International Christian Scholarship Fdtn
International Christian Scholarship Foundation (ICSF) is a private foundation based in La Verne, California, established in 1955. The organization operates as an independent 501(c)(3) foundation with a primary mission of providing educational scholarships to international students from developing communities worldwide.
Financial Overview
From 2025 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$4.5M
+6.6% YoY
Annual Giving
$185K
-0.5% YoY
Grant Count
24
-4.0% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$8K
+3.6% YoY
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation's mission is to provide financial support to scholars in developing communities worldwide, with particular emphasis on the education of women. According to the organization, "Because the Education of Women brings greater health, wealth, and security to communities, it is the mission of ICSF to provide financial support to scholars in developing communities worldwide."
ICSF was founded by Elsie Farris, a Long Beach attorney, who through her international travels recognized the need for educating people worldwide to serve their local communities as doctors, nurses, teachers, ministers, and other helping professionals.
The foundation grants funds to educational institutions for purposes of providing educational scholarships. The organization also holds investments in a semi-endowment fund, with earnings used to provide grants to educational institutions.
Grantmaking
The foundation indicates it operates on a "preselected only" basis, suggesting grants are awarded to pre-identified institutions rather than through open application processes.
Grant Range
$6,500
How to Apply
**
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
ICSF works with partner institutions across 14 countries and currently maintains relationships with 26 partner schools that help identify scholars for assistance. Geographic areas of focus include:
- Africa
- India
- Philippines
- South America
- South Korea
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
As of Fiscal Year 2024:
- Total Assets: $4,219,942
- Total Revenue: $146,266
- Total Expenses: $218,770
- Number of Employees: 0 (all-volunteer organization)
Endowment: The foundation maintains an endowment in excess of $3 million, with earnings used to support annual grant distributions.
| Metric | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $4,497,236 | $4,219,942 | $4,018,862 |
| Revenue | $143,045 | $146,266 | $165,335 |
| Expenses | $225,536 | $218,770 | $222,880 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $185,096 | $186,026 | $202,316 |
| Net Investment Income | $136,516 | $146,251 | $161,472 |
| Distributable Amount | $212,763 | $200,848 | $198,845 |
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 2025
Grant Size Distribution
127 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
No grants recorded for .
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The foundation is governed by 18 directors elected from the ecumenical membership of Church Women United in Southern California/Southern Nevada. All directors serve without compensation and volunteer their time.
Board Members (as of 2024):
- Diomy Alexander, President
- Vickey Mueller, Vice President
- Vera Lee, Secretary
- Julie Kurtz, Treasurer
All board members serve with zero annual compensation and dedicate one hour per week to their roles.
Compensation Overview
From 2025 IRS filing
From 2025 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| JULIE KURTZ | Treasurer | 1 | — |
| VERA LEE | Secretary | 1 | — |
| DIOMY ALEXANDER | President | 1 | — |
| VICKEY MUELLER | Vice President | 1 | — |
Recent Activity
Recent developments and announcements
As of June 2024, the foundation had made 28 grants during that fiscal year. The organization continues to support educational institutions internationally, with recent grants distributed to theological colleges, university alumnae chapters, and other educational organizations serving international students.
International Christian University to expand scholarships for new studentsThe foundation has supported over 293 scholars across its history, with students studying theology, medicine, and education at partner institutions worldwide.
Announcement: Christian Scholars Foundation Legacy Grant 2026Data last updated April 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
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