The Ortner Family Foundation
The Ortner Family Foundation is a private foundation based in McLean, Virginia. Its mission is to promote human flourishing through formation and fellowship consistent with Catholic teaching, with a particular emphasis on renewing Catholic education.
Key facts about The Ortner Family Foundation
In short: The Ortner Family Foundation gave $2.2M across 18 grants in 2024 (avg $123K), top state District of Columbia. 28% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- EIN
- 47-5662226
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024
- Annual giving (2024)
- $2,208,682
- Grants made (2024)
- 18
- Average grant
- $122,705
- Median grant
- $93,591
- New grantees (estimate)
- 28% first-time grantees (5 of 18, 2024)
- Total assets
- $19,462,478
- Primary geography
- District of Columbia (32% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to apply
- The foundation states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds. Full details ↓
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated September 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology). Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
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.
Is The Ortner Family Foundation open to new grantees?
28%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 5 of 18 grantees (28%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $88K; repeat grants $136K. How we count
Medians: $25K first-time, $100K repeat.
- 67% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving grew 33% from 2021 to 2024. Method
- In 2024 it paid out 192% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2020–2024). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation’s website describes churches, families, and schools as central to its view of cultural renewal and identifies Catholic schools as a starting point for its work. It supports Catholic education and related efforts in formation and fellowship. Its website names the Institute for Catholic Liberal Education, Religious Freedom Institute, Cana Academy, Thomistic Institute, Catholic Education Partners, Ethics and Public Policy Center, St. Jerome Institute, Thomas Aquinas College, and A Simple House among organizations it supports.
The grantees’ stated missions illustrate the range of its giving. The Religious Freedom Institute says it works to promote religious liberty as a fundamental human right and a cornerstone of a successful society. The Ethics and Public Policy Center says it applies the Judeo-Christian moral tradition to public policy issues and seeks to influence policymakers and culture. The Evangelical Catholic says it trains and supports local Catholic ministries for evangelization. Trinity House Community says it supports families and the renewal of faith and culture through programs for parents and parish communities.
The foundation also oversees Catholic School Playbook, which shares best practices among high-performing Catholic schools with school leaders, and Run with Saints, which equips Catholics to build and participate in local communities with faithful peers and mentors.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2024, the foundation reported 18 grants totaling $2,208,682. Grants ranged from $2,500 to $385,000, with a median of $93,591. Notable awards included $385,000 to Cana Academy, $349,000 to the Religious Freedom Institute, $270,000 to St. Jerome Institute, $250,000 to Catholic Institute of Technology, and $150,000 each to Sent Institute for Entrepreneurship, Thomas Aquinas College, and Dominican House of Studies College of the Immaculate Conception.
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2024, the largest shares of grant dollars went to recipients in the District of Columbia (32%), Virginia (26%), Massachusetts (18%), Maryland (13%), and California (6%).
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 18 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2020 to 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $1.4M (2020) to $2.2M (2024). In 2024 it made 18 grants totaling $2.2M.
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Cana Academy ($385K). Together the top 10 received $2.0M.
Grant Size Distribution
68 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 23 grants of 68 (34%).
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Cana Academy Falls Church, VA | General Purpose | $385,000 |
| Religious Freedom Institute Washington, DC | General Purpose | $349,000 |
| St Jerome Institute Hyattsville, MD | General Purpose | $270,000 |
| Catholic Institute of Technology Cambridge, MA | General Purpose | $250,000 |
| Sent Institute for Entrepreneurship Vienna, VA | General Purpose | $150,000 |
| Thomas Aquinas College Northfield, MA | General Purpose | $150,000 |
| Dominican House of Studies College of the Immaculate Conception Washington, DC | General Purpose | $150,000 |
| The Institute for Catholic Liberal Education Ventura, CA | General Purpose | $125,000 |
| Ethics and Public Policy Center Washington, DC | General Purpose | $100,000 |
| A Simple House Washington, DC | General Purpose | $87,182 |
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $19,462,478 | $1,273,419 | $2,596,230 | $2,208,682 |
| 2023 | $20,784,759 | $657,158 | $1,932,157 | $1,505,823 |
| 2022 | $22,061,131 | -$267,830 | $1,937,617 | $1,544,050 |
| 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 |
Data update history
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Michael Ortner as president, Elizabeth Ortner as secretary, and Kimberly Begg as program director.
The Ortner Family Foundation is led by Michael Ortner, President on every filing since 2020; 1 of 3 officers listed in 2024 is compensated.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Michael Ortner
President
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Kimberly Begg
Program Director
On filings since 2022
40 hrs/week
$160K (2022) → $26K (2024)
Elizabeth Ortner
Secretary
On filings since 2020
2 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.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2024 filing was $26K, to Kimberly Begg (Program Director).
Contact
Mailing address: 6805 Rosemont Drive, Mclean, VA 22101
Phone: (202) 251-4183
Website: https://ortnerfamilyfoundation.org
Frequently asked questions about The Ortner Family Foundation
How much does The Ortner Family Foundation give each year?
The Ortner Family Foundation gave $2.2M across 18 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $1.5M across 13 grants.
What is The Ortner Family Foundation's typical grant size?
The Ortner Family Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $93,591, and its average grant was $122,705, across 18 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from The Ortner Family Foundation that year got $88K on average.
Where does The Ortner Family Foundation give grants?
The Ortner Family Foundation's top state is District of Columbia, with 32% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. The next largest states were Virginia (26%) and Massachusetts (18%). The most frequent recipient cities were Washington, DC (6 grants).
Does The Ortner Family Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 100% of The Ortner Family Foundation's 2024 grants with a stated purpose (18 of 18) were for general or operating support, per its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are The Ortner Family Foundation's largest grantees?
The Ortner Family Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include Cana Academy ($385,000), Religious Freedom Institute ($349,000) and St Jerome Institute ($270,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 45% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is The Ortner Family Foundation?
The Ortner Family Foundation reported $19.5M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $2.5M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $1.3M (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does The Ortner Family Foundation fund?
The foundation’s website describes churches, families, and schools as central to its view of cultural renewal and identifies Catholic schools as a starting point for its work. It supports Catholic education and related efforts in formation and fellowship. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The Ortner Family Foundation?
The foundation states that it 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 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.
Does The Ortner Family Foundation accept unsolicited proposals?
No, according to Grantable's research on the foundation's published guidelines. See how to apply ↑
Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
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