Gill Foundation
The Gill Foundation is a private foundation based in Denver, Colorado. It supports efforts across the United States to advance equal treatment and help LGBTQ people live openly and free from discrimination, and it funds work to expand opportunities for Coloradans.
Gill Foundation at a glance
In short: Gill Foundation gave $11.0M across 91 grants in 2024 (avg $121K), top state District of Columbia. 24% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $11,008,003
- +24.3% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 91
- -28.3% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $120,967
- +73.5% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $25,000
- Total assets
- $194,251,586
- +1.8% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 24% first-time grantees (20 of 84, 2024)
- Primary geography
- District of Columbia (43% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to Gill Foundation
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- Review Cycle
- The foundation directs applicants to its website for deadline information.
- Deadline
- The foundation directs applicants to its website for deadline information.
- Contact
Application contact: Grantsmanagergillfoundationorg
Mailing address: 1550 Wewatta Street, Denver, CO 80202
Phone: (303) 292-4455
Email: grantsmanager@gillfoundation.org
Website: https://gillfoundation.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Gill Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Our American Future Foundation ($2.0M). Together the top 10 received $7.2M.
Grant Size Distribution
608 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 341 grants of 608 (56%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation describes its grantmaking as nationally focused and focused on its home state of Colorado. In 2024, the largest shares of grant dollars by recipient state were directed to DC (43%), Delaware (20%), Colorado (11%), Massachusetts (9%), and California (6%).
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 91 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is Gill Foundation open to new grantees?
24%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 20 of 84 grantees (24%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $223K; repeat grants $102K. How we count
Medians: $63K first-time, $11K repeat.
- 67% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2021 to 2024 (−14%). Method
- In 2024 it paid out 173% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2020–2024). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2020 to 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $8.9M (2023) to $12.8M (2021). In 2024 it made 91 grants totaling $11.0M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Our American Future Foundation Washington, DE | General Operating Support of Future Forward Education Fund | $2,025,000 |
| Amalgamated Charitable Foundation Inc Washington, DC | Project Support for LGBTQ Issues | $1,175,000 |
| Media Matters for America Washington, DC | Project Support for LGBTQ Issues | $632,500 |
| PFLAG Inc Washington, DC | Project Support for LGBTQ Issues | $575,000 |
| National Center for Lesbian Rights San Francisco, CA | Project Support for LGBTQ Issues | $480,000 |
| GLBTQ Legal Advocates & Defenders Inc Boston, MA | General Operating Support | $460,000 |
| Centerline Liberties Inc Washington, DC | Project Support for LGBTQ Issues | $435,000 |
| The Voter Participation Center Washington, DC | General Operating Support | $400,000 |
| Whitman-Walker Institute Inc Washington, DC | Project Support for LGBTQ Issues | $350,000 |
| Third Way Institute Washington, DC | Project Support for LGBTQ Issues | $300,000 |
Ready to take the next step with Gill Foundation?
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Qualifying Distributions | Net Investment Income | Distributable Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $194,251,586 | $4,649,433 | $18,359,896 | $11,008,003 | 91 | $16,296,030 | $2,146,457 | $9,440,101 |
| 2023 | $190,773,725 | $2,982,029 | $16,176,248 | $8,856,658 | 127 | $14,474,941 | $12,628,180 | $8,954,062 |
| 2022 | $185,219,539 | $3,232,198 | $15,899,972 | $10,700,815 | 138 | $15,373,151 | $3,151,532 | $9,600,197 |
| 2021 | $227,109,663 | $12,646,667 | $19,101,825 | $12,803,115 | 130 | $17,443,837 | $10,042,167 | $11,171,812 |
| 2020 | $217,571,885 | $6,228,149 | $16,544,643 | $10,605,525 | 122 | — | $3,399,152 | $9,529,783 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Gill Foundation reported a distributable amount of $9.4M for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation says everyone deserves equal treatment, regardless of who they are, where they live, or whom they love. Nationally, it funds work on equality and legal protections, inclusion and safety, public education and cultural change, and sustainable progress for LGBTQ communities. It also describes direct charitable activity in public education and donor education intended to increase philanthropic support for LGBTQ organizations.
In Colorado, its stated grant areas are STEM education, financial services, LGBTQ advocacy, and public broadcasting. The foundation says it has invested $77 million in Colorado since its inception.
Its 2024 grantees illustrate the range of organizations supported. PFLAG describes its mission as creating a caring, just, and affirming world for LGBTQ+ people and those who love them. The National Center for Lesbian Rights received a grant for LGBTQ issues; the similarly named National Center for LGBTQ Rights describes its work as impact litigation, public policy, legal services, and community and public education. The Voter Participation Center describes its mission as increasing civic engagement among under-represented communities, including unmarried women, people of color, and young people.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2024, the foundation made 91 grants totaling $11,008,003. Grants ranged from $50 to $2,025,000, with a median of $25,000. The largest award was $2,025,000 to Our American Future Foundation for general operating support of Future Forward Education Fund. Other notable grants included $1,175,000 to Amalgamated Charitable Foundation Inc. for LGBTQ-issues project support; $632,500 to Media Matters for America and $575,000 to PFLAG, each for LGBTQ-issues project support; and $480,000 to the National Center for Lesbian Rights for LGBTQ-issues project support.
The foundation says grant proposals are by invitation only and that it does not accept unsolicited requests. Organizations that are not current grantees may submit a letter of inquiry by email for consideration for an invitation; current grantees should contact their program officer. The letter of inquiry must be no more than 1,000 words, with no attachments, and include an organizational summary, project description and fit with the guidelines, outcomes and any annual benchmarks, the request amount and project and organization budgets, and other major committed and projected project funding. An invitation to submit a full proposal does not guarantee funding. The foundation says decisions on letters of inquiry and proposals are typically made within 90 days; proposal requirements are provided in the invitation. Funding is limited to U.S.-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Tim Gill as chair; Mary Bonauto as secretary; Eliza Byard as treasurer; Brad Clark as CEO/president; Heidi Overbeck as chief strategy officer through February 2024; and Penny K. Hamilton as COO.
Gill Foundation is led by Brad Clark, CEO & President on every filing since 2020; 3 of 6 officers listed in 2024 are compensated.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Brad Clark
CEO & President
On filings since 2020
40 hrs/week
$314K (2020) → $351K (2024)
Tim Gill
Chair
Co-Chair → Chair, 2022
On filings since 2020
4 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Heidi Overbeck
Chief Strategy Officer -
Chief Strategy Officer → Chief Strategy Officer -, 2024
On filings since 2020
40 hrs/week
$215K (2020) → $38K (2024)
Penny K. Hamilton
COO
On filings since 2020
40 hrs/week
$182K (2020) → $220K (2024)
Eliza Byard
Treasurer
On filings since 2020
3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Mary Bonauto
Secretary
On filings since 2020
3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (2)
- Former: Scott Miller (2020–2021) — Co-Chair · Filing note: Thru 122021
- Former: Karen Wick (2020) — Vice President of Programs · Filing note: Thru 1620
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2024. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2024 filing was $351K, to Brad Clark (CEO/President). 3 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Frequently asked questions about Gill Foundation
How much does Gill Foundation give each year?
Gill Foundation gave $11.0M across 91 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $8.9M across 127 grants.
What is Gill Foundation's typical grant size?
Gill Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $25,000, and its average grant was $120,967, across 91 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Gill Foundation that year got $223K on average.
Where does Gill Foundation give grants?
Gill Foundation's top state is District of Columbia, with 43% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. The next largest states were Delaware (20%) and Colorado (11%). The most frequent recipient cities were Denver, CO (22 grants), Washington, DC (15 grants), New York, NY (4 grants) and Portland, ME (4 grants).
Does Gill Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 56% of Gill Foundation's 2024 grants with a stated purpose (51 of 91) were for general or operating support, per its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Recurring purposes include "Project Support for LGBTQ Issues" (27 grants), "Project Support for Financial Services" (4 grants) and "Project Support for Communications and Research" (4 grants).
Who are Gill Foundation's largest grantees?
Gill Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include Our American Future Foundation ($2,025,000), Amalgamated Charitable Foundation Inc ($1,175,000) and Media Matters for America ($782,500 across 2 grants), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 36% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is Gill Foundation?
Gill Foundation reported $194.3M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $16.3M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $9.4M (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does Gill Foundation fund?
The foundation says everyone deserves equal treatment, regardless of who they are, where they live, or whom they love. Nationally, it funds work on equality and legal protections, inclusion and safety, public education and cultural change, and sustainable progress for LGBTQ communities. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Gill Foundation?
Gill Foundation does not accept unsolicited proposals, according to Grantable's research on its published guidelines. Check gillfoundation.org for any change to that policy.
What is Gill Foundation's EIN?
Gill Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 84-1264186. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Does Gill Foundation accept unsolicited proposals?
No, according to Grantable's research on the foundation's published guidelines. See how to apply ↑
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(1)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Gill Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 14, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/gill-foundation-morg_8e17c01843744567b0a0a53b055a9e6f
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_841264186_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Gill Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/gill-foundation-morg_8e17c01843744567b0a0a53b055a9e6f},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-14. Data licensed CC BY 4.0}
}The figures on this page are open data under CC BY 4.0: reuse them with credit to Grantable and a link. Download the data.
Figures come from Gill 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.
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