The Jazzbird Foundation

SCOTTSDALE, AZ EIN: 86-0745156

The Jazzbird Foundation is a private family foundation based in Scottsdale, Arizona. Established in July 1994, it operates as an independent corporation with tax-exempt status. The foundation makes grants and loans to other organizations, with a particular emphasis on education and Christian organizations.

Financial Overview

From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing

Total Assets

$403K

+44.2% YoY

Annual Giving

$1.7M

-5.3% YoY

Grant Count

+3.2% YoY

Avg Grant Size

$54K

-8.2% YoY

Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Jazzbird Foundation reported a distributable amount of $15K 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's giving primarily supports:

Education
Lutheran and other Christian organizations and churches
Human Services
Health Care

Grantmaking

The foundation makes grants primarily in Arizona, California, and Virginia.

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Geographic Focus

Where this funder awards grants

Grant Distribution by State

Arizona $4.4M (49%)

California $1.2M (14%)

Colorado $1.1M (13%)

Michigan $480K (5%)

Illinois $405K (5%)

Oregon $400K (5%)

Texas $280K (3%)

Nebraska $250K (3%)

+6 more states

States

Arizona California Colorado Connecticut Georgia Illinois Michigan Minnesota Nebraska New York Oregon Pennsylvania Texas Virginia

Cities

AtlantaAvonBeaver CreekCarefreeClarementDillsburgEvanstonFerrumGross PointHoustonIrvineMindenMinneapolisNew YorkNewingtonParadise ValleyPhoenixPortlandRestonSan Diego

Financial History

Multi-year comparison from IRS filings

Total assets: $403,256 (most recent filing)
Total giving: $1,714,581
Tax-exempt since: July 1994
EIN: 86-0745156

The foundation ranks among the top foundations in Scottsdale by total giving, placing fourth in the city by annual giving amounts.

Revenue

Expenses

Qualifying Distributions

Net Investment Income

Metric	2024	2023	2022
Total Assets	$403,256	$279,580	$361,063
Revenue	$1,844,658	$1,744,628	$1,794,589
Expenses	$1,720,982	$1,826,111	$1,802,817
Qualifying Distributions	$1,714,581	$1,810,083	$1,777,143
Net Investment Income	$190	$160	$121
Distributable Amount	$14,512	$12,241	$11,609

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

167 grants across all recorded years

Giving History

Grant recipients and amounts by year

Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include Arizona State University Foundation ($553,000), Roundup River Ranch ($200,000), Juan Carlos Ortiz Ministries ($112,000).

Recipient	Purpose	Amount
ALLEGRO SOLUTIONS HOUSTON, TX	CHARITY	$17,500
AMERICAN GUILD OF ORGANISTS NEW YORK, NY	CHARITY	$1,000
ARIZONA STATE UNIVERSITY FOUNDATION TEMPE, AZ	FOSTER EDUCATION	$553,000
BE THE GIFT NEBRASKA MINDEN, NE	CHARITABLE	$10,000
CENTER FOR CATHOLIC EV THEOLOGY DILLSBURG, PA	CHARITY	$1,000
CHANGING LIVES CENTER PHOENIX, AZ	CHARITABLE	$20,000
CLAREMONT SCHOOL OF THEOLOGY CLAREMENT, CA	FOSTER EDUCATION	$25,500
CROSSGRAIN TUSTIN, CA	CHARITY	$84,000
EAGLE RIVER PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH AVON, CO	CHARITABLE	$12,000
FERRUM COLLEGE FERRUM, VA	CHARITABLE	$10,000

Leadership & Key People

Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings

Robert Ravenscroft is listed as the contact person for the foundation.

Compensation Overview

From 2024 IRS filing

From 2024 filing

Name	Title	Hours	Compensation
ROBERT B RAVENSCROFT	PRES./DIRECTOR	—	—
LORI GEARE	SECR./DIRECTOR	—	—
STEVEN F BUEL	TREASURER	—	—

Contact Information

Address: 8445 E Hartford Dr, Scottsdale, AZ 85255-5450

Telephone: 480-563-4260

Frequently Asked Questions

What does The Jazzbird Foundation fund?

The foundation's giving primarily supports: • Education • Lutheran and other Christian organizations and churches • Human Services • Health Care

How do I apply for a grant from The Jazzbird Foundation?

**Grant Activity:** • Total giving: $1,714,581 (based on most recent IRS Form 990 filing) • Typical award range: $1,000–$606,000 • The foundation maintains an active grantmaking program across multiple states **Geographic Scope:** The foundation makes grants primarily in Arizona, California, and Virginia.

What size grants does The Jazzbird Foundation award?

In 2024, The Jazzbird Foundation awarded 32 grants totaling $1.7M — an average of about $54K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.

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

Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, The Jazzbird Foundation reported a distributable amount of $15K on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.