The Good Works Foundation

ASPEN, CO EIN: 95-4471685

The Good Works Foundation is a private foundation established in 1993 and based in Aspen, Colorado. The organization holds 501(c)(3) tax-exempt status and has been recognized as tax-exempt since July 1994. It operates as a family foundation focused on philanthropic grantmaking.

Financial Overview

From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing

Total Assets

$1.2M

-0.9% YoY

Annual Giving

$434K

-10.7% YoY

Grant Count

-8.1% YoY

Avg Grant Size

$13K

-2.9% YoY

Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Good Works Foundation reported a distributable amount of $61K for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.

Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated April 2026.

Mission & Focus Areas

The foundation gives primarily for the arts, the environment, social action, and education, with an emphasis on grassroots organizations and innovative ideas.

Primary funding focus areas include:

Arts and creative writing
Historic buildings and preservation
Journalism
Education
Philanthropy and voluntarism
Human services

Grantmaking

Grant Range

$3,000–$5,000

Ready to take the next step with The Good Works Foundation?

Assess fit for your org Draft an LOI Find open RFPs

Geographic Focus

Where this funder awards grants

The foundation primarily funds organizations in California, Colorado, and New York, with particular emphasis on the Los Angeles area and the Aspen, Colorado region.

Grant Distribution by State

California $1.5M (64%)

New York $303K (13%)

Colorado $237K (10%)

District of Columbia $113K (5%)

Illinois $39K (2%)

Texas $30K (1%)

Maryland $25K (1%)

Oregon $25K (1%)

+8 more states

States

Alabama Arizona California Colorado District of Columbia Georgia Illinois Kansas Maryland New York Oregon Pennsylvania South Carolina Texas Virginia Wisconsin

Cities

AlexandriaAmericusAspenAustinBarabooBasaltBronxvilleBrooklynCarbondaleCharlestonChicagoHagerstownHoustonLa JollaLos AngelesLost AngelesLubbockMill ValleyMomenceiMoncks Corner

Financial History

Multi-year comparison from IRS filings

Assets & Giving (2024):

Total assets: $1,244,047
Total giving: $433,700–$486,000
Total revenues: $409,511
Total expenses: $466,615

Assets & Giving (2023):

Total assets: $1,250,000
Total revenues: $328,361
Total expenses: $521,792
Total liabilities: $10,000

Historical Trend: The foundation's annual giving has ranged from approximately $407,000 to $745,000 over the past five years, with assets remaining relatively stable in the $1.2–$1.5 million range.

Revenue

Expenses

Qualifying Distributions

Net Investment Income

Metric	2024	2023	2022
Total Assets	$1,244,047	$1,254,798	$1,314,081
Revenue	$409,511	$328,361	$188,789
Expenses	$466,615	$521,792	$434,209
Qualifying Distributions	$451,761	$502,588	$420,362
Net Investment Income	$44,759	$16,906	$11,699
Distributable Amount	$60,596	$64,944	$64,137

Giving Over Time

Total grant dollars and number of grants per year

Grant Insights

How this funder distributes its grants

Top Recipients

Top 10 recipients in 2024

Grant Size Distribution

206 grants across all recorded years

Giving History

Grant recipients and amounts by year

Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include Ica La ($150,000), Hammer Museum ($30,000), Cap Ucla ($25,000).

Recipient	Purpose	Amount
ACLU NEW YORK, NY	DONATION	$2,500
ANDERSON RANCH ART CENTER SNOWMASS VILLAGE, CO	DONATION	$5,000
ASPEN CENTER FOR ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES ASPEN, CO	DONATION	$2,500
ASPEN MUSIC FESTIVAL AND SCHOOL ASPEN, CO	DONATION	$20,000
ASPEN PUBLIC RADIO ASPEN, CO	DONATION	$1,000
BETH MORRISON PROJECTS BROOKLYN, NY	DONATION	$5,000
CAP UCLA LOS ANGELES, CA	DONATION	$25,000
CENTER FOR ART AND ADVOCACY PHILADELPHIA, PA	DONATION	$10,000
CENTER FOR BIOLOGICAL DIVERSITY TUSCON, AZ	DONATION	$2,500
DOCTORS WITHOUT BORDERS HAGERSTOWN, MD	DONATION	$5,000

Leadership & Key People

Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings

Co Reese Henry is listed as a contact for the foundation.

Compensation Overview

From 2024 IRS filing

From 2024 filing

Name	Title	Hours	Compensation
LAURA DONNELLEY	PRESIDENT	2	—

Contact Information

Website: www.thegoodworks.foundation
Phone: 818-990-0550
Address: 400 E Main St 2, Aspen, CO 81611

Frequently Asked Questions

What does The Good Works Foundation fund?

The foundation gives primarily for the arts, the environment, social action, and education, with an emphasis on grassroots organizations and innovative ideas. Primary funding focus areas include: • Arts and creative writing • Historic buildings and preservation • Journalism • Education • Philanthropy and voluntarism • Human services

How do I apply for a grant from The Good Works Foundation?

**Grant Characteristics:** • Typical grant awards range from $1,000 to $248,500 • Median grant size: $3,000–$5,000 • The foundation made 37 grants in 2024 and 45 grants in 2023 **Recent Grant Recipients (2023-2024):** • Institute of Contemporary Art LA: $248,000 • Hammer Museum: $30,000 • The Performance Art Museum: $25,000 • Friends of the LA Philharmonic: $25,000 • Aspen Music Festival and School: $20,000 • Fractured Atlas: $20,000 • University of California San Diego: $15,000 • World Central…

Where does The Good Works Foundation make grants?

The foundation primarily funds organizations in California, Colorado, and New York, with particular emphasis on the Los Angeles area and the Aspen, Colorado region.

What size grants does The Good Works Foundation award?

In 2024, The Good Works Foundation awarded 34 grants totaling $434K — an average of about $13K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.

How much is The Good Works Foundation required to give away each year?

Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, The Good Works Foundation reported a distributable amount of $61K on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.