Mt Cuba Astronomical Foundation
The Mt. Cuba Astronomical Foundation is a private foundation based in Wilmington, Delaware. It supports astronomical research and astronomically related activities through grants to individuals and organizations.
Mt Cuba Astronomical Foundation at a glance
In short: Mt Cuba Astronomical Foundation gave $958K across 16 grants in 2025 (avg $60K), top state Massachusetts. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $958,425
- -0.6% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 16
- +14.3% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $59,902
- -13.0% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $10,478
- Total assets
- $6,300,553
- +7.7% vs 2024
- Primary geography
- Massachusetts (26% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated October 2026.
How to apply to Mt Cuba Astronomical Foundation
- How to Apply
-
The foundation’s filing says applications should follow its grant application guidelines and that applicants must be qualified nonprofit organizations recognized by the IRS. The guidelines say applications are accepted throughout the year, should explain the proposed project and its merit and benefits, and must be submitted in five hard-copy sets with an electronic copy. The guidelines state that applications are generally considered within eight to ten weeks; applicants must provide tax-exempt-status certification.
- Review Cycle
- No deadlines.
- Deadline
- No deadlines.
- Contact
Application contact: James Lang Administrator
Mailing address: PO Box 4556, Greenville, DE 19807
Phone: (302) 540-6389
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Mt Cuba Astronomical Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 8 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was President and Fellows of Harvard College ($250K). Together the top 8 received $942K.
Organizations only. It also paid 8 individual scholarships ($16,000), which are not listed by name.
Grant Size Distribution
50 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 25 grants of 50 (50%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The 2025 grant dollars went to recipients in multiple states. The largest reported shares were Massachusetts (26%), Hawaii (25%), the District of Columbia (12%), New York (11%), and Texas (9%).
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 16 itemized grants.
States
Cities
How Mt Cuba Astronomical Foundation gives
- Giving held roughly steady from 2022 to 2025 (−10%). Method
- In 2025 it paid out 86% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Foundations have until the end of the next year to meet it. Method
From the foundation's IRS Form 990-PF filings. Methodology.
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2020 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $812K (2020) to $1.1M (2022). In 2025 it made 16 grants totaling $958K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| President and Fellows of Harvard College Boston, MA | General | $250,000 |
| University of Hawaii Foundation Honolulu, HI | General | $243,232 |
| Carnegie Science Washington, DC | General | $118,650 |
| The Research Foundation for the SUNY Albany, NY | General | $102,000 |
| The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley McAllen, TX | General | $88,076 |
| Lowell Observatory Flagstaff, AZ | General | $69,070 |
| The University Corporation Northridge, CA | General | $53,441 |
| Mt Cuba Astronomical Observatory- Vernon Lecture Wilmington, DE | General | $17,956 |
| 8 individual scholarships Recipients not named | — | $16,000 |
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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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $6,300,553 | $1,703,216 | $1,254,769 | $958,425 | 16 | $1,009,335 | $1,459,829 | $1,173,855 |
| 2024 | $5,852,106 | $1,191,229 | $1,236,616 | $963,886 | 14 | $1,022,409 | $970,235 | $1,043,746 |
| 2023 | $5,897,493 | $448,315 | $1,166,348 | $929,927 | 5 | $971,233 | $253,200 | $942,744 |
| 2022 | $6,615,526 | $-1,394,039 | $1,299,126 | $1,059,646 | 7 | $1,092,212 | — | $978,627 |
| 2021 | $9,308,691 | $1,467,973 | $1,216,815 | $855,629 | 8 | $887,221 | $1,216,734 | $1,118,370 |
| 2020 | $9,057,533 | $2,787,938 | $1,030,240 | $812,329 | 8 | — | $2,608,249 | $886,818 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Mt Cuba Astronomical Foundation reported a distributable amount of $1.2M for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated October 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation states that it was established to promote and support research in astronomy, astrophysics, and related fields. Its grants generally go to colleges, universities, observatories, and other nonprofit organizations, with preference for proposals likely to be used by multiple astronomers.
Eligible project costs can include astronomical equipment, computer hardware and software, computer time, technical assistance, equipment shipping and installation, and travel to an observatory or another research site. The foundation also funds development of innovative astronomical software. Its guidelines generally exclude equipment used exclusively for teaching, publication costs, travel to meetings, and solely administrative costs or overhead.
Examples of supported organizations have different missions of their own. Lowell Observatory describes its work as studying astronomy, especially the solar system and its evolution, conducting astronomical research, and providing public education and outreach. The University of Hawai‘i Foundation says it raises philanthropic support and manages investments to benefit the University of Hawai‘i, the people of Hawai‘i, and future generations. Harvard describes its mission as providing education and conducting research across a broad array of academic domains.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2025, the foundation reported 16 grants totaling $958,425. The grants ranged from $1,000 to $250,000, with a median grant of $10,478. The foundation’s website describes typical awards as ranging from $5,000 to $250,000.
The largest reported awards in 2025 were $250,000 to President and Fellows of Harvard College, $243,232 to University of Hawaii Foundation, $118,650 to Carnegie Science, $102,000 to The Research Foundation for the SUNY, and $88,076 to The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley. Other listed awards included $69,070 to Lowell Observatory, $53,441 to The University Corporation, and $17,956 to Mt Cuba Astronomical Observatory-Vernon Lecture. Four individual recipients received $3,000 each for scholarships.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Theodore H. Ashford as chairman and treasurer, Theodore H. Ashford III as secretary, Daniel D. Friel Jr. as president, and Dave Groski, Mark Piro, and Grace Engbring as trustees.
Mt Cuba Astronomical Foundation is led by Daniel D. Friel Jr., President on every filing since 2020; none of the 6 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Daniel D. Friel Jr.
President
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Theodore H. Ashford
Chairman & Treasurer
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Dave Groski
Trustee
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Mark Piro
Trustee
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Grace Engbring
Trustee
New on the 2025 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Theodore H. Ashford III
Secretary
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (3)
- Former: Irenee Du Pont Jr. (2020–2022) — Trustee
- Former: Alexander Maclachlan (2020–2021) — Trustee
- Former: Harry L. Shipman (2020–2021) — Trustee
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2025. "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 Mt Cuba Astronomical Foundation
How much does Mt Cuba Astronomical Foundation give each year?
Mt Cuba Astronomical Foundation gave $958K across 16 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $964K across 14 grants.
What is Mt Cuba Astronomical Foundation's typical grant size?
Mt Cuba Astronomical Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $10,478, and its average grant was $59,902, across 16 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
Where does Mt Cuba Astronomical Foundation give grants?
Mt Cuba Astronomical Foundation's top state is Massachusetts, with 26% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. The next largest states were Hawaii (25%) and District of Columbia (12%).
Does Mt Cuba Astronomical Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 50% of Mt Cuba Astronomical Foundation's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (8 of 16) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Recurring purposes include "Scholarship" (8 grants).
Who are Mt Cuba Astronomical Foundation's largest grantees?
Mt Cuba Astronomical Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include President and Fellows of Harvard College ($250,000), University of Hawaii Foundation ($243,232) and Carnegie Science ($118,650), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It also paid 8 individual scholarships ($16,000), which are not listed by name. Together they received 64% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Mt Cuba Astronomical Foundation?
Mt Cuba Astronomical Foundation reported $6.3M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $1.0M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $1.2M (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 Mt Cuba Astronomical Foundation fund?
The foundation states that it was established to promote and support research in astronomy, astrophysics, and related fields. Its grants generally go to colleges, universities, observatories, and other nonprofit organizations, with preference for proposals likely to be used by multiple astronomers. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Mt Cuba Astronomical Foundation?
The foundation’s filing says applications should follow its grant application guidelines and that applicants must be qualified nonprofit organizations recognized by the IRS. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Mt Cuba Astronomical Foundation's EIN?
Mt Cuba Astronomical Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 20-5012202. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated October 2026.
Data update history
(2)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS June 15, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Mt Cuba Astronomical Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Mt Cuba Astronomical Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 16, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/mt-cuba-astronomical-foundation-morg_62b8e3be17924772b19cb91b63fd5a79
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_205012202_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Mt Cuba Astronomical Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/mt-cuba-astronomical-foundation-morg_62b8e3be17924772b19cb91b63fd5a79},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-16. 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 Mt Cuba Astronomical 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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