The Ortner Family Foundation
The Ortner Family Foundation is a private independent foundation based in McLean, Virginia. Established in October 2016, it operates as a 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to promoting human flourishing through strategic philanthropic investments.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$19.5M
-6.4% YoY
Annual Giving
$2.2M
+46.7% YoY
Grant Count
18
+38.5% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$123K
+5.9% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Ortner Family Foundation reported a distributable amount of $1.3M for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation's mission is to promote human flourishing by leveraging opportunities for formation and fellowship consistent with Catholic teaching. The organization identifies the breakdown of three key institutions—churches, families, and schools—as the root cause of contemporary social, political, and economic problems.
The foundation's primary strategic focus centers on the renewal of Catholic education. It believes that Catholic schools have an outsized influence on culture through their formation of children and families, and that reclaiming the Church's education tradition is essential to cultural change. The foundation supports Catholic educators in bringing faith, joy, and a love of learning back to school communities, along with classical disciplines including philosophy, Latin, and traditional literature.
Primary funding focus areas include:
- Education
- Arts, Culture & Humanities
- Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking
The foundation serves as an investor, connector, and advisor to key efforts, including initiatives to advance religious freedom and school choice.
Grantmaking
Grant Range
s:** Typical awards range from $2,500 to $500,000.
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation primarily funds organizations in the District of Columbia, Virginia, and Maryland.
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
Assets: $19,462,478 (as of most recent filing)
Annual Giving: $2,208,682 (most recent year)
Total Liabilities: $3,120 (2023)
Revenue: $657,000 (2023)
Expenses: $1,930,000 (2023)
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $19,462,478 | $20,784,759 | $22,061,131 |
| Revenue | $1,273,419 | $657,158 | $-267,830 |
| Expenses | $2,596,230 | $1,932,157 | $1,937,617 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $2,476,833 | $1,825,013 | $1,812,671 |
| Net Investment Income | $1,147,075 | $617,261 | $547,063 |
| Distributable Amount | $1,293,210 | $1,243,964 | $51,993 |
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
68 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include Cana Academy ($385,000), Religious Freedom Institute ($349,000), St Jerome Institute ($270,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| A SIMPLE HOUSE WASHINGTON, DC | GENERAL PURPOSE | $87,182 |
| CANA ACADEMY FALLS CHURCH, VA | GENERAL PURPOSE | $385,000 |
| CATHOLIC EDUCATION PARTNERS STILLWATER, MN | GENERAL PURPOSE | $50,000 |
| CATHOLIC INFORMATION CENTER WASHINGTON, DC | GENERAL PURPOSE | $10,000 |
| ETHICS AND PUBLIC POLICY CENTER WASHINGTON, DC | GENERAL PURPOSE | $100,000 |
| RELIGIOUS FREEDOM INSTITUTE WASHINGTON, DC | GENERAL PURPOSE | $349,000 |
| SENT INSTITUTE FOR ENTREPRENEURSHIP VIENNA, VA | GENERAL PURPOSE | $150,000 |
| ST JEROME INSTITUTE HYATTSVILLE, MD | GENERAL PURPOSE | $270,000 |
| THE EVANGELICAL CATHOLIC INC MADISON, WI | GENERAL PURPOSE | $50,000 |
| THE INSTITUTE FOR CATHOLIC LIBERAL EDUCATION VENTURA, CA | GENERAL PURPOSE | $125,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Officers and directors from IRS filings
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| MICHAEL ORTNER | PRESIDENT | 2 | — |
| ELIZABETH ORTNER | SECRETARY | 2 | — |
| KIMBERLY BEGG | PROGRAM DIRECTOR | 40 | $25,678 |
Subject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Frequently Asked Questions
What does The Ortner Family Foundation fund?
The foundation's mission is to promote human flourishing by leveraging opportunities for formation and fellowship consistent with Catholic teaching. The organization identifies the breakdown of three key institutions—churches, families, and schools—as the root cause of contemporary social, political, and economic problems. The foundation's primary strategic focus centers on the renewal of Catholic education. It believes that Catholic schools have an outsized influence on culture through their f…
How do I apply for a grant from The Ortner Family Foundation?
**Grant Sizes:** Typical awards range from $2,500 to $500,000. **Recent Activity:** As of the most recent 2024 IRS Form 990 filing, the foundation made total grants of $2,208,682. **Programs Supported:** The foundation supports specific initiatives including: • Catholic School Playbook—a program that compiles best practices among high-performing Catholic schools and shares them with Catholic school leaders to promote renewal of Catholic education • Run with Saints—a program inspired by the beli…
Where does The Ortner Family Foundation make grants?
The foundation primarily funds organizations in the District of Columbia, Virginia, and Maryland.
What size grants does The Ortner Family Foundation award?
In 2024, The Ortner Family Foundation awarded 18 grants totaling $2.2M — an average of about $123K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is The Ortner Family Foundation required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, The Ortner Family Foundation reported a distributable amount of $1.3M on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is The Ortner Family Foundation's EIN?
The Ortner Family Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 47-5662226. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in The Ortner Family Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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Data last updated June 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
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