The Graham Foundation
The Graham Foundation is a private grantmaking foundation established in 1986 and located in York, Pennsylvania. The foundation makes project-based grants to individuals and organizations and produces public programs to foster the development and exchange of diverse and challenging ideas about architecture and its role in the arts, culture, and society.
Key facts about The Graham Foundation
- EIN
- 23-6805421
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024
- Annual giving (2024)
- $3,200,750
- Grants made (2024)
- 43
- Average grant
- $74,436
- Median grant
- $8,000
- Total assets
- $32,768,412
- Primary geography
- Pennsylvania (44% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated June 2026.
Who The Graham Foundation funds
By grant dollars, the top recipient states for The Graham Foundation's 43 itemized 2024 grants were Pennsylvania (44%), New Hampshire (39%) and Michigan (17%). The most frequent recipient cities were York, PA (29 grants), Hanover, NH (2 grants), Philadelphia, PA (2 grants) and Ann Arbor, MI (2 grants). 40% of grants with a stated purpose were for general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Capital Campaign" (3 grants).
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$32.8M
+6.4% YoY
Annual Giving
$3.2M
-12.3% YoY
Grant Count
43
-2.3% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$74K
-10.3% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Graham Foundation reported a distributable amount of $1.7M for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation supports community foundations and organizations involved with:
- Arts and culture
- Education
- Land conservation
- Animals and wildlife
- Human services
Grantmaking
The foundation made approximately 30 grants totaling $2,766,150 in 2023, with total giving of $3,200,750 in 2024.
Ready to take the next step with The Graham Foundation?
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation directs grants as determined by trustees to charitable organizations throughout the United States, with demonstrated giving in Pennsylvania, New Hampshire, and Michigan.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of all 43 itemized 2024 grant dollars.
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
As of 2024:
- Total Assets: $32,768,412
- Total Revenue: $5,230,000
- Total Expenses: $3,250,000
- Total Liabilities: $0
As of 2023:
- Total Assets: $30,786,541
- Total Revenue: $4,667,613
- Total Expenses: $3,660,556
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $32,768,412 | $30,786,541 | $29,780,224 |
| Revenue | $5,234,415 | $4,667,613 | $3,715,600 |
| Expenses | $3,252,544 | $3,660,556 | $3,310,512 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $3,235,486 | $3,655,389 | $3,204,468 |
| Net Investment Income | $1,796,610 | $1,002,072 | $649,577 |
| Distributable Amount | $1,656,798 | $1,436,425 | $1,433,643 |
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
223 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest recipients include The Trustees of Dartmouth College ($1,220,000 across 2 grants), University of Pennsylvania Pennsylvania ($750,000 across 2 grants), The Regents of the University of Michigan ($535,000 across 2 grants).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| THE TRUSTEES OF DARTMOUTH COLLEGE HANOVER, NH | FIELD HOUSE | $1,200,000 |
| THE REGENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN ANN ARBOR, MI | GRAHAM SUSTAINABILITY INSTITUTE OPERATING SUPPORT FUND | $500,000 |
| UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA PENNSYLVANIA PHILADELPHIA, PA | THE EGYPTIAN GALLERIES FUND | $500,000 |
| UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA PENNSYLVANIA PHILADELPHIA, PA | THE EGYPTIAN GALLERIES FUND | $250,000 |
| YORK COLLEGE OF PENNSYLVANIA YORK, PA | GRAHAM COLLABORATIVE INNOVATION FELLOWS PROGRAM | $150,000 |
| YORK COLLEGE OF PENNSYLVANIA YORK, PA | GRAHAM CENTER FOR COLLABORATIVE INNOVATIONS | $125,000 |
| YSC ACADEMY CHESTER, PA | PA EITC | $85,000 |
| CRISPUS ATTUCKS YORK YORK, PA | CULTURAL CENTER CAPITAL CAMPAIGN | $50,000 |
| LOGOS ACADEMY YORK, PA | PA OSTC | $40,000 |
| SILVERBACK EDUCATIONAL FOUNDATIONFOR THE ARTS DANCE & ATHLETICS NEWTOWN SQUARE, PA | PA EITC | $40,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
William H Kerlin - Trustee
The foundation is supported by Donald C Graham.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| DONALD C GRAHAM | TRUSTEE | 1 | — |
| WILLIAM H KERLIN JR | TRUSTEE | 1 | — |
| INGRID A GRAHAM | TRUSTEE | 1 | — |
| KRISTIN R GRAHAM | TRUSTEE | 1 | — |
Recent News & Activity
Recent developments and announcements
The Graham Foundation revealed 2025 grants for 39 organizations worldwide and announced 2025 grants to individuals.
Graham Foundation Reveals 2025 Grants for 39 Organizations ...Frequently Asked Questions
What does The Graham Foundation fund?
The foundation supports community foundations and organizations involved with: • Arts and culture • Education • Land conservation • Animals and wildlife • Human services
How do I apply for a grant from The Graham Foundation?
**Grant Amounts:** Typical awards range from $200 to $1,200,000. **Recent Grant Activity (2023):** • Dartmouth College: $1,000,000 (Field House) • University of Pennsylvania: $750,000 (Egypt Galleries) • York Jewish Community Center: $500,000 (Capital Campaign) The foundation made approximately 30 grants totaling $2,766,150 in 2023, with total giving of $3,200,750 in 2024.
Where does The Graham Foundation make grants?
The foundation directs grants as determined by trustees to charitable organizations throughout the United States, with demonstrated giving in Pennsylvania, New Hampshire, and Michigan.
What size grants does The Graham Foundation award?
In 2024, The Graham Foundation awarded 43 grants totaling $3.2M — an average of about $74K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is The Graham Foundation required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, The Graham Foundation reported a distributable amount of $1.7M on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is The Graham Foundation's EIN?
The Graham Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 23-6805421. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in The Graham Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
Similar Funders
Funders that support many of the same organizations
York County Community Foundation
YORK, PA
Assets
$224.5M
Grants
197
Total Given
$8.7M
Powder Mill Foundation
YORK, PA
Assets
$146.7M
Grants
87
Total Given
$11.4M
Vanguard Charitable Endowment Program
SOUTHEASTERN, PA
Assets
$22.2B
Grants
24,269
Total Given
$3.0B
Airie Knipel Harry V and J William
HANOVER, PA
Assets
$125.4M
Grants
93
Total Given
$5.9M
The Arthur J and Lee R Glatfelter
YORK, PA
Assets
$52.6M
Grants
87
Total Given
$3.0M
The Stewart Foundation
YORK, PA
Assets
$1.4M
Grants
45
Total Given
$629K
National Philanthropic Trust
JENKINTOWN, PA
Assets
$42.2B
Grants
18,583
Total Given
$5.1B
United Way of York County
YORK, PA
Assets
$9.6M
Grants
56
Total Given
$2.1M
White Rose Leadership Institute
YORK, PA
Assets
$1.5M
Grants
28
Total Given
$213K
The W Dale Brougher Foundation
SARASOTA, FL
Assets
$67.6M
Grants
49
Total Given
$3.8M
Firstenergy Foundation
AKRON, OH
Assets
$124.9M
Grants
151
Total Given
$7.2M
Kinsley Foundation
SEVEN VALLEYS, PA
Assets
$21.9M
Grants
68
Total Given
$1.7M
More Funders in Pennsylvania
Data last updated June 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.