The Erteszek Foundation
The Erteszek Foundation is a private foundation based in Bayfield, Colorado. Its 2024 filing records grants to charitable organizations in Colorado, California, and New York.
The Erteszek Foundation at a glance
In short: The Erteszek Foundation gave $168K across 10 grants in 2024 (avg $17K), mostly in Colorado. 10% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $168,493
- +10.3% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 10
- -9.1% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $16,849
- +21.3% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $15,000
- Total assets
- $2,642,158
- -3.0% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 10% first-time grantees (1 of 10, 2024; small sample)
- Primary geography
- Colorado (55% 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 Erteszek Foundation
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests for funds and states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations.
- Contact
Mailing address: 2421 County Road 52, Bayfield, CO 81122
Phone: (970) 769-2494
Website: https://christinaerteszek.com
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who The Erteszek Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Fort Lewis College Foundation ($50K). Together the top 10 received $168K.
Grant Size Distribution
74 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 71 grants of 74 (96%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2024, 55% of grant dollars went to recipients in Colorado, 33% to recipients in California, and 12% to recipients in New York.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 10 itemized grants.
Cities
Is The Erteszek Foundation open to new grantees?
10%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 1 of 10 grantees (10%) were first-time recipients. With only 10 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 10 points. First grants averaged $4K; repeat grants $18K. How we count
Medians: $4K first-time, $20K repeat.
- 70% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2021 to 2024 (−16%). Method
- In 2024 it paid out 219% 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 $153K (2023) to $201K (2021). In 2024 it made 10 grants totaling $168K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Fort Lewis College Foundation Denver, CO | Support of Charitable Mission | $50,000 |
| The Community Foundation Serving the Southwest Durango, CO | Support of Charitable Mission | $28,493 |
| Tunnel to Towers Foundation Staten Island, NY | Support of Charitable Mission | $20,000 |
| The Criminal Justic Legal Foundation Sacramento, CA | Support of Charitable Mission | $20,000 |
| Saint Johns Hospital Santa Monica, CA | Support of Charitable Mission | $20,000 |
| The Grossman Burn Foundation Calabasas, CA | Support of Charitable Mission | $10,000 |
| Durango Playfest Durango, CO | Support of Charitable Mission | $8,000 |
| SPCALA Long Beach, CA | Support of Charitable Mission | $5,000 |
| Pine River Shares Bayfield, CO | Support of Charitable Mission | $4,000 |
| Boys and Girls Club of La Plata County Inc Durango, CO | Support of Charitable Mission | $3,000 |
Ready to take the next step with The Erteszek 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 | $2,642,158 | $231,451 | $361,071 | $168,493 | 10 | $286,071 | $113,873 | $130,837 |
| 2023 | $2,724,919 | $196,001 | $381,681 | $152,750 | 11 | $306,351 | $42,400 | $137,711 |
| 2022 | $2,891,339 | $189,735 | $369,942 | $162,334 | 14 | $248,254 | $79,326 | $166,299 |
| 2021 | $3,071,546 | $613,264 | $410,801 | $201,300 | 19 | $287,533 | $489,997 | $190,630 |
| 2020 | $2,869,083 | $89,991 | $393,185 | $189,166 | 20 | — | $25,062 | $171,202 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Erteszek Foundation reported a distributable amount of $131K for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated October 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation’s website says the family foundation has supported nonprofits whose missions emphasize strengthening communities through the arts, education, and mindful practices. Its 2024 filing lists grants for recipients’ “charitable mission.” One recipient, Pine River Shares, describes its own mission as bringing together people and resources in the Pine River Valley to work for positive social change and healthy, thriving communities.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2024, the foundation gave 10 grants totaling $168,493. Grant amounts ranged from $3,000 to $50,000, with a median of $15,000. The largest grants went to Fort Lewis College Foundation ($50,000), The Community Foundation Serving the Southwest ($28,493), Tunnel to Towers Foundation ($20,000), The Criminal Justice Legal Foundation ($20,000), and Saint Johns Hospital ($20,000).
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Mary Rudolph as senior director, Hunter Johnson as CFO, and Samantha Wellspring as CEO. The foundation’s website identifies Christina Erteszek as co-founder and board chair of Durango PlayFest; it does not identify her as an officer or director of the foundation.
The Erteszek Foundation is led by Samantha Aaylah Wellspring, CEO since 2023 (on filings since 2022); all 3 officers listed in 2024 are compensated.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Samantha Aaylah Wellspring
CEO
Director & Treasurer → CEO, 2023
On filings since 2022
20 hrs/week
$6K (2022) → $38K (2024)
Mary J. Rudolph
Senior Director
Director → Director, CEO & Secretary, 2022
Director, CEO & Secretary → Senior Director, 2023
On filings since 2020
20 hrs/week
$75K (2020) → $75K (2024)
Hunter Johnson
CFO
On filings since 2023
20 hrs/week
$38K (2023) → $38K (2024)
Former officers (2)
- Former: Christina Erteszek (2020–2022) — Director
- Former: Jan Hunter Johnson (2022) — Director
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 $75K, to Mary Rudolph (Senior Director). 3 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Frequently asked questions about The Erteszek Foundation
How much does The Erteszek Foundation give each year?
The Erteszek Foundation gave $168K across 10 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $153K across 11 grants.
What is The Erteszek Foundation's typical grant size?
The Erteszek Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $15,000, and its average grant was $16,849, across 10 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from The Erteszek Foundation that year got $4K on average.
Where does The Erteszek Foundation give grants?
The Erteszek Foundation gives mostly in Colorado: 55% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest states were California (33%) and New York (12%). The most frequent recipient cities were Durango, CO (3 grants).
Does The Erteszek Foundation give general operating support?
Not in 2024: none of the 10 grants with a stated purpose on The Erteszek Foundation's 2024 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Support of Charitable Mission" (10 grants).
Who are The Erteszek Foundation's largest grantees?
The Erteszek Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include Fort Lewis College Foundation ($50,000), The Community Foundation Serving the Southwest ($28,493) and Tunnel to Towers Foundation ($20,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 58% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is The Erteszek Foundation?
The Erteszek Foundation reported $2.6M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $286K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $131K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does The Erteszek Foundation fund?
The foundation’s website says the family foundation has supported nonprofits whose missions emphasize strengthening communities through the arts, education, and mindful practices. Its 2024 filing lists grants for recipients’ “charitable mission.” See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The Erteszek Foundation?
The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests for funds and states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is The Erteszek Foundation's EIN?
The Erteszek Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 95-3952646. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Does The Erteszek 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 October 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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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). The Erteszek Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/the-erteszek-foundation-morg_12537ea0a26b4cb5b4270b01e8040178
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_953952646_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{The Erteszek Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/the-erteszek-foundation-morg_12537ea0a26b4cb5b4270b01e8040178},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-12. Data licensed CC BY 4.0}
}The figures on this page are open data under CC BY 4.0: reuse them with credit to Grantable and a link. Download the data.
Figures come from The Erteszek 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.
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