The Porticus North America Foundation is a private foundation headquartered in New York, NY, established in 1979. Formerly known as the Humanitas Foundation, it operates as part of the global Porticus network. The foundation supports projects sponsored by Catholic organizations throughout the United States and maintains a sister foundation in Canada called the Ansgar Charitable Foundation.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$33.1M
+9.1% YoY
Annual Giving
$1.3M
-5.1% YoY
Grant Count
19
+26.7% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$68K
-25.1% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Porticus North America Foundation reported a distributable amount of $1.4M for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation seeks to foster church renewal, improve Catholic education, and serve the disadvantaged through its grantmaking. Its funding priorities include:
- Religious and Christian initiatives
- Catholicism and Catholic education
- Church renewal
- Service to disadvantaged populations
- Democracy and civic engagement
- Policy change initiatives
The foundation accomplishes its charitable purposes through a program of making charitable gifts, grants, and program-related investments. It does not conduct direct charitable activities.
Grantmaking
The foundation operates with preselected grantees only, indicating a limited open application process.
Grant Range
$50,000
How to Apply
**
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation funds projects across multiple U.S. states and territories, including:
- California
- Colorado
- District of Columbia
- Illinois
- Indiana
- New York
- Puerto Rico
- South Dakota
- Virginia
Major funding activity occurs in cities including New York, Chicago, and San Francisco.
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
As of Fiscal Year 2024:
- Total Assets: $33,124,336
- Total Revenue: $2,268,909
- Total Expenses: $1,617,512
- Total Giving: $1,291,240
As of Fiscal Year 2023:
- Total Assets: $30.4 million
- Total Revenue: $7,055,890
- Total Expenses: $1.64 million
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $33,124,336 | $30,360,354 | $27,709,913 |
| Revenue | $2,268,909 | $7,055,890 | $2,236,623 |
| Expenses | $1,617,512 | $1,643,972 | $2,001,730 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $1,306,012 | $1,373,104 | $2,385,618 |
| Net Investment Income | $2,058,643 | $6,784,808 | $1,125,511 |
| Distributable Amount | $1,359,819 | $1,169,506 | $1,309,310 |
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
57 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include Georgetown University ($300,000), Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors ($175,000), National Council of the Us Society of St Vincent ($100,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| FADICA WASHINGTON, DC | MEMBERSHIP DUES AND GENERAL SUPPORT. | $40,000 |
| GEORGETOWN UNIVERSITY WASHINGTON, DC | NEW CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES: DEMOCRACY, BUILDING BRIDGES, YOUNG PEOPLE, AND THE SYNOD. | $300,000 |
| PACE WASHINGTON, DC | PACE MEMBERSHIP. | $5,000 |
| FUNDERS TOGETHER TO END HOMELESSNESS BOSTON, MA | MEMBERSHIP DUES AND GENERAL SUPPORT. | $1,000 |
| NATIONAL COUNCIL OF THE US SOCIETY OF ST VINCENT MARYLAND HEIGHTS, MO | TRANSITION GRANT - ST VINCENT DE PAUL. | $100,000 |
| CONSTRUCTIVE DIALOGUE INSTITUTE NEW YORK, NY | SUPPORTING A FAITH-BASED COHORT OF COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES TO IMPROVE DISCOURSE ON THEIR CAMPUSES. | $100,000 |
| ROCKEFELLER PHILANTHROPY ADVISORS NEW YORK, NY | TRUST FOR CIVIC LIFE: INVESTING IN LOCALLY LED CIVIC PROGRAMMING IN RURAL U.S. | $175,000 |
| THE NATIONAL LEADERSHIP ROUNTABLE ON CHURCH MGMT WASHINGTON, DC | CATHOLIC PARTNERSHIP SUMMIT. | $10,000 |
| COMMONWEAL FOUNDATION NEW YORK, NY | FUTURE READERS AND WRITERS TABLE AT THE COMMONWEAL CENTENNIAL GALA DINNER. | $5,000 |
| NEW AMERICA FOUNDATION WASHINGTON, DC | GENERAL OPEERATING SUPPORT. | $50,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The foundation operates with volunteer leadership, with all board members and officers reporting zero compensation:
- Robert Kushen — President
- Brian Hayes — Vice President
- Daisy A Vazquez — Vice President & Secretary
- Coleen A Waldron — Vice President & Treasurer
- Jean-Louis Brenninkmeijer — Director
- Bernard Brenninkmeijer — Director
- Mark Brenninkmeijer — Director
The foundation has limited or no paid staff.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| ROBERT KUSHEN | PRESIDENT | — | — |
| BRIAN HAYES | VICE PRESIDENT | — | — |
| DAISY A VAZQUEZ | VICE PRESIDENT & SECRETARY | — | — |
| JEAN-LOUIS BRENNINKMEIJER | DIRECTOR | — | — |
| BERNARD BRENNINKMEIJER | DIRECTOR | — | — |
| MARK BRENNINKMEIJER | DIRECTOR | — | — |
| COLEEN A WALDRON | VICE PRESIDENT & TREASURER | — | — |
Recent News & Activity
Recent developments and announcements
The foundation has supported several notable Catholic educational and faith-based initiatives:
**McGrath Institute for Church Life** at the University of Notre Dame launched a Porticus-funded initiative focused on strengthening dialogue in a digital age
Strengthening Dialogue in a Digital Age: McGrath Institute Launches Porticus-Funded**Seton Hall University's Center for Catholic Studies** received a multi-year grant from the foundation
Center for Catholic Studies Receives Porticus Grant - Seton Hall University**North Carolina A&T State University's Honors College** received support through foundation funding
Honors College Receives Prestigious NCHC Portz Grant\n | North Carolina\Subject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Frequently Asked Questions
What does The Porticus North America Foundation fund?
The foundation seeks to foster church renewal, improve Catholic education, and serve the disadvantaged through its grantmaking. Its funding priorities include: • Religious and Christian initiatives • Catholicism and Catholic education • Church renewal • Service to disadvantaged populations • Democracy and civic engagement • Policy change initiatives The foundation accomplishes its charitable purposes through a program of making charitable gifts, grants, and program-related investments. It does …
How do I apply for a grant from The Porticus North America Foundation?
**Grant Activity:** • Recent grants range from $1,000 to $300,000 • Median grant size: $50,000 • The foundation made 19 grants in its most recent filing period • Four grants were made in 2024 **Recent Grants:** • Georgetown University: $300,000 for "New Challenges and Opportunities: Democracy, Building Bridges, Young People, and the Synod" (2024) • Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors (RPA): Grant for trust-related purposes (2024) **Application Process:** The foundation operates with preselected g…
Where does The Porticus North America Foundation make grants?
The foundation funds projects across multiple U.S. states and territories, including: • California • Colorado • District of Columbia • Illinois • Indiana • New York • Puerto Rico • South Dakota • Virginia Major funding activity occurs in cities including New York, Chicago, and San Francisco.
What size grants does The Porticus North America Foundation award?
In 2024, The Porticus North America Foundation awarded 19 grants totaling $1.3M — an average of about $68K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is The Porticus North America Foundation required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, The Porticus North America Foundation reported a distributable amount of $1.4M on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is The Porticus North America Foundation's EIN?
The Porticus North America Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 13-3005012. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
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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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