Mentors is a private foundation located in Incline Village, Nevada, established in 2012 as a Domestic Non-Profit Corporation. The foundation provides grants, scholarships, microloans, and mentoring support to individuals who would otherwise lack access to financial services or mentorship resources for their business or education plans. The organization also provides education and business-specific tools such as calculators and computers to support its beneficiaries.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
—
Annual Giving
$493K
+74.3% YoY
Grant Count
40
+11.1% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$12K
+56.8% YoY
Mission & Focus Areas
Mentors provides microloans, grants, scholarships, and support and mentoring to people who would otherwise have no access to financial services for their business or education plans. The foundation works with mentees from the application and nomination process through completion of work plans, maintaining consistent, direct involvement throughout the funded period. Both the foundation staff and mentors have program requirements that ensure accountability and support.
The foundation's primary focus areas include:
- Educational scholarships and support
- Business development funding
- Professional development mentoring
- Financial literacy and access to financial services
Grantmaking
Mentors made 32 grants in its most recent reporting year. The foundation has funded scholarships at multiple universities, including Franciscan University, Wesleyan University, University of New Mexico (UNM), and University of Missouri-Kansas City (UMKC). The foundation also provided training and materials for 161 individuals and has supported grantees including English Language Learners At Home.
Ready to take the next step with Mentors?
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
As of 2024:
- Total Assets: $22,728,038
- Total Revenues: $3,075,206
- Total Expenses: $889,809
- Number of Employees: 2
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | — | — | — |
| Revenue | — | — | — |
| Expenses | — | — | — |
| Qualifying Distributions | — | — | — |
| Net Investment Income | — | — | — |
| Distributable Amount | — | — | — |
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
186 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include United Action for Children ($40,000), Brayden King ($35,000), One Thread Project ($25,500).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| GABRIEL LOZANO ELKO, NV | GREAT BASIN COLLEGE, ELECTRICIAN SCHOLARSHIP | $3,652 |
| BRIANNA ARGUELLO CHARLESTON, SC | THE CITADEL, SPRING AND FALL TUITION SCHOLARSHIP | $10,793 |
| BRAYDEN KING MIAMI, FL | UNIVERSITY OF MIAMI, SPRING AND FALL TUITION SCHOLARSHIP | $35,000 |
| DONOVAN 'NAI' EMELIANO PHOENIX, AZ | GRAND CANYON UNIVERSITY, SPRING AND FALL TUITION SCHOLARSHIP | $17,290 |
| UNITED ACTION FOR CHILDREN | CULINARY ARTS TRAINING SCHOLARSHIPS, 25 $400 VOCATIONAL TRAINING SCHOLARSHIPS, 9-MONTH ENGLISH LANGUAGE AND WORK READINESS SCHOLARSHIPS FOR DISPLACED YOUTH. | $40,000 |
| GABRIEL HENRY MECHANICSBURG, PA | MESSIAH UNIVERSITY, SPRING AND FALL TUITION SCHOLARSHIP | $12,000 |
| MICHAEL FULLER ELKO, NV | GREAT BASIN COLLEGE, EMT AND PARAMEDIC CERTIFICATION, MEDICAL CERTIFICATION SCHOLARSHIP | $8,413 |
| HELGA BREGU | EUROPEA UNIVERSIDAD, BACHELORS IN ARCHITECTURE SCHOLARSHIP | $13,890 |
| ONE THREAD PROJECT LINCOLN, NE | ONE THREAD PROJECT, 30 $700 EDUCATIONAL AND VOCATIONAL SCHOLARSHIPS | $25,500 |
| LUIS LOPEZ BOISE, ID | BOISE STATE UNIVERSITY, CONSTRUCTION MANAGEMENT SCHOLARSHIP | $5,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
Michael D. Whitesage serves as President, Secretary, Treasurer, and Director of the organization, with an office address at 774-10 Mays Boulevard, Suite 393, Incline Village, Nevada 89451.
Mark F. Bruce, Esq. serves as the registered agent, located at 5975 Home Gardens Drive, Reno, Nevada 89502.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| ANNALEE BURNS | PRESIDENT/SECRETARY/TREASURER | 1 | — |
| MICHAEL WHITESAGE PRESIDENT | SECRETARY/TREASURER (THROUGH 4/10/24) | 3 | — |
| SARAH WHITESAGE NEWMAN | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| JUNKO NISHIDA | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| GABIJA HARNISH | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
Subject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Mentors fund?
Mentors provides microloans, grants, scholarships, and support and mentoring to people who would otherwise have no access to financial services for their business or education plans. The foundation works with mentees from the application and nomination process through completion of work plans, maintaining consistent, direct involvement throughout the funded period. Both the foundation staff and mentors have program requirements that ensure accountability and support. The foundation's primary fo…
How do I apply for a grant from Mentors?
Mentors made 32 grants in its most recent reporting year. The foundation has funded scholarships at multiple universities, including Franciscan University, Wesleyan University, University of New Mexico (UNM), and University of Missouri-Kansas City (UMKC). The foundation also provided training and materials for 161 individuals and has supported grantees including English Language Learners At Home. Total giving reported: $492,643
What size grants does Mentors award?
In 2024, Mentors awarded 40 grants totaling $493K — an average of about $12K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
What is Mentors's EIN?
Mentors's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 46-1308435. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2024.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Mentors's focus areas in our free grants database
Related Funders
Similar funders by location and focus area
Dna 1957 Foundation
LAS VEGAS, NV
Assets
—
Grants
0
Total Given
—
Love Foundation for American Music
INCLINE VILLAGE, NV
Assets
$1K
Grants
4
Total Given
$125K
Haupt S Fbo Charities Tuw
LAS VEGAS, NV
Assets
—
Grants
4
Total Given
$73K
Hall Mildred C Tuw
LAS VEGAS, NV
Assets
$184K
Grants
2
Total Given
$239K
M D Close Foundation
LAS VEGAS, NV
Assets
$330K
Grants
11
Total Given
$338K
Friends of Sutro Tunnel Charity
CARSON CITY, NV
Assets
$856K
Grants
0
Total Given
—
Data last updated June 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
What could you do with Mentors on Grantable?
- Assess strategic fit with your organization
- Draft a tailored letter of inquiry
- Find open RFPs from this funder
- Monitor for new funding opportunities
Go from researching Mentors to a real strategy.