John & Mary Pappajohn Scholarship Foundation
The John & Mary Pappajohn Scholarship is a private foundation based in Des Moines, Iowa, that made educational grants to charitable organizations. Its 2023 filing is marked as a final return and says the foundation adopted a plan of complete liquidation and dissolution; it appears to have wound down and stopped grantmaking.
John & Mary Pappajohn Scholarship Foundation at a glance
In short: John & Mary Pappajohn Scholarship Foundation gave $170K across 18 grants in 2024 (avg $9K), top state New York. 44% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $170,317
- Grants made (2024)
- 18
- Average grant
- $9,462
- Median grant
- $5,000
- New grantees (estimate)
- 44% first-time grantees (8 of 18, 2024; small sample)
- Primary geography
- New York (48% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated September 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to John & Mary Pappajohn Scholarship Foundation
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation stated that it made contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests. This policy is not presented as a current application opportunity; the foundation’s filing describes a final distribution and liquidation.
- Contact
Mailing address: PO Box 93176, Des Moines, IA 50393-3176
Phone: (515) 865-2131
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who John & Mary Pappajohn Scholarship Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Skidmore College ($50K). Together the top 10 received $156K.
Grant Size Distribution
91 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 90 grants of 91 (99%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2024, the largest shares of grant dollars went to recipients in New York (48%), Massachusetts (22%), and Iowa (13%). Illinois and Minnesota each accounted for 6%. These figures describe the locations of 2024 recipients.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 18 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is John & Mary Pappajohn Scholarship Foundation open to new grantees?
44%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 8 of 18 grantees (44%) were first-time recipients. With only 18 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 6 points. First grants averaged $12K; repeat grants $8K. How we count
Medians: $4K first-time, $8K repeat.
- Giving held roughly steady from 2021 to 2024 (+2%). Method
- In 2024 it paid out well above its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2019–2024). 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 2019 to 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $166K (2022) to $209K (2019). In 2024 it made 18 grants totaling $170K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Skidmore College Saratoga Springs, NY | Educational | $50,000 |
| Leadership 100 New York, NY | Educational | $25,000 |
| Anatolia College Boston, MA | Educational | $20,000 |
| Hellenic College Holy Cross Brookline, MA | Educational | $15,000 |
| Des Moines University Des Moines, IA | Educational | $10,000 |
| Panhellenic Scholarship Foundation Chicago, IL | Educational | $10,000 |
| University of Minnesota Minneapolis, MN | Educational | $10,000 |
| Ionian Village New York, NY | Educational | $6,000 |
| Drake University Des Moines, IA | Educational | $5,000 |
| Helping Heroes Foundation Urbandale, IA | Educational | $5,000 |
Ready to take the next step with John & Mary Pappajohn Scholarship 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 | — | $-7,061 | $176,412 | $170,317 | 18 | $173,365 | — | $5,248 |
| 2023 | $183,473 | $8,133 | $2,400 | — | — | $1,200 | $6,933 | $8,476 |
| 2022 | $184,740 | $158,443 | $170,257 | $165,975 | 28 | $167,322 | $7,268 | $8,486 |
| 2021 | $192,054 | $96,478 | $170,505 | $167,275 | 22 | — | $94,985 | $13,472 |
| 2020 | $294,581 | $388,906 | $181,714 | $178,250 | 23 | — | $86,582 | $3,713 |
| 2019 | $56,389 | $176,611 | $213,357 | $209,000 | 27 | — | $98,349 | $5,524 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, John & Mary Pappajohn Scholarship Foundation reported a distributable amount of $5K 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 available information does not state a mission for the foundation. Its 2024 grants were reported as educational, and recipients included colleges, scholarship organizations, and organizations providing educational or instructional programs.
The grantees describe their own missions in varied terms. The Panhellenic Scholarship Foundation says it furthers the education of students of Hellenic descent. Crossroad Institute says it develops instructional programs for youth and young adults to promote faith, vocation, and leadership within the Orthodox Christian Church. Hope Through Education says it provides scholarships to help children from low-income families obtain a quality, values-based education.
Grantmaking
In 2024, the foundation made 18 grants totaling $170,317. Grant amounts ranged from $500 to $50,000, with a median of $5,000. Notable recipients included Skidmore College ($50,000), Leadership 100 ($25,000), Anatolia College ($20,000), Hellenic College Holy Cross ($15,000), Des Moines University ($10,000), Panhellenic Scholarship Foundation ($10,000), and the University of Minnesota ($10,000).
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Ann Vassiliou and Argyris Vassiliou as directors.
John & Mary Pappajohn Scholarship Foundation's 2024 filing lists 2 officers; none of the 2 officers listed in 2024 report compensation.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Ann Vassiliou
Director
On filings since 2019
No compensation reported
Argyris Vassiliou
Director
New on the 2024 filing
No compensation reported
Former officers (2)
- Former: John Pappajohn (2019–2023) — Director
- Former: Mary Pappajohn (2019–2022) — Director
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2019–2024. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Frequently asked questions about John & Mary Pappajohn Scholarship Foundation
How much does John & Mary Pappajohn Scholarship Foundation give each year?
John & Mary Pappajohn Scholarship Foundation gave $170K across 18 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
What is John & Mary Pappajohn Scholarship Foundation's typical grant size?
John & Mary Pappajohn Scholarship Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $5,000, and its average grant was $9,462, across 18 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from John & Mary Pappajohn Scholarship Foundation that year got $12K on average.
Where does John & Mary Pappajohn Scholarship Foundation give grants?
John & Mary Pappajohn Scholarship Foundation's top state is New York, with 48% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. The next largest states were Massachusetts (22%) and Iowa (13%). The most frequent recipient cities were Des Moines, IA (4 grants), New York, NY (2 grants) and Brookline, MA (2 grants).
Does John & Mary Pappajohn Scholarship Foundation give general operating support?
Not in 2024: none of the 18 grants with a stated purpose on John & Mary Pappajohn Scholarship Foundation's 2024 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Educational" (16 grants).
Who are John & Mary Pappajohn Scholarship Foundation's largest grantees?
John & Mary Pappajohn Scholarship Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include Skidmore College ($50,000), Leadership 100 ($25,000) and Anatolia College ($20,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 56% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
What does John & Mary Pappajohn Scholarship Foundation fund?
The available information does not state a mission for the foundation. Its 2024 grants were reported as educational, and recipients included colleges, scholarship organizations, and organizations providing educational or instructional programs. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from John & Mary Pappajohn Scholarship Foundation?
The foundation stated that it made contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
How much is John & Mary Pappajohn Scholarship Foundation required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, John & Mary Pappajohn Scholarship Foundation reported a distributable amount of $5K on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is John & Mary Pappajohn Scholarship Foundation's EIN?
John & Mary Pappajohn Scholarship Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 42-1465551. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2024.
Does John & Mary Pappajohn Scholarship Foundation accept unsolicited proposals?
No, according to Grantable's research on the foundation's published guidelines. See how to apply ↑
Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(7)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS February 13, 2020)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS February 9, 2021)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS February 7, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS December 14, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS January 4, 2024)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS December 16, 2024)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2019–2024
Live grants for the work John & Mary Pappajohn Scholarship Foundation funds
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). John & Mary Pappajohn Scholarship Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 20, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/john-and-mary-pappajohn-scholarship-foundation-morg_82ffed1d29cb48e89461f4ba2c11d45f
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_421465551_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{John \& Mary Pappajohn Scholarship Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/john-and-mary-pappajohn-scholarship-foundation-morg_82ffed1d29cb48e89461f4ba2c11d45f},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-20. 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 John & Mary Pappajohn Scholarship 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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