The Louis Cunningham Scholarship
The Louis Cunningham Scholarship is a private foundation, based in Troy, MI. IRS filing data is available from 2020 through 2025. As of 2025, the organization holds $65K in total assets. In 2025, it awarded 3 grants totaling $13K. Net investment income was $566.
The Louis Cunningham Scholarship at a glance
In short: The Louis Cunningham Scholarship gave $13K across 3 grants in 2025 (avg $4K), top state California. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $13,000
- -13.3% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 3
- -25.0% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $4,333
- +15.6% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $5,000
- Total assets
- $65,353
- -16.0% vs 2024
- Primary geography
- California (38% 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 Louis Cunningham Scholarship funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 3 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Kennedi Hayes Co Southwestern Colle ($5K). Together the top 3 received $13K.
Grant Size Distribution
16 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 16 grants of 16 (100%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 3 itemized grants.
Cities
How The Louis Cunningham Scholarship gives
- Giving grew 333% from 2022 to 2025. Method
- In 2025 it paid out 109% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). 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
From 2020 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $3K (2022) to $18K (2023). In 2025 it made 3 grants totaling $13K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Kennedi Hayes Co Southwestern Colle Chula Vista, CA | Scholarship | $5,000 |
| Sandra Smith Johnson Co Harvard UNI Cambridge, MA | Scholarship | $5,000 |
| Centers for Family Development Inc Detroit, MI | Scholarship Fund | $3,000 |
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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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $65,353 | $2,833 | $15,267 | $13,000 | 3 | $13,000 | $566 | $11,977 |
| 2024 | $77,787 | $30,356 | $17,039 | $15,000 | 4 | $15,000 | $28,317 | $11,669 |
| 2023 | $64,470 | $21,478 | $19,628 | $18,000 | 4 | $18,000 | $19,850 | $10,578 |
| 2022 | $62,620 | $5,756 | $4,491 | $3,000 | 2 | $3,000 | $4,265 | $10,815 |
| 2021 | $61,355 | $8,872 | $14,951 | $13,500 | 3 | $13,500 | $7,421 | $12,035 |
| 2020 | $67,434 | $4,140 | $8,362 | $7,000 | 5 | — | $2,780 | $9,995 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Louis Cunningham Scholarship reported a distributable amount of $12K for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Leadership & Key People
Officers and directors from IRS filings
The Louis Cunningham Scholarship is led by Kenneth A. McKanders, President on every filing since 2020; none of the 3 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Kenneth A. McKanders
President
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
Louis E. Cunningham
Secretary
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
Walter Watkins Jr.
Vice President & Treasurer
On filings since 2020
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 Louis Cunningham Scholarship
How much does The Louis Cunningham Scholarship give each year?
The Louis Cunningham Scholarship gave $13K across 3 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $15K across 4 grants.
What is The Louis Cunningham Scholarship's typical grant size?
The Louis Cunningham Scholarship's median grant in 2025 was $5,000, and its average grant was $4,333, across 3 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
Where does The Louis Cunningham Scholarship give grants?
The Louis Cunningham Scholarship's top state is California, with 38% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. The next largest states were Massachusetts (38%) and Michigan (23%).
Does The Louis Cunningham Scholarship give general operating support?
Not in 2025: none of the 3 grants with a stated purpose on The Louis Cunningham Scholarship's 2025 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support.
How large is The Louis Cunningham Scholarship?
The Louis Cunningham Scholarship reported $65K in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $13K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $12K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What is The Louis Cunningham Scholarship's EIN?
The Louis Cunningham Scholarship's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 38-3197360. 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
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS November 15, 2021)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS November 4, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS July 17, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS May 14, 2024)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS May 27, 2025)
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS May 14, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
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