Marion Esser Kaufmann Foundation
The Marion Esser Kaufmann Foundation is a private foundation established in 1986 and based in Evergreen, Colorado. The foundation provides grants to nonprofit organizations across multiple sectors, with a particular emphasis on health care, medical research, education, and children and youth initiatives.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$10.4M
+9.6% YoY
Annual Giving
$865K
-0.6% YoY
Grant Count
17
+0.0% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$51K
-0.6% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Marion Esser Kaufmann Foundation reported a distributable amount of $1.0M for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation's primary areas of interest include:
- Health and Medical Research — including research in cancer, sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS), and Alzheimer's disease
- Higher Education
- Children and Youth
- General Support for nonprofit organizations
The foundation supports various types of assistance including research, project support, general operating support, and equipment funding.
Grantmaking
The foundation made 17 grants in 2024, including:
Grant Range
$10,000–$150,000
Average Grant
$54,000
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation primarily funds organizations in:
- Colorado (primary focus, particularly the Denver metropolitan area)
- New York
- California
- Minnesota
These states account for approximately 80% of all grants awarded. Grantmaking reaches organizations across six states total.
Grant Distribution by State
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
Assets & Income (2024):
- Total Assets: $10,434,126
- Annual Income: $2,087,620
- Total Expenses: $1,171,155
Historical Asset Growth:
- 2011: $6.3 million
- 2023: $9.5 million
- 2024: $10.4 million
Annual Distribution History:
- 2021–2023: $870,000–$925,000 annually
- Highest grantmaking activity in 2022: $925,000 across 17 grants
Tax Status:
- 501(c)(3) designation
- Tax-exempt since June 1986
- EIN: 13-3339941
- Contributions are tax-deductible
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $10,434,126 | $9,517,661 | $9,820,825 |
| Revenue | $2,087,620 | $932,476 | $1,056,528 |
| Expenses | $1,171,155 | $1,135,498 | $1,238,873 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $948,086 | $941,207 | $986,312 |
| Net Investment Income | $1,893,751 | $748,175 | $826,867 |
| Distributable Amount | $1,009,590 | $929,857 | $891,255 |
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
83 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include National Marrow Donor Program ($100,000), American Federation for Aging Research ($90,000), Cancer Research Institute ($90,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| ALZHEIMER'S ASSOCIATION - COLORADO CHAPTER DENVER, CO | CO ALZEIMERS PROJECTS | $65,000 |
| CASA OF JEFFERSON AND GILPIN COUNTIES GOLDEN, CO | OPERATING EXPENSES | $20,000 |
| AMERICAN FEDERATION FOR AGING RESEARCH NEW YORK, NY | AGING AND DISEASE RESEARCH | $90,000 |
| BOOTSTRAPS EVERGREEN, CO | SUPPORT FORINTEREST FREESCHOOL LOANS | $30,000 |
| CANCER RESEARCH INSTITUTE NEW YORK, NY | YOUNG INVESTIGATORSTHROUGH CLINICALACCEL. PROGRAM | $90,000 |
| CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL OF COLORADO AURORA, CO | SUICIDE PREVENTIONAND ENDOWMENTFUND | $90,000 |
| COLORADO ACADEMY DENVER, CO | SUPPORTS JOSEPHBOICE ESSER ENDOWSCHOLARSHIP FUND | $90,000 |
| MOUNT EVANS HOME AND HEALTH CARE INC EVERGREEN, CO | GENERAL OPERATING | $40,000 |
| ZARLENGO FOUNDATION WHEAT RIDGE, CO | CHILDREN WITHDISABILITIES | $15,000 |
| NATIONAL MARROW DONOR PROGRAM MINEAPOLIS, MN | SUPPORT FOR THENATIONAL MARROWDONOR PROGRAM | $100,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
Trustees:
- Richard B. Esser
- Julia K. Esser
- Megan Keough Esser
Principal Officer:
- Allen Weber, CPA
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| RICHARD B ESSER | TRUSTEE | 3 | $24,000 |
| JULIA K ESSER | TRUSTEE | 3 | $24,000 |
| MEGAN KEOUGH ESSER | TRUSTEE | 3 | $24,000 |
| HENRY ESSER | TRUSTEE | 3 | $12,000 |
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Marion Esser Kaufmann Foundation fund?
The foundation's primary areas of interest include: • **Health and Medical Research** — including research in cancer, sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS), and Alzheimer's disease • **Higher Education** • **Children and Youth** • **General Support** for nonprofit organizations The foundation supports various types of assistance including research, project support, general operating support, and equipment funding.
How do I apply for a grant from Marion Esser Kaufmann Foundation?
**Grant Characteristics:** • Typical grant range: $10,000–$150,000 • Median grant size: $40,000 • Average grant size: $54,000 • Recent annual distribution: approximately $865,000–$941,000 **Recent Grant Activity:** The foundation made 17 grants in 2024, including: • National Marrow Donor Program: $100,000 • American Federation for Aging Research: $90,000 • Cancer Research Institute (Young Investigators through Clinical Acceleration Program): $90,000 The foundation has supported 19 unique organi…
Where does Marion Esser Kaufmann Foundation make grants?
The foundation primarily funds organizations in: • **Colorado** (primary focus, particularly the Denver metropolitan area) • **New York** • **California** • **Minnesota** These states account for approximately 80% of all grants awarded. Grantmaking reaches organizations across six states total.
What size grants does Marion Esser Kaufmann Foundation award?
In 2024, Marion Esser Kaufmann Foundation awarded 17 grants totaling $865K — an average of about $51K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is Marion Esser Kaufmann Foundation required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, Marion Esser Kaufmann Foundation reported a distributable amount of $1.0M on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is Marion Esser Kaufmann Foundation's EIN?
Marion Esser Kaufmann Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 13-3339941. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Marion Esser Kaufmann Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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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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