Kentucky Education Association
The Kentucky Education Association (KEA) is a public charity based in Frankfort, Kentucky. It describes itself as a statewide organization of more than 44,000 certified educators and classified education support professionals, working to support public schools, students, and educators.
Kentucky Education Association at a glance
In short: Kentucky Education Association gave $371K across 15 grants in 2025 (avg $25K), mostly in Kentucky. 13% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $370,572
- -35.4% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 15
- +0.0% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $24,705
- -35.4% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $14,120
- Total assets
- $19,472,686
- +8.2% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 13% first-time grantees (2 of 15, 2025; small sample)
- Primary geography
- Kentucky (100% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990, 2025; updated September 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to Kentucky Education Association
- How to Apply
-
Read Across America Grant applications must be submitted electronically with the required sponsoring-president letter. The scholarship application is submitted through an online form and requires written responses and a photograph. The KEA Fellows Program is an annual fellowship for active KEA members; its 2026 deadline has passed.
- Review Cycle
- The 2026 Read Across America Grant deadline was September 15, 2026, and has passed. The 2026–2027 Ethnic Minority Scholarship deadline is October 15, 2026.
- Deadline
- The 2026 Read Across America Grant deadline was September 15, 2026, and has passed.
- Contact
Mailing address: 401 Capital Avenue, Frankfort, KY 40601
Phone: (502) 875-2889
Website: https://kea.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Kentucky Education Association funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Kentucky Education Association - Retired ($151K). Together the top 10 received $328K.
Grant Size Distribution
72 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 66 grants of 72 (92%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
KEA is based in Frankfort, Kentucky. Its 2025 grants went entirely to recipients in Kentucky. The Ethnic Minority Scholarship is for students enrolled in educator preparation programs at Kentucky colleges or universities, and the Read Across America Grant is for KEA districts or locals.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 15 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is Kentucky Education Association open to new grantees?
13%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 2 of 15 grantees (13%) were first-time recipients. With only 15 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 7 points. First grants averaged $8K; repeat grants $27K. How we count
Medians: $8K first-time, $16K repeat.
- 87% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2022 to 2025 (−17%). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990 filings (2021–2025). 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 2021 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $371K (2025) to $573K (2024). In 2025 it made 15 grants totaling $371K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Kentucky Education Association - Retired Frankfort, KY | Contribution | $151,136 |
| Kea-Central District Lexington, KY | Contribution | $36,268 |
| Northern Kentucky Education Association Walton, KY | Contribution | $26,097 |
| Eastern Kentucky Education Association Grayson, KY | Contribution | $21,173 |
| Second District Education Association Owensboro, KY | Contribution | $18,237 |
| Third District Education Association Bowling Green, KY | Contribution | $17,159 |
| First District Education Association Murray, KY | Contribution | $16,251 |
| Fourth District Education Association Campbellsville, KY | Contribution | $14,120 |
| Fifth District Education Association Taylorsville, KY | Contribution | $14,051 |
| Kentucky Education Support Professionals Association Mayfield, KY | Contribution | $13,690 |
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Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Net Investment Income |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $19,472,686 | $9,434,406 | $8,810,778 | $370,572 | 15 | $898,417 |
| 2024 | $18,002,512 | $9,418,245 | $8,622,163 | $573,328 | 15 | $574,750 |
| 2023 | $16,691,819 | $9,841,056 | $10,843,520 | $381,057 | 14 | $630,267 |
| 2022 | $16,393,137 | $11,160,843 | $10,218,857 | $447,042 | 14 | $872,828 |
| 2021 | $18,220,515 | $11,947,814 | $10,940,442 | $470,265 | 14 | $1,110,776 |
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
KEA’s mission is to unite, organize, and empower members to advocate for themselves and ensure a quality public education for every Kentucky student. Its stated program work includes support for public education, professional excellence, and human and civil rights.
The 2025 grants were all directed to Kentucky recipients. Many went to KEA district or related education associations, with “contribution” listed as the purpose. One recipient, the Commonwealth Fund for KET, describes its mission as supporting and furthering the educational, charitable, and public purposes and activities of the Kentucky Authority for Educational Television and the related Kentucky Educational Television Foundation.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2025, KEA reported 15 grants totaling $370,572. Grant amounts ranged from $5,913 to $151,136, with a median of $14,120. The largest awards included $151,136 to Kentucky Education Association–Retired, $36,268 to KEA-Central District, $26,097 to Northern Kentucky Education Association, and $21,173 to Eastern Kentucky Education Association. The Commonwealth Fund for KET received $11,000.
KEA’s Read Across America Grant offers up to $500 for events sponsored by a KEA district or local. Applications are submitted electronically and must include a letter from the sponsoring local or district president; incomplete applications may not be considered. Checks go to the sponsoring district or local, not the individual applicant, and each district or local may receive no more than one grant per year. KEA evaluates applications on literacy promotion, member participation, expected attendance, outreach, and support for strong local associations. Funding decisions are made by KEA’s MOVE Committee.
KEA also offers an Ethnic Minority Scholarship for eligible first-year college students pursuing education degrees at Kentucky institutions. Two scholarships are awarded each fall, with each recipient receiving $5,000 over four years. The scholarship is paid to participants and is not a grant program for outside applicants.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Joel Wolford as president and Eddie Lee Campbell as past president. Directors listed are Tyler Murphy, Noraa Ransey, Chiffon Winston, Harsh Upadhyay, Heather Thomas-Deal, Tom Berry, Krystal Goode, and Luke Inglish.
Kentucky Education Association is led by Joel Wolford, President since 2025 (on filings since 2021); 8 of 42 officers listed in 2025 are compensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Joel Wolford
President
Vice President → President, 2025
On filings since 2021
40 hrs/week
$111K (2021) → $112K (2025)
Mary Ruble
Executive Director
On filings since 2021
40 hrs/week
$157K (2021) → $164K (2025)
Alan Young
Director
On filings since 2021
No compensation reported
Chiffon Winston
Director
On filings since 2021
No compensation reported
Dale Warren
Director
On filings since 2021
No compensation reported
Erin Grace
Director
On filings since 2021
No compensation reported
Jim Sproul
Director
On filings since 2021
No compensation reported
Jolena Sizemore
Director
On filings since 2021
No compensation reported
Kathryn Punsly
Director
On filings since 2021
No compensation reported
Luke Inglish
Director
On filings since 2021
No compensation reported
Marcie Viox
Director
On filings since 2021
No compensation reported
Matthew Powell
Director
On filings since 2021
No compensation reported
Natalie Rashad
Director
On filings since 2021
No compensation reported
Noraa Ransey
Director
On filings since 2021
No compensation reported
Tom Berry
Director
On filings since 2021
No compensation reported
Trish Click
Director
On filings since 2021
No compensation reported
Cassie Lyles
Director
On filings since 2022
No compensation reported
Tyler Murphy
Director
On filings since 2022
No compensation reported
April Back-Stevens
Director
On filings since 2023
No compensation reported
Eden Gabbard
Director
On filings since 2023
No compensation reported
Harsh Upadhyay
Director
On filings since 2023
No compensation reported
Heather Thomas-Deal
Director
On filings since 2023
No compensation reported
Krystal Goode
Director
On filings since 2023
No compensation reported
Michelle Ewing
Director
On filings since 2023
No compensation reported
Ryan Dittmer
Director
On filings since 2023
No compensation reported
Adam Spinks
Director
On filings since 2024
No compensation reported
Laura Schneider
Director
On filings since 2024
No compensation reported
Matthew Callahan
Director
On filings since 2024
No compensation reported
Melissa McBride
Director
On filings since 2024
No compensation reported
Michael Kral
Director
On filings since 2024
No compensation reported
Scott Hollan
Director
On filings since 2024
No compensation reported
Susan Cintra
Director
On filings since 2024
No compensation reported
Tammy Berlin
Director
On filings since 2024
No compensation reported
Vickie Gregory
Director
On filings since 2024
No compensation reported
Janice Dean
Director
New on the 2025 filing
No compensation reported
Eddie Lee Campbell
Past President
President → Past President, 2025
On filings since 2021
40 hrs/week
$139K (2021) → $141K (2025)
Edward Ishmael
Employee
On filings since 2021
40 hrs/week
$130K (2021) → $134K (2025)
Paul Mortell
Former Finance Director
Finance Director → Former Finance Director, 2025
On filings since 2021
40 hrs/week
$128K (2021) → $108K (2025)
Rich Mullins
Employee
On filings since 2021
40 hrs/week
$133K (2021) → $138K (2025)
Elana Crane
Employee
On filings since 2024
40 hrs/week
$101K (2024) → $102K (2025)
Bridget Brown
Employee
New on the 2025 filing
40 hrs/week
$101K (2025)
Jessica Hiler
Vice President
Director → Vice President, 2025
On filings since 2024
40 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (51)
- Former: Alvia Littleton (2021–2024) — Director
- Former: Ashley Burnette (2021–2024) — Director
- Former: Bobbi Grim (2021–2024) — Director
- Former: Brad Adams (2021–2024) — Director
- Former: Charles Ludwig (2021–2024) — Director
- Former: Keith Frasure (2021–2024) — Director
- Former: Kyla Trahan (2021–2024) — Director
- Former: Norma Hopkins (2021–2024) — Director
- Former: Robin Brown (2021–2024) — Director
- Former: Michelle Porter (2023–2024) — Director
- Former: Paige Jones (2023–2024) — Director
- Former: Sara Butryn (2023–2024) — Director
- Former: Kamar Rashad (2021–2023) — Director
- Former: Laura Adams (2021–2023) — Director
- Former: Stephanie Cook (2021–2023) — Director
- Former: Sharron Oxendine (2022–2023) — Employee
- Former: Crystal Culp (2021–2022) — Director
- Former: Ian Robinson (2021–2022) — Director
- Former: Jennifer Hawkins (2021–2022) — Director
- Former: John Whipple (2021–2022) — Director
- Former: Katie Moss (2021–2022) — Director
- Former: Lauren Bitter (2021–2022) — Director
- Former: Michael Delaney (2021–2022) — Director
- Former: Tonia Hunt-Gibson (2021–2022) — Director
- Former: Brent McKim (2022) — Director
- Former: Kim Davis (2022) — Director
- Former: Abigail Schremp (2021) — Director
- Former: Arletta Kennedy (2021) — Director
- Former: Cameo Kendrick (2021) — Director
- Former: Courtney Clouse (2021) — Director
- Former: Crystal Puryear (2021) — Director
- Former: Danielle Ellis (2021) — Director
- Former: Dennis Janes (2021) — Employee
- Former: Doug Botkin (2021) — Director
- Former: Frederick Tilsley (2021) — Director
- Former: James Patton (2021) — Employee
- Former: Jamie Poff (2021) — Director
- Former: Janet Allen (2021) — Director
- Former: Jo McKim (2021) — Director
- Former: Joey Hamilton (2021) — Director
- Former: Kenneth Hardman (2021) — Director
- Former: Kim Baldwin (2021) — Director
- Former: Mary Ann Crooker (2021) — Director
- Former: Mary Wilson (2021) — Director
- Former: Missy Salyers (2021) — Director
- Former: Pamela Jones (2021) — Director
- Former: Regina Brown (2021) — Director
- Former: Rosalind Bryant (2021) — Employee
- Former: Sonia Huff (2021) — Director
- Former: Terrilyn Fleming (2021) — Director
- Former: Vanous Brown (2021) — Director
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2021–2025. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Compensation Overview
From 2025 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2025 filing was $164K, to Mary Ruble (Executive Director). 8 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Frequently asked questions about Kentucky Education Association
How much does Kentucky Education Association give each year?
Kentucky Education Association gave $371K across 15 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. In 2024 it gave $573K across 15 grants.
What is Kentucky Education Association's typical grant size?
Kentucky Education Association's median grant in 2025 was $14,120, and its average grant was $24,705, across 15 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Organizations receiving their first grant from Kentucky Education Association that year got $8K on average.
Where does Kentucky Education Association give grants?
Kentucky Education Association gives mostly in Kentucky: 100% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990 went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Lexington, KY (2 grants) and Owensboro, KY (2 grants).
Does Kentucky Education Association give general operating support?
Not in 2025: none of the 15 grants with a stated purpose on Kentucky Education Association's 2025 IRS Form 990 were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Contribution" (15 grants).
Who are Kentucky Education Association's largest grantees?
Kentucky Education Association's largest 2025 grantees include Kentucky Education Association - Retired ($151,136), Kea-Central District ($36,268) and Northern Kentucky Education Association ($26,097), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. Together they received 58% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Kentucky Education Association?
Kentucky Education Association reported $19.5M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Its revenue that year was $9.4M.
What does Kentucky Education Association fund?
KEA’s mission is to unite, organize, and empower members to advocate for themselves and ensure a quality public education for every Kentucky student. Its stated program work includes support for public education, professional excellence, and human and civil rights. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Kentucky Education Association?
Read Across America Grant applications must be submitted electronically with the required sponsoring-president letter. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Kentucky Education Association's EIN?
Kentucky Education Association's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 61-0245450. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2021–2025.
Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990 filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(6)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS December 15, 2021)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS December 21, 2022)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS December 15, 2023)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS December 17, 2024)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS December 15, 2025)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2021–2025
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Kentucky Education Association funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 17, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/kentucky-education-association-morg_5ec4b7611e634d7e9fc579c4200b0230
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_610245450_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Kentucky Education Association funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/kentucky-education-association-morg_5ec4b7611e634d7e9fc579c4200b0230},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-17. 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 Kentucky Education Association'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.
Kentucky Education Association down — hundreds of funders to go?