The Thomas C Ackerman Foundation
The Thomas C. Ackerman Foundation is a private, independent foundation established in 1991 and based in La Mesa, California. The foundation was created from the estate of Thomas C. Ackerman, a prominent San Diego attorney and partner at the law firm Gray, Cary, Ames & Frye. The foundation operates with a clear mandate to support qualified organizations within the San Diego community, particularly those aligned with causes that reflected Mr. Ackerman's interests during his lifetime.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$4.0M
+16.1% YoY
Annual Giving
$230K
+53.6% YoY
Grant Count
26
+44.4% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$9K
+6.3% YoY
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation is committed to helping youth achieve success in their early education, whether college-bound or entering the workforce directly after high school. The foundation believes that a well-rounded kindergarten through twelfth-grade education—including music, arts, culture, math, and science—is essential to helping students fulfill their future roles as parents, professionals, and citizens.
Primary funding areas include:
- Arts and culture
- Education (with particular emphasis on K-12)
- Health and human services
- Community development
- Music and arts education programs
Grantmaking
The foundation is currently accepting applications for the 2026 grant cycle with a deadline of March 15, 2026.
Grant Range
s and Activity:**
Review Cycle
with a deadline of March 15, 2026.
How to Apply
**
Ready to take the next step with The Thomas C Ackerman Foundation?
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation focuses exclusively on the San Diego community. The foundation recognizes that local San Diego-based nonprofit groups have a limited universe of funding sources within the community and seeks to be a local solution to that challenge.
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
Assets and Revenue (2023):
- Total assets: $3,437,675–$3,991,654
- Total revenues: $435,439
- Total expenses: $385,963–$386,000
- Total liabilities: $0
Tax Status:
- Designated as a 501(c)(3) organization
- Tax-exempt since September 1991
- EIN: 33-0477490
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $3,991,654 | $3,437,675 | $3,388,199 |
| Revenue | $959,635 | $435,439 | $-772,644 |
| Expenses | $405,656 | $385,963 | $2,584,501 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $230,400 | $150,000 | $2,300,000 |
| Net Investment Income | $295,402 | — | $1,297,594 |
| Distributable Amount | $178,841 | $172,338 | $190,628 |
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
79 grants across all recorded years
Open Grants
1 open opportunity from The Thomas C Ackerman Foundation
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
No grants recorded for .
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
- Zachary Copeland – President/Director
- Lynne Newman Copeland – Administrator (20 hours/week, $96,000 annual compensation)
- H. Michael Collins – Treasurer and Chief Financial Officer
- Victoria Luntzel – Director
- T. Michelle Hauser – Director
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| ZACHARY COPELAND | PRESIDENT/DIR. | 15 | — |
| H MICHAEL COLLINS | TREASURER AND CFO | 1 | — |
| VICTORIA LUNTZEL | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| T MICHELLE HAUSER | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| LYNNE NEWMAN COPELAND | ADMINISTRATOR | 20 | $96,000 |
Recent News & Activity
Recent developments and announcements
The foundation announced its 2023 grant winners and has reached new levels of giving in recent years. The foundation opened its application portal for the 2026 grant cycle, with applications being accepted through March 15, 2026. The foundation continues to actively distribute grants to San Diego-area nonprofits focused on education, arts, culture, and community development.
Ackerman Foundation opens application portalData last updated April 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
What could you do with The Thomas C Ackerman Foundation on Grantable?
- Assess strategic fit with your organization
- Draft a tailored letter of inquiry
- Find open RFPs from this funder
- Monitor for new funding opportunities