The Cielo Foundation
The Cielo Foundation is a private foundation based in Boulder, Colorado. It supports need-based scholarships for people pursuing trade and technical education, with the stated aim of helping them enter the job market quickly and competitively without going into debt.
The Cielo Foundation at a glance
In short: The Cielo Foundation gave $8.8M across 34 grants in 2024 (avg $258K), mostly in Kentucky. 66% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $8,760,703
- +22.7% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 34
- +47.8% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $257,668
- -17.0% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $4,885
- Total assets
- $68,615,562
- -8.6% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 66% first-time grantees (19 of 29, 2024)
- Primary geography
- Kentucky (97% 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 Cielo Foundation
- How to Apply
-
The foundation’s website provides an application in English. The filing lists the application materials as the applicant’s name and general information; school or certificate of interest; estimated program and book costs; program start and end dates; an essay response; letters of recommendation; FAFSA information, the latest year’s tax return, or previous year’s financial statements; and other information upon request. Spanish-language applications were described as forthcoming.
- Contact
Application contact: Cielo Scholarship Fund
Mailing address: 6658 Gunpark Drive Suite 202A, Boulder, CO 80301
Phone: (303) 449-4707
Website: https://cielosch.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who The Cielo Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Fidelity Charitable Gift Fund ($8.5M). Together the top 10 received $8.7M.
Organizations only. It also paid 6 individual scholarships ($16,872), which are not listed by name.
Grant Size Distribution
105 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 92 grants of 105 (88%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2024, 97% of grant dollars went to recipients listed in Kentucky and 2% to recipients in Colorado. The largest listed award went to Fidelity Charitable Gift Fund in Covington, Kentucky; the foundation’s listed scholarship grants include recipients in Colorado and other states.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 34 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is The Cielo Foundation open to new grantees?
66%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 19 of 29 grantees (66%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $7K; repeat grants $863K. How we count
Medians: $5K first-time, $9K repeat.
- 31% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving grew 34% from 2021 to 2024. Method
- In 2024 it paid out 201% 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 $6.0M (2020) to $8.8M (2024). In 2024 it made 34 grants totaling $8.8M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Fidelity Charitable Gift Fund Covington, KY | Donation | $8,525,000 |
| The Beauty Collective Lakewood, CO | Scholarship | $53,800 |
| CDL School - United States Truck Driving Wheat Ridge, CO | Scholarship | $39,805 |
| Accent Beauty Denver, CO | Scholarship | $23,250 |
| Gals Inc Laredo, TX | Scholarship | $10,861 |
| Colorado Advanced Esthetics Centennial, CO | Scholarship | $9,295 |
| Ibmc College Fort Collins, CO | Scholarship | $8,590 |
| School of Botanical & Medical Aesthetics Denver, CO | Scholarship | $8,590 |
| Ati Home Improvement Denver, CO | Scholarship | $7,860 |
| I Have a Dream New York, NY | Scholarship | $7,348 |
Ready to take the next step with The Cielo 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 | $68,615,562 | $3,937,354 | $9,586,715 | $8,760,703 | 34 | $8,871,976 | $3,089,566 | $4,405,617 |
| 2023 | $75,081,628 | $-1,301,187 | $8,106,855 | $7,139,938 | 23 | $7,248,090 | $523,112 | $4,351,693 |
| 2022 | $84,249,407 | $1,034,160 | $8,650,477 | $7,544,229 | 17 | $7,595,383 | $1,296,090 | $4,614,509 |
| 2021 | $91,518,762 | $7,665,188 | $7,483,100 | $6,558,965 | 11 | $6,602,275 | $6,773,605 | $5,001,450 |
| 2020 | $91,296,332 | $3,703,226 | $7,071,196 | $6,031,205 | 20 | — | $2,895,694 | $4,611,012 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Cielo Foundation reported a distributable amount of $4.4M 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
The foundation describes trade and technical schools as alternatives to traditional college and says vocational training can help students prepare for employment. Its website lists previously funded programs across areas including automotive training, beauty, business, computer science and IT, healthcare, skilled trades, and trucking, and says it will consider other trade, technical, and vocational programs.
Grantmaking
In 2024, the foundation reported 34 grants totaling $8,760,703. The median grant was $4,885; individual grants ranged from $50 to $8,525,000. The largest listed grant was $8,525,000 to Fidelity Charitable Gift Fund, designated as a donation. Other listed awards included scholarships of $53,800 to The Beauty Collective and $39,805 to CDL School – United States Truck Driving.
Scholarships are need-based, for trade school candidates rather than traditional college students, and cannot exceed $20,000. Recipients must attend class, receive passing grades, and complete a certificate. The foundation’s website says it is not currently accepting applications for esthetician programs.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Judith Cogen as president and Alan Cogen as vice president.
The Cielo Foundation is led by Judith Cogen, President on every filing since 2020; all 2 officers listed in 2024 are compensated.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Judith Cogen
President
On filings since 2020
3 hrs/week
$30K (2020) → $30K (2024)
Alan Cogen
Vice President
On filings since 2020
3 hrs/week
$30K (2020) → $30K (2024)
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 $30K, to Alan Cogen (Vice President). 2 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Frequently asked questions about The Cielo Foundation
How much does The Cielo Foundation give each year?
The Cielo Foundation gave $8.8M across 34 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $7.1M across 23 grants.
What is The Cielo Foundation's typical grant size?
The Cielo Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $4,885, and its average grant was $257,668, across 34 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from The Cielo Foundation that year got $7K on average.
Where does The Cielo Foundation give grants?
The Cielo Foundation gives mostly in Kentucky: 97% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Denver, CO (8 grants) and Centennial, CO (2 grants).
Does The Cielo Foundation give general operating support?
Not in 2024: none of the 34 grants with a stated purpose on The Cielo Foundation's 2024 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Scholarship" (33 grants).
Who are The Cielo Foundation's largest grantees?
The Cielo Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include Fidelity Charitable Gift Fund ($8,525,000), The Beauty Collective ($53,800) and CDL School - United States Truck Driving ($39,805), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It also paid 6 individual scholarships ($16,872), which are not listed by name. Together they received 98% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is The Cielo Foundation?
The Cielo Foundation reported $68.6M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $8.9M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $4.4M (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does The Cielo Foundation fund?
The foundation describes trade and technical schools as alternatives to traditional college and says vocational training can help students prepare for employment. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The Cielo Foundation?
The foundation’s website provides an application in English. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is The Cielo Foundation's EIN?
The Cielo Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 26-1166378. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
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
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