Joyforward
Joyforward is a private foundation based in Longmont, Colorado. Its 2024 filing reports grants to charitable organizations in Colorado, including schools, youth and athletics organizations, and organizations providing support related to disabilities and veterans.
Joyforward at a glance
In short: Joyforward gave $279K across 20 grants in 2024 (avg $14K), mostly in Colorado. 47% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $278,534
- +45.1% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 20
- +5.3% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $13,927
- +37.8% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $2,250
- Total assets
- $315
- -89.4% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 47% first-time grantees (9 of 19, 2024; small sample)
- Primary geography
- Colorado (100% 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 Joyforward
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds.
- Contact
Mailing address: 9586 E I-25 Frontage Rd B, Longmont, CO 80504
Phone: (303) 682-0066
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Joyforward funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Holy Family High School ($136K). Together the top 10 received $269K.
Organizations only. It also paid 1 grant to individuals ($1,000), which are not listed by name.
Grant Size Distribution
51 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 47 grants of 51 (92%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The 2024 filing reports that 100% of grant dollars went to recipients in Colorado.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 20 itemized grants.
Cities
Is Joyforward open to new grantees?
47%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 9 of 19 grantees (47%) were first-time recipients. With only 19 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 5 points. First grants averaged $8K; repeat grants $20K. How we count
Medians: $1K first-time, $5K repeat.
- 53% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. 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 (2022–2024). 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 2022 to 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $123K (2022) to $279K (2024). In 2024 it made 20 grants totaling $279K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Holy Family High School Broomfield, CO | Faith-Based Education, Youth | $136,184 |
| National Western Stock Show Association Denver, CO | General Support | $50,000 |
| Ropin' Rascals Keenesburg, CO | Special Needs, Youth | $33,100 |
| Fire Foundation of Denver Littleton, CO | General Support | $12,500 |
| CSHSRA Burns, CO | Youth Athletics | $10,000 |
| Ram Sports Properties Fort Collins, CO | General support Colorado state university rodeo team and its skyline stampede | $7,500 |
| Rocky Mountain Down Syndrome Association Denver, CO | Special Needs | $7,500 |
| St John the Baptist School Longmont, CO | Faith-Based Education, Youth | $6,800 |
| High Plains Honor Flight Inc Ault, CO | General Support | $2,500 |
| Hopekids Denver, CO | Youth, Family, Medical Conditions | $2,500 |
Ready to take the next step with Joyforward?
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Qualifying Distributions | Distributable Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $315 | $287,599 | $290,253 | $278,534 | 20 | $290,253 | $901 |
| 2023 | $2,969 | $101,000 | $198,352 | $191,989 | 19 | $198,352 | $1,170 |
| 2022 | $100,321 | $253,562 | $158,241 | $122,826 | 12 | $157,254 | $5,633 |
| 2021 | $5,000 | $5,000 | — | — | — | — | $13 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Joyforward reported a distributable amount of $901 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
No mission statement for Joyforward is provided. Its 2024 grants included support for faith-based education and youth, special-needs organizations, youth athletics, and general support.
Among its 2024 grantees, Fire Foundation of Denver says its mission is to champion the inclusion of students with disabilities in Catholic schools. High Plains Honor Flight says it provides free trips to Washington, D.C., for veterans to visit memorials honoring them. BIG WAVES says it encourages young athletes’ mind and body health through water polo. These are the grantees’ stated missions, not Joyforward’s.
Grantmaking
In 2024, Joyforward reported 20 grants totaling $278,534. Grant amounts ranged from $500 to $136,184, with a median of $2,250.
The largest reported grants included $136,184 to Holy Family High School for faith-based education and youth; $50,000 to National Western Stock Show Association for general support; $33,100 to Ropin’ Rascals for special needs and youth; and $12,500 to Fire Foundation of Denver for general support. Other recipients included CSHSRA ($10,000) for youth athletics, Rocky Mountain Down Syndrome Association ($7,500) for special needs, and St John the Baptist School ($6,800) for faith-based education and youth.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Megan J Ward as co-president/treasurer, Melissa J Lyon as co-president/secretary, Matthew R Ward as director, and Mark Ward as director.
Joyforward is led by Megan J. Ward, Co-President & Treasurer on every filing since 2021; none of the 4 officers listed in 2024 report compensation.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Megan J. Ward
Co-President & Treasurer
On filings since 2021
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Melissa J. Lyon
Co-President & Secretary
On filings since 2021
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Mark Ward
Director
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Matthew R. Ward
Director
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2021–2024. "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 Joyforward
How much does Joyforward give each year?
Joyforward gave $279K across 20 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $192K across 19 grants.
What is Joyforward's typical grant size?
Joyforward's median grant in 2024 was $2,250, and its average grant was $13,927, across 20 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Joyforward that year got $8K on average.
Where does Joyforward give grants?
Joyforward gives mostly in Colorado: 100% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Denver, CO (4 grants), Longmont, CO (4 grants) and Broomfield, CO (2 grants).
Does Joyforward give general operating support?
Yes: 40% of Joyforward's 2024 grants with a stated purpose (8 of 20) were for general or operating support, per its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Recurring purposes include "Faith-Based Education, Youth" (3 grants).
Who are Joyforward's largest grantees?
Joyforward's largest 2024 grantees include Holy Family High School ($136,184), National Western Stock Show Association ($50,000) and Ropin' Rascals ($33,100), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It also paid 1 grant to individuals ($1,000), which are not listed by name. Together they received 79% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is Joyforward?
Joyforward reported $315 in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $290K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $901 (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does Joyforward fund?
No mission statement for Joyforward is provided. Its 2024 grants included support for faith-based education and youth, special-needs organizations, youth athletics, and general support. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Joyforward?
The foundation states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Joyforward's EIN?
Joyforward's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 87-3951586. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2021–2024.
Does Joyforward 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 2021–2024
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Joyforward funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 13, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/joyforward-morg_07a9870f75564cefb6b5d2be9da6e925
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_873951586_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Joyforward funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/joyforward-morg_07a9870f75564cefb6b5d2be9da6e925},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-13. 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 Joyforward'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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