Mt Cuba Astronomical Foundation is a private foundation focused on Science & Technology, based in WILMINGTON, DE. IRS filing data is available from 2020 through 2024. As of 2024, the organization holds $5.9M in total assets. In 2024, it awarded 14 grants totaling $964K. Net investment income was $970K.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$5.9M
-0.8% YoY
Annual Giving
$964K
+3.7% YoY
Grant Count
14
+180.0% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$69K
-63.0% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Mt Cuba Astronomical Foundation reported a distributable amount of $1.0M for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
About Mt Cuba Astronomical Foundation
Based on IRS filings
Mt Cuba Astronomical Foundation is a private foundation focused on Science & Technology, based in WILMINGTON, DE. IRS filing data is available from 2020 through 2024. As of 2024, the organization holds $5.9M in total assets. In 2024, it awarded 14 grants totaling $964K. Net investment income was $970K.
Focus Areas
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $5,852,106 | $5,897,493 | $6,615,526 |
| Revenue | $1,191,229 | $448,315 | $-1,394,039 |
| Expenses | $1,236,616 | $1,166,348 | $1,299,126 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $1,022,409 | $971,233 | $1,092,212 |
| Net Investment Income | $970,235 | $253,200 | — |
| Distributable Amount | $1,043,746 | $942,744 | $978,627 |
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
42 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include Wm Keck Observatory ($329,545), California Institute of Technology ($219,028), The Regents of the University of California ($209,508).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| CALIFORNIA INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY PASEDENA, CA | GENERAL | $219,028 |
| LOWELL OBSERVATORY FLAGSTAFF, AZ | GENERAL | $25,200 |
| MT CUBA ASTRONOMICAL OBSERVATORY - VERNON LECTURE WILMINGTON, DE | GENERAL | $31,449 |
| THE REGENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA SANTA CRUZ, CA | GENERAL | $209,508 |
| UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA TUCSON, AZ | GENERAL | $27,456 |
| WM KECK OBSERVATORY KAMUELA, HI | GENERAL | $329,545 |
| YALE ASTRONOMY NEW HAVEN, CT | GENERAL | $101,500 |
| UARIZONA FOUNDATION TUCSON, AZ | GENERAL | $8,200 |
| HENRY T SANDORD ELKTON, MD | SCHOLARSHIP | $3,000 |
| KATHRYN HART WILMINGTON, DE | SCHOLARSHIP | $1,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Officers and directors from IRS filings
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| THEODORE H ASHFORD | CHAIRMAN/TREASURER | 1 | — |
| THEODORE H ASHFORD III | SECRETARY | 1 | — |
| DANIEL D FRIEL JR | PRESIDENT | 1 | — |
| DAVE GROSKI | TRUSTEE | 1 | — |
| MARK PIRO | TRUSTEE | 1 | — |
Subject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Mt Cuba Astronomical Foundation?
Mt Cuba Astronomical Foundation is a private foundation focused on Science & Technology, based in WILMINGTON, DE. It holds $5.9M in total assets as of 2024.
How large is Mt Cuba Astronomical Foundation?
As of 2024, Mt Cuba Astronomical Foundation holds $5.9M in total assets with $1.2M in annual revenue. It awarded 14 grants totaling $964K in 2024.
Where does Mt Cuba Astronomical Foundation operate?
Mt Cuba Astronomical Foundation has awarded grants in Arizona, California, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Hawaii, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Minnesota, New Jersey, New Mexico, Nevada, Texas.
What size grants does Mt Cuba Astronomical Foundation award?
In 2024, Mt Cuba Astronomical Foundation awarded 14 grants totaling $964K — an average of about $69K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is Mt Cuba Astronomical Foundation required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, Mt Cuba Astronomical 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 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 2020–2024.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Mt Cuba Astronomical Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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Data last updated April 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings.
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