Oberkotter Foundation
The Oberkotter Foundation is a private foundation based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, established in 1985 by Paul and Louise Oberkotter. The foundation is a 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to supporting children who are deaf or hard of hearing through listening and spoken language (LSL) intervention and related services. Since its founding, the foundation has distributed more than $500 million to programs throughout the United States.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$213.8M
+139.1% YoY
Annual Giving
$3.9M
-0.9% YoY
Grant Count
10
-28.6% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$389K
+38.8% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Oberkotter Foundation reported a distributable amount of $7.7M for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Mission & Focus Areas
Mission Statement: The Oberkotter Foundation helps families ensure their children who are deaf or hard of hearing have opportunities to reach their full potential through listening and spoken language.
Vision: The foundation envisions a future where quality pediatric audiology and listening and spoken language intervention is available and affordable for all children as close as possible to their birth or acquired hearing loss, and families and caregivers are empowered and equipped to effectively support their child's learning, language, and literacy development.
Core Beliefs: The foundation believes that early learning is critical to a child's language development and lifetime success, and that children who are deaf or hard of hearing should have the same opportunities as their hearing peers to capitalize on the critical early period for brain development.
Primary Focus Areas:
- Educational institutions and centers for the deaf using auditory/oral or auditory/verbal methods
- Research in hearing impairment using interdisciplinary resources
- Access to pediatric audiology services
- Listening and spoken language intervention programs
- Family navigation and support services
- Awareness and education about hearing loss in children
- Collaborative efforts and knowledge expansion in childhood hearing healthcare
Grantmaking
The foundation created a Scientific Council for Childhood Hearing to support these strategic priorities.
Grant Range
** $20,000 - $350,000
Invitation Only
** The foundation has shifted from accepting general unsolicited applications to a strategic, invitation-based approach. Currently, the foundation does not accept general unsolicited applications but may award grants outside of formal application windows.
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation operates with a national focus throughout the United States, supporting programs and initiatives across the country rather than limiting grants to a specific geographic region.
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
As of Fiscal Year Ending November 2024:
- Total Assets: $213.8 million
- Total Revenue: $150,007,629
- Total Expenses: $15,881,852
- Net Income: $134,125,777
- Total Liabilities: $20,400
- Number of Employees: 28
Tax-Exempt Status: Designated as a 501(c)(3) organization since December 1992 (EIN: 23-2686151). Donations are tax-deductible.
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $213,766,716 | $89,391,385 | $83,021,123 |
| Revenue | $150,007,629 | $23,640,065 | $23,009,013 |
| Expenses | $15,881,852 | $14,743,294 | $70,481,656 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $15,242,595 | $14,218,396 | $69,882,352 |
| Net Investment Income | $21,144,904 | $13,148,213 | $10,709,583 |
| Distributable Amount | $7,731,290 | $6,840,124 | $7,433,292 |
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
143 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include Ag Bell Association for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing ($2,440,000), Yale School of Medicine ($523,852), Mayo Clinic Rochester Division of Gastroenterology & Hepatology ($250,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| AG BELL ASSOCIATION FOR THE DEAF AND HARD OF HEARING WASHINGTON, DC | LSL SUPPORT-CHILDREN AND FAMILIES | $2,440,000 |
| ATLANTA SPEECH SCHOOL ATLANTA, GA | LSL SUPPORT-CHILDREN AND FAMILIES | $154,400 |
| CCHAT CENTER - SACRAMENTO RANCHO CORDOVA, CA | LSL SUPPORT-CHILDREN AND FAMILIES | $100,000 |
| CHILD'S VOICE WOOD DALE, IL | LSL SUPPORT-CHILDREN AND FAMILIES | $175,000 |
| FOUNDATION FOR HEARING RESEARCH INC WEINGARTEN CHILDREN'S CENTER REDWOOD CITY, CA | LSL SUPPORT-CHILDREN AND FAMILIES | $100,000 |
| HOPE SCHOOL SPOKANE, WA | LSL SUPPORT-CHILDREN AND FAMILIES | $20,550 |
| MAYO CLINIC ROCHESTER DIVISION OF GASTROENTEROLOGY & HEPATOLOGY ROCHESTER, MN | RESEARCH | $250,000 |
| THE HEARING AND SPEECH CENTER LEXINGTON, KY | LSL SUPPORT-CHILDREN AND FAMILIES | $25,000 |
| THE MOOG CENTER FOR DEAF EDUCATION ST LOUIS, MO | LSL SUPPORT-CHILDREN AND FAMILIES | $100,000 |
| YALE SCHOOL OF MEDICINE NEW HAVEN, CT | RESEARCH | $523,852 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
Executive Leadership Team:
- Teresa Caraway, Ph.D., CCC-SLP, LSLS Cert. AVT — Chief Executive Officer
- Jace Wolfe, Ph.D., CCC-A — Senior Vice President, Innovation
- Andrea Dunn, Au.D., Ph.D., CCC-A — Vice President, Programs
- Albert Suh, J.D. — Vice President, Administration & General Counsel
- Jennifer Ransley, MBA — Vice President, Hearing First
- Courtney Laub, CPA — Associate Vice President
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| TERESA CARAWAY | CEO | 40 | $508,104 |
| MILDRED L OBERKOTTER | TRUSTEE TO MAY 2024 | 1 | — |
| DAVID PIERSON | TRUSTEE | 10 | $75,000 |
| LYDIA DENWORTH | TRUSTEE | 10 | $75,000 |
| BRUCE ROSENFIELD | TRUSTEE | 10 | $100,000 |
Recent News & Activity
Recent developments and announcements
The foundation announced a new funding opportunity for family navigation programs designed to improve hearing healthcare access. This initiative reflects the foundation's strategic focus on increasing access to quality pediatric audiology and listening and spoken language services.
Oberkotter Foundation Announces New Funding Opportunity for ...The foundation marked 40 years of supporting listening and spoken language outcomes and unveiled a comprehensive plan to enhance pediatric hearing healthcare through its 2023-2027 strategic plan and organizational redesign released in 2024.
Oberkotter Foundation Unveils Plan to Enhance Pediatric Hearing HealthcareThe foundation has partnered with organizations such as the University of Texas at Dallas Callier Center to advance infant hearing identification and intervention programs.
Oberkotter Foundation Partners with Callier to Help Infants Hear - OfficeFrequently Asked Questions
What does Oberkotter Foundation fund?
**Mission Statement:** The Oberkotter Foundation helps families ensure their children who are deaf or hard of hearing have opportunities to reach their full potential through listening and spoken language. **Vision:** The foundation envisions a future where quality pediatric audiology and listening and spoken language intervention is available and affordable for all children as close as possible to their birth or acquired hearing loss, and families and caregivers are empowered and equipped to e…
How do I apply for a grant from Oberkotter Foundation?
**Grant Range:** $20,000 - $350,000 **Annual Giving:** $15.2 million (FY 2024) **Application Process:** The foundation has shifted from accepting general unsolicited applications to a strategic, invitation-based approach. Currently, the foundation does not accept general unsolicited applications but may award grants outside of formal application windows. **Decision Timeline:** Varies by program; the Navigator program notifies applicants in approximately 5 months. **Recent Grantees:** Past recip…
Where does Oberkotter Foundation make grants?
The foundation operates with a national focus throughout the United States, supporting programs and initiatives across the country rather than limiting grants to a specific geographic region.
What size grants does Oberkotter Foundation award?
In 2024, Oberkotter Foundation awarded 10 grants totaling $3.9M — an average of about $389K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is Oberkotter Foundation required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, Oberkotter Foundation reported a distributable amount of $7.7M on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is Oberkotter Foundation's EIN?
Oberkotter Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 23-2686151. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Oberkotter Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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Data last updated June 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
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