McCain Foundation
McCain Foundation is a private foundation based in Erie, Pennsylvania. Its 2024 filing reports grants to Pennsylvania organizations supporting areas that include arts, health care, scholarships, mental health services, and food assistance.
McCain Foundation at a glance
In short: McCain Foundation gave $37K across 10 grants in 2024 (avg $4K), mostly in Pennsylvania. 20% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $37,000
- -17.8% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 10
- -9.1% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $3,700
- -9.6% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $4,000
- Total assets
- $982,513
- +3.0% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 20% first-time grantees (2 of 10, 2024; small sample)
- Primary geography
- Pennsylvania (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 McCain Foundation
- 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: PO Box 1818, Erie, PA 16512-1817
Phone: (814) 453-4969
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who McCain Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Dafmark Dance Theater Acadamey ($6K). Together the top 10 received $37K.
Grant Size Distribution
46 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 46 grants of 46 (100%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
All grant dollars reported for 2024 went to recipients in Pennsylvania. The listed 2024 grantees were in Erie, McKean, Indiana, and Edinboro, Pennsylvania.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 10 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is McCain Foundation open to new grantees?
20%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 2 of 10 grantees (20%) were first-time recipients. With only 10 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 10 points. First grants averaged $4K; repeat grants $4K. How we count
Medians: $4K first-time, $4K repeat.
- 80% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2021 to 2024 (−10%). Method
- In 2024 it paid out 80% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Foundations have until the end of the next year to meet it. Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2020–2024). 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 2020 to 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $18K (2020) to $45K (2023). In 2024 it made 10 grants totaling $37K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Dafmark Dance Theater Acadamey Erie, PA | Grant Supporting Arts to Intercity Youth | $6,000 |
| Hamot Health Foundation Erie, PA | Grant Supporting Nursing Scholarships | $5,000 |
| Julia Hospice Palliative Care McKean, PA | Grant Supporting Facility Upgrade Construction | $5,000 |
| Indiana University of Pennsylvania Indiana, PA | Scholarship Supporting Student Education | $4,000 |
| Barber National Institute Erie, PA | Grant Supporting Mentally Challenged | $4,000 |
| Erie Cancer Wellness Center Erie, PA | Cancer Support Services | $4,000 |
| Pennwest University Edinboro, PA | Student Tuition Scholarship | $4,000 |
| Stairways Behavioral Health Erie, PA | Grant Supporting Mental Health Services | $2,000 |
| Emmaus Ministries Soup Kitchen Erie, PA | Assistance to feed the poor | $1,500 |
| Second Harvest Food Bank Erie, PA | Grant Supporting Food Donations to Those in Need | $1,500 |
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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 | $982,513 | $30,484 | $46,299 | $37,000 | 10 | $45,803 | $21,681 | $57,442 |
| 2023 | $954,084 | $52,973 | $52,182 | $45,000 | 11 | $52,182 | $45,791 | $52,330 |
| 2022 | $986,832 | $56,287 | $46,226 | $37,400 | 11 | $49,826 | $47,461 | $51,911 |
| 2021 | $1,061,618 | $64,962 | $49,146 | $41,000 | 9 | — | $56,816 | $1,443 |
| 2020 | $1,112,801 | $-11,243 | $24,804 | $18,000 | 5 | — | $26,533 | $53,647 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, McCain Foundation reported a distributable amount of $57K for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated October 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2024 grants show support for arts education, nursing and other student scholarships, hospice and palliative care, cancer support, behavioral health, and food assistance.
Among the grantees, Hamot Health Foundation describes its mission as supporting UPMC Hamot in serving patients and communities through quality, health, healing, and education. Julia Hospice & Palliative Care says it addresses physical, emotional and psychological, spiritual, and cultural aspects of health and wellness, and offers family support. Stairways Behavioral Health says it provides services to people with serious and persistent mental illnesses and drug and alcohol addictions.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2024, the foundation gave $37,000 through 10 grants. Grants ranged from $1,500 to $6,000, with a median of $4,000.
Notable 2024 grants included $6,000 to DAFMARK DANCE THEATER ACADAMEY for arts supporting intercity youth; $5,000 to Hamot Health Foundation for nursing scholarships; $5,000 to Julia Hospice Palliative Care for facility upgrade construction; and $4,000 each to Indiana University of Pennsylvania for student education scholarships, Barber National Institute for people described in the filing as mentally challenged, Erie Cancer Wellness Center for cancer support services, and PennWest University for student tuition scholarships. Stairways Behavioral Health received $2,000 for mental health services. Emmaus Ministries Soup Kitchen and Second Harvest Food Bank each received $1,500 for food assistance.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Donald McCain as president and director, Scott McCain as treasurer and director, and Julie Schirmer and Thomas Tredway as directors.
McCain Foundation is led by Donald P McCain Jr., President Director since 2023 (on filings since 2020); none of the 4 officers listed in 2024 report compensation.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Donald P McCain Jr.
President Director
President → President-Director, 2021
President-Director → President Director, 2023
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Julie Schirmer
Director
Secretary → Director, 2021
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Scott McCain
Treasurer-Director
Treasurer → Treasurer-Director, 2021
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Thomas Tredway
Director
New on the 2024 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (2)
- Former: Susan Brezina (2021–2022) — Secretary-Director
- Former: Laurie Tredway (2021) — Director
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2024. "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 McCain Foundation
How much does McCain Foundation give each year?
McCain Foundation gave $37K across 10 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $45K across 11 grants.
What is McCain Foundation's typical grant size?
McCain Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $4,000, and its average grant was $3,700, across 10 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from McCain Foundation that year got $4K on average.
Where does McCain Foundation give grants?
McCain Foundation gives mostly in Pennsylvania: 100% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Erie, PA (7 grants).
Does McCain Foundation give general operating support?
Not in 2024: none of the 10 grants with a stated purpose on McCain Foundation's 2024 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support.
Who are McCain Foundation's largest grantees?
McCain Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include Dafmark Dance Theater Acadamey ($6,000), Hamot Health Foundation ($5,000) and Julia Hospice Palliative Care ($5,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 43% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is McCain Foundation?
McCain Foundation reported $983K in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $46K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $57K (roughly 5% of its investment assets). Falling short in one year is not a violation: foundations have until the end of the next year to meet the minimum.
What does McCain Foundation fund?
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2024 grants show support for arts education, nursing and other student scholarships, hospice and palliative care, cancer support, behavioral health, and food assistance. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from McCain Foundation?
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 McCain Foundation's EIN?
McCain Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 25-6049931. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Does McCain Foundation 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 October 2026.
Data update history
(1)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
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The filing figures on this page are open data under CC BY 4.0. About GrantGraph Open
Figures come from McCain 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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