

$48.5M

+5.3% YoY

Annual Giving

$1.2M

+14.6% YoY

Grant Count

-4.2% YoY

Avg Grant Size

$17K

+19.6% YoY

Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, George and Carol Olmsted Foundation reported a distributable amount of $2.3M for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.

Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated April 2026.

Mission & Focus Areas

The foundation's core initiative is the Olmsted Scholar Program, established in 1959. This three-year program challenges top-performing, career-minded junior officers to gain a broader understanding of the world and develop a strategic perspective on international relations. The program provides opportunities to:

Master a foreign language
Pursue privately-funded graduate studies abroad
Gain exposure to diverse perspectives on international relations
Continue service on active duty in the military

The foundation supports active duty regular line officers, service academy cadets, and ROTC cadets. The foundation does not support civilian personnel.

The Olmsted Scholar Program promotes American leadership around the world and advances the interests of the United States. Olmsted Scholars have commanded at all echelons of the Armed Forces, including at the Combatant Command level, and are selected for senior leadership at significantly higher rates than Service norms or other graduate education programs.

Grantmaking

Grant Range

$124–$315,000

Average Grant

amount: Approximately $124–$200,000

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Geographic Focus

Where this funder awards grants

The foundation's grant-making focuses primarily on Virginia, Vermont, and South Carolina. The foundation also operates internationally, with presence in Italy, Thailand, Bulgaria, Brazil, and Peru.

Grant Distribution by State

Virginia $2.6M (99%)

Vermont $25K (1%)

+1 more states

States

Colorado Connecticut District of Columbia Georgia Maryland New York South Carolina Virginia Vermont

Cities

AnnapolisBlacksburgCharlestonDahlonegaFalls ChurchFarmingdaleLexingtonNew LondonNorfolkNorthfieldUsaf AcademyWashingtonWest Point

Financial History

Multi-year comparison from IRS filings

Assets & Revenue (2023):

Total assets: $46,049,159–$48,490,520
Total revenue: $1,815,568
Total expenses: $2,664,935
Total liabilities: $1,090,000

Financial Trends:

Revenue (2023): $1.82M
Expenses (2023): $2.66M

Revenue

Expenses

Qualifying Distributions

Net Investment Income

Metric	2024	2023	2022
Total Assets	$48,490,520	$46,049,159	$42,983,087
Revenue	$3,913,058	$1,815,568	$2,147,522
Expenses	$2,747,772	$2,664,935	$2,272,858
Qualifying Distributions	$2,322,894	$2,168,478	$2,300,492
Net Investment Income	$3,680,767	$1,525,081	$1,916,826
Distributable Amount	$2,306,473	$2,155,577	$2,254,322

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

250 grants across all recorded years

Giving History

Grant recipients and amounts by year

Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include Jaclyn Franc ($33,123), Norwich University ($25,000), Adam Irons ($24,235).

Recipient	Purpose	Amount
AARON COLLETT FALLS CHURCH, VA	GRANT YEAR 1, SPOUSE LANGUAGE	$16,000
ADAM CRIBB FALLS CHURCH, VA	SPOUSE LANGUAGE	$2,714
ADAM IRONS FALLS CHURCH, VA	TUITION YEAR 1, GRANT YEAR 1, SCHOLAR LANGUAGE	$24,235
ALEXANDER HOLLAND FALLS CHURCH, VA	TUITION YEAR 1, TUITION YEAR 2, GRANT YEAR 2, SPOUSE LANGUAGE	$14,224
ALEXANDER JEFFERIES FALLS CHURCH, VA	TUITION YEAR 2, GRANT YEAR 2	$15,888
ANDREW BLOOD FALLS CHURCH, VA	TUITION YEAR 1, TUITION YEAR 2, GRANT YEAR 2	$16,931
BRANDON THOENNES FALLS CHURCH, VA	TUITION YEAR 1, GRANT YEAR 2	$12,680
BRENDAN HENNING FALLS CHURCH, VA	GRANT YEAR 2	$12,000
BRYCE GREENE FALLS CHURCH, VA	TUITION YEAR 1, GRANT YEAR 1, FAM TRIP EXP	$12,963
CHARLES FIELD CASSIANO FALLS CHURCH, VA	GRANT YEAR 1, FAM TRIP EXP	$14,472

Leadership & Key People

Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings

Executive Leadership:

Bruce K. Scott – President (40 hours/week, $274,260)
Mark B. Elfendahl – Executive Vice President (40 hours/week, $203,800)
Sean J. Cosden – Vice President (40 hours/week, $164,000)

Board of Directors:

James G. Foggo – Chairman (1 hour/week, $8,000)
Kurt W. Tidd – Director (1 hour/week, $8,000)
Kristie A. Kenney – Director (1 hour/week, $8,000)
Steven M. Shepro – Director (1 hour/week, $8,000)
Patrick J. Donahue – Director (1 hour/week, $8,000)
Nadja Y. West – Director (1 hour/week, $8,000)
Robert A. Gleckler – Director (1 hour/week, $8,000)

Compensation Overview

From 2024 IRS filing

From 2024 filing

Name	Title	Hours	Compensation
BRUCE K SCOTT	PRESIDENT	40	$287,970
MARK B ELFENDAHL	EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT	40	$209,790
SEAN J COSDEN	VICE PRESIDENT	40	$168,000
JAMES G FOGGO	CHAIRMAN	1	$9,200
KURT W TIDD	DIRECTOR	1	$9,200
KRISTIE A KENNEY	DIRECTOR	1	$9,200
STEVEN M SHEPRO	DIRECTOR	1	$9,200
PATRICK J DONAHUE	DIRECTOR	1	$9,200
NADJA Y WEST	DIRECTOR	1	$9,200
ROBERT A GLECKLER	DIRECTOR	1	$9,200
MICHAL POLIDOR	DIRECTOR	1	$9,200
JONATHAN AHLSTROM	DIRECTOR	1	$9,200
EDWARD V HOLTON	DIRECTOR	1	$9,200

Contact Information

Address: 80 East Jefferson Street, Suite 300B, Falls Church, VA 22046-3566
Phone: (703) 536-3500
Website: olmstedfoundation.org
EIN: 54-6049005
Tax-exempt status: Since November 1960

Frequently Asked Questions

What does George and Carol Olmsted Foundation fund?

The foundation's primary objective is to support programs designed to contribute to the nation's security by providing potential leaders with comprehensive education, knowledge, and understanding of the political, economic, and military factors involved in international relations. The foundation's core initiative is the **Olmsted Scholar Program**, established in 1959. This three-year program challenges top-performing, career-minded junior officers to gain a broader understanding of the world a…

How do I apply for a grant from George and Carol Olmsted Foundation?

**Grant Activity:** • Total giving (2023): $2,168,478 • Total grants awarded: 185 • Giving rate: 4.9% of assets • Grant range: $124–$315,000 • Median grant amount: $13,045 • Average grant amount: Approximately $124–$200,000 **Grant Programs:** • Tuition Year 2: $2,548 average, 16 recipients (last awarded 2023) • Grant Year 2: $9,500 average, 12 recipients (last awarded 2023) • Grant Year 2, Tuition Year 2: $14,016 average, 10 recipients (last awarded 2023) • Spouse Language Experience: $2,090 a…

Where does George and Carol Olmsted Foundation make grants?

The foundation's grant-making focuses primarily on Virginia, Vermont, and South Carolina. The foundation also operates internationally, with presence in Italy, Thailand, Bulgaria, Brazil, and Peru.

What size grants does George and Carol Olmsted Foundation award?

In 2024, George and Carol Olmsted Foundation awarded 69 grants totaling $1.2M — an average of about $17K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.

How much is George and Carol Olmsted Foundation required to give away each year?

Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, George and Carol Olmsted Foundation reported a distributable amount of $2.3M on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.

What is George and Carol Olmsted Foundation's EIN?

George and Carol Olmsted Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 54-6049005. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.