National Confectioners Association of the United States Inc
The National Confectioners Association (NCA) is a Washington, DC-based public charity that describes itself as the voice and champion of the U.S. confectionery industry. It supports industry-related advocacy and communications, member education and services, and data and research, and its 2025 filing reports grants to businesses and organizations.
National Confectioners Association of the United States Inc at a glance
In short: National Confectioners Association of the United States Inc gave $964K across 33 grants in 2025 (avg $29K), top state District of Columbia. 55% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $964,361
- +10.5% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 33
- +32.0% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $29,223
- -16.3% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $20,000
- Total assets
- $50,170,809
- +14.5% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 55% first-time grantees (18 of 33, 2025)
- Primary geography
- District of Columbia (24% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990, 2025; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to National Confectioners Association of the United States Inc
- How to Apply
-
NCA’s website describes an application process for MAP, not a general grant application process. MAP applicants submit an application and country marketing plan form; applicants must meet the program’s eligibility requirements, and marketing activities must be approved before they take place to qualify.
- Review Cycle
- MAP applications are accepted September 1 through November 15 for the following year. Applications may also be accepted during the year depending on funding availability.
- Deadline
- MAP applications are accepted September 1 through November 15 for the following year.
- Contact
Mailing address: 1101 30Th Street Nw 200, Washington, DC 20007
Phone: (202) 534-1440
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who National Confectioners Association of the United States Inc funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Brown & Haley ($149K). Together the top 10 received $616K.
Grant Size Distribution
105 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 81 grants of 105 (77%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
NCA’s 2025 grant dollars went to recipients in multiple states. The largest shares were reported for Washington, DC (24%), Washington (15%), Virginia (14%), Indiana (9%), and Wisconsin (5%).
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 33 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is National Confectioners Association of the United States Inc open to new grantees?
55%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 18 of 33 grantees (55%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $27K; repeat grants $32K. How we count
Medians: $19K first-time, $20K repeat.
- 42% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2022 to 2025 (+5%). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990 filings (2019–2025). 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 $514K (2019) to $964K (2025). In 2025 it made 33 grants totaling $964K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Brown & Haley Tacoma, WA | Reimbursement for the branded program under the map and atp | $149,073 |
| Treasurer of the United States Washington, DC | 24 WH Holiday Sponsorship | $100,000 |
| The Ginger Network Arlington, VA | 25 Foodfluence Sponsorship | $62,500 |
| Albanese Confections Merrillville, IN | Reimbursement for the Branded Program Under the Map | $59,699 |
| Univ of Wisc Foundation Milwaukee, WI | Pledge '24 Candy School | $50,000 |
| Vermints Inc Braintree, MA | Reimbursement for the Branded Program Under the Map | $47,634 |
| Original Gourmet Salem, NH | Reimbursement for the Branded Program Under the Map | $42,000 |
| Great Valley Publishing Valley Forge, PA | Dietician Symposium Sponsor | $39,655 |
| Windy City Productions Falls Church, VA | Democratic Conv Sponsorship | $35,000 |
| American Licorice Laporte, IN | Reimbursement for the Branded Program Under the Map | $30,000 |
Ready to take the next step with National Confectioners Association of the United States Inc?
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Net Investment Income |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $50,170,809 | $32,507,417 | $28,628,284 | $964,361 | 33 | $1,972,359 |
| 2024 | $43,821,944 | $28,522,504 | $24,274,322 | $872,738 | 25 | $1,475,358 |
| 2023 | $37,474,869 | $22,678,105 | $20,839,004 | $844,760 | 19 | $533,679 |
| 2022 | $30,411,503 | $18,291,309 | $18,351,190 | $918,835 | 16 | $607,626 |
| 2021 | $25,574,991 | $16,406,332 | $14,481,523 | $797,354 | 12 | $648,214 |
| 2019 | $22,975,993 | $20,800,363 | $18,895,671 | $513,550 | 26 | $517,573 |
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated October 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
NCA’s stated mission is to serve as the trusted voice and champion of the confectionery industry, creating opportunities for candy makers and related stakeholders. In its 2024 filing, NCA describes three program areas: advocacy and communications to promote and protect the industry in legislative and regulatory arenas; conventions and member services to educate members; and data and research to help the industry understand markets and consumer needs.
The 2025 grants include reimbursements for branded marketing programs, sponsorships, and support for a candy school and professional events. Among supported organizations, the National Press Foundation says its mission is to increase journalists’ knowledge of complex issues and encourage excellence in journalism; the National Consumers League says it works to advance social and economic justice for consumers and workers; and the Council of State Governments describes itself as a nonpartisan community connecting and supporting public servants in state government.
Grantmaking
NCA reported 33 grants totaling $964,361 in filing year 2025. Grant amounts ranged from $6,240 to $149,073, with a median of $20,000. The largest listed grants included $149,073 to Brown & Haley for reimbursement under the Market Access Program (MAP) and ATP; $100,000 to the Treasurer of the United States for a White House holiday sponsorship; and $62,500 to The Ginger Network for a Foodfluence sponsorship. Other listed awards included $59,699 to Albanese Confections for MAP reimbursement and $50,000 to the University of Wisconsin Foundation for a Candy School pledge.
Additional 2025 recipients included CropLife America ($25,000), the National Press Foundation ($20,000), the National Consumers League ($20,000), and the Council of State Governments ($15,000). NCA’s website describes MAP as a USDA-funded program that reimburses 50% of qualified international marketing expenses for eligible small U.S. confectionery businesses. The MAP reimbursements shown in the filing are distinct from the other listed sponsorships and grants.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Tony Jacobs as chairman, James G. Hagedorn as vice chairman, and Martin B. Palmer as treasurer. It also lists Carrie Abbott, Joel Burrows, Sylvia Buxton, Brent Cotten, Alanna Cotton, Patrick Egan, and Mitchell T. Goetze as members.
National Confectioners Association of the United States Inc is led by John H. Downs Jr., President & CEO on every filing since 2019; 9 of 35 officers listed in 2025 are compensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
John H. Downs Jr.
President & CEO
On filings since 2019
40 hrs/week
$1.1M (2019) → $1.6M (2025)
Tony Jacobs
Chairman
Vice Chairman → Chairman, 2024
On filings since 2022
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Chris Gindlesperger
Senior Vice President of Pub. Aff. & Committee
Vice President, Public Affairs & Comms → Senior Vice President of Public Affairs & Committee, 2021
Senior Vice President of Public Affairs & Committee → Senior Vice President of Pub. Aff. & Committee, 2024
On filings since 2019
40 hrs/week
$250K (2019) → $468K (2025)
Elise Fennig
Chief of Staff & Senior Vice President of
Chief of Staff & Senior Vice President of Op. → Chief of Staff & Senior Vice President of Ops., 2024
Chief of Staff & Senior Vice President of Ops. → Chief of Staff & Senior Vice President of, 2025
On filings since 2019
40 hrs/week
$282K (2019) → $521K (2025)
Susan Whiteside
Vice President of Integrated Mkting & Committee
Vice President & Public Relations → Vice President of Integrated Marketing & Committee, 2021
Vice President of Integrated Marketing & Committee → Vice President of Integrated Mkting & Committee, 2023
On filings since 2019
40 hrs/week
$202K (2019) → $318K (2025)
Tracy Thompson
Vice President & Finance
On filings since 2019
40 hrs/week
$193K (2019) → $271K (2025)
Steve McCroddan
Chief Financial Officer
On filings since 2021
40 hrs/week
$41K (2021) → $279K (2025)
Brian McKeon
Senior Vice President of Public Policy
On filings since 2023
40 hrs/week
$454K (2023) → $533K (2025)
Farida Mohamedshah
Senior Vice President Scientific & Reg. A
Senior Vice President Scientific & Reg. Affairs → Senior Vice President Scientific & Reg. A, 2025
On filings since 2023
40 hrs/week
$268K (2023) → $339K (2025)
Lynn Wylie
Vice President & Industry Affairs
On filings since 2023
40 hrs/week
$218K (2023) → $288K (2025)
Ellen R. Gordon
Member
On filings since 2019
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
James G. Hagedorn
Vice Chairman
Member → Vice Chairman, 2024
On filings since 2019
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Martin B. Palmer
Treasurer
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Michael G. Rosenberg
Member
Chairman → Member, 2024
On filings since 2019
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Rick Laberge
Member
On filings since 2019
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Robert A. Nelson
Member
On filings since 2019
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Sylvia Buxton
Member
On filings since 2019
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Anton Vincent
Member
On filings since 2021
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Carrie Abbott
Member
On filings since 2021
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Alanna Cotton
Member
On filings since 2023
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Ed Schultz
Member
On filings since 2023
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Joel Burrows
Member
On filings since 2023
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Laura King
Member
On filings since 2023
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Maryann Walburn
Member
On filings since 2023
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Michael Tierney
Member
On filings since 2023
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Mitchell T. Goetze
Member
On filings since 2023
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Patrick Egan
Member
On filings since 2023
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Richard Ross
Member
On filings since 2023
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Tish Pahl
Member
On filings since 2023
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Brent Cotten
Member
On filings since 2024
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Ira Shandarivska
Member
On filings since 2024
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
John R. Kretchmer
Member
On filings since 2024
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Mark Okita
Member
On filings since 2024
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Stephanie Stuckey
Member
On filings since 2024
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Steve Gohde
Member
On filings since 2024
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (48)
- Former: John E. Brooks Jr. (2022–2024) — Member
- Former: Julia Birnn Fields (2022–2024) — Member
- Former: Rachel Sweet (2022–2024) — Member
- Former: Sarah Atkinson (2022–2024) — Member
- Former: Troy Parris Pearley (2022–2024) — Member
- Former: Lisa Rowland Brasher (2019–2023) — Member
- Former: Barry Rosenbaum (2021–2023) — Chairman
- Former: Chuck Raup (2021–2023) — Member
- Former: Joe P. Donnelly III (2021–2023) — Member
- Former: Joseph Melville (2021–2023) — Member
- Former: Matthew J. Pye (2021–2023) — Member
- Former: Terrence J. Rooney (2021–2023) — Member
- Former: Greg M. Guidotti (2022–2023) — Member
- Former: Iryna Shandarivska (2023) — Member
- Former: Peter W. Blommer (2023) — Member
- Former: Larry Wilson (2019–2022) — Vice President & Industry Affairs
- Former: Liz Clark (2019–2022) — Senior Vice President of Pub. Pol.
- Former: Paul Chibe (2019–2022) — Chairman
- Former: Daniel Studer (2021–2022) — Member
- Former: Debra Miller (2021–2022) — Senior Vice President Sci. & Reg. Aff.
- Former: Filip Buggenhout (2021–2022) — Member
- Former: Graham Nice (2021–2022) — Member
- Former: Jean J. Thompson (2021–2022) — Member
- Former: Mark Schlott (2021–2022) — Member
- Former: Rick Brindle (2021–2022) — Member
- Former: James Klein (2022) — Member
- Former: Joseph F. Dutra (2019–2021) — Member
- Former: Kirkland B. Vashaw (2019–2021) — Chairman
- Former: Torie Burke (2019–2021) — Member
- Former: Douglas Simons Sr. (2021) — Member
- Former: Estee Farber (2021) — Member
- Former: Michael Sayles (2021) — Member
- Former: Andreas Pfluger (2019) — Member
- Former: Berta De Pablos-Barbier (2019) — Member
- Former: David L. Yale (2019) — Member
- Former: Doug Simons (2019) — Member
- Former: James H. Heinz (2019) — Member
- Former: Jeffery A. Rome (2019) — Member
- Former: Keith Sakamoto (2019) — Member
- Former: Libby Taylor (2019) — Vice President, Meetings & Membership
- Former: Michael Brandstaedter (2019) — Member
- Former: Rick Kay (2019) — Member
- Former: Robert Taylor Jr. (2019) — Member
- Former: Ronald Sconza (2019) — Member
- Former: Ted J. Cohen (2019) — Member
- Former: Tim Fogerty (2019) — Member
- Former: Todd Tillemans (2019) — Member
- Former: Tom Polke (2019) — Member
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 $1.6M, to John Downs (President & CEO). 9 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Frequently asked questions about National Confectioners Association of the United States Inc
How much does National Confectioners Association of the United States Inc give each year?
National Confectioners Association of the United States Inc gave $964K across 33 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. In 2024 it gave $873K across 25 grants.
What is National Confectioners Association of the United States Inc's typical grant size?
National Confectioners Association of the United States Inc's median grant in 2025 was $20,000, and its average grant was $29,223, across 33 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Organizations receiving their first grant from National Confectioners Association of the United States Inc that year got $27K on average.
Where does National Confectioners Association of the United States Inc give grants?
National Confectioners Association of the United States Inc's top state is District of Columbia, with 24% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990. The next largest states were Washington (15%) and Virginia (14%). The most frequent recipient cities were Washington, DC (9 grants) and Arlington, VA (2 grants).
Does National Confectioners Association of the United States Inc give general operating support?
Not in 2025: none of the 33 grants with a stated purpose on National Confectioners Association of the United States Inc's 2025 IRS Form 990 were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Reimbursement for the Branded Program Under the Map" (12 grants) and "Contribution" (3 grants).
Who are National Confectioners Association of the United States Inc's largest grantees?
National Confectioners Association of the United States Inc's largest 2025 grantees include Brown & Haley ($149,073), Treasurer of the United States ($100,000) and The Ginger Network ($62,500), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. Together they received 32% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is National Confectioners Association of the United States Inc?
National Confectioners Association of the United States Inc reported $50.2M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Its revenue that year was $32.5M.
What does National Confectioners Association of the United States Inc fund?
NCA’s stated mission is to serve as the trusted voice and champion of the confectionery industry, creating opportunities for candy makers and related stakeholders. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from National Confectioners Association of the United States Inc?
NCA’s website describes an application process for MAP, not a general grant application process. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is National Confectioners Association of the United States Inc's EIN?
National Confectioners Association of the United States Inc's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 36-1521980. 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
(7)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS January 9, 2020)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS December 3, 2021)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS September 23, 2022)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS January 16, 2024)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS December 3, 2024)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS October 22, 2025)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2019–2025
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). National Confectioners Association of the United States Inc funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 4, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/national-confectioners-association-of-the-united-states-inc-morg_45306f352d3d45bda6d41481fb4c8cd9
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_361521980_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{National Confectioners Association of the United States Inc funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/national-confectioners-association-of-the-united-states-inc-morg_45306f352d3d45bda6d41481fb4c8cd9},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-04. 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 Confectioners Association of the United States 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.
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