Louis Armstrong Educational Foundat
The Louis Armstrong Educational Foundation is a private foundation established in 1969 by jazz legend Louis Armstrong and his wife Lucille. Based in Brooklyn, New York (with offices also listed in Great Neck, NY), the foundation perpetuates the Armstrongs' legacy through supporting jazz education, music programs, and musicians. The foundation generates funding through the exploitation of Armstrong's intellectual properties, including trademarks for Louis Armstrong™, Satchmo™, and Wonderful World™.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$13.2M
+27.9% YoY
Annual Giving
$966K
+22.2% YoY
Grant Count
32
+28.0% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$30K
-4.5% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Louis Armstrong Educational Foundat reported a distributable amount of $506K for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation was founded to give back to the world "some of the goodness" Louis Armstrong received. The foundation is dedicated to perpetuating the legacies of Louis and Lucille Armstrong with the following initiatives:
- Foster programs, workshops and lectures in schools on the history of music education
- Support access to instruments and scholarships
- Assist and contribute to schools and libraries for events and programs designed to educate students about jazz
- Sponsor programs at all school levels to aid students in developing musical skills
- Support music therapy
- Performance training, master classes, and workshops celebrating Armstrong's music and life
Grantmaking
The foundation made 20 grants in FY 2024. Recent recipients include:
Grant Range
s & Amounts:**
Average Grant
$31,600
Review Cycle
- Decision time: approximately 5-6 months from LOI to award
How to Apply
**
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
National focus with priority on the New York City area. Programs with broad impact across the United States that celebrate Armstrong's musical legacy receive strong consideration.
Grant Distribution by State
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
As of FY 2024:
- Total assets: $13,197,457
- Total revenues: $4,368,904
- Total expenses: $1,499,039
- Total giving: $965,618
As of FY 2023:
- Total assets: $10.3 million
- Revenue: $2.57 million
- Expenses: $1.26 million
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $13,197,457 | $10,320,543 | $8,999,280 |
| Revenue | $4,368,904 | $2,569,172 | $3,282,671 |
| Expenses | $1,499,039 | $1,257,006 | $1,213,406 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $989,313 | $801,650 | $669,695 |
| Net Investment Income | $4,076,981 | $2,560,704 | $2,913,990 |
| Distributable Amount | $505,751 | $418,001 | $315,785 |
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 2024
Grant Size Distribution
114 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include Louis Armstrong House Museum ($210,000), Queens College Foundation ($131,118), Louis Satchmo Armstrong Summer ($100,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| ASCAP FOUNDATION NEW YORK, NY | GENERAL | $75,000 |
| BLOOMINGDALE SCHOOL OF MUSIC NEW YORK, NY | GENERAL | $5,000 |
| BROOKLYN CONSERVATORY OF MUSIC BROOKLYN, NY | GENERAL | $10,000 |
| CENTRAL NEW YORK JAZZ ARTS FD SYRACUSE, NY | GENERAL | $5,000 |
| CHICAGO YTH SYMPHONY JAZZ ORCHESTRA CHICAGO, IL | GENERAL | $10,000 |
| ELLIS MARSALIS CENTER FOR MUSIC NEW ORLEANS, LA | GENERAL | $5,000 |
| FLUSHING TOWN HALL FLUSHING, NY | GENERAL | $3,500 |
| GWENDOLYN BLACK ARTS NEW YORK, NY | GENERAL | $6,500 |
| HARLEM SCHOOL OF THE ARTS NEW YORK, NY | GENERAL | $10,000 |
| HARLEM STAGES NEW YORK, NY | GENERAL | $15,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
Wynton Marsalis serves as President of the foundation.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| WYNTON MARSALIS | PRESIDENT | 2.5 | — |
| HOWARD SCHAIN | TREASURER | 2.5 | — |
| DAVID CHEVAN | SECRETARY | 2.5 | — |
| ROBIN BELL-STEVENS | VICE-PRESIDE | 2.5 | — |
| JACKIE HARRIS | EXECUTIVE DI | 25 | $100,000 |
| LISA COHEN | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| JEFFREY ROSENSTOCK | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| JONATHAN RASKIN | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| MICHAEL MOSSMAN | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| SUSAN DEVENS | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| KENNETH ALLEYNE | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| DEBORAH ROSS | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| ALVIN BENJAMIN CARTER III | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| JON BATISTE | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| JOSH MAYER | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
Recent News & Activity
Recent developments and announcements
The foundation presented the 2025 SATCHMO Award and Lifetime Achievement Award. The foundation has also signed new licensing partnerships, including a recent agreement with Downtown Music Publishing. The foundation is described by grant professionals as "an approachable, transparent and supportive funder."
Grants - Louis Armstrong Educational FoundationFrequently Asked Questions
What does Louis Armstrong Educational Foundat fund?
The foundation was founded to give back to the world "some of the goodness" Louis Armstrong received. The foundation is dedicated to perpetuating the legacies of Louis and Lucille Armstrong with the following initiatives: • Foster programs, workshops and lectures in schools on the history of music education • Support access to instruments and scholarships • Assist and contribute to schools and libraries for events and programs designed to educate students about jazz • Sponsor programs at all sc…
How do I apply for a grant from Louis Armstrong Educational Foundat?
**Grant Ranges & Amounts:** • Grant range: $2,000 - $220,000 • Average grant: $31,600 • Annual giving: approximately $1 million (FY 2024: $965,618-$989,313) **Recent Grant Activity:** The foundation made 20 grants in FY 2024. Recent recipients include: • Louis Armstrong House Museum: $210,000 • Queens College Foundation: $131,118 • Jazzmobile: $90,000 **Special Programs:** The Louis Armstrong Emergency Fund for Jazz Musicians was established in April 2020 to support freelance jazz musicians neg…
Where does Louis Armstrong Educational Foundat make grants?
National focus with priority on the New York City area. Programs with broad impact across the United States that celebrate Armstrong's musical legacy receive strong consideration.
What size grants does Louis Armstrong Educational Foundat award?
In 2024, Louis Armstrong Educational Foundat awarded 32 grants totaling $966K — an average of about $30K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is Louis Armstrong Educational Foundat required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, Louis Armstrong Educational Foundat reported a distributable amount of $506K on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is Louis Armstrong Educational Foundat's EIN?
Louis Armstrong Educational Foundat's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 13-2659286. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
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Data last updated June 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
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