The AJL Charitable Foundation
The AJL Charitable Foundation is a private foundation based in Denver, Colorado. Established in 2011 by Amy S. and John E. Lawton, it invests in people, programs, and movements that benefit Colorado’s youth and families through grantmaking, direct investing, and impact investing.
The AJL Charitable Foundation at a glance
In short: The AJL Charitable Foundation gave $1.0M across 46 grants in 2024 (avg $22K), mostly in Colorado. 70% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $1,034,540
- +92.6% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 46
- +76.9% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $22,490
- +8.9% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $20,000
- Total assets
- $15,839,164
- +0.2% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 70% first-time grantees (32 of 46, 2024)
- Primary geography
- Colorado (86% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to The AJL Charitable Foundation
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests. Its stated process begins with an LOI survey; staff review submissions and provide information to the grantmaking committee. If the committee approves an organization to apply, the foundation requests an application. Materials may include organizational information, geographic areas and communities served, program descriptions, evaluation methods, the current-year budget, and the previous three years of financial statements, with audited statements preferred. AJL says it considers organizations with budgets under $5 million. It does not fund research projects or support conferences, seminars, media events, or workshops unless they are integral to a broader program; it also excludes television and radio production and development and individual scholarships.
- Review Cycle
- AJL conducts one grantmaking cycle in the fall each year.
- Deadline
- AJL conducts one grantmaking cycle in the fall each year.
- Contact
Application contact: Ajl Charitable Foundation
Mailing address: 3295 Cook Street, Denver, CO 80205
Phone: (720) 308-4431
Email: kpetrie@ajlfoundation.org
Website: https://www.ajlfoundation.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Open Grants
1 open opportunity from The AJL Charitable Foundation
Who The AJL Charitable Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was AYA Foundation ($150K). Together the top 10 received $711K.
Grant Size Distribution
179 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 163 grants of 179 (91%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
AJL states that it primarily supports organizations serving youth and families in Metro Denver and the San Luis Valley. In its 2024 grantmaking, 86% of grant dollars went to recipients in Colorado and 14% to recipients in California; the filing also lists Virginia at 0%.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 46 itemized grants.
Cities
Is The AJL Charitable Foundation open to new grantees?
70%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 32 of 46 grantees (70%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $13K; repeat grants $43K. How we count
Medians: $3K first-time, $20K repeat.
- 13% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving grew 25% from 2021 to 2024. Method
- In 2024 it paid out 185% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2020–2024). 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 2020 to 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $537K (2023) to $1.0M (2024). In 2024 it made 46 grants totaling $1.0M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| AYA Foundation Denver, CO | General Operating Support | $150,000 |
| Fnd for Black Entrepreneurship Denver, CO | General Operating Support | $150,000 |
| The Denver Foundation Denver, CO | General Operating Support | $150,000 |
| Shriners Hospital for Children Sacramento, CA | General Operating Support | $85,000 |
| CASA De Amparo San Marcos, CA | General Operating Support | $50,000 |
| Colorado Nonprofit Development Ctr Denver, CO | General Operating Support | $40,000 |
| Hadanou Collective Denver, CO | General Operating Support | $23,000 |
| Conejos Clean Water Antonito, CO | General Operating Support | $22,500 |
| Art from Ashes Denver, CO | General Operating Support | $20,000 |
| Backpack Society Highlands Ranch, CO | General Operating Support | $20,000 |
Ready to take the next step with The AJL Charitable Foundation?
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Qualifying Distributions | Net Investment Income | Distributable Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $15,839,164 | $1,387,011 | $1,693,052 | $1,034,540 | 46 | $1,505,219 | $999,178 | $814,969 |
| 2023 | $15,802,945 | $745,257 | $1,031,298 | $537,122 | 26 | $809,110 | $523,070 | $957,230 |
| 2022 | $14,657,614 | $1,291,014 | $1,363,484 | $820,150 | 32 | $1,103,541 | $1,031,071 | $803,981 |
| 2021 | $19,087,716 | $1,272,685 | $1,280,596 | $827,000 | 33 | $1,254,804 | $971,893 | $933,658 |
| 2020 | $17,810,481 | $555,923 | $1,130,936 | $770,000 | 42 | — | $381,923 | $810,149 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The AJL Charitable Foundation reported a distributable amount of $815K for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
AJL’s mission is “to invest in people, programs and movements that benefit Colorado’s youth and families.” Its grantmaking criteria focus on nonprofit 501(c)(3) organizations serving marginalized youth and families in Colorado through education and human services. AJL looks for organizations that reflect the communities they serve and are community-led or heavily community-informed, and that demonstrate impact or potential impact. Its stated primary geographic priorities are Metro Denver and the San Luis Valley.
Examples of grantees’ work include AYA Foundation, whose stated mission is to support wealth-building in the Black community through education, training, networks, and funding; Art from Ashes, which says it empowers struggling youth through creative programs; and Center for Restorative Programs, which says it works to strengthen community in the San Luis Valley by bridging conflict and restoring relationships.
Grantmaking
In 2024, AJL reported 46 grants totaling $1,034,540. Grants ranged from $500 to $150,000, with a median of $20,000. The largest grants were $150,000 each to AYA Foundation, the Foundation for Black Entrepreneurship, and The Denver Foundation. Other notable awards included $85,000 to Shriners Hospital for Children and $50,000 to Casa de Amparo. The listed 2024 grants were primarily designated for general operating support.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Erin Creger as president; Darrell Schulte as vice president; William Donohue as treasurer; and Felisa Gonzales as secretary. Directors listed are Melisa Jaen, Christopher Melby, Colby Lawton, Julian Seelan, Scot Spencer, and Pui Kalyanamitra.
The AJL Charitable Foundation is led by Kristi A. Petrie, Co Executive Director since 2023 (on filings since 2020); 2 of 13 officers listed in 2024 are compensated.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Kristi A. Petrie
Co Executive Director
Executive Director → Co Executive Director, 2023
On filings since 2020
40 hrs/week
$122K (2020) → $159K (2024)
Alece H. M. Montez
Co Executive Director
On filings since 2023
40 hrs/week
$128K (2023) → $166K (2024)
Erin Creger
President
Director → President, 2021
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Christopher Melby
Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Julian Seelan
Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Melisa Jaen
Director
Secretary → Director, 2023
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Colby Lawton
Director
Treasurer → Director, 2023
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Flora Archuleta
Director
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Pui Kalyanamitra
Director
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Scot Spencer
Director
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Darrell Schulte
Vice President
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Felisa Gonzales
Secretary
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
William Donohue
Treasurer
New on the 2024 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (5)
- Former: Bill Donohue (2023) — Treasurer
- Former: Marjorie Rudden (2020–2022) — Director
- Former: Vincent Nguyen (2020–2022) — Director
- Former: John Lawton (2020) — President
- Former: Kathryn L. Mohrbacher (2020) — Treasurer
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2024. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2024 filing was $166K, to Alece H M Montez (Co Exec DIR). 2 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Frequently asked questions about The AJL Charitable Foundation
How much does The AJL Charitable Foundation give each year?
The AJL Charitable Foundation gave $1.0M across 46 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $537K across 26 grants.
What is The AJL Charitable Foundation's typical grant size?
The AJL Charitable Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $20,000, and its average grant was $22,490, across 46 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from The AJL Charitable Foundation that year got $13K on average.
Where does The AJL Charitable Foundation give grants?
The AJL Charitable Foundation gives mostly in Colorado: 86% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest state was California (14%). The most frequent recipient cities were Denver, CO (22 grants), Alamosa, CO (6 grants) and Aurora, CO (5 grants).
Does The AJL Charitable Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 85% of The AJL Charitable Foundation's 2024 grants with a stated purpose (39 of 46) were for general or operating support, per its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Recurring purposes include "Grant" (7 grants).
Who are The AJL Charitable Foundation's largest grantees?
The AJL Charitable Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include AYA Foundation ($150,000), Fnd for Black Entrepreneurship ($150,000) and The Denver Foundation ($150,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 43% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is The AJL Charitable Foundation?
The AJL Charitable Foundation reported $15.8M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $1.5M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $815K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does The AJL Charitable Foundation fund?
AJL’s mission is “to invest in people, programs and movements that benefit Colorado’s youth and families.” Its grantmaking criteria focus on nonprofit 501(c)(3) organizations serving marginalized youth and families in Colorado through education and human services. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The AJL Charitable Foundation?
The foundation states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is The AJL Charitable Foundation's EIN?
The AJL Charitable Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 45-0677796. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Does The AJL Charitable Foundation accept unsolicited proposals?
No, according to Grantable's research on the foundation's published guidelines. See how to apply ↑
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(6)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS November 12, 2021)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS November 14, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS August 28, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS October 1, 2024)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS June 5, 2025)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in The AJL Charitable Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). The AJL Charitable Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 14, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/the-ajl-charitable-foundation-morg_92672e451e0f412db72f97933d357d99
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_450677796_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{The AJL Charitable Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/the-ajl-charitable-foundation-morg_92672e451e0f412db72f97933d357d99},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-14. 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 The AJL Charitable 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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