National Center for Families Learning Inc
National Center for Families Learning Inc (NCFL) is a public charity based in Louisville, Kentucky. It works to eradicate poverty through education solutions for families and supports multigenerational learning through family literacy, family engagement, family leadership, and community collaboration.
National Center for Families Learning Inc at a glance
In short: National Center for Families Learning Inc gave $736K across 29 grants in 2025 (avg $25K), top state Kentucky. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $736,010
- +98.9% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 29
- +262.5% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $25,380
- -45.1% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $20,000
- Total assets
- $20,575,567
- +6.6% vs 2024
- Primary geography
- Kentucky (45% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990, 2025; updated October 2026.
How to apply to National Center for Families Learning Inc
- How to Apply
-
The described initiatives use proposals or nominations, depending on the program.
- Review Cycle
- The listed deadlines for the Sharon Darling Innovation Fund cycle (May 1, 2023) and the Dollar General Early Literacy Initiative (June 22, 2026) have passed.
- Deadline
- The listed deadlines for the Sharon Darling Innovation Fund cycle (May 1, 2023) and the Dollar General Early Literacy…
- Next open deadline
- November 12, 2026 (Better World Books/NCFL Libraries and Families Award)
- Contact
Mailing address: 325 West Main Street 300, Louisville, KY 40202-4237
Phone: (502) 584-1133
Website: https://familieslearning.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Open Grants
3 open opportunities from National Center for Families Learning Inc
Better World Books/NCFL Libraries and Families Award
National Center for Families Learning Inc
Amount
$10,000
Deadline
Expected ~November
Based on past cycles
Toyota Family Literacy Teacher of the Year Award
National Center for Families Learning Inc
Amount
$7,500
Deadline
Deadline not published
Verizon Tech Savvy Awards
Listed byNational Center for Families Learning Inc
Amount
Varies
Deadline
Deadline not published
Who National Center for Families Learning Inc funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Bellevue Public Schools ($61K). Together the top 10 received $437K.
Grant Size Distribution
56 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 46 grants of 56 (82%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
NCFL describes its work as taking place across the United States and states a vision of developing coordinated family learning systems in 60 communities. In 2025, 45% of reported grant dollars went to recipients in Kentucky, 26% to Nebraska, 11% to Colorado, 6% to Arizona, and 3% to North Carolina.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 29 itemized grants.
States
Cities
How National Center for Families Learning Inc gives
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990 filings (2025). 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 2019 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $50K (2023) to $895K (2019). In 2025 it made 29 grants totaling $736K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Bellevue Public Schools Bellevue, NE | Literacy | $60,648 |
| Fayette County Public Schools Lexington, KY | Literacy | $55,000 |
| Kentucky Educational Development Corporation Ashland, KY | Literacy | $45,000 |
| YMCA of Greater Louisville Inc Louisville, KY | Literacy | $45,000 |
| Mesa County Valley School District Grand Junction, CO | Literacy | $44,892 |
| Avondale Elementary School District Avondale, AZ | Literacy | $41,947 |
| Somali Community of Louisville Inc Louisville, KY | Literacy | $40,000 |
| Marnel C Moorman Sr Family Life Center Shelbyville, KY | Literacy | $37,500 |
| Taylor County Board of Education Campbellsville, KY | Literacy | $37,500 |
| Adventurous Minds Produce Extraordinary Dreams Louisville, KY | Literacy | $30,000 |
Ready to take the next step with National Center for Families Learning Inc?
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
The 2025 filing reported 29 grants; the 2024 and 2023 filings reported 8 and 4 grants, respectively.
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Net Investment Income |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $20,575,567 | $12,164,588 | $12,257,779 | $736,010 | 29 | $501,351 |
| 2024 | $19,310,195 | $12,310,189 | $10,577,463 | $370,000 | 8 | $587,358 |
| 2023 | $16,315,028 | $9,799,383 | $9,190,611 | $50,000 | 4 | $362,880 |
| 2022 | $14,528,305 | $9,072,305 | $8,315,752 | $75,743 | 3 | $375,360 |
| 2021 | $16,159,024 | $7,570,588 | $7,331,646 | $580,112 | 12 | $361,974 |
| 2020 | $13,205,159 | $9,241,440 | $10,038,590 | $827,324 | 18 | $614,669 |
| 2019 | $14,173,089 | $8,172,132 | $9,106,210 | $894,500 | 18 | $664,656 |
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated October 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
NCFL’s stated mission is to eradicate poverty through education solutions for families. Its family literacy model combines adult education, children’s education, parent education, and interactive parent-child activities. Its family engagement work supports partnerships between families and practitioners, while its family leadership work helps parenting adults build skills to advocate for themselves, their families, and their communities. NCFL also supports community collaborations that align multigenerational learning services.
NCFL’s 2025 grants included public schools, school districts, education organizations, and community-based organizations. Examples include Somali Community of Louisville, whose stated mission is to help Somali individuals and families advocate for themselves and participate in the broader community; Thornhill Education Center, which provides adult education and GED preparation along with support and vocational services; and Literacy Center of West Michigan, which provides free contextualized literacy and English-language instruction to adults.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2025, NCFL reported 29 grants totaling $736,010. Grant amounts ranged from $5,434 to $60,648, with a median of $20,000. The largest listed awards included $60,648 to Bellevue Public Schools in Nebraska, $55,000 to Fayette County Public Schools in Kentucky, $45,000 each to Kentucky Educational Development Corporation and YMCA of Greater Louisville, and $44,892 to Mesa County Valley School District in Colorado. The stated purpose for each of these grants was literacy.
NCFL’s website has described several funding initiatives. The Sharon Darling Innovation Fund Family Learning System Challenge invited organizations—including adult education and early childhood programs, childcare centers, out-of-school-time programs, schools, school districts, and libraries—to propose innovations in family literacy, engagement, or leadership. Its listed proposal deadline was May 1, 2023, so that cycle has passed. A Family Learning Pathways to In-Demand STEM Careers initiative described three seed grants of up to $50,000 per eligible community for nine-month pilots, with training, resources, and technical assistance. The source does not provide an application deadline for that initiative.
The Dollar General Early Literacy Initiative lists early childhood programs as eligible and describes parent workshops and NCFL-created materials for selected programs. Its listed deadline was June 22, 2026, which has passed. The Toyota Family Literacy Teacher of the Year Award description provides for a $7,500 program award and conference attendance; it describes nominations by a program director or coordinator and a supporting statement from a parent or adult student. The page identifies it as the 13th annual iteration as of 2008, and does not provide a current application deadline.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists E Susan Gourley as chair of the board and Nicole Chestang as vice chair. Directors listed are Richard Barr, Sharon Darling, Deenie Espinoza, Vikki Katz, Christopher Lehman, Candy Magana, Houston Mills, and Meredith Parente.
National Center for Families Learning Inc is led by Felicia Cumings Smith, President & CEO since 2022 (on filings since 2021); 5 of 18 officers listed in 2025 are compensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Felicia Cumings Smith
President & CEO
Director → President & CEO, 2022
On filings since 2021
40 hrs/week
$70K (2022) → $291K (2025)
E. Susan Gourley
Chair of the Board
Director → Chair of the Board, 2024
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Sharon Darling
Director
President & Founder → President & CEO, 2022
President & CEO → Director, 2023
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
$269K (2019) → $0 (2025)
Tracy Teater
National Director
On filings since 2023
40 hrs/week
$113K (2023) → $132K (2025)
Christopher Lehman
Director
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Jay Warren
Director
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Mary Gwen Wheeler
Director
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Meredith M. Parente
Director
Vice Chair → Director, 2024
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Richard E. Barr
Director
Chairman of the Board → Director, 2024
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Vikki Katz
Director
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Deenie Espinoza
Director
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Holly Walters
Director
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Houston Mills
Director
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Candy Magana
Director
On filings since 2024
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Shea Coughlin
Senior Vice President
Vice President External Affairs → Senior Vice President, 2022
On filings since 2019
40 hrs/week
$105K (2019) → $154K (2025)
Marc Otte
Treasurer & CFO
Vice President Finance → Vice President & CFO, 2022
Vice President & CFO → Treasurer & CFO, 2024
On filings since 2020
40 hrs/week
$73K (2020) → $134K (2025)
Tony Peyton
Executive Vice President
On filings since 2023
40 hrs/week
$164K (2023) → $188K (2025)
Nicole M. Chestang
Vice Chair
Director → Vice Chair, 2024
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (5)
- Former: Denise Espinoza (2023) — Director
- Former: Barbara McDaniel (2019–2022) — Director
- Former: Jacquelyn Jackson Fleming (2019–2022) — Director
- Former: Josh Cramer (2019–2021) — Former Vice President
- Former: Jessie Hardison (2019–2020) — Cfo-Partial Year
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2019–2025. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Compensation Overview
From 2025 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2025 filing was $291K, to Felicia Cumings Smith (President & CEO). 5 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Frequently asked questions about National Center for Families Learning Inc
How much does National Center for Families Learning Inc give each year?
National Center for Families Learning Inc gave $736K across 29 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. In 2024 it gave $370K across 8 grants.
What is National Center for Families Learning Inc's typical grant size?
National Center for Families Learning Inc's median grant in 2025 was $20,000, and its average grant was $25,380, across 29 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990.
Where does National Center for Families Learning Inc give grants?
National Center for Families Learning Inc's top state is Kentucky, with 45% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990. The next largest states were Nebraska (26%) and Colorado (11%). The most frequent recipient cities were Louisville, KY (3 grants) and Omaha, NE (3 grants).
Does National Center for Families Learning Inc give general operating support?
Not in 2025: none of the 29 grants with a stated purpose on National Center for Families Learning Inc's 2025 IRS Form 990 were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Literacy" (29 grants).
Who are National Center for Families Learning Inc's largest grantees?
National Center for Families Learning Inc's largest 2025 grantees include Bellevue Public Schools ($60,648), Fayette County Public Schools ($55,000) and Kentucky Educational Development Corporation ($45,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. Together they received 22% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is National Center for Families Learning Inc?
National Center for Families Learning Inc reported $20.6M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Its revenue that year was $12.2M.
What does National Center for Families Learning Inc fund?
NCFL’s stated mission is to eradicate poverty through education solutions for families. Its family literacy model combines adult education, children’s education, parent education, and interactive parent-child activities. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from National Center for Families Learning Inc?
The described initiatives use proposals or nominations, depending on the program. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is National Center for Families Learning Inc's EIN?
National Center for Families Learning Inc's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 61-1159549. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2025.
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990 filings. Research dossier generated October 2026.
Data update history
(8)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS May 14, 2020)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS April 8, 2021)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS November 22, 2021)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS May 15, 2023)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS March 20, 2024)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS January 27, 2025)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS February 9, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2019–2025
Live grants for the work National Center for Families Learning Inc funds
Education Open opportunities, soonest deadline first.
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Browse active grant opportunities in National Center for Families Learning Inc's focus areas in our free grants database
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). National Center for Families Learning Inc funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 22, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/national-center-for-families-learning-inc-morg_c3a9adbddcca451faa1437d0fd830652
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_611159549_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{National Center for Families Learning Inc funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/national-center-for-families-learning-inc-morg_c3a9adbddcca451faa1437d0fd830652},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-22. 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 National Center for Families Learning Inc'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.
National Center for Families Learning Inc down — hundreds of funders to go?