The Muir House Foundation
The Muir House Foundation is a private foundation focused on Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking, based in Lexington, KY. IRS filing data is available from 2020 through 2025. As of 2025, the organization holds $6.6M in total assets. In 2025, it awarded 19 grants totaling $251K. Net investment income was $980K.
Key facts about The Muir House Foundation
In short: The Muir House Foundation gave $251K across 19 grants in 2025 (avg $13K), mostly in Kentucky. 11% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- EIN
- 46-2986797
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025
- Annual giving (2025)
- $250,500
- Grants made (2025)
- 19
- Average grant
- $13,184
- Median grant
- $10,000
- New grantees (estimate)
- 11% first-time grantees (2 of 19, 2025)
- Total assets
- $6,606,962
- Primary geography
- Kentucky (84% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated September 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
Financial Overview
From 2025 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$6.6M
+12.2% YoY
Annual Giving
$251K
+5.7% YoY
Grant Count
19
-34.5% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$13K
+61.3% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Muir House Foundation reported a distributable amount of $279K for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Is The Muir House Foundation open to new grantees?
11%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 2 of 19 grantees (11%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $35K; repeat grants $11K. How we count
Medians: $35K first-time, $10K repeat.
- 89% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving grew 140% from 2022 to 2025. Method
- In 2025 it paid out 91% 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 (2020–2025). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
Grant Distribution by State
Share of all 19 itemized 2025 grant dollars.
States
Cities
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 2025
Grant Size Distribution
137 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| LEXINGTON CHILDREN'S MUSEUM Lexington, KY | INSPIRE FUTURE GENERATIONS THROUGH EDUCATIONAL PLAY | $50,000 |
| THE NATURE CONSERVANCY Lexington, KY | CONSERVING THE LANDS AND WATERS ON WHICH ALL LIFE DEPENDS. | $50,000 |
| CAF AMERICA Alexandria, VA | ENABLE CROSS-BORDER GIVING BY AMERICANS TO VALIDATED CHARITIES AND CHARITABLE PROJECTS ACROSS THE WORLD. | $20,000 |
| LEXINGTON CHILDREN'S THEATRE Lexington, KY | CREATING THEATRE EXPERIENCES FOR YOUNG PEOPLE AND THEIR FAMILIES. | $20,000 |
| THE NEST - CENTER FOR WOMEN CHILDREN AND FAMILIES INC Lexington, KY | PROVIDE SUPPORT FOR WOMEN & CHILDREN | $15,000 |
| CARNEGIE CENTER Lexington, KY | PROVIDE LITERACY AND LEARNING PROGRAMS TO PEOPLE OF ALL AGES AND BACKGROUNDS | $10,000 |
| CHILDREN'S ADVOCACY CENTER Lexington, KY | PROVIDE SUPPORT TO CHILDREN WHO HAVE SUFFERED FROM SEXUAL ABUSE. | $10,000 |
| FOODCHAIN Lexington, KY | PROVIDE SUPPORT FOR EDUCATIONAL OUTREACH | $10,000 |
| LEGAL AID OF THE BLUEGRASS Lexington, KY | HELP LOW-INCOME AND VULNERABLE PEOPLE IN KENTUCKY. | $10,000 |
| LEXINGTON PUBLIC LIBRARY FOUNDATION Lexington, KY | LEXINGTON PUBLIC LIBRARY FOUNDATION FUNDS INNOVATION WITHIN THE PUBLIC LIBRARY SYSTEM. THE LIBRARY'S VISION IS FOR A COMMUNITY ENGAGED IN A LIFETIME OF DISCOVERY AND PRIVATE DONATIONS HELP LEXINGTONIANS LEARN AND PLAY IN DYNAMIC NEW WAYS. | $10,000 |
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Metric | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $6,606,962 | $5,889,082 | $5,699,683 |
| Revenue | $983,402 | $431,106 | $144,161 |
| Expenses | $265,522 | $241,707 | $107,027 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $253,586 | $239,353 | $104,357 |
| Net Investment Income | $980,317 | $428,752 | $164,811 |
| Distributable Amount | $279,453 | $257,942 | $228,040 |
Data update history
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS May 6, 2021)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS May 13, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS May 11, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS May 13, 2024)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS February 20, 2026)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS April 15, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2025
Leadership & Key People
Officers and directors from IRS filings
The Muir House Foundation is led by Angela L. Beck, Trustee & President since 2024 (on filings since 2020); none of the 4 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Angela L. Beck
Trustee & President
Trustee & Co-President → Trustee & President, 2024
On filings since 2020
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Hillary McCowan
Secretary
On filings since 2020
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Sarah Fozzard
Treasurer
On filings since 2020
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Dennis Hermansson-Ekman
Investment Manager
On filings since 2023
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (4)
- Former: Antony R. Beck (2020–2023) — Trustee & Co-President
- Former: Dennis Ekman (2022) — Investment Manager
- Former: Connie Hale (2020–2021) — CFO
- Former: Sean Thibodeaux (2020–2021) — Investment Manager
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 Muir House Foundation
How much does The Muir House Foundation give each year?
The Muir House Foundation gave $251K across 19 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $237K across 29 grants.
What is The Muir House Foundation's typical grant size?
The Muir House Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $10,000, and its average grant was $13,184, across 19 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from The Muir House Foundation that year got $35K on average.
Where does The Muir House Foundation give grants?
The Muir House Foundation gives mostly in Kentucky: 84% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest state was Virginia (8%). The most frequent recipient cities were Lexington, KY (13 grants).
Does The Muir House Foundation give general operating support?
Not in 2025: none of the 19 grants with a stated purpose on The Muir House Foundation's 2025 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support.
Who are The Muir House Foundation's largest grantees?
The Muir House Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include Lexington Children's Museum ($50,000), The Nature Conservancy ($50,000) and Caf America ($20,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 48% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is The Muir House Foundation?
The Muir House Foundation reported $6.6M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $254K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $279K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What is The Muir House Foundation?
The Muir House Foundation is a private foundation focused on Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking, based in Lexington, KY. It holds $6.6M in total assets as of 2025.
What is The Muir House Foundation's EIN?
The Muir House Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 46-2986797. 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.
Here's the math on researching The Muir House Foundation by hand.
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