The Lighthouse Beacon Foundation
The Lighthouse Beacon Foundation is a private foundation based in Wilmington, Delaware. In 2024, it made grants supporting organizations and programs including education, STEM activities, engineering education, and a ministry providing education and a home to children in Honduras.
The Lighthouse Beacon Foundation at a glance
In short: The Lighthouse Beacon Foundation gave $447K across 36 grants in 2024 (avg $12K), mostly in Kentucky. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $447,496
- +169.0% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 36
- +200.0% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $12,430
- -10.3% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $3,006
- Total assets
- $2,356,427
- -8.4% vs 2023
- Primary geography
- Kentucky (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.
How to apply to The Lighthouse Beacon Foundation
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds.
- Contact
Mailing address: Foundation Source 501 Silverside Rd, Wilmington, DE 19809-1377
Phone: (800) 839-1754
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who The Lighthouse Beacon Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was El Hogar Ministries Inc ($200K). Together the top 10 received $416K.
Grant Size Distribution
58 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 54 grants of 58 (93%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2024, 55% of grant dollars went to recipients in Kentucky and 45% to recipients in Massachusetts; the reported share for North Carolina was 0%.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 36 itemized grants.
Cities
How The Lighthouse Beacon Foundation gives
- 25% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2021 to 2024 (−18%). Method
- In 2024 it paid out 669% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (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 2021 to 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $145K (2022) to $546K (2021). In 2024 it made 36 grants totaling $447K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| El Hogar Ministries Inc Andover, MA | General & Unrestricted | $200,000 |
| Technology Student Association Kentucky Tech Frankfort, KY | National Competition | $49,210 |
| Technology Student Association Kentucky Tech Frankfort, KY | TSA Program | $45,780 |
| Floyd County School District Eastern, KY | FCSI Physics Program | $27,120 |
| Kentucky Science and Technology Corporation Lexington, KY | Engineering By Design Summer Training | $16,102 |
| Kentucky Science and Technology Corporation Lexington, KY | Charitable Event | $12,500 |
| Johnson Central High School Paintsville, KY | Solar Car Fund | $10,000 |
| Somerset High School Somerset, KY | Solar Car fund | $10,000 |
| Technology Student Association Kentucky Tech Frankfort, KY | Engineering By Design Summer Training | $8,500 |
| Kentucky Engineering Foundation Inc Frankfort, KY | MATHCOUNTS Chapter Competition Support | $8,350 |
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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 | $2,356,427 | $770,779 | $989,702 | $447,496 | 36 | $977,443 | $831,717 | $146,041 |
| 2023 | $2,573,375 | $224,679 | $500,002 | $166,354 | 12 | $490,788 | $479,544 | $166,247 |
| 2022 | $2,848,698 | $2,165,234 | $327,737 | $145,303 | 7 | $325,943 | $496,156 | $134,528 |
| 2021 | $1,011,201 | $1,013,388 | $557,195 | $545,761 | 3 | $555,629 | $85,809 | $66,444 |
| 2020 | $555,008 | $558,508 | $3,500 | — | — | — | $4 | $1,382 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Lighthouse Beacon Foundation reported a distributable amount of $146K for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2024 grants included support for STEM programs, engineering education, a solar car fund, and an FCSI physics program. The largest grant went to El Hogar Ministries, whose stated mission is to provide quality education and a safe, nurturing home to children living in impoverished conditions in Honduras. The Technology Student Association Kentucky Tech describes its mission as fostering personal growth, leadership, and STEM opportunities through co-curricular activities, competitions, and related programs.
Grantmaking
In 2024, the foundation made 36 grants totaling $447,496. Grants ranged from $250 to $200,000, with a median of $3,006.
The largest 2024 grant was $200,000 to El Hogar Ministries Inc. Other notable grants included $49,210 and $45,780 to Technology Student Association Kentucky Tech for a national competition and its TSA program, respectively; $27,120 to Floyd County School District for its FCSI Physics Program; and $16,102 to Kentucky Science and Technology Corporation for Engineering By Design Summer Training. The Kentucky Engineering Foundation received $8,350 for MATHCOUNTS Chapter Competition Support.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Karen C. Pigman as director and president, and Leonard Stanley Pigman as director, secretary, and treasurer.
The Lighthouse Beacon Foundation is led by Karen C Pigman, Director & President on every filing since 2020; none of the 2 officers listed in 2024 report compensation.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Karen C Pigman
Director & President
On filings since 2020
10 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Leonard Stanley Pigman
Director, Secretary & Treasurer
On filings since 2020
25 hrs/week
No compensation reported
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.
Frequently asked questions about The Lighthouse Beacon Foundation
How much does The Lighthouse Beacon Foundation give each year?
The Lighthouse Beacon Foundation gave $447K across 36 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $166K across 12 grants.
What is The Lighthouse Beacon Foundation's typical grant size?
The Lighthouse Beacon Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $3,006, and its average grant was $12,430, across 36 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
Where does The Lighthouse Beacon Foundation give grants?
The Lighthouse Beacon Foundation gives mostly in Kentucky: 55% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest state was Massachusetts (45%). The most frequent recipient cities were Frankfort, KY (6 grants), Lexington, KY (4 grants), Eastern, KY (2 grants) and Paintsville, KY (2 grants).
Does The Lighthouse Beacon Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 31% of The Lighthouse Beacon Foundation's 2024 grants with a stated purpose (11 of 36) were for general or operating support, per its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are The Lighthouse Beacon Foundation's largest grantees?
The Lighthouse Beacon Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include El Hogar Ministries Inc ($200,000), Technology Student Association Kentucky Tech ($107,247 across 5 grants) and Kentucky Science and Technology Corporation ($33,602 across 3 grants), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 76% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is The Lighthouse Beacon Foundation?
The Lighthouse Beacon Foundation reported $2.4M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $977K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $146K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does The Lighthouse Beacon Foundation fund?
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2024 grants included support for STEM programs, engineering education, a solar car fund, and an FCSI physics program. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The Lighthouse Beacon Foundation?
The foundation makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is The Lighthouse Beacon Foundation's EIN?
The Lighthouse Beacon Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 85-3247420. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Does The Lighthouse Beacon 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
(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 Lighthouse Beacon Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 15, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/the-lighthouse-beacon-foundation-morg_022095e3b9714679978aa5f9b4f108e1
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_853247420_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{The Lighthouse Beacon Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/the-lighthouse-beacon-foundation-morg_022095e3b9714679978aa5f9b4f108e1},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-15. 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 Lighthouse Beacon 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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