The Commonwealth Foundation for Public Policy Alternatives
The commonwealth foundation transforms free-market ideas into public policies, empowering all pennsylvanians to thrive.
The Commonwealth Foundation for Public Policy Alternatives at a glance
In short: The Commonwealth Foundation for Public Policy Alternatives gave $75K across 3 grants in 2025 (avg $25K), mostly in Virginia. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $75,000
- -63.6% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 3
- -50.0% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $25,000
- -27.2% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $20,000
- Total assets
- $11,045,525
- +61.1% vs 2024
- Primary geography
- Virginia (53% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990, 2025; updated September 2026.
Who The Commonwealth Foundation for Public Policy Alternatives funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 3 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Donors Trust ($40K). Together the top 3 received $75K.
Grant Size Distribution
24 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 21 grants of 24 (88%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 3 itemized grants.
Cities
How The Commonwealth Foundation for Public Policy Alternatives gives
- Giving fell 29% from 2022 to 2025. Method
From the foundation's IRS Form 990 filings. Methodology.
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2019 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $2K (2020) to $266K (2023). In 2025 it made 3 grants totaling $75K.
Hatched bars: grants paid as reported on the IRS filing, which lists no individual grants for that year.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Donors Trust Alexandria, VA | Please See Schedule I-Part IV-Supplemental Information | $40,000 |
| Pa Families for Education Choice Pittsburgh, PA | Please See Schedule I-Part IV-Supplemental Information | $20,000 |
| Talent Market Mount Pleasant, SC | Please See Schedule I-Part IV-Supplemental Information | $15,000 |
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Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Net Investment Income |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $11,045,525 | $12,034,533 | $8,874,444 | $75,000 | 3 | $287,166 |
| 2024 | $6,856,601 | $12,137,868 | $10,993,169 | $206,053 | 6 | $329,620 |
| 2023 | $5,691,370 | $9,554,022 | $9,040,362 | $265,800 | 3 | $205,635 |
| 2022 | $5,120,050 | $8,505,576 | $8,227,600 | $106,181 | 6 | $27,431 |
| 2021 | $4,571,108 | $7,295,526 | $7,265,423 | $136,856 | 6 | $376 |
| 2020 | $4,161,411 | $5,578,694 | $5,451,336 | $2,250 | Total only | $20,532 |
| 2019 | $3,921,436 | $5,704,965 | $4,301,074 | $10,000 | 1 | $14,407 |
"Total only": grants paid as reported on the IRS filing, which lists no individual grants for that year.
About The Commonwealth Foundation for Public Policy Alternatives
Based on IRS filings
The Commonwealth Foundation for Public Policy Alternatives is a public charity focused on public and societal benefit, based in Harrisburg, PA. IRS filing data is available from 2019 through 2025. As of 2025, the organization holds $11.0M in total assets. In 2025, it awarded 3 grants totaling $75K. Net investment income was $287K.
Focus Areas
Leadership & Key People
Officers and directors from IRS filings
The Commonwealth Foundation for Public Policy Alternatives is led by Andrew J. Lewis, President & CEO on every filing since 2024; 11 of 20 officers listed in 2025 are compensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Andrew J. Lewis
President & CEO
On filings since 2024
40 hrs/week
$82K (2025)
George Gh Coates Jr.
Director & Chair
Director, Chairman & Treasurer → Director & Chairman, 2022
Director & Chairman → Director & Chair, 2024
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Abbey Haslam
Director of Government Affairs
On filings since 2023
40 hrs/week
$116K (2023) → $123K (2025)
James Miller
Digital Marketing Director
On filings since 2023
40 hrs/week
$122K (2023) → $118K (2025)
Kevin Kane
Director of Legislative Strategy
On filings since 2023
40 hrs/week
$100K (2023) → $112K (2025)
David Osborne
Senior Director of Labor Policy
Senior Fellow → Senior Director of Labor Policy, 2025
On filings since 2024
40 hrs/week
$113K (2024) → $114K (2025)
Brittney N. Paul
Director
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
C. Bruce Kern II
Director & Secretary
Director → Director & Secretary, 2023
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Gerard Alexander
Director
Director → Director & Treasurer, 2022
Director & Treasurer → Director, 2024
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Montgomery B. Brown
Director
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Thomas E. Beach
Director
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Emily Wk Cox
Director
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Sarah Y. Simkiss
Director
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
William E. Sordoni
Director & Treasurer
Director → Director & Treasurer, 2025
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Nathan A. Benefield
Chief Policy Officer
Vice President, COO & Secretary → Senior Vice President, 2022
Senior Vice President → Chief Policy Officer, 2025
On filings since 2019
40 hrs/week
$157K (2019) → $221K (2025)
Elizabeth Stelle
Vice President of Policy
Employee → Director of Policy Analysis, 2023
Director of Policy Analysis → Vice President of Policy, 2025
On filings since 2022
40 hrs/week
$108K (2022) → $125K (2025)
Mark R. Wilson
Chief Financial Officer
On filings since 2022
40 hrs/week
$78K (2025)
C. Roger Custerthru
Vice President
New on the 2025 filing
40 hrs/week
$75K (2025)
Erik M. Telfordthru
Senior Vice President
New on the 2025 filing
40 hrs/week
$109K (2025)
Megan L.
COO & General Counsel
New on the 2025 filing
40 hrs/week
$14K (2025)
Former officers (18)
- Former: Stephen L. Bloom (2019–2025) — Senior Vice President · Filing note: Thru 41625
- Former: Charles F. Mitchell (2019–2024) — President
- Former: Jennifer T. Stefano (2019–2024) — Executive Vice President
- Former: C. Roger Custer (2022–2024) — Vice President
- Former: Erik M. Telford (2023–2024) — Senior Vice President
- Former: Devon E. Liddell (2019–2023) — Director & Secretary
- Former: Kelsey Philie (2022–2023) — Director of Marketing
- Former: John Bouder (2020–2022) — Employee
- Former: Eric W. Heidenreich (2021–2022) — Employee
- Former: Bill Sordoni (2022) — Director
- Former: Elise M. Westhoff (2019–2021) — Director · Filing note: Term ended 430
- Former: Robert L. Ecklin Jr. (2019–2021) — Director · Filing note: Term ended 430
- Former: Devon E. Liddell Sec (2021) — Director & Secretary
- Former: George Gh Coates Jrtreas To (2021) — Director, Chairman & Treasurer
- Former: Gerard Alexander Treas (2021) — Director & Treasurer
- Former: Nathan A. Benefield Sec To (2021) — Vice President
- Former: John F. Bitzer Iii Resign (2019) — Director
- Former: Jonathan S. Dearmentresign (2019) — Director
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 $227K, to Stephen L Bloom Thru 41625 (Senior Vice President). 12 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Frequently asked questions about The Commonwealth Foundation for Public Policy Alternatives
How much does The Commonwealth Foundation for Public Policy Alternatives give each year?
The Commonwealth Foundation for Public Policy Alternatives gave $75K across 3 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. In 2024 it gave $206K across 6 grants.
What is The Commonwealth Foundation for Public Policy Alternatives's typical grant size?
The Commonwealth Foundation for Public Policy Alternatives's median grant in 2025 was $20,000, and its average grant was $25,000, across 3 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990.
Where does The Commonwealth Foundation for Public Policy Alternatives give grants?
The Commonwealth Foundation for Public Policy Alternatives gives mostly in Virginia: 53% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990 went to recipients there. The next largest states were Pennsylvania (27%) and South Carolina (20%).
Does The Commonwealth Foundation for Public Policy Alternatives give general operating support?
Not in 2025: none of the 3 grants with a stated purpose on The Commonwealth Foundation for Public Policy Alternatives's 2025 IRS Form 990 were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Please See Schedule I-Part IV-Supplemental Information" (3 grants).
How large is The Commonwealth Foundation for Public Policy Alternatives?
The Commonwealth Foundation for Public Policy Alternatives reported $11.0M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Its revenue that year was $12.0M.
What is The Commonwealth Foundation for Public Policy Alternatives?
The Commonwealth Foundation for Public Policy Alternatives is a public charity focused on public and societal benefit, based in Harrisburg, PA. It holds $11.0M in total assets as of 2025.
What is The Commonwealth Foundation for Public Policy Alternatives's EIN?
The Commonwealth Foundation for Public Policy Alternatives's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 23-2473845. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2025.
Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990 filings.
Data update history
(8)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS August 15, 2022)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS August 11, 2023)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS August 11, 2025)
- Added Form 990 for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS August 17, 2020)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS July 22, 2024)
- Added Form 990 for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS August 12, 2026)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS August 10, 2021)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Live grants for the work The Commonwealth Foundation for Public Policy Alternatives funds
Public, Societal Benefit Open opportunities, soonest deadline first.
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The filing figures on this page are open data under CC BY 4.0. About GrantGraph Open
Figures come from The Commonwealth Foundation for Public Policy Alternatives'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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