The Ensign-Bickford Foundation Inc
The Ensign-Bickford Foundation Inc is a private foundation based in Denver, Colorado. Created in 1952 and financed by Ensign-Bickford Industries and its subsidiaries, it supports causes in communities where the company and its employees live and work, including education, environmental preservation, disaster response, medical institutions, scientific innovation, arts organizations, and community improvement.
Key facts about The Ensign-Bickford Foundation Inc
In short: The Ensign-Bickford Foundation Inc gave $215K across 49 grants in 2025 (avg $4K), top state Minnesota. 50% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- EIN
- 06-6041097
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025
- Annual giving (2025)
- $215,425
- Grants made (2025)
- 49
- Average grant
- $4,396
- Median grant
- $900
- New grantees (estimate)
- 50% first-time grantees (20 of 40, 2025)
- Total assets
- $5,142,512
- Primary geography
- Minnesota (32% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- How to apply
- Scholarship applicants use the online scholarship application and provide a current transcript and, if not included in the transcript, SAT/ACT scores. Full details ↓
- Deadline
- Scholarships — May 30; employee matching — first week in December; grant program — none.
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated September 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology). Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Financial Overview
From 2025 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$5.1M
+10.7% YoY
Annual Giving
$215K
-42.2% YoY
Grant Count
49
-32.9% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$4K
-13.9% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Ensign-Bickford Foundation Inc reported a distributable amount of $251K for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Is The Ensign-Bickford Foundation Inc open to new grantees?
50%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 20 of 40 grantees (50%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $2K; repeat grants $9K. How we count
Medians: $1K first-time, $3K repeat.
- 35% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving fell 52% from 2022 to 2025. Method
- In 2025 it paid out 86% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Foundations have until the end of the next year to meet it. Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2019–2025). 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 states that the company’s success is interwoven with the health, education, and prosperity of the community. Its grant guidelines cover education; environment; health and welfare; local and civic initiatives; economics and humanities; and arts and culture.
Education examples in the guidelines include accredited educational institutions, scholarships for underprivileged students, and continuing education programs. Environmental support may include work to improve ecological systems or provide relief from disasters. Health and welfare interests include health services and efforts addressing living conditions or societal problems. Local and civic interests include parks, recreation, and public projects that improve quality of life in communities where the company operates and employees reside.
Examples of supported organizations illustrate the range of grant recipients. The Connecticut Science Center describes its mission as inspiring lifelong learning through interactive experiences exploring science. The Foundation for Portland Public Schools says it seeks to increase educational opportunities, achievement, and equity for Portland Public Schools students and staff. Best Buddies International describes its work as creating opportunities for one-to-one friendships, integrated employment, and leadership development for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2025, the foundation reported 49 grants totaling $215,425. Grant amounts ranged from $100 to $60,000, with a median of $900. Its largest reported grants included $60,000 to Scholarship America for college scholarships; $30,000 to the Connecticut Science Center for education support; $30,000 to the Society of Women Engineers for education support; and $17,000 to the Foundation for Portland Public Schools for education support. Other reported grants included $10,000 to Southside Early Childhood Education Center for education support and $5,000 to The Village for Families and Children for behavioral health services.
Review Cycle
Scholarships — May 30; employee matching — first week in December; grant program — none.
Open Grants
1 open opportunity from The Ensign-Bickford Foundation Inc
Ready to take the next step with The Ensign-Bickford Foundation Inc?
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation says it supports causes in communities where the company and its employees live and work. In 2025, the largest shares of grant dollars by recipient state were Minnesota (32%), Connecticut (28%), Illinois (14%), Missouri (13%), and Maine (8%).
Grant Distribution by State
Share of all 49 itemized 2025 grant dollars.
States
Cities
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2019 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $215K (2025) to $549K (2023). In 2025 it made 49 grants totaling $215K.
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Scholarship America Inc ($70K across 3 grants). Together the top 10 received $182K.
Grant Size Distribution
423 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 416 grants of 423 (98%).
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Scholarship America Inc Saint Peter, MN | College Scholarships | $60,000 |
| Connecticut Science Center Harford, CT | Education Support | $30,000 |
| Society of Women Engineers Chicago, IL | Education Support | $30,000 |
| Foundation for Portland Public Schools Portland, ME | Education Support | $17,000 |
| Southside Early Childhood Education Center St. Louis, MO | Education Support | $10,000 |
| Colchester Alternative School-Age Total Learning Experience Inc Castle Inc Colchester, CT | Education Support | $5,000 |
| Community Foundation of the Ozarks Springfield, MO | General Operation Support | $5,000 |
| Junior Achievement of Southwest New England Hartford, CT | Education Support | $5,000 |
| Scholarship America Inc Saint Peter, MN | College Scholarships | $5,000 |
| Scholarship America Inc Saint Peter, MN | College Scholarships | $5,000 |
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants | Grant count |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $5,142,512 | $77,302 | $231,501 | $215,425 | 49 |
| 2024 | $4,645,441 | $76,584 | $390,157 | $372,664 | 73 |
| 2023 | $4,172,754 | $65,273 | $561,367 | $548,562 | 94 |
| Metric | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $5,142,512 | $4,645,441 | $4,172,754 |
| Revenue | $77,302 | $76,584 | $65,273 |
| Expenses | $231,501 | $390,157 | $561,367 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $215,425 | $372,664 | $548,562 |
| Net Investment Income | $77,302 | $76,584 | $65,273 |
| Distributable Amount | $251,082 | $228,530 | $206,158 |
Data update history
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS September 4, 2020)
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS June 12, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Frederick Lovejoy III and Bradley L. Ellis II as members; Dwmann as president; C. M. Verschelden as secretary; Robert J. Martin as treasurer; and Natalie Hess as vice president.
The Ensign-Bickford Foundation Inc is led by Dwmann, President on the 2025 filing; none of the 6 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Dwmann
President
New on the 2025 filing
0.2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Bradley L. Ellis II
Member
On filings since 2023
0.2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Cm Verschelden
Secretary
On filings since 2024
0.2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Frederick Lovejoy III
Member
On filings since 2024
0.2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Natalie Hess
Vice President
New on the 2025 filing
0.2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Robert J. Martin
Treasurer
New on the 2025 filing
0.2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (18)
- Former: Kelly Frauenknecht (2019–2024) — Member
- Former: Kimberly A. Hendricks (2020–2024) — Treasurer
- Former: Andrew C. Pliner (2022–2024) — President
- Former: Mercedes G. Pineda (2024) — Member
- Former: Brendan Kehoe (2019–2023) — Member
- Former: Chad Thompson (2019–2023) — Member
- Former: William M. Welch (2019–2023) — Member
- Former: Ted Lovejoy (2022–2023) — Chairman
- Former: Matthew P. Lewis (2023) — Secretary
- Former: Brendan M. Walsh (2019–2022) — Member
- Former: Dorothy Hammett (2019–2022) — Member
- Former: Jared Lozo (2019–2022) — Vice President
- Former: Thomas J. Perlitz (2019–2022) — President
- Former: Andy Pliner (2019–2021) — Secretary
- Former: Cameron Moyer (2019–2021) — Member
- Former: Joseph E. Lovejoy (2019–2021) — Chairman
- Former: Kiel Davis (2019–2020) — Officer
- Former: David Demeo (2019) — Officer
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.
Contact
Application contact: Nancy Hegele
Mailing address: 999 17Th Street Suite 900, Denver, CO 80202
Phone: (303) 583-1355
Website: https://www.e-bfoundation.com
Frequently asked questions about The Ensign-Bickford Foundation Inc
How much does The Ensign-Bickford Foundation Inc give each year?
The Ensign-Bickford Foundation Inc gave $215K across 49 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $373K across 73 grants.
What is The Ensign-Bickford Foundation Inc's typical grant size?
The Ensign-Bickford Foundation Inc's median grant in 2025 was $900, and its average grant was $4,396, across 49 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from The Ensign-Bickford Foundation Inc that year got $2K on average.
Where does The Ensign-Bickford Foundation Inc give grants?
The Ensign-Bickford Foundation Inc's top state is Minnesota, with 32% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. The next largest states were Connecticut (28%) and Illinois (14%). The most frequent recipient cities were Bloomfield, CT (5 grants), Hartford, CT (4 grants), Saint Peter, MN (3 grants) and Harford, CT (2 grants).
Does The Ensign-Bickford Foundation Inc give general operating support?
Yes: 20% of The Ensign-Bickford Foundation Inc's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (10 of 49) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Recurring purposes include "Education Support" (16 grants), "Food Pantry Support" (5 grants) and "College Scholarships" (5 grants).
Who are The Ensign-Bickford Foundation Inc's largest grantees?
The Ensign-Bickford Foundation Inc's largest 2025 grantees include Scholarship America Inc ($70,000 across 3 grants), Connecticut Science Center ($30,225 across 3 grants) and Society of Women Engineers ($30,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 60% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is The Ensign-Bickford Foundation Inc?
The Ensign-Bickford Foundation Inc reported $5.1M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $215K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $251K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does The Ensign-Bickford Foundation Inc fund?
The foundation states that the company’s success is interwoven with the health, education, and prosperity of the community. Its grant guidelines cover education; environment; health and welfare; local and civic initiatives; economics and humanities; and arts and culture. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The Ensign-Bickford Foundation Inc?
Scholarship applicants use the online scholarship application and provide a current transcript and, if not included in the transcript, SAT/ACT scores. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is The Ensign-Bickford Foundation Inc's EIN?
The Ensign-Bickford Foundation Inc's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 06-6041097. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2025.
Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Here's the math on researching The Ensign-Bickford Foundation Inc by hand.
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