The Wiegers Family Foundation
The Wiegers Family Foundation is a private foundation established in 1992 in Colorado and based in New York City. The foundation conducts philanthropy on behalf of George and Elizabeth Wiegers and their family, with a focus on arts, education, and health and human services.
Financial Overview
From 2025 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$12.6M
-10.6% YoY
Annual Giving
$2.4M
+4.0% YoY
Grant Count
18
-21.7% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$135K
+32.9% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Wiegers Family Foundation reported a distributable amount of $731K for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation gives primarily for the arts and education. Key funding areas include:
- Arts & Culture: Support for performing arts, classical music, dance, and visual arts organizations
- Education: Higher education initiatives and educational programs
- Health & Human Services: Particular emphasis on mental health research and treatment, including depression and mood disorders
- Philanthropy & Grantmaking: Support for nonprofit infrastructure
Grantmaking
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation prioritizes giving in:
- Colorado (particularly the Vail Valley and Eagle County regions)
- New York
- Massachusetts
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
- Total Assets: $12,609,040
- Total Annual Giving: $2,433,300 (most recent IRS 990 filing, 2025)
| Metric | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $12,609,040 | $14,108,925 | $14,827,348 |
| Revenue | $1,128,049 | $1,813,732 | $473,749 |
| Expenses | $2,627,934 | $2,532,155 | $2,192,558 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $2,437,609 | $2,338,800 | $2,092,633 |
| Net Investment Income | $949,968 | $630,651 | $394,087 |
| Distributable Amount | $730,879 | $687,338 | $808,289 |
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
102 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2025 grants, the largest include Vail Health Foundation ($2,200,000), Columbia Business School ($88,300), Greenlight Fund ($50,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| BLOOMSBERG UNIVERSITY BLOOMSBERG, PA | GENERAL | $1,000 |
| COLUMBIA BUSINESS SCHOOL NEW YORK, NY | GENERAL | $88,300 |
| DENVER ART MUSEUM DENVER, CO | GENERAL | $10,000 |
| DENVER BOTANIC GARDENS DENVER, CO | GENERAL | $1,000 |
| DENVER SCHOLARSHIP FOUNDATION DENVER, CO | GENERAL | $10,000 |
| EAGLEBROOK SCHOOL ANNUAL FUND DEERFIELD, MA | GENERAL | $1,000 |
| EAGLE VALLEY LAND TRUST EDWARDS, CO | GENERAL | $2,500 |
| FOOD BANK OF THE ROCKIES DENVER, CO | GENERAL | $2,500 |
| GREENLIGHT FUND BOSTON, MA | GENERAL | $50,000 |
| HELEN & ARTHUR JOHNSON FOUNDATION HAILEY, ID | GENERAL | $25,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
George A. Wiegers: Founder and primary donor. Graduate of Niagara University with an MBA from Columbia University. Former managing director of Dillon, Read & Co. Inc. and partner at Lehman Brothers and Dean Witter. Co-founded Wiegers Capital Partners with his son Alexander in 1998.
Elizabeth (Betsy) Wiegers: Co-founder. Named 2019 Vail Valley Citizen of the Year alongside George Wiegers.
Connie Wiegers: Director of the Wiegers Family Foundation, based in Denver, Colorado. Serves on the board of the University of Colorado Department of Psychiatry (Johnson Depression Center) and the Vail Health/Eagle Valley Behavioral Health Board.
Alexander Wiegers: Co-founder of Wiegers Capital Partners with his father George.
Compensation Overview
From 2025 IRS filing
From 2025 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| ELIZABETH C WIEGERS | TRUSTEE | — | — |
| E ALEXANDER WIEGERS | TRUSTEE | 2 | — |
| HANS P UTSCH | TRUSTEE | — | — |
Recent News & Activity
Recent developments and announcements
George Wiegers was instrumental in establishing the National Network of Depression Centers, a consortium of leading medical centers designed to develop and implement best practices for the diagnosis and treatment of depression and other mood disorders. This network grew from the University of Michigan's Depression Center (launched in 2001) and now includes 28 centers across the country.
2019 Citizen of the Year | Betsy and George Wiegers - Vail Valley FoundationThe foundation created the Wiegers Clinic within the Eagle Valley Behavioral Health system in the Vail Valley, bringing mental health services to western Colorado communities.
2019 Citizen of the Year | Betsy and George Wiegers - Vail Valley FoundationBetsy Wiegers has been a significant supporter of performing arts organizations including the Vail Dance Festival, Bravo! Vail, American Ballet Theater, the Denver Art Museum, and the Betty Ford Gardens. She has also supported the Philadelphia Philharmonic, New York Philharmonic, and New York Historical Society.
2019 Citizen of the Year | Betsy and George Wiegers - Vail Valley FoundationFrequently Asked Questions
What does The Wiegers Family Foundation fund?
The foundation gives primarily for the arts and education. Key funding areas include: • **Arts & Culture**: Support for performing arts, classical music, dance, and visual arts organizations • **Education**: Higher education initiatives and educational programs • **Health & Human Services**: Particular emphasis on mental health research and treatment, including depression and mood disorders • **Philanthropy & Grantmaking**: Support for nonprofit infrastructure
How do I apply for a grant from The Wiegers Family Foundation?
**Grant Amounts**: Typical awards range from $800 to $2,200,000. **Recent Activity**: The foundation awarded $2,433,300 in total giving according to the most recent IRS Form 990 filing (2025). **Notable Grants**: • $2.5 million gift to Stanford University to launch the Depression Optogenetics Center • $3 million to establish the University of Colorado Denver School of Medicine Depression Center • At least $8 million to the Helen and Arthur E. Johnson Depression Center at University of Colorado …
Where does The Wiegers Family Foundation make grants?
The foundation prioritizes giving in: • Colorado (particularly the Vail Valley and Eagle County regions) • New York • Massachusetts
What size grants does The Wiegers Family Foundation award?
In 2025, The Wiegers Family Foundation awarded 18 grants totaling $2.4M — an average of about $135K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is The Wiegers Family Foundation required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2025, The Wiegers Family Foundation reported a distributable amount of $731K on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is The Wiegers Family Foundation's EIN?
The Wiegers Family Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 84-1214070. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2021–2025.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in The Wiegers 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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