The Great Adventure Foundation
The Great Adventure Foundation is a private foundation based in Malvern, Pennsylvania. Its 2025 filing reports 12 grants totaling $43,000 to charitable organizations in Pennsylvania, Tennessee, and Montana.
The Great Adventure Foundation at a glance
In short: The Great Adventure Foundation gave $43K across 12 grants in 2025 (avg $4K), mostly in Pennsylvania. 33% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $43,000
- -0.3% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 12
- +9.1% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $3,583
- -8.6% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $1,000
- Total assets
- $958,588
- -0.2% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 33% first-time grantees (4 of 12, 2025; small sample)
- Primary geography
- Pennsylvania (64% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to The Great Adventure Foundation
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests; it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations.
- Contact
Mailing address: 8 Forge Drive, Malvern, PA 19355
Phone: (610) 322-2142
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who The Great Adventure Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was St John's Presbyterian Churc ($13K). Together the top 10 received $42K.
Grant Size Distribution
61 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 61 grants of 61 (100%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2025, 64% of grant dollars went to recipients in Pennsylvania, 23% to Tennessee, and 13% to Montana.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 12 itemized grants.
Cities
Is The Great Adventure Foundation open to new grantees?
33%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 4 of 12 grantees (33%) were first-time recipients. With only 12 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 8 points. First grants averaged $3K; repeat grants $4K. How we count
Medians: $1K first-time, $2K repeat.
- 67% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving fell 21% from 2022 to 2025. Method
- In 2025 it paid out 77% 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.
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2019 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $22K (2019) to $73K (2021). In 2025 it made 12 grants totaling $43K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| St John's Presbyterian Churc Devon, PA | Unrestricted Contribution to Charity | $12,500 |
| Brightstone Franklin, TN | Unrestricted Contribution to Charity | $10,000 |
| Agape Heart International Org Pittsburg, PA | Unrestricted Contribution to Charity | $9,000 |
| Montana State Alumni Assoc Bozeman, MT | Unrestricted Contribution to Charity | $3,250 |
| Karitas Foundation Berwyn, PA | Unrestricted Contribution to Charity | $2,000 |
| Humanities MT Missoula, MT | Unrestricted Contribution to Charity | $1,000 |
| Bethesda Project Philadelphia, PA | Unrestricted Contribution to Charity | $1,000 |
| YWCA-Helena Helena, MT | Unrestricted Contribution to Charity | $1,000 |
| Cornerstone Christian Academy Philadelphia, PA | Unrestricted Contribution to Charity | $1,000 |
| Ryan's Case for Smiles Wayne, PA | Unrestricted Contribution to Charity | $1,000 |
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Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
The filing type is Form 990-PF.
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Qualifying Distributions | Net Investment Income | Distributable Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $958,588 | $43,062 | $45,090 | $43,000 | 12 | $43,000 | $39,497 | $55,742 |
| 2024 | $960,616 | $203,366 | $45,127 | $43,137 | 11 | $43,137 | $45,588 | $52,394 |
| 2023 | $915,165 | $47,649 | $50,825 | $49,500 | 12 | $49,500 | $41,999 | $45,222 |
| 2022 | $918,341 | $49,076 | $57,186 | $54,600 | 13 | $54,600 | $45,230 | $46,215 |
| 2021 | $926,451 | $93,687 | $81,100 | $73,400 | 13 | $73,400 | $92,487 | $47,995 |
| 2020 | $913,864 | $903,056 | $37,700 | $35,700 | 13 | — | $396,886 | $29,783 |
| 2019 | $336,821 | $61,085 | $23,131 | $22,000 | 6 | — | $59,954 | $22,879 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Great Adventure Foundation reported a distributable amount of $56K for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2025, the foundation gave 12 grants totaling $43,000. Grants ranged from $250 to $12,500, with a median grant of $1,000.
Its largest reported grants were $12,500 to St John’s Presbyterian Church in Devon, Pennsylvania; $10,000 to BrightStone in Franklin, Tennessee; and $9,000 to Agape Heart International Org in Pittsburg, Pennsylvania. Other grants included $3,250 to Montana State Alumni Assoc and $2,000 to Karitas Foundation. Five additional listed recipients received $1,000 each: Humanities MT, Bethesda Project, YWCA-Helena, Cornerstone Christian Academy, Ryan’s Case for Smiles, and The Common Place. MT PBS received $250.
Among the grantees’ stated missions, BrightStone describes itself as serving adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Cornerstone Christian Academy says it educates children, including those from at-risk neighborhoods, with an emphasis on academic achievement and spiritual development. The Common Place describes providing holistic support to children and families in Southwest Philadelphia through educational programs, food sovereignty, community collaboration, and welcome. Ryan’s Case for Smiles describes supporting families facing life-changing illnesses and injuries, while Bethesda Project says it provides housing and support services to homeless and formerly homeless people.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Kermit Eck, Earline Eck, Hailey Hancock, Tyler Eck, Ian Eck, Joseph Hancock, and Sandy Eck as trustees.
The Great Adventure Foundation's 2025 filing lists 7 officers; none of the 7 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Earline Eck
Trustee
On filings since 2019
No compensation reported
Hailey Hancock
Trustee
On filings since 2019
No compensation reported
Ian Eck
Trustee
On filings since 2019
No compensation reported
Joseph Hancock
Trustee
On filings since 2019
No compensation reported
Kermit Eck
Trustee
On filings since 2019
No compensation reported
Sandy Eck
Trustee
On filings since 2019
No compensation reported
Tyler Eck
Trustee
On filings since 2019
No compensation reported
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.
Frequently asked questions about The Great Adventure Foundation
How much does The Great Adventure Foundation give each year?
The Great Adventure Foundation gave $43K across 12 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $43K across 11 grants.
What is The Great Adventure Foundation's typical grant size?
The Great Adventure Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $1,000, and its average grant was $3,583, across 12 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from The Great Adventure Foundation that year got $3K on average.
Where does The Great Adventure Foundation give grants?
The Great Adventure Foundation gives mostly in Pennsylvania: 64% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest states were Tennessee (23%) and Montana (13%). The most frequent recipient cities were Philadelphia, PA (3 grants) and Bozeman, MT (2 grants).
Does The Great Adventure Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 100% of The Great Adventure Foundation's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (12 of 12) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are The Great Adventure Foundation's largest grantees?
The Great Adventure Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include St John's Presbyterian Churc ($12,500), Brightstone ($10,000) and Agape Heart International Org ($9,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 73% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is The Great Adventure Foundation?
The Great Adventure Foundation reported $959K in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $43K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $56K (roughly 5% of its investment assets). Falling short in one year is not a violation: foundations have until the end of the next year to meet the minimum.
How do I apply for a grant from The Great Adventure Foundation?
The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests; 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 Great Adventure Foundation's EIN?
The Great Adventure Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 38-7152974. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2025.
Does The Great Adventure 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 September 2026.
Data update history
(8)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS July 21, 2020)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS June 1, 2021)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS August 5, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS April 25, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS July 12, 2024)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS May 29, 2025)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS February 17, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2019–2025
Live grants for the work The Great Adventure Foundation funds
Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking Open opportunities, soonest deadline first.
- Nixa Affiliate Grantmaking Program Up to US $10,000 · Due October 19, 2026
- Community and School Grants $28,000 total pool; 10-15 grants expected · Due October 19, 2026
- Mary Pinola/Crescenta Valley Chamber Education Fund $500 - $5,000 for ongoing programs; up to $15,000 for Strategic Initiative Grants · Due October 19, 2026
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in The Great Adventure Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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The filing figures on this page are open data under CC BY 4.0. About GrantGraph Open
Figures come from The Great Adventure 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.
The Great Adventure Foundation down — hundreds of funders to go?