The Lion and Blue Bear Foundation

Private foundation · Grantmaker Nazareth, PA EIN: 26-1454186

The Lion and Blue Bear Foundation is a private foundation, based in Nazareth, PA. IRS filing data is available from 2020 through 2025. As of 2025, the organization holds $769K in total assets. In 2025, it awarded 3 grants totaling $8K. Net investment income was $30K.

The Lion and Blue Bear Foundation at a glance

In short: The Lion and Blue Bear Foundation gave $8K across 3 grants in 2025 (avg $3K), mostly in North Carolina. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.

Annual giving (2025)
$7,930
-51.9% vs 2024
Grants made (2025)
3
+0.0% vs 2024
Average grant
$2,643
-51.9% vs 2024
Median grant
$2,730
Total assets
$769,444
+2.5% vs 2024
Primary geography
North Carolina (63% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
Latest 990 filing
Form 990-PF, 2025 View filing

Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated September 2026.

Who The Lion and Blue Bear Foundation funds

How this funder distributes its grants

Top Recipients

Top 3 recipients in 2025

V Foundation for Cancer Research: $5KV Foundation for CancerResearch$5KPenn State Thon (Four Diamonds): $3KPenn State Thon (FourDiamonds)$3KHoly Family Festival: $200Holy Family Festival$200

The largest 2025 recipient was V Foundation for Cancer Research ($5K). Together the top 3 received $8K.

Grant Size Distribution

14 grants across all recorded years

13<$50K1$50–100K$100–250K$250–500K$500K–1M$1–5M$5M+

The most common grant size was under $50K: 13 grants of 14 (93%).

Geographic Focus

Where this funder awards grants

Grant Distribution by State

3states

Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 3 itemized grants.

Cities

NazarethCaryAllentownBethlehemHersheyNew YorkRye BrookSchenectady

How The Lion and Blue Bear Foundation gives

  • Giving fell 22% from 2022 to 2025. Method
  • In 2025 it paid out 37% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Foundations have until the end of the next year to meet it. Method

From the foundation's IRS Form 990-PF filings. Methodology.

Giving History

Giving Over Time

Total grant dollars and number of grants per year

$0$25K$50K$75K$100K5 grants2020 6 grants2021 2 grants2022 0 grants2023 3 grants2024 3 grants2025

From 2020 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $8K (2025) to $98K (2020). In 2025 it made 3 grants totaling $8K.

Grants by year

Grant recipients and amounts by year

RecipientPurposeAmount
V Foundation for Cancer Research Cary, NCTo Fund the Recipient's Operating Budget$5,000
Penn State Thon (Four Diamonds) Hershey, PATo Fund the Recipient's Operating Budget$2,730
Holy Family Festival Nazareth, PATo Fund the Recipient's Operating Budget$200
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Financial History

Multi-year comparison from IRS filings

Figures from IRS filings, by filing year
Filing yearTotal AssetsRevenueExpensesGrants paidGrantsQualifying DistributionsNet Investment IncomeDistributable Amount
2025$769,444$35,057$16,568$7,9303$11,985$30,474$32,227
2024$750,955$32,976$21,915$16,5003$19,008$30,069$30,029
2023$744,314$29,545$4,902——$2,201$27,344$35,869
2022$718,892$36,547$19,737$10,1502$14,952$31,762$35,799
2021$702,082$70,643$104,034$93,2816$98,658$65,790$43,208
2020$735,473$50,423$108,182$98,0265—$20,523$33,183

Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Lion and Blue Bear Foundation reported a distributable amount of $32K for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.

Leadership & Key People

Officers and directors from IRS filings

The Lion and Blue Bear Foundation is led by John J. De Marco, President on every filing since 2020; none of the 2 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.

Officers on the 2025 filing

  • John J. De Marco

    President

    On filings since 2020

    3 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Irene Y. De Marco

    Secretary

    On filings since 2020

    3 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2025. "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 Lion and Blue Bear Foundation

How much does The Lion and Blue Bear Foundation give each year?

The Lion and Blue Bear Foundation gave $8K across 3 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $17K across 3 grants.

What is The Lion and Blue Bear Foundation's typical grant size?

The Lion and Blue Bear Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $2,730, and its average grant was $2,643, across 3 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.

Where does The Lion and Blue Bear Foundation give grants?

The Lion and Blue Bear Foundation gives mostly in North Carolina: 63% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest state was Pennsylvania (37%).

Does The Lion and Blue Bear Foundation give general operating support?

Yes: 100% of The Lion and Blue Bear Foundation's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (3 of 3) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.

How large is The Lion and Blue Bear Foundation?

The Lion and Blue Bear Foundation reported $769K in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $12K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $32K (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.

What is The Lion and Blue Bear Foundation's EIN?

The Lion and Blue Bear Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 26-1454186. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.

Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings.

Data update history

(7)

When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable

  1. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS May 15, 2021)
  2. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS August 31, 2022)
  3. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS November 15, 2023)
  4. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS May 15, 2024)
  5. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS May 12, 2025)
  6. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS February 27, 2026)
  7. IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2025

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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 Lion and Blue Bear 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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