The Cardinal Foundation
The Cardinal Foundation is a private foundation based in Albuquerque, New Mexico. In 2024, it made 11 grants totaling $15,050 to charitable organizations, including for scholarships, veterans, cultural and educational programs, and services for people with disabilities.
The Cardinal Foundation at a glance
In short: The Cardinal Foundation gave $15K across 11 grants in 2024 (avg $1K), mostly in Nebraska. 9% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $15,050
- +216.8% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 11
- +175.0% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $1,368
- +15.2% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $500
- Total assets
- $140,886
- -15.5% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 9% first-time grantees (1 of 11, 2024; small sample)
- Primary geography
- Nebraska (50% 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 Cardinal 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.
- Contact
Mailing address: 6524 Lowell Ne, Albuquerque, NM 87111
Phone: (505) 379-9310
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who The Cardinal Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Creighton University ($8K). Together the top 10 received $15K.
Grant Size Distribution
62 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 62 grants of 62 (100%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation is based in Albuquerque, New Mexico. In 2024, 50% of grant dollars went to recipients in Nebraska, 33% to New Mexico, 7% to Florida, 5% to New York, and 3% to California.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 11 itemized grants.
Cities
Is The Cardinal Foundation open to new grantees?
9%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 1 of 11 grantees (9%) were first-time recipients. With only 11 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 9 points. First grants averaged $8K; repeat grants $755. How we count
Medians: $8K first-time, $500 repeat.
- 36% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2021 to 2024 (−18%). Method
- In 2024 it paid out 240% 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 $5K (2023) to $18K (2021). In 2024 it made 11 grants totaling $15K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Creighton University Omaha, NE | Ellyn Thompson Memorial Scholarship Fund | $7,500 |
| UNM Lobo Club Albuquerque, NM | Athletic Scholarships for Students | $2,000 |
| Rio Grande Foundation Albuquerque, NM | Increasing Liberty & Prosperity | $1,000 |
| Wounded Warrior Project Jacksonville, FL | To Honor and Empower Wounded Warriors | $1,000 |
| Stephen Siller Tunnel to Towers Foundation Staten Island, NY | To Honor the Sacrifice of Firefighter Stephen Siller | $750 |
| Albuquerque Museum Foundation Albuquerque, NM | Further Cultural/Education Programs | $500 |
| Arca Albuquerque, NM | To Open Doors for People with Developmental Disabilities | $500 |
| Joy Junction Albuquerque, NM | To strengthen families and empower individuals to re-enter the workforce, breaking the cycle of homelessness | $500 |
| Paws for Purple Hearts Penngrove, CA | To Support Veterans. | $500 |
| Special Olympics New Mexico Albuquerque, NM | To provide sports training and competition for people with mental challenges | $500 |
Ready to take the next step with The Cardinal 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 | $140,886 | $8,342 | $20,241 | $15,050 | 11 | $16,995 | $5,096 | $7,095 |
| 2023 | $166,730 | $2,878 | $9,934 | $4,750 | 4 | $6,673 | — | $6,947 |
| 2022 | $132,330 | $2,930 | $19,795 | $14,550 | 19 | $16,377 | — | $8,749 |
| 2021 | $153,320 | $21,539 | $23,777 | $18,250 | 18 | $19,941 | $17,987 | $8,517 |
| 2020 | $155,558 | $23,692 | $12,067 | $7,200 | 10 | — | $20,417 | $8,092 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Cardinal Foundation reported a distributable amount of $7K 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
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2024 grants went to organizations whose own descriptions include higher education and scholarships, veterans’ services, public-policy research and education, cultural programs, support for people with disabilities, and sports programs for people with intellectual disabilities.
For example, Creighton University describes itself as a Catholic and Jesuit comprehensive university. The Wounded Warrior Project describes its work as supporting the well-being of post-9/11 veterans, service members, and their families. Special Olympics New Mexico says it provides year-round sports training and competition for children and adults with intellectual disabilities.
Grantmaking
In 2024, the foundation gave $15,050 through 11 grants. Grants ranged from $300 to $7,500, with a median of $500. The largest grants were $7,500 to Creighton University for the Ellyn Thompson Memorial Scholarship Fund and $2,000 to the UNM Lobo Club for athletic scholarships. Other grants included $1,000 each to the Rio Grande Foundation for “increasing liberty & prosperity” and the Wounded Warrior Project to honor and empower wounded warriors. The Albuquerque Museum Foundation, ARCA, Joy Junction, Paws for Purple Hearts, and Special Olympics New Mexico each received $500; the University of Wyoming Foundation received $300 for its Shane C. Siegfried Memorial Scholarship Fund. The Stephen Siller Tunnel to Towers Foundation received $750.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Ann E Travelstead as president and director; Christopher C Travelstead and Benjamin G J Travelstead as vice presidents and directors; and Charles W Travelstead as secretary/treasurer.
The Cardinal Foundation is led by Ann E. Travelstead, President & Director on every filing since 2020; none of the 4 officers listed in 2024 report compensation.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Ann E. Travelstead
President & Director
On filings since 2020
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Benjamin G. J. Travelstead
Vice President & Director
On filings since 2020
0.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Christopher C. Travelstead
Vice President & Director
On filings since 2020
0.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Charles W. Travelstead
Secretary & Treasurer
On filings since 2020
0.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
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.
Frequently asked questions about The Cardinal Foundation
How much does The Cardinal Foundation give each year?
The Cardinal Foundation gave $15K across 11 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $5K across 4 grants.
What is The Cardinal Foundation's typical grant size?
The Cardinal Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $500, and its average grant was $1,368, across 11 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from The Cardinal Foundation that year got $8K on average.
Where does The Cardinal Foundation give grants?
The Cardinal Foundation gives mostly in Nebraska: 50% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest states were New Mexico (33%) and Florida (7%). The most frequent recipient cities were Albuquerque, NM (6 grants).
Does The Cardinal Foundation give general operating support?
Not in 2024: none of the 11 grants with a stated purpose on The Cardinal Foundation's 2024 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support.
Who are The Cardinal Foundation's largest grantees?
The Cardinal Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include Creighton University ($7,500), UNM Lobo Club ($2,000) and Rio Grande Foundation ($1,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 70% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is The Cardinal Foundation?
The Cardinal Foundation reported $141K in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $17K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $7K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does The Cardinal Foundation fund?
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The Cardinal 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 Cardinal Foundation's EIN?
The Cardinal Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 26-3867156. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Does The Cardinal 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
(1)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in The Cardinal Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
Similar Funders
Funders with grantees in common, and similar funders in New Mexico
Albuquerque Community Foundation
Albuquerque, NM
The Albuquerque Community Foundation funds nonprofit work in health care, human services, arts and culture, education, environment and historic preservation, and economic and workforce development, serving Bernalillo, Sandoval, Torrance, and Valencia counties. Its 2024 grants had a median of $16,000 and ranged from $5,200 to $663,352; its annual grant cycle has a minimum award of $10,000.
Assets
$160.6M
Grants
245
Total Given
$6.9M
Dreamspring
Albuquerque, NM
DreamSpring primarily provides loans, training, and business support to underserved entrepreneurs and small businesses, rather than grants; recent filings report no grants, though a 2020 grant of $15,000 is recorded. It serves entrepreneurs in 27 states, and no typical grant size or process for unsolicited grant requests is stated.
Assets
$66.4M
Grants
356
Total Given
$4.8M
Santa Fe Community Foundation
Santa Fe, NM
The Santa Fe Community Foundation funds 501(c)(3) nonprofits working in health, education, economic opportunity, the environment, arts and culture, and other community priorities; its main focus is Mora, Rio Arriba, San Miguel, and Santa Fe counties, though some funds support work statewide. In 2024, grants ranged from $5,250 to $1,517,500, with a median of $16,006. It accepts proposals through competitive grant cycles and fund-specific opportunities; no grants were open at the time described.
Assets
$144.1M
Grants
302
Total Given
$12.4M
PNM TNMP Foundation
Albuquerque, NM
The PNM TNMP Foundation supports nonprofits working in education, environmental stewardship, and economic vitality, with grants also benefiting a range of community services. It funds organizations in New Mexico and Texas; 2024 grants ranged from $500 to $75,000, with a median grant of $5,000. Its website provides an application for the 2026 PNM Power Grant, but the profile does not explicitly state whether it accepts unsolicited requests.
Assets
$14.2M
Grants
169
Total Given
$1.3M
JF Maddox Foundation
Hobbs, NM
The JF Maddox Foundation funds education, community development, and social services projects that benefit residents of Lea County, New Mexico, including work by public charities and government entities. Grants vary widely; its 2024 filing shows a median award of $5,000, and it accepts unsolicited requests through an online application.
Assets
$247.3M
Grants
159
Total Given
$4.2M
Thornburg Foundation
Santa Fe, NM
The Thornburg Foundation supports New Mexico nonprofits working on education, water, land and agriculture, good governance, federal funding, homelessness, and community needs. In 2024, grants ranged from $1,000 to $225,000, with a median of $25,000; most funding went to New Mexico. It does not accept unsolicited requests and funds preselected organizations.
Assets
$179.4M
Grants
144
Total Given
$6.4M
More similar funders
More Funders in New Mexico
The filing figures on this page are open data under CC BY 4.0. About GrantGraph Open
Figures come from The Cardinal 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.
The Cardinal Foundation down — hundreds of funders to go?