The Electric Company Charitable Foundation
The Electric Company Charitable Foundation (ECCF) is a private foundation based in El Paso, Texas, and the philanthropic arm of El Paso Electric. It supports nonprofit organizations and community programs serving communities within El Paso Electric’s service region, with grantmaking focused on education, economic development, and environmental stewardship.
Key facts about The Electric Company Charitable Foundation
In short: The Electric Company Charitable Foundation gave $1.4M across 55 grants in 2024 (avg $25K), mostly in Texas. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- EIN
- 87-3208524
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024
- Annual giving (2024)
- $1,367,473
- Grants made (2024)
- 55
- Average grant
- $24,863
- Median grant
- $12,500
- Total assets
- $71,863
- Primary geography
- Texas (59% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- How to apply
- Submit an online application and consult the Foundation’s eligibility grant guidelines for requirements, materials, and restrictions. Full details ↓
- Deadline
- The 2026 application period closes April 3, 2026.
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated September 2026. Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$72K
-57.6% YoY
Annual Giving
$1.4M
+26.0% YoY
Grant Count
55
-5.2% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$25K
+32.8% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Electric Company Charitable Foundation reported a distributable amount of $29K for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
How The Electric Company Charitable Foundation gives
- 48% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- In 2024 it paid out well above its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2024). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.
Mission & Focus Areas
The Foundation’s stated aim is to make transformative investments in the communities El Paso Electric serves and help the region thrive. Its three focus areas are:
- Education: Innovative educational initiatives and STEM programs.
- Economic development: Projects that support job development, retention, and business growth.
- Environmental stewardship: Conservation, environmental improvement, and sustainability education.
Its grants have supported a range of organizations and projects. For example, Tech Frontier describes its work as providing open-access community space, equipment, software, and resources for education, research, and development. Second Chance Wildlife Rescue says it rescues and rehabilitates orphaned, injured, or ill wild mammals and birds. The Ysleta Education Foundation says it raises and distributes funds to help Ysleta Independent School District graduates pursue higher education.
Grantmaking
In 2024, the Foundation reported 55 grants totaling **$1,367,473**. Grants ranged from **$1,500 to $359,788**, with a median of **$12,500**. The largest grant was $359,788 to The Blackbaud Giving Fund for matching El Paso Electric employees’ donations. Other large grants included $74,435 to United Way for an employee-donation match to improve the lives of El Paso families; $50,000 to Texas Tech Foundation for health-care workforce education programs; and $50,000 to Tech Frontier for training high school seniors in 3D-printing skills.
Review Cycle
The 2026 application period closes April 3, 2026.
Ready to take the next step with The Electric Company Charitable Foundation?
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The Foundation supports qualifying organizations serving communities within El Paso Electric’s service region. In 2024, grant dollars went to recipients in Texas (59%), South Carolina (26%), New Mexico (13%), and New York (2%). Its 2025 spring grant cycle awarded grants to 39 nonprofit organizations across the El Paso Electric service region.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 55 itemized grants.
Cities
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2023 to 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $1.1M (2023) to $1.4M (2024). In 2024 it made 55 grants totaling $1.4M.
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was The Blackbaud Giving Fund ($360K). Together the top 10 received $848K.
Grant Size Distribution
113 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 100 grants of 113 (88%).
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| The Blackbaud Giving Fund Charleston, SC | Match of El Paso Electric's employees' donations. | $359,788 |
| United Way El Paso, TX | Economic Development - Match of employees' donations to improve the lives of El Paso families. | $74,435 |
| Texas Tech Foundation Inc El Paso, TX | Education - Growing Our Own to Power Up Our Health Care Workforce: Pre-Dental Society, MedFuture, High School Summer Camps, Medventure, and Scholarships. | $50,000 |
| Tech Frontier El Paso, TX | Education- To prepare students for in-demand jobs, this program trains 25 high school seniors from underserved communities to become certified 3D printing technicians. Using content from America Makes and support from Fab Lab and Workforce Solutions Borderplex, students gain digital skills and paid work experience, building a pipeline for El Paso's advanced manufacturing workforce. | $50,000 |
| New Mexico State University Foundation Inc Las Cruces, NM | Education - Funds used for scholarship support. | $50,000 |
| Amigo Airsho Match El Paso, TX | Match of El Paso Electric's employees' donations. | $50,000 |
| EPC Museum El Paso, TX | Education - The Code It Bots, supports kids' self-guided exploration of programming languages and robotic capabilities. | $50,000 |
| Second Chance Wildlife Rescue El Paso, TX | Environmental Stewardship - A wildlife rescue facility in Vinton, located on protected Rio Grande Bosque wetlands, seeks funding to build a raptor enclosure to meet growing demand for rehabilitation services. As habitat loss drives more wildlife into urban areas, the center reaches capacity each summer. The new aviary will allow for safe care and recovery of birds of prey, supporting biodiversity, public health, and environmental conservation. | $40,000 |
| Junior Achievement Of The Desert Southwest El Paso, TX | Education - Expansion of Junior Achievement's (JA) STEAM Career and Work Readiness Pathway Program, which equips underserved students with skills and exposure to STEAM careers through classroom lessons, a virtual career expo, and an in-person career fair. The program connects students with professionals, fosters career readiness, and builds a diverse, future-ready workforce. | $30,000 |
| Teachers in Space Inc New York, NY | Education - Teachers in Space (TIS) is requesting support for its Pathways to Space project-STEM workshops for 60 teachers serving underserved students in grades 2-12. Held in Las Cruces, NM, the workshops teach educators to build CubeSat experiments, covering coding, sensors, and spaceflight processes. Teachers will participate in high-altitude balloon and glider missions, gaining hands-on experience and ongoing support to bring space science into classrooms. Select teachers will also attend major spaceflight events to present student-led research. | $30,000 |
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grant total | Grant count |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $71,863 | $1,270,017 | $1,401,436 | $1,367,473 | 55 |
| 2023 | $169,319 | $1,254,950 | $1,198,131 | $1,085,631 | 58 |
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $71,863 | $169,319 | — |
| Revenue | $1,270,017 | $1,254,950 | — |
| Expenses | $1,401,436 | $1,198,131 | — |
| Qualifying Distributions | $1,367,473 | $1,085,631 | — |
| Distributable Amount | $28,788 | $28,229 | — |
Data update history
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2021–2024
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Robert Almanzan as Chair / President and the following board members: Abel Bustillos, Derek Grimes, Hillary Foster, Jennifer Ortiz, Michelle Pedroza, Sondra Santaella, Susi Barron, and Judith Parsons.
The Electric Company Charitable Foundation is led by Robert Almanzan, Chair & President on every filing since 2023; none of the 9 officers listed in 2024 report compensation.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Robert Almanzan
Chair & President
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Abel Bustillos
Board Member
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Derek Grimes
Board Member
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Hillary Foster
Board Member
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Jennifer Ortiz
Board Member
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Judith Parsons
Board Member
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Michelle Pedroza
Board Member
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Sondra Santaella
Board Member
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Susi Barron
Board Member
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (6)
- Former: Ashley Valadez (2023) — Board Member
- Former: Nikki Donegan (2023) — Board Member
- Former: Richard Ostberg (2023) — President
- Former: George De La Torre (2021–2022) — Secretary
- Former: Jessica Christianson (2021–2022) — President
- Former: Lisa Budtke (2021–2022) — Treasurer
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2021–2024. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Contact
Application contact: The Electric Company Charitable Fou
Mailing address: PO Box 982 - Location 112, El Paso, TX 79960-0001
Phone: (915) 543-4175
Email: grants@eccfdn.org
Website: https://epelectric.com
Frequently asked questions about The Electric Company Charitable Foundation
How much does The Electric Company Charitable Foundation give each year?
The Electric Company Charitable Foundation gave $1.4M across 55 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $1.1M across 58 grants.
What is The Electric Company Charitable Foundation's typical grant size?
The Electric Company Charitable Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $12,500, and its average grant was $24,863, across 55 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
Where does The Electric Company Charitable Foundation give grants?
The Electric Company Charitable Foundation gives mostly in Texas: 59% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest states were South Carolina (26%) and New Mexico (13%). The most frequent recipient cities were El Paso, TX (37 grants) and Las Cruces, NM (10 grants).
Does The Electric Company Charitable Foundation give general operating support?
Occasionally: 2% of The Electric Company Charitable Foundation's 2024 grants with a stated purpose (1 of 55) were for general or operating support, per its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are The Electric Company Charitable Foundation's largest grantees?
The Electric Company Charitable Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include The Blackbaud Giving Fund ($359,788), New Mexico State University Foundation Inc ($108,750 across 4 grants) and United Way ($74,435), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 40% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is The Electric Company Charitable Foundation?
The Electric Company Charitable Foundation reported $72K in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $1.4M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $29K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does The Electric Company Charitable Foundation fund?
The Foundation’s stated aim is to make transformative investments in the communities El Paso Electric serves and help the region thrive. Its three focus areas are: See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The Electric Company Charitable Foundation?
Submit an online application and consult the Foundation’s eligibility grant guidelines for requirements, materials, and restrictions. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is The Electric Company Charitable Foundation's EIN?
The Electric Company Charitable Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 87-3208524. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2021–2024.
Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Here's the math on researching The Electric Company Charitable Foundation by hand.
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